Why Our Training Focuses on Terroir, Not Varietals or Producers
When it comes to wine training, most programs lean heavily on teaching varietals and memorizing producers. It’s an easy, surface-level way to cover a lot of ground quickly. But let’s be honest: it’s also boring. Knowing that Cabernet Sauvignon is full-bodied or being able to recite a list of producers might be helpful in a quiz, but it doesn’t inspire or stick with people.
At Wine with Seth, we take a different approach. Our training is terroir-centric — because we believe the most powerful stories in wine don’t start with a grape or a producer; they start with the land.
Why Terroir Matters More Than Varietals
Varietals are important, but they’re only part of the picture. A Pinot Noir from Burgundy is wildly different from a Pinot Noir grown in Oregon or Central Otago. Why? Terroir.
Terroir — the interplay of soil, climate, geography, and even farming practices — is what makes each wine unique. It’s the reason a wine tastes like it belongs to a specific place. When you focus on terroir, you’re not just learning about what’s in the glass — you’re connecting with the bigger story of where that wine comes from and why it’s special.
Producers Are Temporary; Terroir Is Forever
Producers come and go. Wineries change ownership, winemakers move on, and styles evolve. But the land endures. The soils, the climate, the natural forces that shape a region — those are constants that define a wine for generations.
When you focus training on terroir instead of producers, you equip your team with knowledge that’s timeless. They’re not just memorizing who’s who in the wine world; they’re learning how to tell stories that resonate and last.
Terroir Unlocks Better Guest Connections
Guests don’t care about technical jargon or encyclopedic knowledge of producers. What they care about is feeling connected to the wine they’re drinking.
When your team can talk about the volcanic soils of Mount Etna or the ancient seabeds in Chablis, they’re telling a story that engages and excites. Guests light up when they hear about how the land shapes what’s in their glass. They start asking questions, sharing their own experiences, and coming back for more.
Why Wine with Seth’s Training Is Different
Here’s how our terroir-centric training works:
Start with the Land
Every training begins by grounding your team in the fundamentals of terroir. They’ll learn how soil, climate, and geography interact to create distinct wines, and why those elements matter more than varietals or labels.Focus on Regional Stories
Instead of memorizing producers, we dive into regions. What makes Bordeaux’s Left Bank different from its Right Bank? Why is the Rocks District in Washington so unique? These regional narratives equip your team with a deeper understanding that goes beyond the glass.Taste the Terroir
Wine isn’t just an intellectual exercise; it’s a sensory experience. We teach your team how to connect what they taste to the place it came from — the minerality from chalky soils, the acidity from a cool climate, or the depth from volcanic rock.Practical Application
It’s not enough to know the information — your team needs to be able to communicate it confidently. Our training includes role-playing and interactive exercises that help them translate terroir into stories that resonate with guests.
The Result: Confident, Curious Teams
When your team understands and can articulate the importance of terroir, they’re no longer just servers or salespeople — they become storytellers. They’re able to connect with guests in meaningful ways, making wine feel approachable and exciting instead of intimidating.
And here’s the kicker: a terroir-centric approach doesn’t just sell wine. It builds loyalty. Guests remember the story about the vineyard with ancient volcanic soils or the microclimate that gives a wine its signature character. They come back for more, and they tell their friends.
Let’s Change How We Talk About Wine
Wine isn’t just about grapes or producers — it’s about place. It’s about the connection between the land and the glass, and the stories that connection creates.
At Wine with Seth, we believe training should reflect that. It’s time to move beyond rote memorization and embrace an approach that’s authentic, engaging, and timeless. Because in the end, it’s not just about selling wine — it’s about sharing the story of where it comes from.
