Wine culture during the past 10 years was defined by Pinot Noir's debutante moment, the surge of sommeliers, the critter label, bigger and bolder CA wines, Riesling, pink Champagne - and the hard-to-miss emergence of screwcaps. The fact that you're reading this on a computer screen is a giveaway to the biggest defining change of the past decade - the Internet reigned when it came to wine education and shopping for all things wine. In 2010 all but a few wineries have an informative website touting the reasons to buy their brand.

What about the next 10 years? Dreadnought believes we're in a bold time for wine in America. More wine is being consumed than ever before - nearly 3 gallons per U.S. adult in 2008, according to data from the Beverage Information Group. To support this surge in wine consumption, the desire for wine education has already experienced a major spike.

There was a time when your local wine merchant was a top source of buying advice and education. Then the big box wine merchant emerged (with even Walmart, 7-11 and Costco attempting to secure a slice of the market) and the days of the informed wine salesperson expired. But the time of the knowledgeable wine merchant is returning with a vengeance.

In part, this is the rise of wine boutiques that curate rather than cast a wide net, which makes for a shopping experience you can't get at a big box. Retailers have never been more knowledgeable or less snooty (makes a big difference); as in-store tastings and a culture of service become more important, wine shopping is becoming an experience to enjoy, not to rush through. That doesn't mean online shopping is going anywhere, but its current limitations (witness Amazon.com's abortive attempts at wine sales) underscore that buying wine isn't like buying a flat-screen. We want to see and touch. We want to learn about terroir, varietals, history. We want to understand how four different Cabs can taste so different. Not only do we want to experience wine on own, but we want to share the experience and learn from those with more educational resources and experience.

We are very proud that Dreadnought is positioned perfectly for the wine trends of the next decade. Classes and Tastings are the future.