Wine classes, private parties & corporate events
ENOUGH STUFF | This year, give the gift of wine, food, people & fun with a BWS gift certificate
Gift tickets are applicable to all Boston Wine School classes and are good for seven years from the date of issue, per the laws of the commonwealth of Massachusetts. Gift tickets are not refundable nor redeemable for cash.
Level 2 Certificate in Wine and Wine Tasting
Saturday + Sunday, November 14 + 15, 1pm – 5pm each day
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Level 2 is a foundation course for experienced beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes basic exposure to wine and some technical wine tasting knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
This program focuses on the unique role that place plays in the world of wine. Students will learn the major wine regions of Europe, how wine making techniques influence wine style, and the language of wine. The aim of Level 2 is to provide a broad range of knowledge about wine history, wine agriculture, and wine making.
LEVEL 2 PROGRAM FORMAT
8 hours classroom program
1-2 hours exam
24 – 30 wines tasted
Online multiple choice exam | 25 questions | Minimum passing score 75%
Wine tasting exam | 3 wines | 3 short-form questions | 1 essay question
LEVEL 2 SYLLABUS
DAY ONE, PART ONE | 1pm – 3pm
Veni Vidi Vino: Wines of Italy
DAY ONE, PART TWO | 3pm – 5pm
The Language Of Wine
– Wine And Words
– Wine Label Interpretation
– Best New Wines You’ve Never Heard Of
DAY TWO, PART ONE | 1pm – 3pm
Tour de France: Fundamentals Of French Wine
DAY TWO, PART TWO | 3pm – 4:30pm
Wine And Cheese: Making The Perfect Match
– Fundamentals of Wine & Food Pairing
– Wines of California, Oregon & Washington
DAY TWO, PART THREE | 4:30pm – 5pm
Online multiple choice exam
Wine tasting exam
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Multiple choice exam of 25 questions
Wine tasting exam of 3 wines, 4 short-form questions, and 1 essay question
Complete classroom program
Complete classroom wine tasting exercise
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
Wine and cheese are a naturally delicious combination. They’ve been together for 8,000 years that we know of, and our species has been busy figuring out ways to make both of them more and more delicious all the time. The match of wine and cheese is partly natural and automatic, but by applying ourselves, our tastes, our abilities to understand and choose, we can put together pairings that are many times greater than just the sum of the parts.
This class – limited to 14 students – will taste six major wine and cheese combinations together that express the full range of how these foods match up: by style, by texture, by flavor, geography, even temperament.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
“Wine, Cheese And The Pursuit Of Happiness” is a Level 1 introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, the major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis in Level 1 is on providing an overview of wine and wine tasting, plus an introduction to wine and cheese pairing concepts.
PROGRAM FORMAT
2 hour classroom program
6 wines + 6 cheeses tasted
PROGRAM SYLLABUS
TASTING LIST (tentative – subject to change)
Bubbling Over
NV Villa Jolanda Prosecco
100% Glera
(Prosecco, Veneto, northeast Italy)
Liuzzi Ricotta Fresca
(Cow’s milk, Hamden, CT, USA)
Salt & Acid
2018 Clos Fussay Sauvignon Blanc
100% Sauvignon Blanc
(Reuilly, Loire Valley, northwest France)
Garrotxa
(Goat’s milk, Catalonia, northeast Spain)
Blending In
2016 14 Hands “Hot To Trot”
Chardonnay + Riesling + Others blend
(Washington, Pacific Northwest, USA)
Beemster X-O | Aged 26 months
(Cow’s milk, Beemster, north Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
Grape Expectations
2014 Terrilogio Toscana
85% Sangiovese + 10% Cabernet Sauvignon + 5% Merlot
(Tuscany, central Italy)
Robiola al Tartufo
(Cow’s milk, Umbria. central Italy)
Sheepish
2017 El Capricho Tannat
100% Tannat
(Uruguay, South America)
Sfizio Crotonese | Aged 9 months
(Sheep’s milk, Calabria, southern Italy)
Kind Of Blue
2018 Cave de Roquebrun “Chemin des Olivettes”
45% Syrah + 30% Grenache + 15% Mourvèdre + 10% Carignan blend
(Languedoc, southwest France)
Fourme d’Ambert
(Cow’s milk blue, Ambert, Central France)
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
VENUE
SOLERA – A SHRINE TO WINE is a neighborhood specialty wine store nestled in the heart of Roslindale Square (Boston). The store, now in its 18th year is warmly decorated in green and deep purple resembling the colors of the grapes and filled with rack after rack of “offbeat wines”, pretty much everything a modern wine geek seeks out and loves, at more than reasonable prices.
With nearly 500 bottle selections from across the globe, unlike the monster chain stores and supermarkets, Solera takes a back seat to none and offers a stellar sampling of the world’s best and some unusual vineyards with average prices from 10 to 20 dollars or more, if your budget allows. Since wine education, and customer service are vital to our business, individual attention to the customer is the reason why the press has designated the Solera staff as “well versed grape-talkers”. When you want to smarten up on your wine there is no better place to do just that than in this little gem of a store, where wine is constantly being discussed with purpose and a smile!
Level 1 Certificate in Wine
Saturday + Sunday, October 24 + 25, 1pm – 5pm each day
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Level 1 is an introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, the major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis in Level 1 is on providing an overview of wine and wine tasting, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
LEVEL 1 PROGRAM FORMAT
8 hour classroom program
20 – 24 wines tasted
LEVEL 1 PROGRAM SYLLABUS
Seven “S” System Of Wine Tasting
The Big Four: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Understanding Wine Grapes: Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Rosé, Montepulciano, Syrah, Merlot
Wine Styles: Old World Versus New World
TASTING SYLLABUS (tentative)
Part 1 The Big Four
2017 Riverdell Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough NZ
2017 Villa degli Olmi Chardonnay, Vicenza, Veneto, NE Italy
2017 Poiema Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo, southern California, USA
2013 Aresti “Trisquel” Cabernet Sauvignon, Valle Central, Chile
Part 2 Grape Expectations
2018 i Lauri “Tavo” Pinot Grigio, Veneto, NE Italy
2015 Jakob Gerhardt “Das Meer” Riesling Trocken, Nierstein, central Rhine, western Germany
2018 Atlantique Cabernet Franc Rosé, Loire Valley, NW France
2016 Colle Corviano Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, east-central Itay
2017 Villa degli Olmi Merlot, Vicenza, Veneto, NE Italy
2013 The Woodhouse “Dessek” Syrah, Washington, Pacific northwest, USA
Part 3 Wine Style
NV Palacio de Palau Cava Brut, Castilla, north-central Spain
2018 Atlantique Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley, NW France
2015 En Passant Cinsault + Syrah. Languedoc, SW France
2014 Siglo Rioja Crianza, Rioja, northern Spain
2017 Antico Colle Chianti Colli Senesi, Siena, Tuscany, central Italy
2014 Tacchino Barbera del Monferrato, Piemonte, northwest Italy
Part 4 New Worlds Of Wine
2018 Casa de Fonte Pequena “Mare Alta” Vinho Verde, northern Portugal
2018 Menhir “Minutolo” Fiano, Salento, Puglia, southwest Italy
2016 Vigna Roda “Espero” Cabernet Sauvignon + Carmenere, Colli Euganei, Padua, Veneto, northeast Italy
2014 Cavalo Preto Malbec, Mendoza, western Argentina
2013 Aresti “Trisquel” Cabernet Sauvignon + Syrah + Petit Verdot, Valle Central, Chile
2016 Tenuta Santo Pietro “Viper” Super Tuscan, Pienza, Tuscany, central Italy
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Complete classroom program
Complete classroom wine tasting exercise
Multiple choice exam of 25 questions
Minimum passing score 75%
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
A NIGHT IN TUSCANY with special guest wine maker Marco Paier from Fabbrica Pienza (tentative)
We could do 52 nights in Tuscany in a row, and we’d still have more to taste, so let’s get started! White and pink wines are rising in the market today, so we’ll start with a blended Tuscan white plus a new-to-us Rosato of Sangiovese. You’ll taste old-school Sangiovese and post-modern Syrah, plus a range of reds that explain what Chianti the place can do and why it’s so famous. We’ll have you speaking Sangiovese in no time!
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
“Wines Of Italy” is an introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis is on providing an overview of Italian wine and wine tasting.
PROGRAM FORMAT
2 hour classroom program | 6 – 8 wines + bread, cheese, olives
PROGRAM SYLLABUS (tentative)
Seven “S” System Of Wine Tasting | Grape Expectations | Making Wine Matters
FABBRICA PIENZA
Bianco di Fabbrica
Rosato di Fabbrica
Prototipo 470 Sangiovese
Syrah di Fabbrica
CHIANTI
Chianti
Chianti Colli Senesi
Sparviero Chianti Classico
SUPERTUSCAN
Viper
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
VENUE
PSP IMPORTS is a fully integrated importer and wholesaler of wine and olive oil. We grow and produce a portion of our portfolio in the Tuscan hill town of Pienza, Italy. We source the best available products through local personal connections. And we are part of food and wine culture though our 24-person agritourismo at the vineyard Tenuta Santa Pietro. All of this goes together to create a unique portfolio of the highest quality wines and olive oil from all over the world.
Level 1 Certificate in Wine
Saturday + Sunday, October 3 + 4 | 1pm – 5pm each day
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Level 1 is an introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, the major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis in Level 1 is on providing an overview of wine and wine tasting, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
LEVEL 1 PROGRAM FORMAT
8 hour classroom program
20 – 24 wines tasted
LEVEL 1 PROGRAM SYLLABUS
Seven “S” System Of Wine Tasting
The Big Four: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon
Understanding Wine Grapes: Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Rosé, Montepulciano, Syrah, Merlot
Wine Styles: Old World Versus New World
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Complete classroom program
Complete classroom wine tasting exercise
Multiple choice exam of 25 questions
Minimum passing score 75%
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
VENUE
SOLERA – A SHRINE TO WINE is a neighborhood specialty wine store nestled in the heart of Roslindale Square (Boston). The store, now in its 18th year is warmly decorated in green and deep purple resembling the colors of the grapes and filled with rack after rack of “offbeat wines”, pretty much everything a modern wine geek seeks out and loves, at more than reasonable prices.
With nearly 500 bottle selections from across the globe, unlike the monster chain stores and supermarkets, Solera takes a back seat to none and offers a stellar sampling of the world’s best and some unusual vineyards with average prices from 10 to 20 dollars or more, if your budget allows. Since wine education, and customer service are vital to our business, individual attention to the customer is the reason why the press has designated the Solera staff as “well versed grape-talkers”. When you want to smarten up on your wine there is no better place to do just that than in this little gem of a store, where wine is constantly being discussed with purpose and a smile!
Not sure if you know the difference between red, white and rosé? What are sparkling wines and why aren’t they all called Champagne? How does Sauvignon Blanc differ from Cabernet Sauvignon?
The Boston Wine School is here to help answer those questions and more. “How To Taste Wine And Why” is an ideal class for wine lovers just starting their explorations of wine. You will learn about the 4 major wine styles and focus in on 4 of the most popular wine grape varieties. In the process, you will begin to learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines. An assortment of cheeses and antipasto will be served during class to introduce some of the fundamentals of pairing wine and food.
Here at the Boston Wine School, we are a 100% Wine Snob Free Zone. We believe that learning about wine involves learning more about yourself. Our goal is to help you understand and communicate what you are experiencing when you are enjoying a glass of wine. Come start your wine journey with us.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
“How To Taste Wine And Why” is a Level 1 introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, the major wine grapes, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis in Level 1 is on providing an overview of wine and wine tasting, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
PROGRAM FORMAT
2 hour classroom program
6 wines + bread, cheese, olives
PROGRAM SYLLABUS
TASTING LIST (tentative – subject to change)
Bubbling Over
NV Villa Jolanda Prosecco
(Prosecco, Veneto, northeast Italy)
Wild Vines
2018 Clos Fussay Reuilly Sauvignon Blanc
(Reuilly, Loire Valley, northwest France)
To Oak Or Not To Oak?
2018 Grove Ridge Chardonnay
(California, USA)
Pretty In Pink
2017 Altopiano Rosato
(Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, east-central Italy)
Pinot To The People
2016 Yering Station “Little Yering” Pinot Noir
(Yarra Valley, southern Australia)
Life Is A Cabernet
2016 Puerto Infinito Cabernet Sauvignon
(Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina)
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
VENUE
SOLERA – A SHRINE TO WINE is a neighborhood specialty wine store nestled in the heart of Roslindale Square (Boston). The store, now in its 18th year is warmly decorated in green and deep purple resembling the colors of the grapes and filled with rack after rack of “offbeat wines”, pretty much everything a modern wine geek seeks out and loves, at more than reasonable prices.
With nearly 500 bottle selections from across the globe, unlike the monster chain stores and supermarkets, Solera takes a back seat to none and offers a stellar sampling of the world’s best and some unusual vineyards with average prices from 10 to 20 dollars or more, if your budget allows. Since wine education, and customer service are vital to our business, individual attention to the customer is the reason why the press has designated the Solera staff as “well versed grape-talkers”. When you want to smarten up on your wine there is no better place to do just that than in this little gem of a store, where wine is constantly being discussed with purpose and a smile!
Not sure if you know the difference between red, white and rosé? What are sparkling wines and why aren’t they all called Champagne? How does Sauvignon Blanc differ from Cabernet Sauvignon?
The Boston Wine School is here to help answer those questions and more. “Wine Tasting for the Complete Novice” is an ideal class for wine lovers just starting their explorations of wine. You will learn about the 4 major wine styles and focus in on 4 of the most popular wine grape varieties. In the process, you will begin to learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines. An assortment of cheeses and antipasto will be served during class to introduce some of the fundamentals of pairing wine and food.
Here at the Boston Wine School, we are a 100% Wine Snob Free Zone. We believe that learning about wine involves learning more about yourself. Our goal is to help you understand and communicate what you are experiencing when you are enjoying a glass of wine. Come start your wine journey with us.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
“Wine Tasting for the Complete Novice” is a Level 1 introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
Students will learn technical wine tasting, the major wine grapes, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis in Level 1 is on providing an overview of wine and wine tasting, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
PROGRAM FORMAT
2 hour classroom program
6 wines + bread, cheese, olives
PROGRAM SYLLABUS
TASTING LIST (tentative – subject to change)
Bubbling Over
NV Villa Jolanda Prosecco
(Prosecco, Veneto, northeast Italy)
Wild Vines
2018 Clos Fussay Reuilly Sauvignon Blanc
(Reuilly, Loire Valley, northwest France)
To Oak Or Not To Oak?
2018 Grove Ridge Chardonnay
(California, USA)
Pretty In Pink
2017 Altopiano Rosato
(Terre di Chieti, Abruzzo, east-central Italy)
Pinot To The People
2016 Yering Station “Little Yering” Pinot Noir
(Yarra Valley, southern Australia)
Life Is A Cabernet
2016 Puerto Infinito Cabernet Sauvignon
(Aconcagua, Mendoza, Argentina)
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
VENUE
SOLERA – A SHRINE TO WINE is a neighborhood specialty wine store nestled in the heart of Roslindale Square (Boston). The store, now in its 18th year is warmly decorated in green and deep purple resembling the colors of the grapes and filled with rack after rack of “offbeat wines”, pretty much everything a modern wine geek seeks out and loves, at more than reasonable prices.
With nearly 500 bottle selections from across the globe, unlike the monster chain stores and supermarkets, Solera takes a back seat to none and offers a stellar sampling of the world’s best and some unusual vineyards with average prices from 10 to 20 dollars or more, if your budget allows. Since wine education, and customer service are vital to our business, individual attention to the customer is the reason why the press has designated the Solera staff as “well versed grape-talkers”. When you want to smarten up on your wine there is no better place to do just that than in this little gem of a store, where wine is constantly being discussed with purpose and a smile!
MAKING THE PERFECT MATCH Wine and cheese have been together a long time – at least 8,000 years that we know of – and there’s a natural affinity. When you get the right wine together with the right cheese, the result is biochemical magic, a whole new world of flavors a thousand times greater than either one alone. This class will taste three wines plus three cheeses that represent the different ways wine and cheese pair up with each other. Get ready to experience combinations and flavors you’ve never tasted before.
#RESTAURANTSTRONG Thank you for tasting great wine for a great cause! Part of each ticket will go to benefit the #RestaurantStrong Fund supporting restaurant people across the country impacted by Covid-19 . And the wines you buy to taste along in class, all that goes right to your local wine shops.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS I’m going to open and teach these three wines with these three cheeses, which are readily available at Whole Foods, Formaggio Kitchen in Cambridge & South End, Wassik’s in Wellesley and others.
2018 Cellier des Chartreux ‘Blue’ Sauvignon Blanc (Pujaut, southern Rhône , southern France, about $15) Bucheron Chèvre (Goat’s milk, Loire Valley, northwest France)
2017 Poppy Hill Pinot Noir (Carneros, California, USA, about $19) Comté (AKA Gruyère de Comté, cow’s milk, Franche-Comté, central France)
2018 Angels Tears Pinotage “Le Chocolat” (Western Cape, South Africa, about $15) Gorgonzola dolce (Cow’s milk blue, Gorgonzola, Milan, north-central Italy)
Order the wines from Solera: A Shrine To Wine at our Roslindale campus. Solera is open for curbside pick-up Saturdays and Sundays right now. You can also order them from your favorite local wine shop. Do not be shy about getting comparable wines if you need to – there’s a ton of great equivalents out there that we can easily learn from too.
THREE WINE GLASSES & A WEBCAM
You can do this as big or as little as you like. Taste along with all three plus all the cheeses, or pick one or two, or just tune in and learn with whatever you have in your refrigerator.
After you sign up, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link and password for the tasting class. You’ll receive an email reminder a couple of days before, then a reminder an hour before class starts.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND “Wine, Cheese, And The Pursuit Of Happiness” is an introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Students will learn technical wine tasting, major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis is on providing an overview of food and cheese pairing concepts that fit in the world of wine and wine tasting.
PROGRAM FORMAT 1 hour online program
PROGRAM SYLLABUS (tentative) Seven “S” System Of Wine Tasting | The Spectrum Of Wine | Jet Propulsion Pairings
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
DISCOVERING NEW TASTES | For the true wine lover, life is a constant tasting of discovery. This is what the newcomer and the veteran wine lover have in common: the excitement of experiencing a new grape, or a new place, or a new style from anywhere around the world. In this class, we’re discovering Croatia’s signature red grape called Plavac Mali, a real tooth-blackening wine you’ll want to add to your repertoire. One of Plavac Mali’s genetic parents is a red grape we call Zinfandel, so it’s both delightfully familiar and new at the same time.
Get ready to learn new grapes and some new geography, but most importantly, you’re be tasting a unique world of wine styles for the very first time with great education and like-minded wine and food lovers.
#RESTAURANTSTRONG | Thank you for tasting great wine for a great cause! Part of each ticket will go to benefit the #RestaurantStrong Fund supporting restaurant people across the country impacted by Covid-19 . And the wines you buy to taste along in class, all that goes right to your local wine shops.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS | I’m going to open and teach these three wines:
2018 Vina Deak “Ćaća moj” Plavac Mali Rosé
2016 Terra Madre “Premium” Plavac Mali
2016 Komarna 7 Plavac Mali
You can order from Solera: A Shrine To Wine at our Roslindale campus. Solera is open for curbside pick-up Saturdays and Sundays right now.
You can also order online from the importer if that’s more convenient. Here are the links to the wines we’ll be tasting:
Vina Deak “Ćaća moj” Plavac Mali Rosé | Terra Madre “Premium” Plavac Mali | Komarna 7 Plavac Mali
HOW ABOUT FOOD? | Here are a few food pairing suggestions. Feel free to use this as a guide, come up with your own ideas and have fun with it all!
Cheese | Pecorino pepato (salty sheep’s milk cheese with whole peppercorns), Gorgonzola (cow’s milk blue), and Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue (smoked cow’s milk blue)
Meat | Soppressata, bison burgers, braised short ribs of beef, and lamb shanks
THREE WINE GLASSES & A WEBCAM | You can go as big or as little as you like. Taste along with all three plus all the foods, pick one or two that sound especially good, or just tune in and learn about Croatia with whatever you have in your glass.
After you sign up, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link and password for the tasting class. You’ll receive an email reminder a couple of days before, then a reminder about an hour before class starts.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND | This is an introductory course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN | Students will learn technical wine tasting, major wine grapes, wine and food pairing basics, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis is on providing an overview of Plavac Mali and where it fits in the world of wine and wine tasting.
PROGRAM FORMAT | 1 hour online program
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS | Guests, students and certificate candidates must meet the legal minimum age for the retail purchase of alcoholic beverages in the country where the program is being held: 21 in the USA and China.
YOUR EDUCATOR | JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2020.
