# Website to learn about wines . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 21, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299 "2016-10-21T23:52:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GreenHell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@GreenHell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenHell)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2016, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/1 "2016-10-21T23:52:17Z")
So, about a week and a half into my new job as Assistant General Manager of a hotel and my regional manager has decided that he wants me to focus on F&B. While my medical background makes picking up the food safety and sanitation (it’s basically all biology), I’m not terribly knowledgeable about the vino. Any suggestions? Don’t need answer too fast, but I’m French . . . the expectations are high! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/2 "2016-10-22T14:40:52Z")
I would see if there is a local course. Maybe pick up Hugh Johnson’s or Robert Parker’s books or check their websites? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/3 "2016-10-22T14:45:51Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Hugh Johnson’s Hee-hee. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/4 "2016-10-22T14:47:54Z")
I took an Adult Ed class on wine tasting with my then wife and another couple. It was fun as hell and I learned the basics that way. All wine still tastes like ass to me unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/5 "2016-10-22T14:56:42Z")
Not a website, but John Cleese has a beginner-level documentary called **[Wine for the Confused](https://www.amazon.com/John-Cleese-Wine-Confused/dp/B0009NZ6P2)**. If you’re in the mood to sit back with a glass of, er, something, and watch something, that would be something to something something. ---
**Author:** ![GreenHell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@GreenHell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenHell)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/6 "2016-10-22T18:34:13Z")
This sounds quite enjoyable . . . though I’m not sure of how useful it may be. ---
**Author:** ![GreenHell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@GreenHell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenHell)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/7 "2016-10-22T19:08:06Z")
Hmm . . . looks like it is a serious, albeit irreverent, treatment of the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Tootingkhamen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e36b37/32.png) [@Tootingkhamen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tootingkhamen)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/8 "2016-10-24T16:46:05Z")
[Jancis Robinson’s site](https://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn) is a good place to start, very complete information on regions, varieties, how to taste wine and matching with food. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/website-to-learn-about-wines/769299/9 "2016-10-24T18:01:47Z")
I thought about your question, **GreenHell** , and surprisingly, I can’t think of too many websites that are easy ways to get into wine appreciation and professional education. Books, yeah, but it’s harder than I thought to find a website that’ll work. Me, I’d pick up any/all of the following books: [Wine For Dummies](https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Dummies-Ed-McCarthy/dp/1119118840), Kevin Zraly’s [Windows on the World Wine Course](https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Zraly-Windows-Complete-Course/dp/1454921064), Karen MacNeil’s [The Wine Bible](https://www.amazon.com/Wine-Bible-Karen-MacNeil/dp/1563054345), and get cracking. Wiley & Sons had some good [professional F&B textbooks](http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-350394.html) on wine service and knowledge last I checked my college’s hospitality management section in the bookstore. Start sitting in on whatever trade tastings your hotel’s restaurant conducts. Last time I worked hotels, I remember the restaurant doing a trade tasting with the servers once a week or so. Also, see if whoever’s the current wine guy/gal can get you the names of their distributor reps, who will usually be happy to bring you up to speed with whatever is in their portfolio. Congratulations on the promotion!