Congratulations to Angela Barr, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Angela:
During the many years I lived in France I became rather passionate about wine since it plays such an important role in French life around the table. I have had the good fortune of visiting most of the wine regions of France and of sampling the different wine styles and food dishes that each region offers. Whether it be around the dinner table or dining at a Michelin star restaurant, the pleasure of drinking good wine with friends can never be underestimated. Since moving to the US my passion for exploring vineyards has not dwindled, I have had the opportunity to visit wine regions including Napa, Sonoma, Washington State and - closer to home - Finger Lakes and North Fork, in NY State. And there are still many more regions on my list to visit. With the restaurants and wine bars of New York City close at hand, not only has my knowledge of wines extended beyond France, but I have discovered French wines I had not yet encountered while living in France. New York is a fantastic city with many talented and passionate sommeliers and wine experts who are only too happy to share their passion and introduce me to many wines off the beaten track.
I have completed WSET Level 1 and 2 courses and hope to enroll in Level 3 at some time in the not so distant future.
I am currently enrolled in the Italian wine Scholar course and am extremely enthused about the number of new grapes and wines I am discovering. Although located far from Italy, the proximity to New York City helps me procure many of the lesser known wines.
The FWS has only fed my enthusiasm even further. I return often to France and am very much looking forward to revisiting the wine regions with a much deeper knowledge and appreciation. The knowledge acquired through the FWS course has added a greater dimension to my understanding and thus to my appreciation of the wines produced in the various regions. I get even more enjoyment selecting wines at my local wine shop since I have a more intrinsic understanding of all the different appellations.
I am looking forward to enrolling in a Master Level course at some stage to explore individual wine regions in more detail. I have a particular interest in Loire Valley wines because of the diversity and range in wine styles. It was one of the first wine regions I visited – I remember discovering the pleasures of good Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc and returning to Paris suitably laden with bottles I couldn’t wait to open and taste.
