I also redoubled my efforts at studying wine theory. Correctly identifying the scent of vanilla, dill, and coconut wasn’t enough. Expertise meant having the framework to ascribe meaning to those smells: knowing that vanilla, dill, and coconut suggest a wine aged in barrels made with American oak, a trademark of Spanish and Argentinean winemakers, particularly those in Rioja and Mendoza, who make wine with Tempranillo and Malbec grapes, respectively.
