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A Sommelier is an expert trained in how to taste and pair wine to perfection. Sommelier’s are wine experts that simply get paid to taste wine. But a wine expert does more than that. Wine takes time to age. Experts know the best of wine in each and every season.
Every vineyard has a season to harvest the grapes for wine, but the grape clusters bud in the spring. The spring season in wine country is filled with exciting things, other than just tasting wine. Here are a few things that wine experts do in the spring.
1. Winery Visits
A sommelier visits wineries. Some wineries even have local sommeliers that come to their vineyard and assist wine tasters during their visit. Whether you’re a wine expert, or even a wine enthusiast, you know that the best place to get the best wine is by visiting a winery.
The best known wineries in America spread all the way from the Finger Lakes to Napa Valley. While most people thing of “wine country” and the best wine to come from California, wine experts also know of well accredited wineries throughout America.
2. Events
Wine is a popular item to pair with events. Events are the perfect time for wine experts to socialize with wine drinkers. Sometimes experts even host those events. Laura Smith is a wine expert who hosts events for women who love wine. The events she plans and hosts are her prime time to share about her knowledge and allow the guests to socialize.
Events are where wine drinkers get to have fun and enjoy the glass. It takes the weight off of wine experts because it allows them to relax, rather than just doing their job. Whether you are a leisurely drinker or considered a professional wine taster, taking part in wine tasting events can be fun for everyone. For instance, a lot of wine events are made for all types of people. Some events that are trending are learning to paint while sipping wine, and wine festivals hosted by various cities.
3. Wine Tours
You will have no trouble at all finding experts of wine in Sonoma and Napa Valley. A wine tour throughout a region such as the Sonoma/Napa wine country could take days. Visitors purchase a wine tour package and travel with an expert. Sommeliers are the perfect experts for these kind of wine tours, because they’ve been there and they know what the best wines are at each vineyard.
4. Lead Tastings
People love to taste wine with experts. Sommeliers typically lead tastings at restaurants and wineries. Now, sommeliers are expanding their horizons and leading tastings at private parties and homes. Whether you pick the wine, or leave it up to the wine expert, this is a great wine tasting time.
Wine experts don’t want to be stuffed up at a fancy restaurant anymore. They want wine lovers to be comfortable, and enjoy the experience. You definitely want to invite a sommelier to your next party.
5. Restock Their Cellars
Most experts have either their own wine cellar or wine rack. Their job is to taste wine, so surely they have to stock their cellars. As wine experts travel and taste wine, they’re going to bring a bottle or two home with them. Spring is a great time for wine lovers to restock. Wine experts know what to stock, and how to stock it. Some wine experts become wine collectors as well.
6. Travel
The joy about wine is that you can travel anywhere you want to get it. This does not exclude wine experts. Sit back and enjoy a glass on a wine vacation. Spring is the perfect time for a vacation because the weather and wine are just right.
Wine experts have gone all over the globe and found the best places to travel to for wine. You can travel to your local wineries, or to France and Italy. Make it an experience. Wine experts travel for their wine.
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7. Pair Foods
Do you know what the best color of wine is for fish? What about chocolate? Wine experts are the ones who pair sweet reds with delicious steaks as sweet wines compliment salty foods. Experts are the ones who tell people which type of wine should go with which meal.
Paring wine isn’t easy because you have reds, whites and blushes. On top of color, you have alcohol percentages and sweetness/dryness levels. Wine experts break it all down for wine lovers. You can learn to pair food and wine like an expert with your next meal.
8. Have Fun with Fruit
While some experts shun the idea of fruit wines made from anything other than grapes, other experts welcome it into their wineries. Fruit wines are up and coming in the wine world, even for advance drinkers.
Wine makers and winery owners are now producing wine with fruits like blackberries, cherries, apples, pears and more. Eventually as fruit wine expands, experts will have a lot more to say about fruit wine.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a sommelier or you simply love wine. Anyone can be a wine expert when trained right. If you love wine and want to live like a wine expert than go for it. Spring is a perfect time for wine, if they experts do say so themselves.