Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of dining with the Wine Diva. No, this was not a fellow diner who insisted that we order the Petrus. Rather, the Wine Diva, aka Christine Ansbacher, is a wine educator and entertainer.

Christine had presented a session at the Society of Wine Educators’ conference in New Orleans, LA. But, as I did not attend conference this year, I missed her presentation. She graciously consented to meet with me and share some of the advice she provided.

It was lovely to meet Christine. Despite her moniker, she is a true professional and does not come across in any way as a diva, although she does have a certain regal presence.  Christine earned her DWS a few years back and, since then, has been providing corporate clients with her unique approach to wine events with her "theatrical flair." She is a self-taught Champagne-saberer, which she urged me to learn. I admit that I find it quite intimidating and have yet to practice such skills in my yard.

Above all, Christine advises wine educators to bring humor to their craft. Additionally, she is a big believer in getting away from what she calls "vino babble" and thus keeps esoteric wine tasting terms out of her presentations. With a sense of humor and down-to-earth language, Christine provides her clients with an entertaining evening suitable for all.

NB: Divas who Dine is a social networking group for women primarily in the public relations and media industries. I attended one of their events in June, held at Kathlin Argiro’s studio.