Hello Charlie Brown and the Medium wine world. As a Certified Sommelier as well as CSW holder I fully applaud your approach and candor. Rare is the true professional who embraces the snobbery. The fact is that being elitist about wine shortcuts most of the fun and satisfaction to be found in the stories of struggle and failure that make wine the unique agricultural creation that it is.

All of my High School and College Debate Team members are attorneys. To a person they hate their lives and wish their intellects had been applied to other disciplines. At nearly 64 years old I have been in professional wine for over 40 years. I've finally stopped apologizing for still being in Hospitality world and while they a lot more money, I have had a blast in living very well. I define living well as strong intellectual engagement in an art form without the possibility of mastery. The flavors, textures, and most vitally, stories, that make wine interesting erect a huge barrier to the value of being a snob.

So embrace the adventure of new and strange. My newest effort is helping found a craft wine industry in the state of Montana. Unlikely, difficult, and unexpected, this is the classic wine story. Their are excellent examples, very odd duck wines, and a cast of characters that begs a feature film.

Best Regards and Cheers!, Charlie Brown and those who have been following her writing. You are now part of the wine story-and snobbery has no good part to play.

Dan Vogel, CMS, CSW

Assistant Director, Food & Beverage

Xanterra/ Glacier National Park