Congratulations to Renga Vasu, FWS, for passing the French Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Renga:
I have practiced and taught medicine in the field of neurology for over 30 years. I retired a few years ago when I moved to Washington DC metro area. I have pursued my interest in wine for at least 20 years. I got certified for the Intermediate Level Master Class on Sherry Wines last year. After retirement, I have taken up music/ violin lessons as well.
I took interest in wine, vineyards, and reading wine literature as a hobby. I have no professional connections with the wine industry. I further developed interest in this field as I traveled globally visiting various vineyards. French vineyards have always fascinated me as they are the most disciplined, oldest, most understood and researched in the field
of viticulture. I have been to several wine tasting sessions which have augmented my passion in the subect. The ritual of visually checking out the wine, sniffing for the flavors, swirling it in the glass, and ultimately tasting has become a routine!
One of my longtime interests was to be a French Wine Scholar though I knew it was going to be tough. Even with a basic knowledge of the vineyards, geography, grapes, viticulture techniques it was a daunting task as I had no French background with the language or pronunciation. I registered with Wine Scholar Guild, and the accompanying study manual was extremely informative. The book was very organized, well written with pictures, maps, and appellations.
Equal emphasis was given to all the wine regions trying to help the student understand the subject rather than just pass a test. The E Module learning with the slides and the accompanying audio recordings enhanced my learning experience. Quizzes helped in emphasizing precise details. Instructor Guided Webinars were wonderful. The teachers, Sharon and Lisa, are truly gifted and well versed in the subject. Questions posed during the discussions were intelligent and helped to clarify doubts. These discussions cemented my gaps in knowledge.
I am grateful to WSG for helping me achieve my goal. The whole program is highly complimentary to the learning experience. I am not enrolled in other certifications at the moment as I am focusing on my music lessons actively.
I shall continue as a member of WSG participating in the Webinars. I hope to be visiting more vineyards during my future travels.
