Summer School Has Never Been More Fun
San Francisco, Calif. (May 28, 2015) San Francisco Wine School invites wine lovers to pump up their wine savvy this summer, with a series of relaxed and enjoyable wine tasting workshops that also include some serious learning.
On Monday and Tuesday evenings beginning June 15, two- and three-hour mini-immersions will whisk students away to taste Italy and Portugal, the Southern Hemisphere and Bordeaux and more, all right here in the Bay Area. There will be a fun and engaging Food and Wine Pairing Lab and Blind Wine Tasting Basics, and workshops that celebrate specific styles and varietals, including Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles, 50 Shades of Gris, Cabernet is King, The Dark Side of Pinot andQue Syrah Syrah!
The best part of this summer school? No tests!
San Francisco Wine School’s Summer Series runs Monday and Tuesday evenings,June 15 through August 18. Monday workshops take place in San Francisco at 1601 Bar & Kitchen, Tuesday workshops in Los Gatos at Enoteca La Storia. The full schedule, with times, location details and class fees appears below.
For a limited time, workshops at 1601 Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco are buy 3, get 1 free. Enter code Buy3Get1Free during the checkout process.
For further information about San Francisco Wine School, please contact Karen MacKenzie, mackenize@mackenzieagency.com or Jamie Kopmann, kopmann@mackenzieagency.com, at the MacKenzie Agency, (707) 545-3280.
Summer Workshops from San Francisco Wine School
Monday Nights at 1601 Bar & Kitchen in San Francisco
7-9 pm, $95 per workshop (“Buy3Get1Free”) View all and enroll here.
June 15
Wine 101 – Speak Like a Geek
Before blind tasting can be meaningful, you can learn to speak like a wine geek, or at least understand the terminology. Master Sommelier David Glancy will walk you through a series of 6 of wines to help you decipher the structure, aromas, and flavors, then learn how to describe what you taste like a pro.
June 22
Do Points Matter?
Blind taste 7 wines with us while we discuss differing methodologies among today’s wine rating systems, as well as differences between the palates and styles of competing wine critics. Discover if there are some highly rated wines you hate and others you love.
June 29
Bubbles, Bubbles and More Bubbles
Taste 7 different sparkling wines from Champagne and several other countries and regions. We will explore differences in style as they relate to varying production methods, grape varieties, soils, and climates of each region.
July 6
Summer Through Rosé Colored Glasses
Taste 7 different rosé wines from several countries and regions. We will explore differences in style as they relate to varying production methods, grape varieties, soils, and climates of each region.
July 13
50 Shades of Gris
He calls it Gris, she calls it Grigio. We’ll explore multiple countries and regions as we taste 7 different Pinot Gris/Grigio ranging from light and dry to full and sweet. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
July 20
Savvy Blanc – Too Cool for the Pool
Taste 7 different Sauvignon Blancs exploring multiple countries and regions. We may even throw some Semillon in the blend so as not to bust up “the family”. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
July 27
Chardonnay – Burgundy, Butter and Beyond
Taste 7 different Chardonnays beginning with unoaked Chablis and richly oaked Côte de Beaune, followed by Chardonnays from multiple other countries and regions. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
August 3
The Dark Side of Pinot
We skip Blanc, Gris and all other Pinots as we fade to noir, going Sideways and beyond. Taste 7 different Pinot Noirs from Côte d’Or and multiple other countries and regions. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
August 10
Cabernet is King
Taste 7 different Cabernet Sauvignons exploring multiple countries and regions. We may even throw some Merlot into the blend so as not to bust up “the family”. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
August 17
Que Syrah Syrah!
Winemakers, retailers and sommeliers love it. Will it ever become the hottest grape? Taste 7 different Syrahs from the Rhone, Barossa and several other countries and regions. Varietal profiles will emerge as will differences in structure and style as they relate to varying soils, climates, and elevations of each region.
Tuesday Nights at Enoteca La Storia in Los Gatos
6-9 pm, $125 per workshop – View all and enroll here.
June 16
Blind Tasting Basics
Learn about the physiology of taste and how to evaluate acidity, tannin, residual sugar and other structural elements of wine. Start building your wine description vocabulary. Attend this fun session analyzing 6 wines to gain confidence in knowing what kind of wines you like and how to describe them. Or use this as the start of your journey in preparing for entry to mid-level wine exams.
June 23
Champagne
The champagne process was an evolutionary one, not a revolutionary one. Find out how the method developed from an inexpert and uncontrolled phenomenon to the precise and polished process of today. Learn why Champagne is unique among the world’s sparkling wine-producing regions and why it has become the world-class luxury good that it is. This workshop explores the in-depth history, geography, and climate of Champagne, the world’s most famous sparkling wine region, and northernmost fine wine region of France. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
June 30
Food & Wine Pairing Lab
Can you create perfect pairings or are you paralyzed by the rules? Learn pairing theories and exceptions and the progression of flavors in multi-course meals. Come play with your food and wine as we taste 36 combinations and discuss each student’s impressions and preferences. Challenging food ingredients will also be reviewed as will how to overcome the hurdles they present. You will lose your fears and gain a great deal of confidence in pairing wine and food. Students will taste 6 wines in combination with different foods as part of this workshop.
July 7
Bordeaux
Study Bordeaux from the ground up, where wine styles are predicated by a combination of soil, grape and the hand of man. Explore Bordeaux’s distinctive terroirs in order to better understand the nature of the blend, how the style of the region’s wines has evolved over hundreds of years and recent changes in blends and styles. This class covers the history, geography, climate and the wines of Bordeaux, from value wines to the most age-worthy of all French wines. Dry whites, dry reds and succulent sweet dessert wines are included. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
July 14
Wines of North America
The United States is the world’s fourth largest wine producer. In this class we cover the wines of California, Oregon, Washington, and other states, plus Canada and Mexico. Discover labeling laws, American Viticultural Areas, the history, climates and wine styles of each region. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
July 21
Wines of Italy
Understanding the regions and categories of Italian Wine can be complicated. With extensive wine production in all 20 wine regions, Italy has hundreds of indigenous varietals, climates ranging from Alpine to Mediterranean and diverse soil types. We’ll explore the delicious complexity of Italy, including Piedmont, Tuscany, Veneto and much more. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
July 28
Southern Hemisphere
Dive down under to explore all of the wines of the Southern Hemisphere. These New World wine regions continue to challenge the supremacy of Old World regions and increase their market share worldwide. Learn about the regions, climates, grapes and wine styles of Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. We’ll explore wines including Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Chardonnay, Maipo Carmenere, Mendoza Malbec, Barossa Shiraz and Stellenbosch Pinotage and more.
Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
August 4
Burgundy’s Côte d’Or
In Burgundy, an ancient and fractured geology delivers wines of distinction. Learn how soil, topography and climate create enough variability to craft 101 different AOCs within this region’s borders. Discover the history and historic precedent behind such subtle and nuanced fractionalization. This class covers the in-depth history, geography, climate and the wines of Burgundy’s Cote D’Or, the most complex French region and for many people, the best wines in the world. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
August 11
Rhone Valley
The Rhone River serves as the gravitational axis around which its two halves revolve; the northern half clings tightly to the riverbank, while the southern half expands outward. These two different wine cultures possess distinctive soils and topographies and they create vastly disparate wines with unique personalities. It’s one region, but two brave new worlds. Explore them both. This class covers the in-depth history, geography, climate and the wines of the Rhone in the warm South of France. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
August 18
Spain, Portugal, & Greece
Sunshine, warm breezes, olive oil, wine and the Mediterranean Sea tie Portugal, Spain, Greece and several other countries together. Learn the similarities and differences of some of the oldest wine-producing regions of the world and some of the trendsetting new wines, as well. We’ll explore Cava, Rioja, Priorat, Ribera Del Duero, Rias Baixas, Jerez, Vinho Verde, Douro, Porto, Madeira and more. Students will taste 8-10 wines relating to the curriculum.
About San Francisco Wine School
We strongly believe that education propels everyone to greater success. At San Francisco Wine School, our mission is to breathe new energy into the world of wine education by teaching only the wine topics and credential programs that best prepare students for success, no matter what their career path. We strive to offer programs that are relevant to everyone, from students newly embarked on their discovery of wine, to advanced wine professionals already successfully established in the business.
Inspired educational programs are taught by industry-leading instructors from all major educational disciplines and feature the best content in the business: expert course materials, carefully conceived wine flights, and in-depth blind tasting exercises designed to engage students, illuminate course content and enhance learning. Rigorous wine programs not only aid in credential exam preparation, but foster an in-depth understanding of wine types and world appellations and with that, a profound appreciation of the subject.
San Francisco Wine School is bringing together under one roof all of the credentials most important to wine professionals and filling the gaps in areas where no relevant education exists. Founder and CEO, David Glancy, MS, CWE created the California Wine Appellation Specialist® (CWAS) credential, the first ever in-depth California professional credential program, Somm Essentials, a 40-hour certificate program for the beverage and hospitality industries, as well as beginning and advanced workshops for industry professionals and enthusiasts alike. For more information, visit San Francisco Wine School at www.sfwineschool.com and on Facebook, LinkedIn, Yelp and Twitter.
