Sonoma State University lies in the heart of wine country, so why not be educated on the fundamentals of wine? 

One way to ensure your knowledge of wine is to join the Wine Sense Club.

 In meetings twice a month students get the opportunity to socialize with friends while they learn about wine and its industry. 

Vice President Cooper Niswonger explained the club as a way to “expand the millennial generation’s knowledge of wine.” 

The club’s job is to enhance the appreciation of wine in a way that intrigues anyone who attends their meetings and allows them to get to know the wine industry in a comfortable, engaging environment. 

During their meetings, the Wine Sense Club tastes a variety of different wines along with snacks, such as grapes, cheese, crackers and olives. 

Large tables are spread out during the meeting, making it easy to make friends and share opinions with students.

The Wine Sense club is a great opportunity for anyone who has a wide appreciation of wine and wants to share it with other students at Sonoma State. 

All of the club officers are Wine Business majors and have jobs at local wineries, making them knowledgable in the field of wine. 

With the intelligent club officers, the meetings are often accompanied by guest speakers. This week was Jacques Brix, president and publisher of Wines and Vines magazine. 

Along with their knowledge of the wine industry, guest speakers bring wine for the students to try. 

This week’s guest speaker brought wines from a winery named De Novo along with a survey. 

This survey was given to the students in the meeting as the millennial generation and will also be given to those of the baby boomer generation. 

The survey was to compare the tastes of the different generations to see what consumers today prefer in buying wine compared to those of the baby boomer generation. 

The survey included questions reflecting the label on the wine bottle and the price of the wine. 

The club officers do everything they can to ensure that students have an enjoyable experience at their meetings. 

This includes amusing gift giveaways, like giving gift bags and throwing candy to people who have answered questions about what they have learned during the meeting or about wine in general: For example, how many vineyards are in the county of Sonoma? 

Their gifts range from wine necessities to funny gag gifts that anyone would love. 

Every Wine Sense meeting is vastly different, making it more exciting to go to every meeting since they are always doing something new and stimulating. 

Information and upcoming events can be found on social media sites. 

Students can follow them on Instagram or Twitter at ssu_winesense, you can find them under “SSU Wine Sense” on Facebook, or follow their Tumblr, http://ssuwinesense.tumblr.com, to follow their upcoming events. 

The club is welcome to any Sonoma State student from any major, giving an opportunity to learn what majors different from yours do. However, IDs are checked at the door. 

Students under 21 have the opportunity to join their mailing list until you get the chance to attend their meetings. 

The meetings are vibrant and full of pleasure, making one feel welcome even as a newcomer. 

Their next event is on Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. in Schulz 1121. 

Korbel, a large producer of sparkling champagne, will be visiting. The club will be making champagne cocktails.