One of the biggest things I took away from wine country was that it’s about what you like. Often, our friends would love a wine and I wouldn’t understand the hype or I’d love a wine and they didn’t care for it. But we were told over and over that it’s about what you like. Your taste is your taste and you like what you like.

It was challenging to remember at times. I’d get caught up comparing myself to other people in our group with stronger, more refined palates. I’d wonder why I wasn’t loving the wines that they loved. Why I didn’t enjoy this wine that was so complex and such a treat that every else bought bottles of it. Why do I love this seriously sweet wine that everyone else thinks is too much? Is something wrong with me? But the sommeliers assured us over and over that it’s about what you like.

I think this is a good metaphor for life. We all like different things and at different intensities, and that’s OK.