A Note From THE AUTHOR
Wine is about discovery...discovering new flavors, new tastes, new regions, new grapes, new winemakers…

Wine is not complicated, although many people believe that it is. That's why we made this program...to demystify wine, and to make it more accessible to people who may be afflicted with oenophobia (fear of wine). I don’t know if that’s a real word, but I've seen the behavior many times…and you may have seen it too. I've watched people in situations where they have been responsible to order wine in a restaurant, bring wine to a dinner party, or buy wine as a gift become paralyzed with the fear that they may make a bad choice.

If you only get ONE thing out of this program, I hope it is this: There are no bad choices if they are right for you. If you like white wine with steak and merlot with lemon sorbet...I say..."That's great!" I do also hope this, tho...

I hope you will allow yourself to learn and explore, keep yourself open to new tastes and flavors...and to also learn about the history and traditions of wine that have raised wine to an art form. There is a vast body of knowledge and a great history there...and some of it may come over time, much like many of the other finer things in life…like some types of art or music that take you a while to appreciate, but grow on you until they just feel right.

We've tried to present a variety of facts and opinions here in the hope that you will come away from viewing our program both excited about your new knowledge, and with the desire to go out and learn even more. There are many places to learn...books, magazines, TV, Internet, newspapers, wine tastings... I hope you will delve into some of them and be inspired to make great food and great wine something you'll pursue as long as you live...

Today the rules have changed a lot…partially because food has changed a lot, and the traditional fine dining experience of lighter white wines with the first course giving way to bigger red wines with the main course is no longer the only way to go. You’re finding chefs who are creating different fusion cuisines of many countries and cultures and who are far more willing to experiment…and I think that’s exciting…And I also think that it gives a person who is a fan of wine even more opportunities to try new things. So…just go for it…I’m sure you’ll make a couple of mistakes, but I bet you’ll find some really great tastes along the way.

One last random thought...If it tastes good, it is good...but if you don't like it at first, don't be afraid to give it another chance at some future time...it may turn out that your palate has evolved and you will be able to appreciate those same flavors and same tastes in a new way…

Richard Berger
Los Angeles

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Berger is an ordinary person with a love for good food and good wine, and no credentials in the wine world. His reason for making this DVD was simple...he felt it was a product that was needed. "I've been a fan of wine for many years and all my friends knew that", he says. "I would always be the one to explain why we were drinking this wine or that, and after awhile I realized that if my friends needed a basic education, other people might benefit as well. I was interested in making a product that covered the territory between complete novice and experienced wine buyer/drinker, and I think we did that." His other interests include Golf, Music, Writing Screenplays that Hollywood finds disturbing, and Vinyl Repair.