Lesley from the U.S. joined us in 2019 for our Wine Program. Here is her story…
Truthfully, I’m not sure how or where wine fits into my academic and professional goals, but I just know that it fits into my self-hood. My interest in furthering my knowledge on wine continues to grow, and, before I attend graduate school in the fall in international affairs, I want to explore this passion and dive into the particulars of wine in the place where I first discovered my wine interest: Argentina.
My time studying abroad in Argentina was one of the most formative experiences of my life. My visit to Cordoba’s Dirty War Museum led me to become deeply immersed in Argentina’s history, first writing my thesis on the topic and then moving to Washington DC to work on Latin American human rights issues. The one moment that hasn’t been a focal point on my resume, however, is my first visit to a bodega in Mendoza. Sitting there, realizing the complicated story behind Malbec and how the grape is inextricably linked to the country’s culture and history ignited in me a passion for wine and a desire to add it to my professional repertoire.
At times I feel a great personal dilemma that exists in two facets: (1) I want to work on human rights and advocacy and (2) I am compelled to develop a certain level of expertise in the wine-making business and explore a possible career path there. While I plan to go to graduate school to pursue a human rights and advocacy focused degree, in my spare time I have been devouring books on wine— teaching myself about different types of wine by talking to winemakers across the nation and tasting various wines around the world. Friends may find this passion of mine aggravating, when we sit down to order, I take the helm— always asking the server detailed questions about the wines on the restaurant’s list – (accidentally) forcing him or her to spend far more time with me than is required of a server to spend with their customers.
Through Mente Argentina’s wine program, I have the opportunity to capitalize on this interest and knowledge in a classroom setting, taking advantage of the time that I will be able to spend with wine connoisseurs and experts in the industry to further fuel my passion and get answers to my detailed questions, broadening my knowledge base and understanding of wine.