But it was two events in 1976 that jolted public taste for wine. The first was the “1976 Judgement of Paris” when two California boutique wines, a 1973 Chateau Montelena chardonnay and a 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars cabernet sauvignon, took first place over leading French wines in a blind tasting.

The second was the “New York Times Book of Wine,” written by Terry Robards. For the first time, the 18 noble grapes, along with their history coupled with in-depth discussions of the leading wine regions of the world, was shared in a very readable way. The book was a road map to wine appreciation, a map that compelled many to take that journey. Wine tastings became the rage, and sales surged.

Today, Robards, and his wife Julie, who has become recognized as a celebrated teacher of wine appreciation, maintain a popular wine and spirits store on Saranac Avenue in Lake Placid and they live in Upper Jay. Neither started with that kind of occupation in mind.

Terry’s dream was to become a journalist. His career started by covering sporting events for the Associated Press and local newspapers while attending Hamilton College. After college, he got a job with a small community newspaper north of New York City with the dream of getting hired by a prominent New York City paper. At the time, cocktail parties were the rage along with the three-martini lunch; Terry wanted something lighter to sip and turned to wine.

Mateus and Lancers were then popular imports coupled with California and New York jug wines, all being too sweet for Terry’s tastes, so he read what he could and got into tasting a variety of wines. Meanwhile, a series of newspaper strikes in the Big Apple kept Terry watching from the sidelines until a period of relative calm returned. During this time, he evaluated all the papers for what he hoped would be an opening. He noticed that the quality of financial reporting and writing at the New York Herald Tribune was dismal and thus pitched them.

Hiring a small-town news and sports reporter to cover the world of finance may seem a stretch, but the editors noticed that Terry wrote with clarity and gave him a chance. He was so successful at making financial news understandable that he soon started getting front-page stories, a success he used to get hired by the New York Times. Once again, Terry was placed in finance. Still, he constantly pitched other editors resulting in opportunities to cover various topics that, in time, resulted in him landing the London desk.

“Being in Europe gave me access to all the great vineyards and wineries over there,” said Terry. “I’d work overtime to get every bit of vacation time I could and used it to go to France, Italy and Spain. I’d find financial angles about wine so I could write articles and spend more time. I fondly remember those years.”

Upon returning to New York, Terry floated the idea of an overview of wine as a companion to the recently released “The New York Times Cook Book,” by Craig Claiborne. The editors went for it, providing Terry with a sizeable advance.

Back in Maine, Julie, who grew up on a farm, was getting into performing and learning all she could about antiques. She became an expert in celluloid, co-authoring the book “Celluloid: Collectors Reference and Value Guide.” She, too, started sipping wine, though more of the jug wine varietal.

Meanwhile, Terry became the go-to guy for wine. He wrote articles for the Times and specialty magazines, led industry and public wine tastings, and in 1983 shifted to the New York Post as they were willing to pay more and let him focus on writing about wine. His second book, “Terry Robards’ New Book of Wine: The Ultimate Guide to Wines Throughout the World,” soon followed. Terry always loved being outdoors and visiting the Adirondacks, so he purchased a camp on Big Wolf Lake outside the village of Tupper Lake. While there, he decided to open a wine shop on Main Street across from the Olympic Speedskating Oval in Lake Placid.

From the beginning, Terry held wine tastings and wine-paired dinners at the Woodshed. A wine shop across from a public school came with restrictions; thus, he went for a larger space on Saranac Avenue. Before the move, now both divorced from previous marriages, Julie and Terry met in 2004 through an online dating site with their first dinner date held at the Charcoal Pit restaurant, located pretty much where their new business stands.

Julie didn’t know much about wines, but she proved to be a quick study. Her ability to absorb mountains of nuanced information in the antique trade stood her well, coupled with her ability to share what she learned with others. Her training as a professional musician and performer stood her well.

“When Terry Robards came to the Adirondacks,” said Duncan Winter, “he brought not only a love for the great outdoors, but a sophistication and knowledge of wine to the area. His experience, travel, and writings elevated the game. And he was benevolent, giving away that knowledge and introducing many people to wine. When he met Julie, that only exploded with her love for people, teaching, and sharing good with wines with others.”

As part of nurturing others, Terry supported skeleton coach Caleb Smith’s quest to develop a parallel career in the wine industry.

“They got me motivated to pursue my different wine certifications and getting my diploma which has led me to work in French vineyards, get involved in helping import wines, and assist people to start their vineyards,” said Smith.

Anne Hurd of Keene Valley, who has attended many of their wine seminars, marvels at the variety and quality of the wine shared, Hurd loves learning about their history, blends, and food pairings, and how to savor wine to get the most out of every sip.

Hannah Hanford agrees. “I learned how humbling it is to recognize how much there is to learn about wine,” she said. “You always learn something new every time you listen to Julie and Terry, and they make it enjoyable. Wine can be intimidating; they give you the confidence to ask questions.”

As a way of expanding such opportunities during these challenging times, six weeks ago, Terry and Julie led a wine course held at The Hungry Trout restaurant in Wilmington that’s airing at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 at on WPBS out of Watertown and by a PBS station in Syracuse. If you register, a case of wine and a corkscrew will be sent to so you and your friends can taste along. Bon appetit.

(Naj Wikoff lives in Keene Valley. He has been covering events for the News for more than 15 years.)