The world of wine is vast and has a seemingly infinite amount of available wines. Currently in the Bordeaux region, there are about 9500 vineyards alone! This is staggering by itself until you consider that Bordeaux is only one region in the remarkably expansive wine producing areas of the world. So if you want to learn about wine, where do you start? The intimidation factor cannot be ignored when one considers the voluminous amount of information, the potential for wine-snobbery and even the sheer amount of misinformation promulgated by armies of retailers and marketers competing for your wine dollar.

But getting into the world of wine does not have to be stressful or unpleasant. In fact, learning about wine should always be pleasurable for many reasons, not the least of which is, that you really need to drink wine to gain an ever-deeper understanding of its beauty. It is both a cerebral and visceral pursuit, all of the time. Wine education can be and is, broken down into small steps and like any subject that tends to be complex, it can be learned with just a commitment to learn about it. And my experience is that the more I know about it, the greater my enjoyment and reward.

This site is dedicated to furthering the knowledge of anyone who wants to learn wine. For me there are few greater pleasures than helping people grow with their knowledge, thus their appreciation and ultimately their enjoyment of wine. No one on the planet was born with knowledge of wine; everyone who is knowledgeable had to start at the beginning. It is with this spirit that this site exists and here, there is no such thing as dumb questions. I would like this site to be used for education, advice, meeting peers and having discussions with those that can help us grow our base of knowledge and experience with this perfect fruit.

I am but a collector and connoisseur of fine wines that has spent thousands of hours learning about wine out of sheer passion. I am finishing my formal education in wine and hope to take the exam I am preparing for in the near future (details of which will be announced upon my successful completion). My first love for wine is Left Bank Bordeaux but there are many other regions, domestic and foreign, that also provide me with great joy. I want to balance this site with my Bordeaux bias, while incorporating other great wine regions of the world.

Please check back often for updates and involve yourself in discussions on the 1855 Blog. I would like to learn about your wine experiences - I think you will find it rewarding and educational, no matter what your level of expertise is.