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Click here to learn more about: Our philosophy, How to register, What our classes are like, Our credit policy, and much more...
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Gifts & Promotions |
| Any Class Anytime - $90 |
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| Any 4 Classes Anytime - $275 |
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Wine 101 One Night |
| Saturday, July 25 (Wine 101) |
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| Saturday, August 1 (Wine 101) |
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| Thursday, August 6 (Wine 101) |
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| Friday, August 7 (Wine 101) |
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| Saturday, Aug 15 (Wine 101) |
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| Saturday, September 12 (Wine 101) |
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| Friday, Sept 18 (Wine 101) |
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Special Food & Wine Seminars |
| Exotic Whites to Remember (July 17) |
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| Great Cheap Wines (July 18) |
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| A Focus on Reds (August 14) |
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| A Focus on Reds (Aug 29) |
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| Napa vs. Bordeaux (Sept 25) |
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Regional Wine Explorations |
| France - Making Sense of it All (July 9) |
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| Italy - Special Guest!! (Aug 21) |
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20 Wines, 10 Cheeses, 1 Night |
| Saturday, July 11 (20.10) |
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| Saturday, Aug 8 (20.10) |
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| Friday, Aug 28 (20.10) |
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Complete Introduction to Wine & Cheese |
| Wine & Cheese Intro (Spring Section) |
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Gifts & Promotions
You know the situation - You need a gift for someone about whom you know very little, you're annoyed at spending cash on a gift that provides a 50/50 chance, at best, that they'll like it. Without a choice, you shop, and shop, and shop, until you surrender to Sephora, convincing yourself, "I think they said they needed face creme and essential bath oils." Give them a wine class and they'll thank you time and again. It's the gift that keeps giving. Or buy a 4-pack for yourself and save almost $100!
Any Class Anytime - $90
Price: $90
If you would like to offer wine classes as a gift, yet the recipient's life is decided by strategically placed post-it notes and putting out fires, then we propose our open-ended certificate. It can be used anytime for any class we offer (assuming availability) and it's good for two years. Better yet they can reserve date(s) then change them last minute if they need to for another class. Classes are offered year round and we add new classes about once a month.
We can signify a specific date or class topic if you like, yet even in that event, the certificate is still valid for any class they choose if they call to change it. Thank you for your consideration!
Any 4 Classes Anytime - $275
Price: $275
The owner has lost his mind. When you buy this 4-pack, you save $85 off the regular price. Wow. Use the savings however you wish, maybe tickets for the whole family to the next local PBA event, or a monster bucket of wings from The Wing Wagon, or maybe a case of paper from Staples!
The 4 classes can be used in any combination you desire, 4 people to one class, two people to two, or be selfish, and go solo to four classes. Valid for two years or 24 months, whichever comes later.
Wine 101 One Night
The Wine 101 class promises, at a minimum, you will taste a dozen unique wines, sample artisinal cheeses from Murray's Cheese, and leave with a keen sense of what makes wines different along with a better understanding of what you like. While that may seem sufficient for two hours, we aim for more. In this, one of our most popular offerings, we hope you will develop a newfound admiration for this incredible product of nature while tasting the differences in body, tannin, and sweetness of wines.
Wine has been with us for millennia, and while it can seem a daunting subject, it should not be. We will explore numerous regions of the world as well as briefly discuss how grapes grow and how wine is made (the most exciting part of the class, honestly). We believe that wine should be enjoyed by all on a regular basis.
Saturday, July 25 (Wine 101)
Date: Saturday, July 25
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Price: $90
Saturday, August 1 (Wine 101)
Date: Saturday, August 1
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Price: $90
Thursday, August 6 (Wine 101)
Date: Thursday, August 6
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
Friday, August 7 (Wine 101)
Date: Friday, August 7
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
Saturday, Aug 15 (Wine 101)
Date: Saturday, August 15
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Price: $90
Saturday, September 12 (Wine 101)
Date: Saturday, September 12
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Price: $90
Friday, Sept 18 (Wine 101)
Date: Friday, September 18
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
Special Food & Wine Seminars
These classes typically focus on the wines and culinary contributions of one specific country or region. We discuss the history and importance of the wines and talk about how to pair them with various types of cuisine.
Exotic Whites to Remember (July 17)
Date: Friday, July 17
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $80
White wine is often viewed as a beginner's beverage. This is an erroneous view. It takes but a taste of Joly's Coulče de Serrant, or Dauvissat's Chablis Les Clos, to realize that white wines can be serious business. If you are unfamiliar with these wines and are thinking you'd rather stick to the basics, then I assure you, this is the basics. This is where it all should start. These wines tell tall tales (all true), yet they will not rock the boat, the boat of wine memories and details which has guided you thus far, no, they will, if anything, clear the air.
The dramatics now over (no matter how genuine), I do promise this class features white wines which bring pleasure, wines that allow us to easily appreciate a sense of place, of origin, wines with inimitable flavors and textures that can only be produced in their home niche. Producers' wines likely to make an appearance include Nicolas Joly, Didier Dageneau, Franz Prager, J.L. Chave, Bonneau du Martray, Lopez Heredia, and Hermann Wiemer (Finger Lakes in the house, and it's no courtesy invitation, it's been earned)
The cheeses will not disappoint as we sample some of the world's most distinctive wheels of fromage to discover if many successful pairings exist or if each is just better enjoyed alone. I hope you'll join us, this is the best value class we offer as the wines are notably more expensive yet the cost is only $80 to entice people to register.
Great Cheap Wines (July 18)
Date: Saturday, July 18
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Price: $65
See June 19 for complete description. Thank you!
A Focus on Reds (August 14)
Date: Friday, August 14
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Price: $90
Even though white wines can be as "serious" and as complex as their counterparts in rouge, reds beckon to us in ways whites often do not, and I, too, fall prey as much as anyone to this call. If you welcome the bite of winter solely to find guilt-free solace in a rich, peppery Shiraz, or if you can find succor in a glass of red at day's end, never mind the season nor the forecast, this class is a must.
During this one evning seminar we will explore the basics of red wine production as well as highlight the qualities of the major red grape varieties. By understanding how Pinot Noir differs from Cabernet Sauvignon or from Nebbiolo, one begins to understand why the wines taste as they do and why they each exhibit such telltale personalities.
Furthermore, while we can only explore a specific number of regions and grapes in one evening, you will leave this class with a key understanding of why, for example, wines from Oregon and other cooler areas often taste as they do and why they tend to grow certain grapes over others. You will also taste and become familiar with some of the distinct flavors commonly noted in certain grapes such as the green pepper of Cabernet Franc, or the strawberry of Gamay, or the violets of Dolcetto.
And not to be left out... Tannins. We will taste and discuss the role of tannins, how to detect them in wines, and how to begin the journey of knowing when to age, and when it's best to pull the cork. You can count on learning as much as we can possibly fit into one evening about red wines, their component parts, and the enormous variety they offer.
A Focus on Reds (Aug 29)
Date: Saturday, August 29
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 7:45 pm
Price: $90
Please see August 14 section for complete description. Thank you.
Napa vs. Bordeaux (Sept 25)
Date: Friday, September 25
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
Both grow Cabernet Sauvignon, both are fiercely loyal to their region, and both create intense, complex, long-lived wines. Yet they are not the same. Bordeaux, with its centuries of history and ornate chateaux, claims restraint and finesse as well as power, yet by a judicious hand. The wines of Pauillac, Margaux, Graves, St Julien, Pomerol, St Emilion and St Estephe are all possible appearances.
As for Napa, they too have a rich history, yet it is one more of rags to riches than of landed gentry. Here, with their all too reliable sunshine and rainless summers, they craft wines that display purity of fruit, seamless tannins, soft mid-palates, and simply put, gobs of flavor. Both locales, however, offer up many exceptions to these stereotypes, leaving one to consider the producer and not the region alone.
We will taste a number of wines blind so you can decide without the label which you prefer. We will also sample wines of different price points to determine if the higher priced bottles are actually worth the added cost. Older vintages will also play a role with overall bottle prices for the tasting ranging from $20 up to $90. We will accompany the wines with a number of perfectly aged cheeses, some French, some American.
Regional Wine Explorations
Whether it is one of our always-popular-classes featuring Italy or France, or a never held before seminar on the wines grown in Hungary or South Africa, these classes focus on regions and therefore highlight wines that speak of place, and of course, the people who make them.
France - Making Sense of it All (July 9)
Date: Thursday, July 9
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
French wines ooze intimidation; the language, no grape listed anywhere in sight, countless vineyards and producers, and all this at often exorbitant prices. Yet even in the face of these apparent obstacles, France is worthy of our attention. Why? Simply because they still continue to create so many of the world’s most intriguing, exotic, and individualistic wines.
France is the birthplace of most noble grape varieties we know today; Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and others. We will taste many of these grapes which have all been grown in their respective regions in France such as Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhone Valley and others. The French classification system, based largely on the concept of regional identity, is actually a blessing once you understand the ideology behind it. If, for example, you taste Sancerre, or Hermitage, or Chambolle-Musigny, and you like the wine, then you can feel confident in buying other bottlings from that region, even if the producer or vintage is different from the one originally tasted. (maybe you will like it even better).
You are bound to fall in love with at least one of these wine-producing areas, especially after discovering the rich history and culture that are so much a part of what makes these wines unique. Of equal importance, we will address the basics of reading labels and other essentials in order to give you a deeper, more inherent understanding of these delicious products of nature. French artisinal cheeses and pate de compagne will also make a definite appearance.
*** Class Full ***
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Italy - Special Guest!! (Aug 21)
Date: Friday, August 21
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:45 pm
Price: $90
Without question, Italy provides a staggering percentage of the world's most distinctive and exalted wines. In addition, the sheer breadth of styles they produce is equally impressive. From the minerally perfumed whites of the Tre Venezie and Val d'Aosta to the dark, powerful reds of Sicily and Campania, this country continues to be a formidable force in winemaking as it has been since before Romulus and Remus first found Rome.
Admittedly, the north has long dominated the wine scene in Italy, with the wines of Piedmont, Veneto, and Alto Adige joining suit with Tuscany, yet the wines of the south are making their case and doing it well with their rich, distinctive offerings that taste of flowers, spice, and pepper, and all at the same time. From the south we will sample Primitivo, Salice Salentino, Taurasi, the gorgeous mineral and apricot scented wines of Campania, and others. These will not be tasted against the northern counterparts, per se, but you will leave with a strong idea of the differences and relative value for your dollar.
Which wines are worth hunting down and getting to know?, we believe they all are, yet the wines will speak for themselves on this night dedicated, ultimately, to all things Italian (including extraordinary artisinal cheeses & cured hams).
20 Wines, 10 Cheeses, 1 Night
We will serve ten pairs of wines, a number of which will be from up-and-coming areas around the world such as South Africa, South America, Australia, Spain, and New Zealand. Each pair will contain wines from either the same region or same grape. The two wines will be similar yet with at least one differentiating factor to distinguish them. I will briefly highlight the grapes used, the climate, and the production method for each wine served.
Through this you will learn about what makes wines different while also discovering your own preferences. And yes, maybe you will like both wines in each pair, maybe neither, that is part of the journey that is this class. Along with each wine poured we will include a list of 4-6 wines that are quite similar to the one tasted and are readily available in most stores. You will then have a list of wines that you know will either offer pleasure or should be avoided. In addition, each pair of wines will be accompanied by an artisinal cheese chosen specifically for its compatibility with the wines. Through this you can learn about new and interesting cheeses as well as how to pair them with wines that you like. We really hope you can make it to this unique and exciting tasting forum.
Saturday, July 11 (20.10)
Date: Saturday, July 11
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Price: $95
*** Class Full ***
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Saturday, Aug 8 (20.10)
Date: Saturday, August 8
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 5:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Price: $95
Friday, Aug 28 (20.10)
Date: Friday, August 28
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm - 10:15 pm
Price: $95
Complete Introduction to Wine & Cheese
During these four evenings we explore many of the greatest wine regions, grapes, and producers of the world. We taste over 40 different wines accompanied by more than two dozen artisinal cheeses. Most importantly, we discuss what makes them unique. With so many choices upon entering a wine store or restaurant, confusion can easily set in, yet the aim of this course is to provide you with a deep understanding of wine, its origins, how it is made, and of course, how to taste and savor while figuring out what you like and why you like it.
Learning about wine is a life long endeavor and this class provides the tools to start that journey. We set up each class with numerous comparative tastings that flesh out what is meant by body, tannin, sweetness or dryness, fruity or earthy, and so much more. In addition you will learn how to find great values from the world over as well as the principles of food & wine pairing. Furthermore, people repeatedly tell us that our discussion of wine terminology and understanding restaurant wine lists has proven highly beneficial.
Please feel free to call or email with any questions or requests. Price includes all four classes. All missed classes can be made up in future sections of this course. We hope you will join us for this, the most comprehensive offering we host.
Wine & Cheese Intro (Spring Section)
Dates: Thursdays - May 21, May 28, June 4, June 11
Location: 167 West 23rd Street
Time: 7:00 pm -9:15 pm
Price: $275
Price is for all four classes
Please see above for complete course description.
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