A private circle
Fine Wine Divas.
An adventure in learning for women who love wine — to find their own taste, put words to it, and pour with confidence.
Learning wine, together.
Fine Wine Divas is an adventure in learning for women wine enthusiasts who wish to learn how to identify and express their own tastes and sensations in fine wine. The Divas learn about wines from different regions, the heritage of wineries and the philosophies of winemakers — and experience the communal joy that comes with uncorking a bottle and sharing a glass (or two) with others.
We also focus on the fine art of pairing wine with food: for entertaining at home, for business entertaining in restaurants, and for planning events. The same education enriches travel to wine regions, to experience the landscape, history, culture, community and people who are integral to winemaking.
Today the circle gathers a few times a year — when Sandra is in Washington, DC, or on a trip she organises to a wine region, such as Napa Valley or Virginia wine country.
A sparkling wine tasting
“Wine is more than a drink. Its character links it to memories, to the places around the world where grapes are grown and wine is made, and to the dining rooms, restaurants, bars and gardens where we drink it.”
Fine Wine Divas
A gender gap
Women buy the wine. The trade still talks to men.
Women are often neglected by a male-dominated wine industry, and receive less attention from salespeople in wine shops and liquor stores. Men and women approach wine in very different ways. The collector is still predominantly male, but the buyers who regularly spend more than $15 on a bottle are mostly women.
Men tend to focus on ratings, ageing time, the type of oak and other technical details — often to impress a date or a business colleague. For women it is about value, taste, and pairing wine with food, and those three are intrinsically tied together.
Fine Wine Divas yearn to go beyond the bottle: to learn about the land, the growers, the vines and the makers who craft truly extraordinary wines around the world. Members come away with a palate aligned to places and producers they might otherwise never have found, and whose wines they will want to buy for years to come.
A tasting dinner
A history of passion and elegance
From vine to dining, in a fun, relaxed way.
Winemaking is centuries old, and those with a passion for drinking wine seem to share a passion for excellence in life and style. Fine Wine Divas has been a chance to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the craft and heritage of winemaking.
Sandra Taylor, the founder, leads educational tastings and plans wine dinners with local experts. The aim is to teach women about wine while building the confidence to choose it.
The art of the vine
What we cover.
Fine Wine Divas demystifies ordering and learning about wine. We go beyond the wines themselves into a way of life refined over centuries, exploring the stories and flavours of selected regions through presentations, films and articles.
- Grape varieties
- Grape origin and geography
- Terroir and the land
- Growing, harvesting and sustainability
- The history of wineries and winemakers
- Recognising wine by genre
- Ordering wine
- What bottle shapes and sizes mean
- Reading wine labels
- Using wine tools
- Storing and organising wine at home
- Serving wine
- Pairing wine with food
- Table settings that set off the food and the wine
- Meeting others who share a passion for wine
- Travelling at home and abroad to visit wineries
A private circle.
Fine Wine Divas is not taking new members, and its tastings are not open to the public. For a guided tasting or a wine class of your own, Sandra offers both through her practice.
Uncorking a bottle and sharing a glass