How did it all start?
My journey of wine has been interesting and ever evolving. It's far from being over! I discovered a love and passion for wine early on in my consulting career entertaining our clients and being exposed to different wines with friends. This passion lead me to taking a simple 4 week wine tasting class where I discovered I actually have a knack or as they say "a nose" for wine tasting. I was the only person in the class to identify a corked bottle of wine!
Fast forward to the 2008 market crash where I sat in my office on Wall Street miserable, I found a university in France that offered a MBA in Wine Marketing & Management called INSEEC. I received a brochure written only in French and filed it away. I wasn't ready to risk it yet! It only took me 4 years to realize I was ready to take the big leap of faith!
Heather Whitman
WSET Level 3 Advanced Wine Professional
Au Revior NYC ...
Bonjour Paris!
I made the bold decision to take a break from my career to take a year to travel around the world. I was traveling in Chile and did a wine tour in the vineyards of the Maipo wine region. I had the most amazing experience talking to a wine producer in broken Spanish and through our guide about importing and exporting wines. It was so surreal and felt so natural. It was this moment that I knew I had to pursue something serious in wine.
I felt if I'm going to learn about wine, I want do it in a place that has centuries of history and the reputation for making amazing wines - France! I applied to two MBA programs in France and ended up going to INSEEC, the original school I found 4 years prior. Next thing I knew, I was living in Paris and studying wine for 15 months! In addition to the amazing knowledge I gained at INSEEC, we also studied and sat for the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Levels 2 Intermediate & 3 Advanced certifications. My dream became real!
"All dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." - Walt Disney
My Wine Philosophy
I meet people all the time who are very curious and want to know more about wine but there seems to be a level of intimidation and not knowing where to start. Most people do not know how to describe what they like in wine. Let's face it, our country is still learning and discovering wine.
Wine is very personable and it's meant to be enjoyed. While there are several experts in the industry making recommendations, I feel you should drink wines you enjoy and be open to continue to try new wines you're not currently drinking.
Through my wine tastings, my goal is to remove the intimidation factor and help you get in touch with what characteristics you'll enjoy in your glass. My approach is start with simple concepts, everyday analogies and lift the information to a high-level that is relatable. I love to help people better understand their tastes to make better choices for themselves.