Q&A With A Professor Of Wine

Paul O’Neill,  is currently the Director of Special Projects for the Center of Hospitality Management at Drexel University. Not only is he highly regarded in our major, he has 25+ years in the industry, whether it be with Vetri serving, or teaching at schools, he is also teaching our Wine and Spirits class this fall term. How more perfect to have someone who teaches young adults about wine to answer a few questions on how his passion for it came to be and why he does what he does.

Q1. What sparked your interest/career in wine?

A1. “It was about the time I started working for the Vetri organization. When we opened Osteria, as part of our training we underwent a lot of really intense classes about Italian wine, and already having kind of a background I knew more about new style wines and just the basics of old world Chianti, etc. The restaurants I worked at on the Jersey Shore, the wine culture wasn’t there quite as much, just San Margarita, Pinot Grigio, that was it. When I got to Osteria, and realizing the passion, how well it went with the food, why it went with the food, and how distinct each particular region was from the next, and them tasting all of these different grapes. You know, Italy especially has so many different varieties, and that’s what made sense to me.”

Q2. What’s your favorite part about educating young adults about wine?

A2. “Upon graduating there (vocational school) in ’96 I came back to help my teacher at the time that I had was about to retire, his teaching assistant was stepping up, he was very instrumental in then taking me in under his wing. I worked at the vocational school for about 7 years, and during that time I realized that my true passion was bigger than that. I began attending classes while working, and I graduated with a degree in History, and wanted to teach History, but there was a falling out with the New Jersey schools, so I never had an opportunity to get tenure. It wasn’t till Traud actually called me in 2013. I had already gotten a Master’s in education at this point, and he said ‘listen we don’t have anybody teaching front of house’, and I said ‘yeah I’m on board’, and I’ve always had it known that I wanted to teach wine. I think it was that combination of Vetri experience and having all these years of experience.”

“To me I don’t think of it as a subject that should be exclusive, and that everybody should have access to it. Very many times there is an exclusivity, because of the money and all the esoteric things that it says on the label. I like showing people that it’s not like a rich white mans club, it’s something for all to enjoy and you do not have to spend a tremendous amount of money.”

Q3. Why do you believe it is important for people to be educated about wine?

A3. “I think it’s just so much better for the consumer, overall. It also gives people an opportunity to enjoy life. It gives us an opportunity to enjoy the finer things in life, just like going to a concert and enjoying music, it’s just like going to a museum. The only time people give themselves the opportunity to thoroughly enjoy that or get to understanding it, and I think what happens there is people are just like ‘I don’t get it’ and just kind of brush it off. Whereas, if you get past the introduction and fundamental aspect of it, then you get to understand it, and discover that there is an appreciation there, and maybe people would never realize that if they hadn’t had it.”

Q4. What is the most important thing you believe people should consider when choosing a wine, and why?

A4. “I believe just knowing what they like instead of being talked into something that they’re not sure about. Knowing what they like provides people an opportunity to expose them to something new, and saying ‘I really love Sauvignon Blanc’s, my favorite wine is King Crawford Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand’. This gives us a sommelier or wine professional an opportunity to use that as their own immediate dossier, and say ‘ok well if you like that you may like this’. We loved being able to say ‘we have your favorite wine here for $78.00, but I also we have this other wine, and we’re serving it by the glass. I would be happy to bring you a taste, and it’s only $55.00’. I would rather somebody thoroughly enjoy it as opposed to making that sale. I think knowing what you like, being true to what you like and then, I think that’s probably to most important.”