About KnowWines
The mission of KnowWines is to provide practical knowledge about wine without intimidating jargon or exclusive offers. Our reviews and podcast are based on real-life experience, extensive online research of feedback from real customers, and our decades of experience in wine country and in wine shops and wine bars talking to staff. Most importantly, our reviews are never rigged by brand sponsorship.
Our philosophy is one of inclusivity, ease, and enjoyment. Browsing, buying, and enjoying wine should be fun and positive, and KnowWines aims to make it just that through interactive, engaging, and educational content aimed at the wine consumer who loves wine and just wants to learn a little (or a lot!) more.
If the following statements resonate with you, we think you’ll love our site:
You like authentic wines without the gender pitch (e.g., women only like pink wines with pretty pictures).
You want to learn about wine without the multi-level marketing (MLM) sales pitch.
You want to learn about wine from an informed scientist who understands agricultural practices.
You want some fun wine games to play while traveling or to pass the time.
You’ve dreamed of traveling to wine country by yourself or a partner/friend and would like to plan most of the trip on your own.
You want to taste wine like a pro, or at least learn how they do it!
You want to explore different wine varieties, styles, and wine regions.
You want to share wine with family and friends
You want to set up a wine tasting in your home like a pro.
Ready to learn more? Head to our blog.
About Jolene, KnowWines Founder
Though Jolene has grown to become an educated and knowledgeable wine consumer, she wasn’t raised as an oenophile. In fact, she grew up on a small farm near Sabetha, Kansas with a family that didn’t drink much at all. Wine was reserved for special occasions, but they didn’t often know much about what was inside the bottle.
Jolene went on to earn her Bachelor of Science and then her Masters in Agronomy at Kansas State University. Though her passion was plant science, Jolene didn’t really begin to learn about wine until she found herself leaving the midwest, moving to the east coast, and working for a large multinational company. In a new role and location, Jolene found herself at dinners and events feeling uneducated about wine, an outsider. As she became more acquainted with the world of wine, Jolene found that there was a lot of jargon she didn’t understand. It seemed that speaking to wine enthusiasts could sometimes be more confusing than informative. Jolene felt motivated to learn more about this seemingly elusive topic. So, she set out to become a well-informed customer, first by asking lots of questions, and then by taking interactive courses through the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). Today, she has the WSET Advanced Certification and is a French Wine Scholar. Jolene’s goal is to share her knowledge of wine with others. She wishes to give fellow consumers a fun, experiential window into the world of wine.