Tag: wine education

Wine making in southern France is almost 1,000 older than the rest of the country, and you can really taste it.  Sunny southern France is home to some of the country’s oldest and most interesting vineyards, almost 800 years older, in some cases, and growing a diverse range of grapes from Syrah, Grenache & Mourvedre to the unheard of Carignane, Cinsault, Bourbelenc & more.

This class will take you on a wine tasting tour of Mediterranean France from coastal Provence to hilly Languedoc.

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

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 – 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!

Join us for a wine and food tour of Italy! Wine is produced in every region of Italy, and we are just starting to scratch the surface when it comes to exploring all the different varieties and styles of Italian wine. Experience the culinary sights, smells and tastes via your wine glass and plate. By the end of the class, you will know your Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from your Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo!

This 2 hour class will take you on a mini-wine tour of Italy. 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 – 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!

Napa and Sonoma – neighboring counties, fabulous wines, and famous rivalry.  Most everyone has heard of these powerhouse wine producing regions, and many people have a clear favorite between the two.  Why do California wines from Napa and Sonoma stand out from the rest?  What distinguishes them from each other?

Explore these questions and more at the Napa vs. Sonoma Taste-Off.  We will provide some head-to-head match-ups of wines from these regions and let you be the judge.  In the process, 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.

At the end, you can cast votes for your favorites, and we will declare a victor of this installment of the Taste-Off.

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

Lantera is a word meaning “beacon”, and it’s the heart and soul of the new 15-acre Boston Landing neighborhood. Apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, premium finishes with stainless steel appliances, and technology touches throughout. The heart of Boston is less than five miles away and is easily accessible via the Boston Landing commuter rail stop – just a three-minute walk away. Lantera is surrounded by eclectic restaurants, curated retail shops and world-class athletic facilities.

Suitable for white wine and red wine lovers alike!

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

Discover what you like (or don’t like) about white wine and learn some food pairing strategies for picking a white wine that you will enjoy.

Bread, cheese, olives served with class go help you gain confidence in how matching food with white 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 – 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!

Tune up your wine vocabulary the easy way with one great night of tasting and talking about wine in Mandarin!

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 101” is the ideal curriculum for wine lovers just starting their explorations of wine.

You will learn about the four major wine styles and focus in on four of the most popular wine grape varieties. In the process, you will learn basic technical wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines.

A selection of cheeses and antipasto will be served during class to introduce some basics of pairing wine and food.

This introductory class is perfect for beginners and enthusiasts, even if you speak only a little of the language.

YOUR EDUCATOR 

Chi Chi Gao, BWSEd, was born and raised in Shanghai, Chi Chi began studying wine and wine tasting five years ago and has since earned degrees from WSET and the Spanish Wine Institute, plus Boston Wine School teaching certification. Her passion for language and her love of the wine and food connection are two things that make Chi Chi a compelling teacher of wine.

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

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

Get yourself ready for a broad range of Tuscan wines, from crisp whites to gutsy bold reds. This class is going to experience the whole geography of what Tuscany has to offer. Wine is produced in every region of Italy, and we are just going to scratch the surface when it comes to exploring the thousands of different varieties and styles from the heart of Italian 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 Tuscany via your wine glass and plate.

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

Lantera is a word meaning “beacon”, and it’s the heart and soul of the new 15-acre Boston Landing neighborhood. Apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows, premium finishes with stainless steel appliances, and technology touches throughout. The heart of Boston is less than five miles away and is easily accessible via the Boston Landing commuter rail stop – just a three-minute walk away. Lantera is surrounded by eclectic restaurants, curated retail shops and world-class athletic facilities.

France is home to some of the planet’s most famous wines, and we could easily do a 52-week class and barely scratch the surface. This 2-hour overview class will take you on a tour of the most famous French grapes and regions.

You’ll finally understand what people mean when they talk about Burgundy and Bordeaux and receive a good grounding in wine grapes that are important all over the world. We always have bread, olives, and antipasto with class, and naturally we’ll explore some French cheeses too.

This class is a great confidence builder for people who want to understand France specifically and “old world” wines in general.

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 – 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!