It has been too long since I have read your blog! I am so glad that I stopped back in to read this post. It brought back memories of early wine tastings in your class and the slow, continuous process of building up those “liquid memories”.

I think that you make such a good point about wine, food, and the context of tasting. The focus of tasting in a class is to a) taste and b) discuss and ultimately to learn. Wine with a meal has a different purpose: not only to be enjoyed on its own, but to enhance the food and the company. I have had the chance to taste hundreds of wines in many different contexts since I graduated in 2009 (a trend following a wonderfully upwards slope). Now, more than ever, my strongest memories of wine are dominated by that magical intersection of food, wine, and friends.

Sending all my best from Boulder, CO!