In his article this week (To Study Wine, Buy and Drink), Eric Asimov suggested to his readers that one of the best ways to learn about wine is simply to have a good wine shop put together a mixed case for you to try at home and take notes as you do. He subscribes to this theory so heartily, that he is conducting the same exercise himself.

As a wine educator (and therefore admittedly somewhat biased), I’m not sure that I agree with him. While I do think that his tasting program is a good idea, I’m not sure that wine novices will get as much out of the experience as he suggests. On the other hand, I do agree that newcomers to wine do not need to learn all of the nitty-gritty details right away.

Eric further notes the need for folks to understand the type of wine they prefer. Again, I agree. One of the important elements we stress in all of our classes is that everyone’s palate is different and, we hope, allow them to identify their preferences through guided tastings. We also give them language to assist them in their communication with shop salespeople about what those preferences are.

Additionally, in Eric’s exercise, each bottle is drunk on its own, but even as a wine professional, I find that it is more instructional for me to taste in comparison to other wines. Accordingly, our classes include a minimum of five wines, permitting students to compare and contrast the wines. This is particularly evident in our From Vine to Wine class, which features five different wines that each highlight a concept presented in class, but also represent a wide range of wine styles.

For those who still prefer to stay at home and self-study, I would suggest Max Allen’s book, Sniff, Swirl, Slurp. This book provides the reader with tasting exercises that help to attune the drinker to the various nuances in wine. For example, in the first exercise, the reader is instructed to purchase four or five white varietal wines to provide instruction on aromatic vs. non-aromatic varieties.

However you choose to learn about wine, it is a fun endeavor and will add to your enjoyment of this wonderful beverage.