Wine Tasting for the Complete Novice (4 Thursdays)

Wine should be fun and easy, but a lot of people are so overwhelmed and intimidated they'd almost rather order a beer. This course is designed to help the beginning wine lover get more comfortable and confident with wine in a low-pressure, snob-free environment.

We talk a lot about how to understand and remember what wines you like and how to communicate that to people in a wine shop or a restaurant. We always take a fun and light-hearted approach to how we taste wine so people don't feel like they have to be experts just to have a valid opinion.

In just four classes, you'll have a short list of favorite whites and favorite reds that you can rely on when you're shopping, ordering, and exploring new wines.

WEEK ONE - How to taste wine, and why! What's with all the swishing, swirling, and spewing?

WEEK TWO - Understanding wine grapes - sometimes but only sometimes, knowing the grape (or grapes) gives you a hint about what the wine's like.

WEEK THREE - Wines around the world - we'll taste the same wine from different parts of the world plus a few grapes that only grow one place... so far!

WEEK FOUR - Final blind wine taste off - we'll do a fun and interesting blind tasting in our last class to fire you up with wine confidence!

Here is a list of some of the delicious wines we've tasted in previous sessions of this class:

• 2006 St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley, California)
• 2006 Sabeka Chardonnay (Western Cape, South Africa)
• 2005 Domaine Montanet-Thoden Bourgogne (Burgundy, France)
• 2002 Axel "Primero" (Chile)
• 2003 Jaboulet Isnard Cotes du Ventoux (Rhone Valley, Southern France)
• 2003 Ruffino Chianti (Tuscany, Italy)
• 2004 Truro Vignoles (Cape Cod, Massachusetts)
• 2005 Dolceoro Moscato d'Asti (Northern Italy)
• 2005 Four Vines "Naked" Chardonnay (Santa Barbara, California)
• 2005 Clos du Val Chardonnay (Carneros, California)
• 2005 Georges Duboeuf Cote-de-Brouilly (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France)
• 1995 Chateau Recougne (Bordeaux, France)
• NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs Brut (New Mexico)
• 2005 Granbazan Albarino (Rias Baixas, Spain)
• 2006 Bodega Lurton Torrontes (Mendoza, Argentina)
• 2006 Woop Woop Verdelho (McLaren Vale, Australia)
• 2004 Graham Beck "Pinno" Pinotage (Robertson, South Africa)
• 2005 Santa Rita "120" Carmenere (Rapel Valley, Chile)
• 2006 El Portillo Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)
• 2004 Concannon Petite Sirah (Livermore Valley, California)