Almost no one disputes that philosophy. One proven way is to start or join a tasting group. You won't sample every bottle out there, but you will accelerate the learning process and develop friendships that can last a lifetime. Finding enough people to gather for a tasting can take some time but shouldn't take too much effort. Your local wine merchant and neighborhood restaurateur are valuable resources.
Some groups form in cyberspace.
San Francisco management consultant Julius Schillinger first connected with his friends on the Wine Spectator Online bulletin boards. By the time we finally got together, it was great to turn all the bits and bytes into flesh and blood. Stores and tasting organizations host their own events. Get on their mailing lists. It's a safe bet that you'll meet like-minded people who'd love to start a group.