and so it begins...

No matter your age, the night before "school starts" is riddled with equal parts anxiety and excitement, wonder and knowing. I signed up for the WSET advanced certificate course the afternoon prior to its beginning. As my position is becoming predictable at work, I was craving the return of the passion and curiosity that first led me on this path. I copy and paste tech sheet information all day, but seldom have the chance to read the information. In this fast-paced industry, I needed an out that would cause me to slow down and continue absorbing all that is the world of wine. I missed its history, science, art, and flavor.

With these needs impending, I dropped some moolah and anticipated the next evening's class. I laid awake wondering if I could take on an advanced course, got butterflies thinking about the hours I would have an excuse to spend reading and contemplating wine, and wondered how this course would differ from that of the program at BU. Eventually I slept, and woke the next day invigorated by the notion that I'd be in class that evening.

I arrived at work at 8:00 so I could leave at 4:00. And, although busy at work, I would click on the link to the course's description, trying to prep myself. The weather was not as sunny as my disposition. On my lunch break I went with a friend to Target to buy school supplies, and she teased me about how long it took me to pick out highlighters and notebooks, but when studying wine, color and note cards are key.

3:45 arrived and I busied myself in hopes that the remaining work minutes would pass quickly. Rain continued to fall on my drive home. My boyfriend wondered why I was home early, and teased me about my nerdiness when I reasoned that I had class, needed to eat and change clothes and walk to the subway because parking in Boston is so costly. And once I stepped outside to begin this trip, the rain was no longer, my path was cleared for travel.

A man played the flute in the subway station. I read Natalie MacLean's book while traveling, soaking up each of her words, many times reading the paragraphs over, imagining that I was where she was in those pages, and happy that I too was partaking in travels in the name of wine as well.

The Boston Center for Adult Education is where the WSET course is held, and is a large mansion on Commonwealth Avenue. I lived in a converted townhouse on Comm Ave during my freshman and sophomore years of college and as soon as I sat in the "classroom" I was back to being 17 again, a newbie to the city, and immersed in a constant sense of wonderment about what opportunities it could offer. Now, 13 years later, the feeling reemerged as I looked around at the aging walls trimmed in yellow and framed by large windows peaking out to the busy streets.

Adams Chase is the Master of Wine who teaches the WSET course at BCAE. What I will take away from his initial lecture is how engaging and approachable he is and wants us to be about wine. Have fun, and those you talk to about wine will too, he shared. Whenever I encounter someone who has really found their calling, I instantly admire their passion and calm. I strive to find this sense of self some day. We covered a broad amount of topics, but somehow I didn't feel overwhelmed. We had blind tastings and those not so blind. By the time class wrapped, I couldn't reason that almost three hours had passed. This course is going to be an amazing challenge, and I'm going to have to hold myself to a strict study regimen, but I have to admit that all day today while I pecked away at my tech sheets, I kept my text on the side of my desk like a safety net into which I could dive on break.

it's official...

I'm a nerd. I've been out of school for a couple of months and perhaps I was starting to enjoy having free nights and weekends too much, because I just registered for the WSET Adv wine certificate course. I know I'll have plenty of offers for study partners!

I admit that I'm nervous taking this course, it's my first step toward even considering the path toward becoming a Master of Wine. But folks, you have to take on the challenges that scare you to move forward. Right?? As I now have this blog to share all of my nerdy discoveries, I'm sure I'll be posting about class each week when I'm not reading and memorizing. I have to say that although I just added weight to my knotted shoulders, I do feel some sort of relief that I'm taking this step. Refer to future posts for new insights after class starts!

livin' the high life

Summer's end is near. Morning breezes are crisp and scented with the familiar perfume of fall. Leaves are blushing in the bright sunshine. My shearling boots are warming my soles more often. In celebration of this seasonal turnover, I've been out of town soaking up the remaining rays of sunshine in a variety of settings.

We sailed from Mattapoissett (a seaside town near Cape Cod) to Martha’s Vineyard on my boyfriend’s father’s sailboat a few weekends ago. The sail takes between three and four hours, and since I'm a newbie to sailing, I enjoy the trek simply as a passenger.

After we glided into Oak Bluffs, we judged from the occupied moorings and commotion on shore, that many, many others were visiting the Island as well. Therefore, choosing a restaurant for dinner was a difficult task as we were greeted by hours-long waiting lines that lingered in the doorways of most. We found solace in Pomodoro's, a very laid back and family-comfortable Italian eatery. The open kitchen seasons the room with a blend of scents that appease an appetite until the generous portions arrive. As the waiter raved about the lobster ravioli, I changed my mind and was very pleased I did. About a dozen raviolis swim in a light pink cream sauce. Seemingly homemade, and boasting chunks of lobster instead of minced bits, the tender pasta blanketed the lobster in a creamy melted cheese. After dinner, we enlivened our childish whimsy at the arcade, ice cream parlor and fudge shop, and window shopped until my dad was seduced by the scent of incense and suggested we peruse a shop of bohemian goods, since it smelled and looked like a "Jen store." Of course he was right...And, a top and new necklace later, we returned to the boat.

Last weekend I traveled via limo with 10 others to Rhode Island for a friend’s bach bash. I admit that I was really looking forward to this occasion for a selfish reason – we were to visit Greenvale Vineyards. As I have only been to vineyards in Northern California, I was very curious about a New England vineyard. We tasted six wines, and I purchased my two: Greenvale Vidal Blanc and the Skipping Stone White. Both are light, fruity and somewhat dry, and very reasonably priced at $11.99. They go well with food, or are just as pleasant for sipping solo. Our party sat alongside the vineyard, ate cheese, grapes, crackers, shrimp cocktail and pepperoni while sipping Skipping Stone – the bride-to-be’s favorite. We dined at 22 Bowen’s where I suggest ordering the grilled filet mignon from the 22's Signature Specials list. The filet is grilled to your liking and served upon savory roasted shallot mashed potatoes. Wild mushrooms adorn the meat and linger in a demi-glace. The whipped Great Hill Blue Cheese tops it off and all flavors blend together is perfect chemistry. I sipped from a glass of Malbec (Terrazas de los Andes Reserva, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, 2004), which provided a good partner in acidity and weight for the meat. The rest of the evening, well, that’s just for us girls to know...I swear my life is not usually this spoiled with limos and sailboats, but I’m not one to pass up the opportunity to enjoy a little taste of the high life if it presents itself!