Hi, I’m Donna. Who am I and why am I writing about wine? Let me start by admitting that I am no expert. I can barely pronounce the word sommelier correctly. That being said, I love wine. And I am going to show you how to love it too!

I tried to order wine on my 9th birthday at a restaurant

My dad comes from an Italian family. If you know anyone who is Italian, you know you will always find their home full of good food and wine. My parents always let me have sips of their wine as a child so it wouldn’t seem “forbidden.” My dad always told me that when I turned 9 I was old enough to have a small glass. Sounds crazy nowadays, doesn’t it?

Well, my birthday arrived. Even though we didn’t have much money, birthdays were a big deal. We got a choice. We could pick a special meal that my mom would cook for us. Or we got to choose a place to go out for dinner. My dad must have won some money on the Superbowl that year, because I got to go out for dinner.

As a kid, your parents ordered your food for you at a restaurant, right? My family was no exception. However, this year my dad proudly told me that I was old enough to order for myself. When the waitress came, (we called them waitresses back then, not servers,) she went around the table taking drink orders. My mom ordered a sprite for my little sister, Karin. Then she ordered a scotch and soda for herself. My dad ordered a Manhattan. Then it was my turn.

I smiled.

Took a deep breath.

Opened my mouth, and…

boldly ordered a glass of wine.

The waitress stared, dumfounded, with an open mouth. My mom turned red, embarrassed, not knowing what to say. My dad thought quickly, made a goofy dad joke, and saved the day.

How did Wacky Wine Girl get from there to here?

Since my 9th birthday debacle, I have learned a lot. First of all, there are different legal drinking ages around the world.

As a young adult, I drank wine from those big cheap jugs, like everyone else on a budget. But I wanted to learn more.

I have since taken many wine classes, attended many tastings, and visited many vineyards. While I am by no means a wine snob, I have picked up information about wine along my journey that I want to share with you. It will help you identify your favorites and help you enjoy them more.