Somm Running

I would like to start with a comparison of running to wine: both require dedication to Master, both require hard work to really understand, both are incredibly rewarding. And as I come to find out, both can be instantly ruined if your introduction is a douche that is totally arrogant about either subject.

As a woman in the wine industry, the male arrogance dominates. This is a tight industry to wiggle your way into...even though statistically women tend to be better wine tasters. There is a lot of pride and a feeling of superiority in the wine business which is why people are often intimidated by wine and its wine professionals, I am passionate about changing this. As I have studied and worked my way up the Sommelier ladder, I have tried to express my LOVE of wine, I love its intricacies and subtleties and allure. I love the way it is made, I love the way the grapes are grown, I love the history and the pure delight of drinking it. So when I teach wine classes, I teach 'wine appreciation'. I want my students to leave excited and a little more in love with wine than when they came in. If they also have some knowledge and trivia in their back pocket, great! Perhaps this is why the movie "Somm" really pissed me off. It was as if the entire movie was geared toward the Fraternity guy of America. Not that I have anything against Frat guys, I was in a sorority myself, but each character in the film oozed an all too familiar arrogance that I had hoped the wine industry was moving away from. I also noticed that the woman in the group who obviously studied with the main characters and was at the test, was never allowed to say anything and it was if they TRIED to cut her out of frame. There were also tons of inaccurate information and techniques that made my winemaker husband and I groan with irritation. Don't get me wrong, any way we can get people to pay attention to wine helps our industry and in turn us and our winery. I simply wish this was more of a movie about how accessible wine is to EVERYONE, not just the elite.

To clarify, I am not yet a Master Somm. I am also not working my way through the Court of Master Sommeliers that is depicted in the movie "Somm". My education is via the International Wine Guild in Denver and is a very very rigorous program. For example, my Executive test looked just like the Master Somm test from the movie. I have taken many Master level intensives to prepare for my Master level test, however through the International Wine Guild, we are expected to specialize in 5 countries and work in each one for a minimum of 2 weeks. With a growing winery of our own and a child, these requirements come slowly. Court of Master Sommeliers fans don't get your panties in a bunch, I am not saying one is better than the other, simply that they are different and I have worked hard to earn my stripes.

Man, that was a tangent! So back to running and wine. Running can have the arrogant pros too and they really put newbies off. What a shame right? Just as you are putting your fearful toe in the water, you encounter a douche and decide running (or wine) is not for you.

So, as you all venture into the world of wine and running, know that there are supportive people out there willing to encourage you along the way. Some of us are simply trying to Master the pain that running presents and the beautiful relief that wine offers. After all, we are "Fueled by Vivac".

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com