Episode 44: Marcia J. Hamm

Meet Marcia J. Hamm, the wine lover who explores her passion and makes educated but accessible recommendations on her blog, Joy of Wine. Marcia wasn't always into wine, but an encounter with a pinot gris made her want to learn more about it. As she started studying, her husband told her she should really start writing down what she was experiencing, and that's where her blog began. She has pursued a lot of wine education over the years, including earning her WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification and status as an Italian Wine Ambassador. But she strives to take the snobbery out of wine-tasting. She strongly feels that people shouldn't be made to feel stupid about wine, as you'll hear. Here are Marcia's recommendations: YEG Women in Wine, a non-profit organization focusing on female entrepreneurs in the beverages industry What the Truck?!, Edmonton's food truck extravaganza I Heart Edmonton, Emil Tiedemann's celebration of the city Marcia will be a judge at the 2016 Alberta Beverage Awards in Calgary in July, and you can also find her at Hicks Fine Wines in St. Albert. You can hire her, too, for home wine-tastings or corporate events. And she's on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. This episode was one of several recorded at the Makerspace at the downtown Edmonton Public Library on 100in1Day. Watch for more conversations captured that day in the coming months. This week's Seen and Heard in Edmonton is brought to you by Seven Music Fest, a day of great music in beautiful Seven Hills Park in the heart of St. Albert on July 9. The headliners are the Juno-award-winning Walk Off the Earth, and they're just one reason to check out the festival, as you'll hear in this episode. Get your tickets at sevenmusicfest.com. Musical credits: Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1, played by Daniel Veesey, from freemusicarchive.com.