What do you get when you put hundreds of professional wineaux in a room with 5,000 glasses, 175 different wines, 28 Master Sommeliers, one Master of Wine, three chemists, and one PhD of Geology?

The 2010 TexSom Conference,
of course!

TexSom is an annual event held by the Texas Sommelier Association, a group of Texas wine professionals. This is the fifth year for the TexSom conference and it is unique in that it gathers together so many Master Sommeliers and Certified Wine Educators in one place for the purpose of sharing their knowledge and experience with others who are not as far along on their journey into the world of wine.

As a CSW I enjoyed the priviledge of attending this year's conference and was thrilled to be in the same room with these expert wineaux, who normally charge about a thousand dollars for courses and tastings like we experienced at TexSom 2010.  Attendees paid less than $300 for the entire two-day conference and Grand Tasting!

Even though it was TEX-Som, writers, industry professionals and lecturers from around the country were in attendance. After all, this event is unprecedented. According to Drew Hendricks, co-founder of the event and director of beverage education for Pappas Restaurants in Houston, “It is unheard of anywhere else in the world to have so many Master Sommeliers and other wine experts in one place at one time, offering up their knowledge. And to think it's right here in our own backyard!"

The classes ranged from Chardonnay Around the World, to Wine Flaws, and Geographical Influences on Northwest Wines (hence, the PhD of Geology!).

It was a terrific learning experience, and galvanizing in that it solidified in me the desire to continue my personal journey into the world of wine. I can't really say what I'm searching for, but I’m certain there will be joy (and a LOT of wine) in the journey!

The next few posts will go over my tasting notes, session notes, and provide some photos of the experience.

SESSIONS: Chardonnay Around the World; Emerging Regions: Southern Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia; Classic German Regions and Styles; Emerging Region: Southern France from Gascony to Provence; Emerging Region: South America; and Classic Region: Portugal; Terroir Focus: Geographical Influences on Northwest Wines; Classic Region: Greece; Management of a Beverage Program; and lastly, Technical Seminar: ETS Labs Wine Flaws.

I hope you enjoy this peek into TexSom 2010!

Salud! KathyD

Tasting and Conference Room @ the Four Seasons Resort and Club