Most sommeliers can tell you the tasting notes in a glass of chilled Pinot Grigio or a plummy-red Bordeaux. But how many can also provide effortless technical detail about the wine-making process or a wineâs terroir?
For Jonathan Wilson (BScâ05), trained sommelier and owner of Labeled Wine Consulting, in Sydney, Nova Scotia, those details are second nature. He gives partial credit for that knowledge to his Biology degree.
âHaving a little science has given me an edge,â he says. âIf you already know about fermentation and tannins from organic chemistry class, itâs easier.â
His âa-haâ moment
As a biology student, Mr. Wilson didnât plan on becoming a wine connoisseur. Originally, he wanted to become a doctor, but his oenophilia began as he put himself through school, tending bar at the Grawood. Part of his job involved working high-end functions around campus. Before each event, bartenders sampled the wines they served.
âIt blew me away,â he remembers, shaking his head. âThat was my âa-haâ moment, when I thought, âOK, I really like this, I want to make it a hobby.â So I started reading about wine on the sideâand I found out how much bloody science goes into it,â he laughs.
Later, while working at a hotel as a food and beverage manager, he completed two years of professional training at the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers. The rest, as they say, is history.
Nova Scotiaâs singular terroir
Mr. Wilson loves Nova Scotia wines. âThe sparkling wines are world class,â Mr. Wilson says, âThe growers care about making it and the climate is perfect.â
The climate is responsible for a âvery distinctâ taste. âNova Scotia wines really show the terroir,â he says. âKind of like Nova Scotiansâas soon as they meet you, theyâll tell you where theyâre from: âIâm from Glace Bay, take it or leave it,ââ he laughs.
Mr. Wilson has toured all the provinceâs wineries, citing Benjamin Bridge, Blomidon, Gaspereau, and LâAcadie wineries amongst the provinceâs best.
Learning the business side
Biology is just one of the tricks up Mr. Wilsonâs sleeveâhe also did a Business minor as part of his degree.
âKnowing how to do an income statement and balance sheet is useful, now that Iâm running my own business. Iâm glad I did it,â he says.
In an average week, Mr. Wilson works a sales agent in Cape Breton for the Bedford-based Harvest Wines and Spirits and gives his own private tastings, professional consultations and advice to restaurants on wine lists.
âThatâs the passionate side for me,â he says, âgetting together with people and educating them on wine. And the store wants that message out thereâthat wine is for everyone, not just elitists."
Life-long learning
Even Mr. Wilson, who clearly knows his stuff, is aware of the limits of his expertise. The field changes so quickly, itâs nearly impossible to keep up.
âI know maybe 5 percent of what there is to know and itâs changing every day. But knowing Iâll never know everything draws me in.â
The scientist in him is more than up to the challenge, but itâs more than a quest for knowledgeâitâ his lifeâ passion.
âIâve found a way for my passion to be my job,â he says. âIâm grateful to be able to do what I love. I get up in the morning and my passion is what Iâm going out to do: helping people have a better dinner by pairing an appropriate wine or helping local hotels make more money by offering a different wine list.â
âI find wine fascinating and I want to know more. That curiosity compelled me to do something,â he says. âAnd now I want to devote my life to it.â