Congratulations to Michael Aitken, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Michael
A strong attribute for learning served me well in my 35 years in the wine business. My father introduced me to the pleasures of wine and food. From there I made wine my passion and my career. In many ways the American wine industry and I grew up together. Today I run the wine business for SGWS in Florida and am continually amazed by the industries resilience and ability to change.
I’m not sure I could tell you how many accreditations I have. Learning and the accreditations that followed were almost incongruous to me. Learning and expanding my knowledge are the priority and the accreditations were more incidental. I don’t display any of the certificates in my office and only display the certificate Grappilleurs du Beaujolais in a room in the house that I keep my wine stash and mostly because I revere and love what Georges Duboeuf has done for me and the wine business.
Continuing my education in wine is part of my daily work. It’s my compulsion to learn about wine. The FWS program accomplishes and provides the sufficient challenge needed and makes the process enjoyable. It will help give perspective to the changes and latest news, and remind me of what remains constant in making and enjoying wine.
Most of all participating in FWS and wine education in general keeps me engaged. If forces the questions and comparisons that stimulate thought. It accentuates enjoyment of wine and life in general.
