How to learn about wine

Recently, browsing the comments and posts of the members of the wine groups on Facebook, I came across a question, asked by a member who is new to the wine world. She was curious where and how to start. In my mind I visualized a picture of her in a huge warehouse like Total wine store with shelves upon shelves of bottles with attractive labels and nobody to get an advice from.

And I have recalled an excerpt from Jancis Robinson article How to learn more about wine. Here what she wrote:

"When someone new to wine asks me how they can learn, I resist the temptation to sell them one of my books and suggest that they strike up a rapport with good wine merchant. The best way to progress from the handful of wines they know they like is to discuss these with a sympathetic wine retailer. If the retailer is sensible and thinking of nurturing a long term relationship then it is in their interest to recommend wines similar to those that have already appealed but more interesting or better value. It’s just like what I would expect from a good book shop. I mention a few books I have enjoyed and any good bookseller will recommend others that are likely to appeal to me. The only snag with this neat solution to the increasingly common problem of how to learn more about wine is that, like independent bookshops, independent wine retailers are increasingly under threat from larger, and generally much less friendly and helpful, retail chains."

As always, she is very insightful.