Enjoy the wonderful relationship between fine wine and fine food
Can a well-chosen wine really elevate the flavor of a meal? What's the difference between an "oaky", an "earthy", and a "buttery" wine - and with what foods should each be paired? These are just a few of the questions we'll answer in Great Wine and Food Made Simple, created by our Dean of Wine Studies, Marnie Old. You'll learn the wonderful relationship between wine and food through hands-on and "forks-on" learning. Through fun and fascinating glass-by-glass wine and food tastings, you'll learn to pair seasonal, classic and cutting edge flavors to elevate any meal. Or just torque-up your favorite take-out on a quiet Friday night at home. After the six classes are done and you're left wanting more, you'll be able to select the perfect wine for your meal at an elegant restaurant. Glance at a bottle and decode its label. Even present great wines and foods in the ideal glasses and servingware. If you love wine, this enjoyable course will give you pleasure for years to come. And if you're also in the food business, you'll learn how to bring this excitement to your staff and customers.

 

FOOD & WINE PAIRING (12 HOURS)

Session 1
Wine Basics for the Food Lover - Tasting and understanding wine styles through the Big Six grapes; How to describe and remember wine styles; Wine and food flavor dynamics: how wine and food, when tasted together, change each other

Session 2
France's paradigm wines and those they inspire - A food and wine-lover's tour of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley; The classic food flavor affinities with these wine styles: earthiness (think mushrooms and other fungi), herbal and olive flavors, from pesto to tapenade

Session 3
French paradigm wines, part two: Loire Valley, Alsace, Bordeaux; Classic food flavor matches for these wine styles: tanginess, a la vinaigrette and hollandaise; smokiness, from salmon to sausage; toasty/nuttiness; and the slow-cooked meaty richness of braising

Session 4
Putting exotic wine flavors - spicy, grassy, floral, oaky - into words, and tasting them in "New World" wines from the Southern Hemisphere; Food flavors to flatter these wine styles: sweet-spicy Asian flavors, earthy-fermented flavors (think miso), herbal-tangy flavors from ceviche to salsa

Session 5
Classic Italian and Spanish wines: Tuscany, Piedmont, Rioja, Priorat; Classic cheeses for these wine styles

Session 6
Specialty wine styles, from Champagne to Port, and their classic food affinities; caviar, bivalves, chocolate, and more!

 

Please note: If the start date that you are selecting is full, we will enroll you in the next available start date with that same schedule.

Wednesdays, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Start	End	Cost
October 15, 2008	November 19, 2008	$995

Laura Maniec: Wine Instructor and Corporate Sommelier at B.R. Guest Restaurants
Marnie Old: Sommelier and Director of Wine Studies at The FCI