Enroll in wine classes and learn from top wine experts through Passion Vines. (Courtesy Passion Vines)
By Maddy Vitale
Would-be sommeliers won’t have to go to the Bordeaux region of France, which is famous for wines, to become experts on the libation.
Michael Bray, owner and founder of Passion Vines & Spirit Company, is offering the area's first ever Wine Foundations seven-week course that will enable wine lovers to become experts without the pretentiousness sometimes associated with tastings.
“It is a seven-week sensory experience,” Bray said. “Wine Foundations is the perfect entry point to the next stage of your wine journey. Unfortunately, wine has a pretentiousness about it for some, but we try to get practical about wine and how to drink it, understand it, form opinions on it and use the right language.”
Bray said the classes offer an exceptional groundwork into the world of wines.
Classes will be held at the Linwood Country Club from Jan. 15 through Feb. 26 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $399. People sample eight to 12 wines a class. Just 50 seats are available per class, so space is limited.
The classes will offer more than a glimpse into wine country’s best, with 80 wines to sip and savor from all different regions of the world, including France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Chile, Germany, California and Oregon.
The finest wines from around the world will be tasted during the classes. (Courtesy Passion Vines)
The classes are for the beginner and intermediate level and are ideal for people who work in restaurants as professional servers or anyone else who works around wine, Bray explained.
“The target audience is the beginner to intermediate. Specifically, anyone in the food and beverage industry – hosts, restaurant managers, bartenders or servers. Simply put, anyone working within or around food and beverages who always wanted to learn more,” Bray said.
He added, “For people who felt intimidated approaching a wine list, this is absolutely for you. We designed this course so that people know more about their product. Our goal is to have people go back to their places of business and be able to sell more wine than they ever have because they are more knowledgeable.”
Over the course of seven weeks, participants will taste eight to 12 wines each week in a two-hour class.
The classes will take people on a tour beginning with how wine is made, gradually narrowing the focus to key regions and prominent wine types.
Some components of the class include:
