But the remark is accurate. Sit and talk wine with the Norfolk and Johnson and you'll see that they speak the same language. Not only can they reel off all sorts of information that seems exceedingly esoteric to a general and casual wine lover, they clearly have a lot of common ground and inside jokes, too. And they especially love to talk about the people and the personalities that make wine.

So, it makes sense that the two would take the next step and start a company like Professional Wine Consultants. Their love of wine expresses itself perfectly, with a killer blend of wit and knowledge. Being great conversationalists and sociable people, they pair well with groups and individuals hoping to dig deeper into terroir, appellations, tasting skills, food pairing skills and more.

"We came to the conclusion (that) if we had our own business we could better promote ourselves and services, while still maintaining our day jobs and our sanity," says Norfolk. "We both really love all the nerdy aspects of wine. Some people are into endless facts about sports and music, we are into acquiring as much information as possible about wine.

"(It's) definitely not for the snob appeal. Call us cork dorks, wine nerds, whatever. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that the vastness of wine as a subject of study maybe it's greatest appeal. We are both somewhat extroverted, so we are shunned by the more traditional introverted shoe-gazing nerds. We were forced to form an alliance."

While they admit there are some others in town offering wine classes and seminars and tastings, Johnson and Norfolk know their certifications with the Court of Master Sommeliers means they have unique credentials ... for now.

"One of the things Nate and I want to do is help people pass the certified as a pay it forward kind of thing. Possibly, in our little town, a study group can be formed and more people here will want to take that advanced and pass it."

Johnson notes that about a dozen Milwaukeeans have passed the certified level.

"(They) will be eligible to apply for the advanced as soon as they have waited a year. I think that is so cool," she says.

Johnson is currently studying for the test to become a Master Sommelier. The requirements for identifying wines -- grape, region, producer, vintage, etc. -- is astonishing. Norfolk is prepping for the advanced exam.

"I will contact the court in 2009 to start sitting the exam in 2010," she says. "There is no way I will be ready in 2009 since the test happens in March. What you have to know to pass the advanced is exponentially more complex than the certification, and what you have to know to become a Master Sommelier is exponentially more complex than that."

In the meantime, Johnson and Norfolk maintain a blog at www.wineproevents.com and host monthly tastings. The two also offer a host of services from staff training and appraisals to cellar management, mentoring, wine list development, classes and seminars.