It's a gift that places him increasingly in demand. Apstein teaches wine classes about once a week and travels several times a year to deliver wine seminars to corporate audiences. Some companies are simply looking for diversions at conventions and retreats, he says. Other high-toned clients find a practical purpose for wine literacy, a sense that if you're going to be in the business world and you're going to be entertaining, this is something you're supposed to know about. MD doesn't appear on Apstein's byline.
Wine remains for many people an intimidating, foreign drink.
Apstein's own wine expertise grew out of interest, not obligation. He developed a taste for the stuff as a youngster, traveling through Europe with his parents. By the early 1980s, he was frequenting wine events, and he had grown friendly with food and wine writers. They eventually invited him to contribute, first to the Boston Phoenix , then to Boston Magazine and the Globe . Pleasure, not health, is generally the focus of Apstein's column.