Essential Wine Experiences...Taste, Learn, Laugh, Repeat.

Our wine education program ranges from basic level for those who want to learn to make better buying decisions, to advanced for the serious wine enthusiast. The classes are collectively known as the Essential Wine Experience and will teach you everything you need to know to increase your enjoyment of wine and successfully embark on a journey of wine discovery.

The basic level classes are your first step to gaining knowledge and experiences with wine. We offer a comprehensive introduction to wine. Four classes make up the basic level where you will learn and apply practical skills such as: how to "taste," evaluate, and describe wines; determine your wine preferences; and pair wines with food. Each class includes in-depth discussions to help you develop your preferences, build your taste-memory, and give you more power to identify and choose wines you enjoy. Class sizes are typically limited to 30 participants. In the first class you will learn how to taste, describe, and evaluate wine. The second and third classes take a more in-depth focus on white wines and red wines, respectively, including wine making, grape growing, and regional factors. The fourth class is a food and wine pairing seminar.

The higher-level classes are designed to extend your level of knowledge beyond the basics to include topics such as wine-making, blind tasting, soils, regional wines, etc. Each class will focus on one topic and will involve a more academic study of wine along with tasting to reinforce the topic of the class. The advanced classes are still in development and more information will be offered in the near future.

The Essential Wine Experience features interactive and collaborative learning experiences to help you build the skills necessary to fully enjoy and understand the world of wine. These collaborative experiences integrate social technologies to enrich your learning. In class and out, we provide opportunities to exchange information with our wine community of interest, through the use of ever expanding social media and resources such as Twitter, a wiki, and Facebook..

If you are wondering what class would be appropriate for someone of your knowledge or interest level, please email us at ryan@wineforeverypalate.com and we'll work with you to find the class that best fits your needs.

To see photos of our classes and other events, visit our page on Flickr.

Essential Wine Experience: How to Taste, Describe, and Evaluate Wine

Do you like wine, but wish you knew more about it? Would you like to be more adventurous and make more confident wine selections?

Then join us for this hands-on, introductory class where we'll guide you through tasting 6 quality wines and you'll learn to:

• Utilize the tasting steps that critics use to identify the components of wine
• Effectively describe the characteristics that you like or dislike about a wine
• Evaluate wines to determine their quality and value

This is the first of the Essential Wine Experience basic level classes. Wine Palate’s educational philosophy is based on hands-on, interactive, group activities, so be prepared to taste great wine, have fun, and meet new people.

Cost: $59 per person

Class Dates

Monday, September 27th, 7:00p-9:30p at Assaggi Osteria

We strive to offer events that are both interesting and educational - something worth your time and money. The following events are collaborations with both restaurants and event planners. Some are recurring and some are one time only. Registration information can be found below each event. We hope you'll join us in learning about food and wine!

Meet up, Eat up, Drink up

Sip and savor while you mix and mingle at three Shula’s Steak House wine tasting events. Learn about a selection of fine wines from Italy, France and Spain and enjoy them paired with palate-pleasing fare made with fresh local ingredients by Chef Peter Bowyer and his culinary team. Served in the winning atmosphere of world-famous Shula’s Steak House. All you need to attend each festive networking party is $50 per person, per event (includes tax and gratuity) and a fun-loving attitude.

Where: Shula's Steak House (Marriott Tysons)

When:

Wines of Italy: Sept 16, 5p-8p
Wines of France: Oct 21, 5p-8p
Wines of Spain: Nov 18, 5p-8p

Elderton Wine Dinner

Join Mr. Ian Davies of the Australian Premium Wine Collection for a steakhouse dinner featuring the acclaimed Barossa Valley vintages of Elderton Wines, widely recognized as one of the world's great Shiraz producers and named to Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 Wineries Worldwide in 2005. For menu and wine information please visit www.localwinevents.com

Where: Morton's in Reston

When: Tuesday, September 28, 2010, 7pm

Cost: $100 (includes tax and gratuity)

To register, please call Kate Leonard at 703.796.0611

Wine Night at Cafe Montmartre: Old World vs. New World

Join us for an educational and fun evening, where you’ll learn the differences between old world and new world wines. Wine Palate will make a short presentation (30 minutes) about old and new world wines, discussing what makes them different (including climate, wine making, history, regional culture and philosophy.) You’ll taste six wines that showcase the specific characteristics of old and new world wines. Afterward, you’ll dine on a variety of fresh hors d’oeuvres and sip on your favorite wines from the tasting. Come hungry and thirsty!

Where: Cafe Montmartre

When: Tuesday, October 12, 2010, 7pm-9pm

Cost: $39 in advance, $49 at the door(includes tax and gratuity)

Wine Education and Event Policies

In appreciation for your services, we offer a discount on our classes to military, law enforcement, first responders, and educators. If you'd like to take advantage of this discount, please email Ryan at ryan@wineforeverypalate.com. We accept an email from your work email address as proof of eligibility for this offer.

All participants must be 21 years of age or older, and ID will be verified prior to participation in any class or event.