Wine Tasting 101 - Celebrating Chardonnay

Wine Tasting 101 - Celebrating Chardonnay
Chardonnay, often described as the king of white wine, is grown in almost every wine‑producing country in the world. This popular grape variety can create wines that are widely varied in styles; from white Burgundies which can be powerful and rich to California Chardonnay which tend to be ripe and full-bodied. Join us for an informative evening tasting a treasure trove of Chardonnay based wines from around the world along with food pairings to complement each wine’s unique personality. The class includes wine and food tasting, take-home materials and 2.5 hours of instruction. Please bring 5 wine glasses.

Wine Tasting 101 - Putting Flavor into Words

Wine Tasting 101 – Putting Flavor into Words
Quick! How many tasting terms for wine can you list that everyone agrees on precisely? Better yet, how many precise words are there to describe any flavor? Tasting is, of course, an extremely subjective exercise and you must ultimately let your own palate be your guide. Nobody is born knowing how to taste wine. But tasting is a skill you can learn, just as you learn to dance or play tennis. Unless you want others to tell you what to drink all your life, you'll need to develop the ability to taste. It's easy, and practicing is a pleasure – so join us for this fun and informative wine tasting class.

Wine Tasting 101 - Italy Uncorked

Wine Tasting 101 - Italy Uncorked
The wines of Italy have something for everyone! Take a tour with us to a few favorite regions of Italy; Tuscany, Piedmont, Southern Italy, Veneto. The sheer diversity of styles, regions, and varieties offered up from Italy is amazing. From the tip of the boot to the northern Alps: tasty and unique wines in a range of prices and styles. Come join us for an informative evening discovering the best Italy has to offer in wine & food. Next class Spring 2010.

Wine and Food Pairing 101 - Perfect Pairings

Wine & Food Pairing 101 - Perfect Pairings
So much has been said about wine and food pairing that many have simply thrown their hands up in bewilderment. There is good news. If you would like the process of searching out perfect pairings to be more hit than miss, come join us for an informative evening and learn to apply a few simple principles to turn your palate into an increasingly confident guide. We’ll unlock some pairing secrets and provide tips and insights for everyone from novice to connoisseur. Next Class 10/23/09

Wine and Cheese Pairing 101

Wine & Cheese Pairing 101
Mention a wine party to someone and the first thought that comes to mind is "cheese". Cheese and wine is a classic pairing - like peanut butter and jelly or cookies and milk. Wine and Cheese have a long history together. Both are natural products, created using a standard process but with a myriad of results. This hands-on workshop is a perfect introduction to the basics and was designed to offer many ways for you to expand your knowledge and understanding of wine and cheese, delve into the art of pairing the two and celebrate examples from around the world. Join us for a lively discussion and tasting of some classic combinations!Next Class Spring of 2010.

Wine Blogs

At any time of the day or night, someone somewhere is pouring out his or her thoughts about wine on a blog. Blogs offer an unfiltered, conversational and passionate point of view.

Bitten by the blog bug myself, I've started my own blog and use it as an educational tool and archive for my wine articles. My wine blog provides a means of communicating about upcoming wine classes, dates and locations. My site, wineappreciation101.blogspot.com, may not have the following of Julie Powell of Julie & Julia fame, but it's been fun using the blog to stay in touch with students that have taken my classes over the years.

From last count there were over 700 wine blogs. Although many of these sites are recitations of “wines I've tasted," a few stand out for their quality. The ones mentioned here are some of my favorites and offer a variety of perspectives.

Vinography; Vinography.com - Alder Yarrow is a San Francisco high-tech consultant and wine lover who runs Vinography, perhaps the Web's most popular and comprehensive wine blog.

Dr. Vino's Wine Blog; DrVino.com - Dr. Vino, a.k.a. Tyler Colman, really is a doctor. After teaching political science for two years, he settled into full-time wine writing and education.

Fermentation; fermentation.typepad.com - While most wine bloggers focus on specific bottles, this site looks at wine PR, interstate wine shipping laws and labeling restrictions. Included are also interviews of other wine bloggers.

Good Wine Under $20; goodwineunder20.blogspot.com - Budget wines might be the most-blogged subject in the wine web, and this site searches out great everyday wines.

Quaffability; quaffability.com - There is often one great frustration in reading wine review—trying to find the wine. Quaffability addresses that issue by reviewing bottles almost exclusively purchased from Trader Joe’s.

Stop by my blog, wineappreciation101.blogspot.com, and post a comment or use the poll feature and vote for your favorite wine blog.

The Real Deal

Who says wine appreciation has to cost a fortune. The game plan, be adventurous by exploring wines that might not yet be in your wine vocabulary. Wines often cost more when they come from a well-known wine making region or are made from a popular grape variety so rather then heading straight for the same wine, expand your horizons and beat the budget crunch!

Get to Know the Other Grapes
There is life after Chardonnay and Cabernet. Instead of seeking out the familiar try something unusual made from a grape you've never heard of. For starters, try to learn the names of less popular grapes like Gewürztraminer or Malbec. It seems the more difficult a grape is to pronounce, the better of a value the wine is likely to be. Let me introduce you to some of my favorite wines, Nero D'Avola, Riesling, Dolcetto, Barbera and Viognier to name a few.

Look for Lesser-Known Regions
Major wine growing regions are reliable sources but often expensive as well. Lesser-known appellations are home to some of the best bargain bottles. No single country seems to have a lock on producing good value wines so have fun traveling the globe in search of top values.

Southern Italy - For delicious, unfussy wines at reasonable prices, one of the best sources is southern Italy which is home to notable wine regions such as Apulia, Campania, and Sicily.

Southern France -This part of France produces lots of delicious wines, but there's also a number of not-so-good bottles. Bargain hunters must tread carefully. The red blends of Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages offer some of the best buys.

California Central Coast - Bargain hunters gave up on Napa years ago so look to the Central Coast for bargains. With its state-of-the-art winemaking techniques and nearly ideal weather, it's easy to understand how this expansive region continues to pump out bargains.

South Australia - No place in the world produces more consistently good inexpensive wines than South Australia. The best value wines are typically labeled South Australia or South Eastern Australia.

Chile Central Valley - Chile offers some of the best value wines yet unfortunately, the quality of Chilean wines can vary considerably. Most of the Chilean wines from the Valle Central, or Central Valley, come from the country's best-known regions, Maipo and Rapel valleys.

Shop the Deals
Often retailers will offer additional discounts on case purchases so take advantage. When you find a wine that's special stock up and save. With a little bit of know how, seeking out wines that fit the bill without breaking the bank can be easier then you think. Happy Hunting!