Autumn Berry

Autumn Berry is a wine specialist that moved recently from Summit County Colorado to Missoula, Montana. She started working in the wine industry in 2006 shortly after graduating form the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park New York. She has been particularly interested in the history, tradition and blind tasting aspect of wine. She passed her Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) exam through the Society of Wine Educators in 2011. She is currently back in school working towards her masters in psychology. Well into her 30’s she is learning what it is like being the “older person” in Class.

The Trip: Remembering Our Strengths

The year was 1998. That was the year that I decided to ride by bicycle partway around the world. I was twenty years old and my best friend and I decided we needed an adventure. My friend Russ had already done a bit of traveling and we had both cycled locally but I had never … The Trip: Remembering Our Strengths

Getting to Know a Wine-Part 4: look at its tannin

In this four part series we have looked at some key elements of wine: acid, alcohol, and sugar. Lastly we come to bitterness and astringency. If you drink wine long enough you are bound to experience a wine so bitter that it feels like every surface of your mouth has been wiped dry with the … Getting to Know a Wine-Part 4: look at its tannin

The Holidays Are In Full Swing…Wine Choices

The Holidays are in full swing, which means nights filled with eating, drinking and celebrating. The question is, what to drink? For many, regarding wine, this decision is simple. Just buy the cheapest recognizable label. However, for wine lovers or even just “wine likers” this decision can be a bit more confusing. With so many … The Holidays Are In Full Swing…Wine Choices

Getting to Know a Wine-Part 3: look at its sugar

In my last post I wrote about the element of alcohol in wine. However, in order to understand alcohol you also have to understand the concept of fruit or sweetness. Alcohol and sugar content are directly related to one another. Just like some grapes have naturally higher levels of acid, some grapes varieties are naturally … Getting to Know a Wine-Part 3: look at its sugar

Getting to Know a Wine-Part 2: look at its alcohol

Let’s take a look at Alcohol; it’s what gives a wine its power. Alcohol is the hot feeling you get in the back of the throat. Alcohol will also be the first thing you get while smelling a wine with high levels of it. Historically the average alcohol percentage for a dry wine comes out … Getting to Know a Wine-Part 2: look at its alcohol

Getting to Know a Wine-Part 1: look at its acid

When on a journey to learn more, drink more and gracefully age more (wine that is), there are a few concepts that are helpful to understand. Considering the enormity of the subject I want to touch first on the make-up of a wine or the elements within wine that give it its character and age-ability. … Getting to Know a Wine-Part 1: look at its acid

The Age of Wine

Ask even the most novice wine drinker and they will most likely tell you that red wine gets better with age and white wine is meant to drink young. Growing up in wine country, I too believed this statement even before I started drinking wine. It is one of the most basic rules of wine … The Age of Wine