I’m a collector of wine epiphanies.
I describe a wine epiphany as the moment when individuals—typically people who have never paid much attention to wine—suddenly discover that wine is important to others who are important in their lives.
The intensity of a wine epiphany tends to manifest itself most strongly in business situations. Epiphanies are powerful in direct proportion to the power of the wine aficionado who inspired the epiphany.
If he or she is someone whose opinion of you has a direct impact on how you are perceived as a team member, account manager, new-business developer or valuable contributor to your organization in any way, then the sudden exposure of a lack of knowledge or experience can be awkward, down-right embarrassing, or, sometimes, even damaging to the business at hand.
A wine epiphany often leads to insights. One insight is that many senior, powerful people like wine and make sure it is part of their business life in appropriate circumstances. A second insight is that the odds of being effective in situations where wine plays a role might just be aided by having some wine smarts. A third insight is that one might need to get cracking soon acquiring those wine smarts.
This was the train of logic that led me to begin a life-long practice of learning about wine every chance I got. I made a blooper and promised myself I would never make another. Many others have shared this kind of experience and made a similar vow to learn about wine.
This category of my blog will focus on these epiphanic, forehead-smacking moments. They are a great deal of fun…when they happen to others.
wine for businesspeople 