The wine industry relies on the ability of wine communicators to persuade consumers to taste, but today’s wine lexicon often falls short of its objectives. Wine writing relies on metaphor and analogy that may be unfamiliar to many global wine lovers, while point scores, with their veneer of objectivity, reinforce the notion that there are right and wrong answers. The effect can be gatekeeping even as the wine industry tries to expand its shrinking footprint.

Many communicators and educators are now rethinking their approaches, recasting their language to be more inclusive, personal, and appealing to diverse communities. Meg has been researching the origins of the issue plus new developments, and will present her findings before leading a lively discussion on the topic.

Meg Maker is an award-winning wine writer, artist, illustrator, educator, and independent researcher curious about traditional foodways, sustainable food production, and terroir. She is founder of Terroir Review and has written for myriad wine trade and lifestyle publications. Find out more about her at Megmaker.com and follow her @megmaker.