What is a “wine expert”?
Some are self-taught (or self-professed). Many others have worked in the wine or restaurant business for years and learned through trial, error and osmosis. Only a few have gone through the Court of Master Sommelier Program and become a Master Sommelier. Even fewer still have become a Master of Wine; maybe two or three people have both accreditations. I think Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine are the true experts. An enophile (also spelled oenophile) is someone who enjoys wine; a connoisseur. What puts the sparkle in sparkling wine? Sparkling wine, also referred to as crackling wine, is wine with bubbles that are a result of a secondary fermentation after the still wine is made. This is done by putting a little yeast and sugar in a sealed bottle and then setting it on its side for a few years for the bubbles and flavors to assimilate. True Champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France. It has also acquired the nickname of “shampoo,” as in “Let’s have some shampoo!” A
