- Jasmine - Wine Army Contributor
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Welcome to our Wine Army contributor series. These contributors have shared their wine story with us and now we have the opportunity to share it with you.
Turning 30 and Becoming a Wine Person
For most of my twenties, wine was not on my radar. And if I was interested, it was something I grabbed from the grocery store without much thought. If the label looked good and the price felt reasonable, that was enough for me! I didn’t know anything about wine outside of that. Seriously. Wine felt very intimidating. I didn’t know there were different glasses for red and white wine. I didn’t know what tannins were. I didn’t know how to hold a wine glass properly. The fact that there was a WRONG way to hold a wine glass was comical to me. And then…I turned 30.
Your 30th birthday is a pretty big deal. And because it’s a milestone birthday, I knew I needed to do something. But I don’t usually do anything for my birthday outside of a small dinner with friends at most. I didn’t feel like planning something, thinking about where to go…but not recognizing the moment seemed a little off too, so I looked at my options.
Because of my personality, I still wanted to do something peaceful, more lowkey (that would still get me out of the house). So I decided on a quick trip to Chateau Elan. It was about an hour away from me, looked really nice in photos, and it just kind of felt like something you would do for your 30th birthday. So I told a few friends and we made it a birthday trip.
Arriving at Chateau Elan
First, Chateau Elan is beautiful. I wish I took more photos while I was there. Now, if you live in wine country and you get to do this all the time, you probably have incredibly beautiful wineries. Good for you. I don’t get to do this often though.
Anyway, we spent the first day just looking around because they have a lot of restaurants, a spa, etc. and we did a casual dinner that night. The next day, we had our wine tasting scheduled.
As a perfectionist, I don’t like admitting when I don’t know something or can’t do something. But when you look around the room, you realize pretty quickly that a lot of people are in the same boat as you, and learning together made it more fun.
Learning the Basics: The 4 S’s and More
The tour guide walked us through the basics of wine tasting: the 4 S’s: see, swirl, sniff, sip. I learned how to hold a wine glass properly, why the shape of the glass matters, and what tannins actually are.
Then things started clicking and wine didn’t feel so intimidating.
I learned:
Red wine glasses are larger because reds need more air.
White wine glasses are smaller to preserve crispness.
Tannins are natural compounds that create a drying sensation.
Swirling releases aroma.
Food pairing is about balance.
None of this was complicated. It was simply information I had never been exposed to.
How My Wine Life Changed After That Trip
When I got back home, I realized I wanted to know more about wine. Not in a constant drinking way, but in a thoughtful, intentional way. I wanted to understand it. I wanted to enjoy it.
I bought a set of red and white wine glasses and I added a wine rack to my home for my reds (it’s very small. Please don’t judge). Eventually, I plan to get a wine refrigerator, but that will come later.
These days, my drinks of choice are simple: water, coffee, and wine. I rarely drink anything else.
Exploring Food and Wine Pairing
I’ll try almost any food at least once, so once I started learning about wine, I wanted to understand how food pairing worked. It felt like there was a lot to know, but once I learned the basics, I realized it’s actually pretty intuitive.
It’s really about balance:
Acidic foods pair well with acidic wines.
Rich foods need wines with structure.
Spicy foods often work better with sweeter wines.
Fatty foods love tannins.
Once I understood that, I started experimenting. I’d try a dish with one wine, then another, just to see how the flavors changed. It became fun instead of stressful.
Wine Fluency Is About Comfort
The main thing I’ve learned since that birthday trip is that wine isn’t supposed to be intimidating. It’s supposed to be enjoyable. You don’t need to know everything and you don’t need to pronounce everything perfectly. And unless your French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Italian is excellent, chances are you won’t anyway! You also don’t need a wine fridge or a cellar.
You just need curiosity. Once you get the basics down, everything else becomes easier. You start to trust your palate, understand what you like and why you like it, and you start to feel comfortable ordering wine at restaurants or bringing a bottle to a dinner party.
Why I Share My Wine Journey
I didn’t become a wine person overnight. It happened slowly and through small moments like buying my first set of glasses, learning how to swirl, discovering tannins, pairing wine with dinner, visiting a winery, asking questions, and trying new bottles.
Now, I share my journey because I know what it feels like to be on the outside looking in. I know what it feels like to be intimidated by wine and not know where to start and I know what it feels like to think wine is too complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
Wine should feel welcoming. It should feel like something you can learn, explore, and enjoy without pressure. If my story helps someone feel more comfortable with wine, trying a new varietal, or visiting a winery for the first time, then it’s worth sharing.
About Jasmine
Jasmine is a Florida native and wine enthusiast who loves reading, food, and old school video games.
You can also find her on Substack:
From Life's A Student to C Student
This was a wonderful read! Thank you for sharing your wine story and making the wine experience more accessible and less intimidating.
This was a really interesting read. Thank you for sharing!