Guide to Wine Podcast: Episode 134

Why Blind Tasting Really Matters w/ Marie Cheslik (Part 1)

Air Date: Wednesday, December 10th, 2025

Listen to the Podcast!

What if blind tasting isn’t actually about guessing the wine at all but about learning to trust your palate?
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In this conversation, author, sommelier, and content creator Marie Cheslik shares an unfiltered look at blind tasting, wine education, and the confidence-building process behind learning what you like. She explains the original purpose of blind tasting, why it’s rooted in regional typicity, and how she now uses the same framework to help everyday drinkers feel less intimidated and more empowered.

You’ll hear Marie talk about the tension between subjective tasting and objective correctness, why some tasting notes really are more “right” than others, and how comparing wines side-by-side teaches people far more than memorizing facts ever will. She also opens up about balancing a creative business with the stability of her nursing career, the myth of “going all in,” and the hard lesson she learned about time investment not guaranteeing growth.

If you’ve ever felt uncertain about how to describe wine, confused about what you’re “supposed” to taste, or intimidated by blind tasting, tune into this episode where you’ll get the  clarity, context, and permission you’ve been hoping for!

And don’t miss next week's episode which is part 2 of my chat with Marie where we dig into her book How to Read a Wine Label. ​

Connect with Marie
Instagram - @slikwines
Marie’s Book - How to Read a Wine Label
Website - https://www.slikwines.com/

Episode Highlights:

• How Marie discovered wine through restaurant work
  
• Starting Slick Wines during Covid and growing through virtual events
  
• Why she still works as a registered nurse
  
• The myth of “going all in” on your business
  
• What blind tasting is actually designed to teach
  
• Understanding typicity and classic wine markers
  
• The balance between subjective and objective tasting notes
  
• Using side-by-side tastings to build confidence
  
• Old World vs New World Chardonnay flavor differences
  
• Why storytelling connects better than soil talk
  
• How wine educators can help people go from “zero to one”

Thank you to the following brands for sponsoring this podcast:

• Vacu Vin: Go to us.vacuvin.com and use code CORKANDFIZZ for 20% off your order!
• VoChill: Go to vochill.com and use code CORKANDFIZZ for 15% off your order!
• Wine Wash Co: Go to winewashco.com and use code CORK for 20% off your order, plus free U.S. shipping on orders over $35!

Don't Forget to Download my Free Wine Tasting Guide!
https://www.corkandfizz.com/free-wine-tasting-guide

Connect with me:
Cork and Fizz - https://www.corkandfizz.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/corkandfizz/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/corkandfizz/
Email - [email protected]