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PilotBrad
Livermore, CA
Grape Fermenter
Posts:509
 | | 12/13/2004 8:14 PM |
| Does anyone know of a Sensory Evaluation class that is offered in the SF Bay Area or wine country? I am looking for a class that focuses on picking out the aromas and flavors in wines in general, rather than the aromas/flavors typical to a particular varietal or region.
I know UC Davis offers some great classes, but I am trying to explore other options.
Thanks,
Brad | |
Brad (formerly know as PilotBrad)
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| David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15701
| | 12/13/2004 8:21 PM |
| At the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville:
The Essence Tour & Tasting
Offered Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m. (and 2:00 p.m. seasonally)
This three-hour adventure explores the sensory evaluation of wine. Guests will discover the mysteries of aromatic essences commonly associated with red and white wines such as green apple, leather, peach, smoke, pineapple and oak. The tour and tasting will focus on the influences of soil, climate and the artful hand of the winemaker in developing the nuances of Robert Mondavi wines.
$45 per person (limited to 8 guests, must be 21 to attend)
For further information or to make an appointment, please contact Guest Services at (888) RMONDAVI, Extension 2000: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | | | |
| Elizabeth Brown
Grape Fermenter
Posts:540
| | 12/13/2004 8:57 PM |
| | I would also check out the classes at COPIA. I know this is part of the 2 year WSET diploma program they teach there. They also teach some of the UC Davis classes. | | | |
| PilotBrad
Livermore, CA
Grape Fermenter
Posts:509
| | 12/13/2004 10:59 PM |
| | Thanks, both of you, I will check them out. | |
Brad (formerly know as PilotBrad)
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| David Sullivan
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2276
| | 12/14/2004 4:24 PM |
| Quote:
I am looking for a class that focuses on picking out the aromas and flavors in wines in general, rather than the aromas/flavors typical to a particular varietal or region.
I think the University of Berkley has a "Component’s of Wine" class that is given through continuing education. | | | |
| David Sullivan
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2276
| | 12/14/2004 4:28 PM |
| Wine Components
TCA, VA, brett, lychee, Limousin—what are these wine tasters talking about? This course helps you determine exactly what these terms and many more actually mean, and to discover your threshold for different tastes. You taste wines, either doctored or natural, that demonstrate these components clearly.
The course is designed to help both wine consumers and those in the industry discover how their individual sense of taste works. Through instructive tastings, you determine your threshold for certain tastes and learn how to identify various flavors in wine, how to find wine faults, how to differentiate between winemaking methods, how origin can affect flavor, and how to taste blind. In the final class, you use these experiences to create your own blended wine. You learn how to accurately describe the wines, how the palate works, and how to converse intelligently with those in the industry.
San Francisco
REBECCA CHAPA, B.S., is a Certified Wine Educator and owner of Tannin Management, a wine consulting firm. She is a contributing editor for Wine & Spirits and Santé magazines, and has a column in Wine Business Monthly. Her palate is an asset to the San Francisco Chronicle, Wine & Spirits, and the Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine. She is working on her Master of Wine degree, awarded by the Institute of Masters of Wine.
6 evenings
Jan. 12 to Feb. 16: Wed., 7-9:30 pm
San Francisco: Room 216, South of Market Center, 95 Third St.
$245, plus an additional materials fee of $75 paid to instructor at first class meeting. Please bring six wineglasses to each session. (EDP 026062)
http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/cat/026062.html
Berkeley | | | |
| Pete Marsh
Left Coast
Barrel Filler
Posts:1423
| | 12/14/2004 4:29 PM |
| IIRC, the UCB class is taught by Paul Bullard who is a distribtor. I have heard his classes are very good.
Pete | |
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. | |
| NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2188
| | 12/14/2004 5:02 PM |
| Depending on your commitment level Brad Mission College offers a 16 week Wine and Spirits Of The World course that does just what your looking for. We tasted and evaluated wines from around the world, every varietal imaginable! Including champagne, port and sherry. Our last couple of classes focused on beers and last but not least spirits.
Scott Brunson, our instructor, is very knowledgable about wines and really makes the class enjoyable. Scott is also a Chef and works at the Santa Clara Wine Club, he finds some very interesting wines for the class and gives us a source to purchase all of the wines we try. My favorite wine from that class was a 1999 Delas Marquise de Tourettes Rouge Hermitage which I took to a VC offline, it was a hit by the way.
The first night of class, we focused on identifying wine aromas both good and bad. We used one of the "Le Nez du Vin" kits and sorted it into something like 6-8 different stations, floral, citrus, berry, faults, etc. The big eye opener was finding where my aroma identification was lacking and where it far exceeded my expectations. Scott then made the kit available to us during the course to go back and use the aroma kit to hone our aroma identification skills. Warning: I found that this exercise really woke up my sense of smell and has since increased my sense of smell to all things in everyday living, both good and bad. I've had to leave tasting rooms due to smells around me that ruin the wine.
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| PilotBrad
Livermore, CA
Grape Fermenter
Posts:509
| | 12/14/2004 5:52 PM |
| GFD & Pete... Cool, I am definitely going to look into that class. Thanks!
David (NCVL)... great info! I have considering something like you mentioned. Las Positas College is going to offer a certificate program in Enology, but it is a new program and won't start in earnest until late 2005. So this may be the way to go if I want more than just one class. I am going to look into the program you mention, and in the meantime, keep looking for something my wife and I can take together in a day or two. Someone gave us one of those kits for Christmas a year or so ago... I think the one we have is pretty cheap... I had a hard time picking out the aromas/flavors.
Cheers! | |
Brad (formerly know as PilotBrad)
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| NorCalVinoLover
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2188
| | 12/14/2004 5:57 PM |
| Or you and your wife can take the Wine and Food Pairing class with us!
| | | |
| PilotBrad
Livermore, CA
Grape Fermenter
Posts:509
| | 12/14/2004 6:08 PM |
| Now THAT would be dangerous! My wife would love that.
I was going ask you what/where you were taking classes... now I know. If your serious, drop me an email, or PM me. | |
Brad (formerly know as PilotBrad)
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| davidandrose
Aurora, CO
Grape Puncher
Posts:924
| | 12/18/2004 3:04 PM |
| Merryvale also offers a component tasting seminar on weekends from 10:30-12:30, in their neat cask room.
"Your adventure begins with a tour of our historic winery before moving into our renowned 'Cask Room' to focus on wine and its essential components - sugar, alcohol, acid and tannins. Merryvale's acclaimed wines are tasted along with the separate elements to demonstrate how components blend together to create balance. Join us for this fun, informative seminar and map your palate to understand why some wines appeal to you more than others."
If you sign up any level of their club (which you can cancel at any time) the $15 charge is waived. We did this several years ago and really picked up some good basics. Something like this may be a good "primer" before moving onto a more sophisticated formal class. | | | |
| David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15701
| | 12/18/2004 11:56 PM |
| The Merryvale "seminar" is excellent even if you are something more than a novice. It is really fun to do with your SO especially if he/she doesn't share your enthusiasm for the drug.
I took an all-day class at UC Davis where had several flights of six glasses where the wine had been "doctored". We had to put each flight in the order (high to low) of how much acid, how much tannin, how much sugar, and so on. It was really interesting. It is a course for sommeliers and I couldn't believe what a large percentage of them didn't know [censored] about the wine. (Of course, we all know that most somms are dumb but I thought most of them were ok: NOT!)
Check out the UC Davis site. | | | |
| David Sullivan
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2276
| | David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15701
| | Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5359
| | 12/30/2004 5:48 PM |
| | David, they recommend the first course, or equivalent experience. What does that mean? Do you think I would get something out of the course? Sounds kind of interesting. | | | |
| David Niederauer
Los Gatos, CA
Master Sommelier
Posts:15701
| | 12/30/2004 6:07 PM |
| You don't need the basic course. You will know more than half the class in the advanced class knows already.
If you sign up let me know. I just might do it again. | | | |
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