After a long summer break, #VinQ commences on Tuesday, September 20. Don’t be late to class! What is #VinQ? It is a live wine game that takes place on Twitter and features interactive discussion via Tweets with wine educator Pamela Heiligenthal of Enobytes Wine Online.

Here is the scoop…

WHAT is #VinQ: Some call it a wine trivia game. Some call it a wine study group. Others simply call it fun! A bunch of wine geeks started #VinQ on twitter as a means to get together (virtually) once a week to study for wine exams. But an interesting twist happened. Everyone who had an interest in wine wanted to play!! Hey, the more the merrier, right? Since its conception, the game has grown organically and has spiraled into something new—a fun-loving wine trivia (study) game for all!

WHO facilitates the class? I do!  I’m Enobytes co-founder with a decade of experience working as a restaurant manager, wine buyer and sommelier with certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) and Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). I enjoy facilitating this class because I am an educator at heart.

WHO can participate? Anyone interested in learning about wine.

WHO created the name? The #VinQ hashtag was the inspiration of one of our top players, wine guru @paulrickett. We needed a hashtag for our game, which is that funny pound sign you see in front of the VinQ name. The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet, created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages. You’ve probably noticed other hashtags across the twitter landscape—for more information on wine hashtags, see this post. Essentially,Vin is short for many definitions: Vinification, meaning to convert the juice of grapes, or Grand vin, a Chateau’s premier wine, or vinifera, common European grape cultivated in many varieties. The Q is short for none other than Questions!

WHEN: Tuesdays at 5PM PT, 8PM ET, school schedule, meaning we have breaks during the holidays, the month of January, and a long summer break!

WHERE: Twitter!

HOW long is the class? One hour, join at any time.

HOW do I participate? Log on to your twitter account. If you don’t have an account, make sure you register prior to playing. At the start time, I’ll post a multiple choice question. Once you know the answer, click on the “reply” button from the question and add the hashtag #vinq. Here is an example:

Q: Which appellation is located in Burgundy? a) Cornas b) Muscadet c) Gigondas d) Mercurey #vinq

A: (Your answer): @enobytes d) Mercurey #vinq

WHY participate? It’s fun. You’ll learn something new. You’ll become a wine guru. You’ll have a better chance at passing whatever wine course or program you’re in. You’ll impress your friends at your next dinner party with your uber wine knowledge. You’ll  make new friends and network with some of the best wine experts around the world. But above all, its about learning and networking with other players and having fun!

SHARE THE LOVE:  I probably spend an hour each week researching, creating questions, and an additional hour playing the game with twitter friends. The best way I can track your interests in the game is for you to share the love by leaving a comment on the #vinq love site. Think of it as buying me a glass of wine or beer. The more love I receive, the more energized I will be fulfilled in continuing the #vinq quest. Lurkers are encouraged to leave a comment too! The important thing is that you are learning something new from this game.