By joining our student community, you'll develop a deep understanding of tasting techniques and theoretical knowledge, as well as exposure to classic regions and unique native varieties from around the world.
Check out our calendar for a list of upcoming
in-person classes and events
Classes & Workshops
STAFF TRAININGS
We specialize in developing comprehensive, customized curriculums and staff training tailored to your concept. We offer:
Wine education
Beverage-focused hospitality education
Consultation services
Our approach is rooted in hospitality thanks to decades of experience in the industry. We design our classes to provide the latest information and knowledge with the end goal of helping your staff gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of wine.
Our options range from foundational knowledge to regionally specific classes to arm your team with the knowledge and skills to take wine sales (and the guest experience) to the next level.
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Hospitality with a capital H
We use your menu, wine list, and space as a guide to reinforce the art of taking care of the guest and guiding your team through role-playing while learning mechanics.
Class includes:
Focus on the guest experience
Proper table service (including proper wine service)
Upselling in disguise
Guiding the guest
Investment starts at $400 per class
Includes 2-hours class and digital training material.
The host provides all the wine and printed material.
Prices subject to change until an official estimate is given.
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Inclusive, Interactive, Experiential
Goals include: develop tasting skills, increase selling confidence, and deepen knowledge of the wines on your list.
Examples of classes
Wine 101: from soil to glass
Old World vs. New World
Honing your wine vocabulary
Regional-specific classes: Italy, France, USA
Identify the structure of wine (acid, tannin, alcohol, etc)
Basics of food and wine pairing: what works, what doesn't
"I like Pinot Grigio".. alternative grape suggestions
Investment starts at $400 per class. Includes a 2-hour class and digital training material.
Host provides all the wine
Prices subject to change until an official estimate is given.
WINE FUNDAMENTALS
Our Fundamentals Crash course gives you the skills you need to understand the nuances of grapes, regions, and styles of wine through our engaging and interactive learning activities. You’ll gain the appreciation and confidence to build your wine vocabulary and explore new ways to describe wines.
This course is the perfect way to build insight into the fascinating and ever-changing wine world and we guarantee you'll have fun along the way.
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Includes:
3 hours of classroom sessions
Activity booklet
Wines for tasting
In-class experiential activities
Course layout
Overview of wine’s structural components (tannin, acidity, body, alcohol, sweetness)
Comparative tasting: new vs old world wines
Wine descriptions: painting visual pictures with poignant words
Guided blind tasting exercise
Course Results
Earn tasting confidence through practice
Gain an understanding of wine’s structural elements and how to identify them properly (tannin, acidity, body, alcohol, sweetness)
Understand the differences between new and old-world wines
Expand your tasting vocabulary with accurate and playful descriptors
Sign up for our next course here.
Contact us to schedule a wine fundamentals class for your team.
AROMA WORKSHOP
This is our most impactful experience. A journey through the nose…an experiential walk-around training, learning to identify over 50 key aromas in wine, where they derive from, and how climate/grape/winemaking contributes to those aromas. We “blind-smell” singular components to expand one's "taste memory" and hone in on specific wine descriptions. Great for team building too.
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Includes a 1.5-2hr workshop, all the aromas, training material, and digital/paper handouts.
The client provides sufficient space, wines for tasting, and glassware
Prices subject to change until an official estimate is given.
FOOD AND WINE
PAIRING WORKSHOP
In this interactive workshop, we explore the complex relationship between food and wine through dynamic food and wine tasting. We sample 10 wines ranging from sparkling, white, red, and dessert, paired with small bites, and dissect the components that build flavors and textures to create harmonious (or disastrous) pairings. This is an ideal class for those seeking to deepen their understanding of the pairing process to create memorable dining experiences. This intimate guided tasting allows you to learn from industry experts each with 20+ years in hospitality in the privacy of your home or venue of choice.
Italian Wine Maestro Course
A certification through VinItaly International Academy
Led by Italian Wine Ambassador and Educator, Scott Thomas
Next Session: Fall 2024
If you’d like to be notified when the dates are set, please submit the Interest Form
Our Philosophy
We strive to promote the pleasure of wine while deepening our understanding of cultures and strengthening the connection between producer, place, and consumer. We believe in convivial education while bringing people together.
We believe every bottle tells a story of traditions and history. We believe in building and supporting our wine community through civic engagement, mentoring, and scholarships. We believe wine is a vehicle of joy and discovery.
Our classes are engaging and interactive, providing career-advancing knowledge with hands-on activities and clear learning outcomes. We provide the most up-to-date information in the world of wine alongside real-world experience with years in the industry.
Testimonials
“Scott is great! Perfect use of visuals during the course which was helpful for visual learners like myself. He is also very passionate about the content which is always helpful.”
“I do believe that the experience and knowledge gained from this class will benefit my wine career.”
“after the course…my salesmanship and knowledge on the floor have greatly improved. Selling many different wines now that I have a base for all of the varietals on our list.”
