When it comes to wine, I'll be the first to admit that the culture surrounding fermented grape juice can be pretentious at best. Simply mentioning the word wine often comes with this air of exclusivity that, like any other seemingly exclusive thing, stems from one thing: knowledge, or lack thereof. It's the same old game of those who know stuff thinking—or at least acting like—they are better and more important than those who don't know stuff.

Then, because there's this perceived exclusivity, those of us who don't know stuff feel intimidated, am I right? Where do we break through that wall? Is there an easy entry point where we can to acquire the knowledge without coming off as a novice or a fool? Where are the people who aren't going to mock us for asking to taste the White Zinfandel (don't worry, we will talk about why you probably shouldn't ask to taste the White Zinfandel in chapter 2).

That's where this Snippet comes in: It will ease you into the culture in a fun and entertaining way. It will help you to feel comfortable going to a winery or tasting room, walking up to the bar and asking for the reserve tasting (don't worry, we'll talk about that, too).

If you've never been wine tasting, this Snippet is for you. If you've been wine tasting once or twice, this Snippet is for you. Even if you've been a handful of times, but you still can't figure out how to spit discretely, this Snippet is for you.

While this Snippet isn't a comprehensive tutorial on all things wine, it is a beginner-to-intermediate guide for understanding the wine industry and the culture that comes with it. Better yet, it's a guide for breaking through the stuffy, showy attitude you may run into so that you can create a wine culture that is all your own, minus that pretentiousness.

First things first: Remember that winemaking and grape-growing is first and foremost an agricultural business. Sure, the product may often be classified as a luxury item, but that doesn't mean it's off limits to those of us who lack six-figure incomes and summer vacation homes. Quite the contrary: Wine-tasting is one of the most affordable leisurely pastimes I can think of. If you don't go over board renting a party bus (they're obnoxious, anyway) or buying a bottle of every varietal you taste (who can afford that, anyway?), then you can enjoy a lovely day with friends in some of the most beautiful parts of the world.

So. What will you learn in this Snippet? We'll start with the basics: the lingo. The palate, the nose, the mouth feel, varietals—what in the heck are we talking about? You'll find out in chapters 2 and 3, where we look at some of the oddities in wine-speak and how to differentiate types of wine. Chapter 4 dives into the how-tos of tasting and, yes, spitting, as well as a few pointers for tasting room etiquette. Chapters 5 and 6 will look at buying wine—both at a restaurant and at a grocery store, each requiring a nuanced navigation to find something you'll love. In chapter 7, we'll talk about interacting with wine professionals and how to make the most of those contacts; even the guy in the wine section at Trader Joe's can make some great suggestions if you know how to ask. Lastly, in chapter 8, you'll find some additional resources that will help you as you continue to explore the world of wine.

In each section you will find an easy-to-read breakdown of the topic as well as audio interviews and videos with some of California's premier wine professionals. Why California? Well, I happen to be located in Sacramento, which is just about smack dab in the middle of California's world-renowned wine country. (Did you know that 90% of all the world's wine comes from California?) Seriously, if look at a map of California and imagine using a compass to draw a 100-mile radius around the state capital. You can see Napa and Sonoma to the west, the Central Coast to the south west, Lodi to the south, and Amador and El Dorado counties to the east.

Not to worry, you will get a lot out of this Snippet even if you don't live in Northern California. And I promise to talk about how to discover your own local wine country, including tips for discovering seasonal events and what your local region does best.

Along the way, I hope you'll participate in the conversation with the social component. Tell us about your local wine country. Share your experience in the tasting room. Most of all—let us know what you're tasting and what we should try next!

Before we get started, let's meet the wine pros who you'll hear from throughout this Snippet.