I have had a passion for wine since my days living near Napa Valley.  I have been seriously studying wine for more than a decade and have now passed three of the six parts of the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust (WSET) level 4 (Diploma level).  Along the way I have also completed the Italian Wine Scholar and French Wine Scholar programs (Wine Scholar Guild), the Spanish Wine Expert course, and master level courses in the wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Loire Valley, Rhone Valley, Champagne, Cava, and Rioja, all with honors. I also have under my belt courses in wines from Portugal, Croatia, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany, as well as specialist courses in Port wines and Sherry wines and in depth courses in the wines of Mt. Etna and Barolo.  My wine studies are not limited to Europe, however, and my wine educational transcript also includes courses about wines from California, Oregon, and Texas, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, Georgia, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.  I have been formally certified as an educator for the WSET program, as well as for the Wine Scholar Guild.  I teach wine courses at Daemen University and Finger Lakes Community College and was the Nominated Wine Educator for the New York Kitchen.  In my spare time, I am Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.