The Journey

Passion is like the river. Forever flowing till it ultimately unites with an amassed ocean, an ocean filled with unlimited possibilities.

Kritika. A. Shenoy

Reminiscing the days when I was pursuing my Bachelor degree in Hotel management made me think of the day I fell in love with wine.  It was somewhere in the fourth semester where we had to learn about “wines and spirits”. Cool subject right? I thoroughly made use of the information in those classes. 

As it turned out, that subject got us the WSET Level 1 certificate. For those of you who do not know, Wine and Spirits Education Trust, is a very highly accredited organisation that qualifies wine enthusiasts into wine connoisseurs. There are 4 Levels of WSET and I’ve completed two of them. 

My first winery experience was in 2016 when a bunch of us students visited Soma Vineyards (which was relatively new) in Bangalore to comprehend vine and wine operations, and were determined to stay overnight at a vineyard. I had never been to a vineyard before that day but as I walked in, I was a goner. Everything about it, called out to me. From the landscape, to the design. From the underground winery to the vast sloping vineyards by the lake. With dinner and wine, we sat by a campfire. As the night progressed we reluctantly retorted into our tents, under starry skies. 

I’m never one to wake up first or even early. It was 6.30am. I was the first person to wake up that day with a huge smile on my face and mind you, I’ve always hated mornings. But for the first time in a long time I wasn’t dreading an early morning. I took it all in. That’s when I knew this was it.

It was love at first sight. I guess that’s what they mean when they say, ‘when you know, you know’. 

Having completed the semester I immediately opted for a Level 2 certification in WSET and from that point on, there was no stopping me. I went on to Pursue a master in Viticulture and Oenology in Italy in 2018. Living and witnessing the world of wine unfold before your very own eyes, in all its glory, made me feel like I’ve finally done something right in my life.

Brindisi opened its doors for me at a small winery named, ‘Botrugno Sergio Azienda Vitivinicola’. I was welcomed with open arms by the owners and the best part was that I got to stay with them amidst vineyards. Talk about dreams coming true, right? So I lived and breathed Italian for over 3 months, learning their ways of life and how they operated in the work scenario. I had the time of my life and not a day goes by where I don’t think of my experiences with the Botrugnos.

Many of you may be wondering what gives me the certification to talk about all this. That’s it. Pure ardour for what I believe in.  

Wine is a passion. It is a way of life. It is love, overflowing in a bottle. 

Love is love. It’s just that simple.