A recent article by Levi Dalton provoked my interest, churning the cream within my mind. I have taught writing and literature for five years and hold an MA in Teaching. While I have cut back my appointment to pursue a career in wine, I continue to thumb the minds of students. If attuned, the young people in any classroom reverberate a pulse that mimics the larger society.
Learners value independence, more so today than in the recent past. A profound distrust of the old wisdom has slipped into young minds like a fog on cat’s feet. Even proven facts warrant a lifted brow, and we see these realities resonate through our politics.
In his article, Dalton predicts that sommeliers, the pedagogically elite servers of the wine world, will continue to fall out of favor (as a top sommelier himself, he is positioned to make such claims). Thanks to the easy access to information today, wine lovers and newbies alike can seek insight from apps, blogs, message boards, and publications. This crowdsourcing of knowledge diminishes the need for experts.*
Plus, why sit passively when you can learn yourself? Participation in wine classes at local wine shops and formal wine schools has risen significantly in recent years. This aligns with modern learners’ desire for independence. The wine curious and lovers both prefer to participate in learning and decision-making rather than passively receive “truth” from an expert. I speculate that a survey of wine educators would corroborate that they have seen a corresponding rise in the questioning, doubting, and challenging of the old wine wisdom. Lord knows the wine elite have built one glitzy kingdom—the new generation has arrived with loupes* in hand.
Case in point. While listening to a panel of winemakers and industry elite from the Finger Lakes region at the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference, one winemaker from a leading producer espoused the importance of moving the second-tier producers away from hybrid and native varietals. The use of grapes such as Maréchal Foch and Catawba tarnished the reputation of the region as a whole. Madeline Puckette, founder of the lauded website Wine Folly, raised her hand and asked, “Why are hybrids so inherently crappy?” Blasphemy! A defense of varietals lesser-than the great vinifera varietals of Cabernet Franc or Riesling!
“There is nothing permanent except change.”
As a Millennial waltzing between the poles of wisdom and modernity, I respect the role of expertise. The foundations of wine knowledge and science have led us to a brave new wine world. However, experimentation, newfound regions and varietals, and individual palates deserve the attention they declare today.
Hopefully I have made some butter.
*This is clearly debatable. It remains a strong perception of many millennials none-the-less.
*Loupe = a small magnifying glass used by jewelers and watchmakers.
