My name is Liz Barrett and I love wine. I used to be just a regular wine drinker. I was spending about $10 per bottle at the store, and a $20-plus bottle was a “splurge.” I bought what I knew and what I liked (Chardonnay, Merlot), and I liked to try new wines when introduced to them at a wine shop or restaurant. But I really didn’t know anything about wine.

And then I took a new job at a major wine company. That changed everything. As I learned, my interest in wine grew to fascination; my fascination grew into obsession. It was a fast and steep learning curve.  I’d jumped into the deep end of a pool…of wine.

What didn’t I know? Just about everything. For example:
– Merlot – is it a grape or just the name of a wine? (And that same question applied to lots of wines.)
– Appellation? Huh? What are they and what do they mean?
– Vintage? Why do they matter?
– Champagne vs. Prosecco vs. Cava vs. Franciacorta vs. California sparkling wine – what’s the difference?
– Barolo, Brunello, Barbaresco… So except for Chianti, all Italian wines start with a “B”?

So I started reading everything I could get my hands on, asked shameless amounts of questions and I learned. Now I can’t stop. I studied hard and passed the Certified Specialist of Wine exam (on my first attempt!)  I arrive early at restaurants just to read the wine list. I frequent wine shops all over Chicago (my hometown) and other cities I visit, asking questions, and discovering new bottles to try. And I always wonder, what’s in that bottle?

Now I’m excited to share my passion with you. Wine shouldn’t be intimidating. It should be fun! But as I learned, it’s hard to learn about wine by yourself. So I’m going to keep exploring the endless facets of wine – and bringing you along to find out: what’s in that bottle?

Cheers!