The World of Wine: Your Best Introduction to Wine, for Beginners, Intermediates & Enthusiasts

World of Wine Class raises its glasses with the last wine of the course

Course Summary

This course offers an enjoyable, clearly marked journey through the delightful, sometimes baffling, world of wine. In six weekly sessions we will immerse ourselves in the principal grape varieties and wine regions of the world. Novices to certified wine lovers will gain a better understanding of the many varieties and styles of wine, the principal wine-growing regions of the world, and the tastes, flavors and tactile sensations that define a wine. Participants will better understand their own wine preferences and develop their personal skills for

• tasting and describing wine
• matching wine with food
• selecting wines in restaurants and wine shops
• storing and serving wine with ease.

Each session features 8 to 10 wines and favors a relaxed, informative, and interactive style of learning.

Course Description:

Wine Class 1: The World's Many Vineyards

Take off your shoes and get ready to stomp grapes. Not really– but we will jump into the vineyards of the world “with both feet.” We will taste wines from the world's 8 principal grape varieties: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah; and from the 8 major wine producing countries: France, Italy, Spain, Germany, United States, Australia, New Zealand and Chile. You will come away with a working knowledge of the major grape varieties and regional grape styles, and a better understanding of the concept of terroir and how different wines can be.

A blind tasting will help us remember and identify the characteristics of different varietals.

Wine Class 2: Sensory Evaluation of Wine – Part I: How to Taste and What We Taste: Identifying Tastes and Textures in Wine - sweetness, acidity, bitterness, tannin and alcohol

We will explore the principal tastes and textures of wine, learn the vocabulary, and discover and refine our taste preferences.

The class begins with a tasting exercise in which you will experience the effect on your palate of sweetness, acidity, tannin, and alcohol. We will go on to taste wines that exhibit these taste characteristics so that you become accustomed to identifying these tastes in wine. These sensory experiences will be matched with the vocabulary used to describe wine. By the end of the class you will have both an intellectual and sensory grasp of what it means when a wine is described as, “off-dry, crisp, green, harsh, astringent, full-bodied, concentrated, smooth, silky, light, lush, rustic or tannic”. .

We will also smell several defective wines to identify the most common wine faults: wines that are corked, oxidized, or affected by volatile acidity.

Wine Class 3: Sensory Evaluation of Wine - Part II: Identifying Aromas, Bouquets, Flavors, and Wine Styles

The grape is a unique fruit because of its many flavor components – over 200 aromas have been identified in different grapes. This class will focus on the major “families” of grape aromas, the difference between aroma, bouquet and flavor, how flavors and tastes join to create a particular wine style, and the difference between Old World and New World wine styles.

The class will begin with a tasting exercise in which a number of aromas and flavors are experienced. Then these aromas will be associated with the 8-10 wines served. At the same time as noting the aromas of the wines, we will note the tastes and textures of the wines and how they combine with the aromas to create a wine style.

The idea of wine styles helps to organize and clarify the thousands of wines out there. It also allows us to distinguish what's typical about New World versus Old World wines.

Wine Class 4: The Wines of France

Whatever one thinks of French politics, all agree that France has long been the benchmark for fine wine. What is unusual is that France has so many fine wines from so many regions: Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from Burgundy, Pinot Gris and Riesling from Alsace; Syrah and Grenache from the Rhone Valley, Cabermet Franc and Chenin Blanc from the Loire, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Bordeaux...not to mention Champagne, Sauterne, and a host of other great French wines.

Hold on for a “Grand Tour” through the vineyards of France.

Wine Class 5: The Wines of Italy and Spain

Saying the names of Italian grapes and wines is almost as enjoyable as drinking them – the beautiful, multi-syllabic, round and full, Barolo, Nebbiolo, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Vernaccia di San Gemignano, Brunello di Montepulciano, etc. Drinking these wines will make you understand why Italy has overtaken France as the largest exporter of wine to the US. Spain has its own great wines, known both for their quality and their value. This is our Mediterranean session and you will feel the warm Mediterranean sun in each of these wines.

Wine Class 6: The Wines of the United States

Did you know that many think that Washington State's Cabernet Sauvignons are as good as Napa Valley's; and that there is world-class Riesling being produced in New York State's Finger Lake Region? All 50 states of the Union have wineries, but we will focus on California, Washington, Oregon and New York. Wine is BIG in the US and getting bigger. Find out the best regions, varietals, and producers the US has to offer – and why they rank among the best in the world.