Although I have been taking classes and studying for months, I don’t feel as if I have truly begun the Diploma program. It seems strange that I feel this way. After all, I have read the unit 2 book from the WSET, made countless note cards, and “attended” the classes (online). Somehow, until I take the first exam, I don’t feel like I have that much vested. I feel like I can still walk away and not be disappointed.
To be completely honest, looking ahead to the time commitment, I thought about bagging the entire thing. Is that wrong? Does that mean that I am not truly dedicated? These are questions I have asked myself. In my heart, I know I will continue and finish the WSET Diploma. I still, however, think it is a little crazy that a Nurse Anesthetist with an out of control wine hobby is subjecting himself to going back to the books. After all, I am not officially “in the industry” and could go through my life with the wine knowledge I have obtained and be empowered in my future wine purchases and perhaps impress my friends.
There is one problem with the scenario of being satisfied with the wine knowledge I currently hold. It’s just not me. It’s just not enough. I’m quite certain that it will never be enough. When I have lived my life and am at my end I will probably still be unsatisfied with how little I know about wine. Even though this sounds like some punishment by the gods in a Greek tragedy, I embrace this fact. I think the hunger for knowledge, regardless of the subject, can be intoxicating (perhaps a bit of a shmaless pun). This hunger is as it should be. It drives us to learn more, to be more, and I think this is the nature of the human spirit.
It is truly amazing what we can justify. I’m pretty sure that I just equated my desire for studying, discussing and consuming wine to that of the human spirit. Maybe I do have a problem. I would reflect on this more but I have the Unit 2 WSET Diploma exam on Monday. I don’t have the time to explore my own rationalities but only utilize them to drive my studies forward to their somewhat crazy conclusions.
Live…Drink…Learn…
Masters of Wine
Wine and Spirits Education Trust