Carmen

Recently I have been exploring the wine areas here in Canada, specifically the Okanagan Valley, and the Niagara and Bench wine regions. It is intriguing to consider all the components that go into wine making, from the passionate owners and knowledgeable employees of wine estates to how aspects such as climate, yearly weather patterns and soil affect the vines and their grapes.

I realized there was more that I needed to learn about this craft – and my curiosity about the industry has been growing. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. It was time to act.

After researching wine courses online and narrowing down to various WSET providers I chose IWEG because of the sound reputation, the many years involved in training, and the professional content on the website.

The course did not disappoint. I now have a foundation with which to move forward, a rudimentary understanding of grapes, what influences their growth, and what goes into winemaking. The SAT provides structure to guide and access.

And I was able to balance the demands of the Level 1 course with my day job responsibilities with relative ease; the only thing needed is time management and enthusiasm – no problem.

Where will this learning take me? I do not know – but I do know that my passion for writing and literature took me into a career as an English teacher, and perhaps my passion and curiosity for wine will support me in a career change. This year will tell all as I continue to embark on this fascinating journey!