Gift Certificate for Boston Wine School

Perfect for the wine lover on your list!

Order your gift certificate online, download the gift card, and your shopping is complete.

Just order your Boston Wine School gift certificate and you’ll receive email instructions and a link to download your full color gift card.

BWS gift certificates are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They are valid as of the date of purchase on your e-ticket and expire on the same date seven years from the date of purchase. Gift certificates are good for all publicly listed classes & events at any Boston Wine School location.

BWSEd Level 2: Certificate in Wine and Wine Tasting | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

Saturday + Sunday | April 13, 10am – 3pm | April 14, 10am – 5pm

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

10 hours classroom program

24 – 30 wines tasted

Online multiple choice exam | 25 questions | Minimum passing score 75%
Wine tasting exam | 3 wines | 4 short-form questions | 1 essay question

LEVEL 2 SYLLABUS

DAY ONE, PART ONE | 10am – 12 pm
Veni Vidi Vino: Wines of Italy

DAY ONE, PART TWO | 1 – 3pm
Tour de France: Fundamentals Of French Wine

DAY TWO, PART ONE | 10am – 12pm
The Language Of Wine
– Wine And Words
– Wine Label Interpretation
– Best New Wines You’ve Never Heard Of

DAY TWO, PART TWO | 1 – 3 pm
Wine And Cheese: Making The Perfect Match
– Fundamentals of Wine & Food Pairing
– Wines of California, Oregon & Washington

DAY TWO, PART THREE | 3 – 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

Best New Wines You’ve Never Heard Of (Class + Dinner) | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

One of the greatest things about wine is that there’s always something new to discover – grapes you’ve never heard of, up-and-coming wine regions, new techniques, innovative packaging, etc. These are often the areas where you will find the best values.

The Best New Wines You’ve Never Heard Of class will explore some wine regions which are relatively new to the global wine market. You’ll fall in love with Steen (aka Chenin Blanc) from South Africa, Carignano from Sardinia, Moldova’s signature grape Feteasca Neagra, and much more. In the process, you will learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these world wide wines.

An assortment of cheese and antipasto will be served during class to introduce the fundamentals of pairing wine and food.

After class, put your education to the test over a delicious catered wine dinner paired with a red and white specially selected for the menu.

YOUR EDUCATOR

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books. Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

 

YOUR HOST VENUE

VINOvations is a state of the art destination for wine lovers who want more than just the usual. We strive to enhance our customers wine drinking experience by offering a vast selection of boutique wines from around the world. We offer our guests the charm and amenities of a winery: our unique 2500 sq ft. event space includes a 40 bottle automated wine tasting room, private tasting stations, dual Chef’s Studio Kitchen, wine education & much more.

BWSEd Level 1: Certificate in Wine | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

Level 1 Certificate in Wine
Saturday + Sunday, March 23 + 24, 10am – 3pm 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
Fundamentals Of Wine And Food Pairing
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

 

 

Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

 

HOUR HOST VENUE

VINOvations is a state of the art destination for wine lovers who want more than just the usual. We strive to enhance our customers wine drinking experience by offering a vast selection of boutique wines from around the world. We offer our guests the charm and amenities of a winery: our unique 2500 sq ft. event space includes a 40 bottle automated wine tasting room, private tasting stations, dual Chef’s Studio Kitchen, wine education & much more.

Life is a Cabernet | Boston Wine School @ Roslindale

Cabernet Sauvignon is sometimes called The King of grapes because it rules so many categories: flavor, color, age ability, not to mention price, desire, and fame. This class will take you deep into the world of one of the most sought after red wines on the planet.

As a major grape, Cabernet Sauvignon is pretty new, so there is an abundance of youthful expressive styles to discover, and we’re going to taste them. You’ll learn where Cabernet comes from, what it tastes like around the world, and in a final blind wine tasting, we’ll compare France and California to confirm which style we personally prefer.

Appetizers and an assortment of cheeses will be served during class to introduce some of the fundamentals of pairing wine and food.

 

YOUR EDUCATOR 

 

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books.  Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

 

YOUR HOST VENUE

solera

 

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. Indeed, 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!

A Night In Spain (Class + Dinner) | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

Join us for for the ultimate in virtual wine tourism: a wine and food tour of Spain without ever leaving the Boston Wine School!

Get yourself ready for a broad range of Spanish wines, from crisp whites to gutsy bold reds. This class is going to experience the whole geography of what Spain has to offer.  Wine is produced throughout Spain, and we are just going to scratch the surface when it comes to exploring the thousands of different varieties and styles of Spanish wine.

Appetizers and cheese will be served during class to introduce some of the fundamentals of pairing wine and food. You’ll experience the culinary sights, smells and tastes of Spain via your wine glass and plate.

After class, put your education to the test over a delicious Spanish wine dinner.   We’ll make a major food match with a Spanish white and red specially selected for the menu.

YOUR EDUCATOR

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books. Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

YOUR HOST VENUE

VINOvations is a state of the art destination for wine lovers who want more than just the usual. We strive to enhance our customers wine drinking experience by offering a vast selection of boutique wines from around the world. We offer our guests the charm and amenities of a winery: our unique 2500 sq ft. event space includes a 40 bottle automated wine tasting room, private tasting stations, dual Chef’s Studio Kitchen, wine education & much more.

Taste the Difference: Price vs. Quality | Boston Wine School @ Brookline Adult Ed

Is there a direct relationship between wine quality and price?

QPR stands for “Quality Price Ratio” which means how good a wine tastes versus how much it costs, the main equation that’s on every wine lover’s mind.

The Boston Wine School brings this fun, interactive, snob-free class to Brookline, where people will sample an array of “blinded” wines at different (undisclosed) price points.

During this 2 ­hour class, you will learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines. Appetizers and an assortment of cheeses will be served during class to introduce some of the fundamentals of pairing wine and food.

YOUR EDUCATOR 

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books.  Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

YOUR HOST VENUE

Brookline High School is a four-year public high school in the town of Brookline, Massachusetts. Brookline High School has received the Gold Medal for Best High Schools from U.S. News & World Report

Seeing Red: Red Wine for White Wine Lovers | Boston Wine School @ Roslindale

Perfect for white wine and red wine lovers alike!

This 2-hour interactive tasting class will be an exploration of red wine for people looking to broaden their wine tastes or learn how to love red wine just as much. We will start the evening with some Rosé and then try a range of reds which highlight what makes red wines different from whites.

Discover what you like (or don’t like) about red wine and learn some food pairing strategies for picking a red wine that you will enjoy. Bread, cheese, olives served with class go help you gain confidence in how matching food with red wine can enhance your experience.

YOUR EDUCATOR 

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books.  Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

YOUR HOST VENUE

solera

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. Indeed, 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!

BWSEd Level 2: Certificate in Wine and Wine Tasting | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

Saturday + Sunday | March 2, 10am – 3pm | March 3, 10am – 5pm

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

10 hours classroom program

24 – 30 wines tasted

Online multiple choice exam | 25 questions | Minimum passing score 75%
Wine tasting exam | 3 wines | 4 short-form questions | 1 essay question

LEVEL 2 SYLLABUS

DAY ONE, PART ONE | 10am – 12 pm
Veni Vidi Vino: Wines of Italy

DAY ONE, PART TWO | 1 – 3pm
Tour de France: Fundamentals Of French Wine

DAY TWO, PART ONE | 10am – 12pm
The Language Of Wine
– Wine And Words
– Wine Label Interpretation
– Best New Wines You’ve Never Heard Of

DAY TWO, PART TWO | 1 – 3 pm
Wine And Cheese: Making The Perfect Match
– Fundamentals of Wine & Food Pairing
– Wines of California, Oregon & Washington

DAY TWO, PART THREE | 3 – 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

Come To Cheeses! Wine + Cheese Class + Dinner | Boston Wine School @ VINOvations

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 24 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.

TASTING CLASS (tentative – subject to change)

2017 Fili Millesimato Prosecco
(Veneto, northeast Italy)

Maplebrook Ricotta Fresca
(Cow’s milk, Bennington, VT, USA)

2016 Summersday White
Chenin Blanc + Viognier blend
(Lodi, south-central California, USA)

Montchèvre Chèvre
(Goat’s milk, Wisconsin, USA)

2015 Le Prince de Courthézon “Prestige” Côtes du Rhône
Grenache + Syrah + Mourvedre blend
(Courthézon, southern Rhône Valley, France)

Arc de Triomphe Double-Crème Brie
(Cow’s milk, Seine-et-Marne, north-central France )

2015 Principe Strozzi “Selvascura” Toscana IGT
Sangiovese + Merlot + Cabernet Sauvignon blend
(Bolgheri, Livorno, southern Tuscany, central Italy)

Grana Padano
(Cow’s milk, Emilia-Romagna,
north-central Italy)

2010 Pagos de Tahola Rioja Reserva
Tempranillo + Graciano blend
(Rioja, north-central Spain)

Manchego
(Sheep’s milk, La Mancha, central Spain)

2016 Aluado Alicante Bouschet
100% Alicante Bouschet
(Lisbon, central Portugal)

Great Hill Blue
(Cow’s milk blue, Marion, Massachusetts, USA)

DINNER MENU
(tentative – subject to change)

C     E     N     A

Una notte in Italia

A Night In Italy

Timballo
Baked pasta with eggplant

Spinaci alla fiorentina
Baked spinach

Pollo Cristina
Chicken baked in wine & sage

Insalata mista
Mixed green salad

Citrus polenta cake with balsamic strawberries

2016 Paolo Valle Pinot Grigio
100% Pinot Grigio
(Friuli, northeast Italy)

2015 Pillastro Nero
Primitivo + Cabernet Sauvignon blend
(Puglia, southeast Italy)

YOUR EDUCATOR 

Jonathon Alsop is founder and executive director of the Boston Wine School and author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional: 365 Days of Knowledge, Advice & Lore for the Ardent Aficionado published by Quarry Books.  Jonathon started life as a wine writer covering wine, food and travel in 1988. He is author of the long-running wine column In Vino Veritas by Jonathon Alsop as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others. He founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes.

YOUR HOST VENUE

VINOvations is a state of the art destination for wine lovers who want more than just the usual.  We strive to enhance our customers wine drinking experience by offering a vast selection of boutique wines from around the world.  We offer our guests the charm and amenities of a winery: our unique 2500 sq ft. event space includes a 40 bottle automated wine tasting room, private tasting stations, dual Chef’s Studio Kitchen, wine education & much more.