Introduction

Hi! I’m Erica, and I’m a senior studying Human Development. I’m so excited to be taking Geography of Wine this semester. I have been exposed to wine my whole life. My parents are knowledgeable wine drinkers who enjoy a glass with dinner regularly. I grew up hearing about wine from them, watching them taste it, and being dragged to many wineries to and from family trips when I was young. When I first started drinking wine with them, I didn’t like it. They tend to drink dry red wines and I honestly thought it tasted like nail polish remover.

As I have gotten older and have drunk more wine, I have grown to enjoy drinking it and getting to partake in this beverage that is really a part of my familial culture. I have learned lots from my parents about wine, its taste, and things to look for while tasting. While I am home with my parents, I have a glass of wine with them most nights. When at school, I typically drink wine a few times a week. I tend to like drier wines, and a dry rosé is probably my favorite thing to drink. I am looking to expand my palette and to taste to more wines than the few types I typically drink.

Despite wine being my go-to drink, I don’t know much about it. I am specifically hoping to learn the vocabulary I need to be able to describe the wine that I enjoy. I would love to be able to impress my parents by actually being able to identify flavors in wine rather than make things up. Most importantly, I’m looking to gain across the board knowledge about this beverage that will be a constant factor in my personal, social, and professional life as I go into young adulthood.