Oenology is the science and study of wine. Unlike vintners and sommeliers who may have a formal education in wine, however, oenophiles are usually passionate hobbyists with an appreciation for the beverage and the associated culture. Roman courtier and novelist Petronius was perhaps one of the earliest oenophiles when he wrote 2,000 years ago, “Ah me, so wine lives longer than miserable man. So let us be merry. Wine is life.”