Join Laurie Forster of The Wine Coach® as she walks you through the basics of wine. 

From whites to red to tools and techniques, she can show any wine novice how to sip like a pro!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

A Crash Course in Wine with Laurie Forster**

Session 1: The White House: White Wine 101

After a refresher on how to evaluate wine, you'll taste a variety of white grape varietals. Learn what makes white wines unique and the secrets to pairing whites with your favorite meals. Our session will demystify the basics of the most famous whites of the world as well as some new classics.

Session 2: Red, Red Wine: Red Wine 101

Taste a variety of red grape varietals and learn what makes red wines so special and heart healthy. We'll also explore the keys to pairing reds with a variety of dishes. In this session you'll connect with some of the world's greatest red varieties and some new ones you need to know!

Session 3: Wine 3G: New Wine Tools & Trends

Explore some of the newest and hottest wine accessories to make your life easier and your wine taste better. We'll experiment with aerators, hi-tech openers, new closures and even tools on the web that can help you find great (and affordable) wines. In this session you'll taste how some new tricks and tools that can extend the life (and flavor) of your wine as well as strategies to find great wine for less!

3:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Around the World with Pinot Noir with Ray Isle**

Session 1: World's Best Pinot Noir Values

Pinot Noir is known as the heartbreak grape by wine growers, but sometimes it seems that wine buyers ought to feel the same way—finding great Pinot that doesn't cost a fortune can seem like an impossible task. In this seminar, you'll learn how to find great Pinot Noir values, and taste some of the best under-$20 Pinots in the world, from California, Oregon, France, and even South America.

Session 2: Focus on America's Top Pinot Region: the Russian River Valley

Sonoma County's Russian River Valley is arguably the greatest Pinot Noir region in California, and is certainly the most famed. In this seminar you'll delve into why that's true: the climate, the soil, and the talents that have made Russian River Pinot a benchmark. You'll also taste a broad sampling of terrific wines from the region, giving you a chance to familiarize yourself with the nuances that define it.

Session 3: Fantastic Pinots from the World's Great Pinot Noir Regions

Sonoma and Burgundy aren't the only places in the world that produce top-quality Pinot Noir. You'll learn in this seminar what some of the other great Pinot-growing regions are, as well as gain a deeper understanding of the most famous ones. And you'll taste sublime Pinot from around the world, giving you a chance to compare and contrast as you sip.

3:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles with Ray Isle**

Session 1: Terrific Value Bubbly for the Holidays

The holiday season means parties and dinners, and often toasts as well. You'll learn tips for finding great sparkling wine without depleting your bank account—what regions and grapes offer top quality bubbles for a modest price—and taste some terrific possibilities for all of your holiday entertaining. Plus there will be info about storing and serving sparkling wine, as well why it's one of the most versatile food-pairing wines in the world.

Session 2 : Champagne 101: Everything You Need to Know about the World's Greatest

Sparkling Wine

People tend to call any wine with bubbles 'champagne.' But real Champagne comes from one place: France's Champagne region. This seminar will be a fun and informative trip to Champagne, with a little bit of history, a little bit of winemaking and vineyards, and a lot of Champagne sipping. You'll learn the differences between non-vintage and vintage Champagnes, what the words 'brut,' 'demi-sec,' and 'tete-de-cuvée' mean, how many bubbles are in a bottle of Champagne, and more.

Session 3 : Pink & Purple: From Rosé Champagne to Sparkling Shiraz

Some of the most popular sparkling wines in the world right now are rosé—for good reason, as they're also some of the best sparkling wines in the world. This is a quick, lively introduction to rosé Champagnes and sparkling wines: the different processes used to make them, how they differ in flavor, what to serve them with. For fun, you'll also taste some sparkling purple wine (Australian Sparkling Shiraz), which is also gaining popularity in the U.S.

*Tickets are $150.00 if purchased in advance and $160.00 if purchased onsite.

** Seminar content is subject to change.