A Wine Connoisseur Is Just A Well-Read Drunk

     I am not a sommelier, I do not have a degree in winemaking, I have not tried an 1867 Chateau Lafite, and I have not mingled with the elite of the industry. I do not have many of the qualifications of most wine critics, but I do have nearly two years of experience selling wine in Ontario, an unusually fortunate track record of getting to try bottles far beyond my means, and a keen appreciation of quality wine. I have also successfully completed three exams on wine terminology, varietals, winemaking processes, regions, pairing, serving, storing, and tasting, and I lived in Canada's Niagara region for four years, visiting dozens upon dozens of wineries.
     In this blog I aim to make wine reviews accessible to everyone, not just those who can articulate the difference between "crushed blackberries" and "dried petits fruits." I will endeavour to explain the terms or words that may not be familiar to those who have not read wine textbooks or studied German (who decided trockenbeerenauslese should be one word, anyway?!), and above all, I will try to steer you away from wines or vintages that I found subpar, and share my discoveries of particularly outstanding bottles so that you, too, may be able to understand why so many people are so obsessed with fermented grape juice.
     If at any point you have questions, comments, or recommendations, my internet door is always open and I welcome your input. I hope to keep my reviews unpretentious, helpful, and brief, and I hope you will let me know if there is anything else you want me to write about.
      Yours in all things wine,
                               Christine