Eve's Wine 101

Surprises At Our Local Bev Mo

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Whenever someone messages me looking for wine of course I suggest our local wine bars and stores as we all support locally owned businesses. However, if they are looking for a larger selection then they simply must go to BevMo. There really isn’t any other option for us locals. And lucky us we have two to choose from in the Santa Clarita Valley. I happen to choose the one in Stevenson Ranch, on the Old Road, as I’ve been successful finding what I need there from spirits to wine.

Lucky me again when fellow wine writer, Carl Kanowsky, invited me to join him for a tasting with store manager Brian Ilvento and Wine Specialist Doug Characky a few weeks ago. They promised to expose us – and our readers – to some of their broad selection, and specifically to lesser known wines that they carry.

Our invitation read that we would be doing a tasting of “… wines that are a bit under the radar… (and are) considered ‘undiscovered’ and ‘hidden gems,’ as well as some from other regions.”

Characky, a local who had taken the wine studies program offered by Elizabeth Schweitzer and DiMaggio Washington at College of the Canyons, said they are seeing a lot of wine from up and coming areas that include Chile, South Africa and Greece. He also noted the popularity of Spanish Cavas and kosher wines from Israel. He commented, “I think this is a place where people that love wine will find paradise.”

Ilvento, who keeps staff trained with tastings among other things, said that everyone in the store can help shoppers find what they’re looking for. He added, “We’re here to find the perfect drink for every glass.”

We had six wines in our tasting lineup, most hovering about $20 and a couple toward $40. These are my tasting notes with the aromas and flavors separated by ; and, I enjoyed them all:

Honig 2018 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley: Green apple, fruit cocktail, flint; same flavors as on the nose with a mouth coating viscosity and medium acidity.

Burgans 2017 Albariño, Spain: Crisp citrus fruits, wet pebbles fresh fruit, crisp, medium acid and stainless steel.

Frog’s Leap 2016 Chardonnay, Napa: Butter, oak, bruised apple and white flower; then that same oak and butter, popcorn kernel and almond.

Hahn 2016 Estate Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands: Dark cherry, stems, cigar, mushroom and wet earth; same aroma profile for the flavor as well.

Michele Chiarlo Il Principe Langhe 2015 Nebbiolo, Italy: Barnyard blew off within a couple of swirls, then came toast, chalk, hard grape candy, and Characky also noted lots of cranberry and pomegranate that I had to agree with; noted much more of that red fruit Characky had found, a bit tight (so decant this one) and a long length.

Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Napa Valley: Ilvento explained that he liked this wine for its six-Cabernet blend and winemaker Joe Wagner. Aromas of dark fruit, spice, black pepper, perfumy; balanced and smooth, pepper and fruit working perfectly together, a wine that’s good to go now.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 15k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

When is it Okay To Use Someone Else’s Words: ONLY in the Wine industry

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So I had this friend/co-worker that had a nasty habit of taking my ideas and repeating them as her own in a very weird way: immediately, and right in front of me. She would listen, then physically turn to another person in the group, and spew it out again.

I mentioned it when it happened: twice in group settings, and once while we were alone. She never got it. I don’t hang out with her much anymore, so she’s left to her own original thoughts (which are plenty good).

eve july 2011 youtube shot of notesI got to thinking, there is only one scenario where this works: using descriptors in evaluating wines for consumers. Let me explain.

Wine writers, sommeliers, distributors, wine reps and wineries all have to be able to describe their wines in tantalizing ways to the buying audience. In this example that I used on a Facebook post I got more than one comment saying it made them want to buy the wine. Can you guess why?

Aromas of stewed plums, fig and sautéed mushrooms and rich decadent flavor of solid black fruit in a killer length…

It wasn’t just the descriptor but the adjectives preceding them that separated them from a minimal tasting note that would’ve looked like this:

Plums, fig, mushrooms, black fruit and long length.

The descriptors we use must be understandable to the general wine-drinking public, but tantalizing enough to prompt a sale. So though you may read the same descriptor for the same wine by more than one writer, no one has copied the other, the wine just happens to bring up the same memory of the same aroma and/or flavor. And if it doesn’t? That’s only because our memories are ours alone.

In an effort to be different I reach pretty far, but I still need my evaluation to be appealing. That’s the most important behind accuracy. This was for a vintage Champagne:

The most aromatic yet: grilled cheese, sourdough toast; same flavors come through in the mouth with the addition of pink grapefruit and lime in this ’06 Cuvee.

I was pretty proud of myself with that one. It reminded me of the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) course I took where instructor DiMaggio Washington kept trying to pull more and more in depth descriptors from the class. We might say peach and he’d then he’d quickly ask which kind, bruised, fresh, canned…and if canned in its own juice or in a light syrup. This kind of education really made me think, and I hope my wine writing benefits.

Of course, there are times when too much individual thought can also hurt a wine. In the movie SOMM a group of students sat around a table tasting wines together. They were not only trying to educate their palates on the basic aromas and flavors of some varieties, but were also searching for the right descriptors.

I watched as the students each one-upped the other in looking for just the right words to describe a particular white wine. One fledgling SOMM slowly exhaled something like, “coiled up…green…garden hose” and I think I spewed out whatever I was drinking because he made me laugh so hard. But it wasn’t supposed to be funny.

It wasn’t his intent. He failed. His descriptor didn’t make the wine attractive, was too far-fetched and everyone seemed to look at him like he was from Mars.

So, if it’s possible to tie all this meandering about wine together it’s simple:

Use the descriptors that naturally come to mind while evaluating wine. Don’t be uncomfortable using a word that has been used before, however, if you want to make the wine attractive to others – as attractive as it is to you – romance it with adjectives you think work the best. And those should be unique…original…thoughts.

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Join us for Wine Making 101: Offering a Certificate of Completion for the Series from World Wine Education

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A quick overview of what the four classes will cover:

  • Selecting and understanding the vineyard, Harvest: Pre, Post and During
  • Inside the winery, fermentation and making the wine
  • Barrel usage, racking, topping off and aging
  • Bottling, Corks, Labels and labeling laws

What to bring to class:

  • An open mind
  • A great attitude
  • A passion for wine
  • An interest in making wine … or at least an interest in how wine is made
  • Notebook
  • Pen/Pencil
  • Calculator

… and all your questions!

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Call Now To Reserve Your Seat: 661.733.9398 or email: info@worldwineeducation.com

Instructor: DiMaggio Washington

Class Dates: Pending

Class Time: Pending

Location: Pending

Cost: Series of Four Classes with Certificate ~ $225

More Info

A Hands-On Wine Making Class will be offered for both small and large batches. This will be discussed prior to or during class, with a commitment from those interested in applying what they’ve learned to their own 6 gallons of wine. Several varietals are offered for purchase in 100 lb increments (6 gallons of wine) at time of annual harvest (most often August through September +/-). Orders for grapes must be placed in advance. All of this is discussed during the four class Wine Making Session.

We will offer the classes as many times a year as we gather a group of at least 10 people. Possibly doing 4 to 5 sessions per year. Once you’ve signed up, you either go straight through the sessions, based on when they are scheduled or you can do two classes now, then have to leave town or whatever is going on, then do the 2nd two next session.

You can refresh or retake classes any time you like.

An exam is administered after the 4 sessions, in order to receive a certificate of completion.

Once the 4 sessions are complete, they are also invited to join the World Wine Cellar Rats Facebook page, where a community of wine makers are sharing on all levels, regarding their wine making experiences, past, present and future; as well as wine making equipment for sale, new wineries they’ve experienced, tasting bars, etc.

We also host a Cellar Rats Gathering for people who have taken the class. Those that make wine bring their wine to share, regardless how far along it is. As an example, we’re hosting our first gathering this month, so 2015 wine makers will bring their wines for blind tasting and discussion. New wine makers, just finished the class will also be present. It’s a learning opportunity for all, as well as a nice social gathering. New wine makers will bring a bottle of wine close to what they would like to make, nibbles are brought and we sip, share and discuss wine making, tips, tricks and fun stuff.

Kitchen wizards: A Taste of Italy Part 5 of 5!

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Tiramisu – served with Moscato d’Asti

http://www.kitchenwizards.us/

http://www.worldwineeducation.com

Here it is, Course Five from A Tour of Italy at Kitchen Wizards.  And this time I learned how to make Tiramisu like a great chef.  The great chef this time was Chef Judy.  She whipped and she folded and “lightened it up with a little heavy cream” to get the mixture as soft as a “mousse” while she explained that Tiramisu is a family-oriented dish.  Chef Herve, for his part, said it was the result of an Italian cooking contest.

The final wine, a Moscato d’Asti, had a 5.5 percent alcohol that allowed for me to have a second taste of the sugary wine.

Course Five

Tiramisu

Yields 1 9” x 13” pan, 20 servings (can be spooned out like a trifle or cut into 1¼” x 4 ¼” portions. Or can be made in individual custard cups.)

Ingredients

2 lbs. Mascarpone Cheese

1 ¼ cups sugar

10 egg yolks

¼ cup hot espresso

1/3  Sweet Masala wine

1 cup heavy cream

1 package of Lady Finger cookies

2 cups very strong coffee

¼ cup Rum, Kahlua or Amaretto

 

Directions:

Fill sauce pot half full with water and bring to a boil.

Place sugar, yolks, espresso and masala in a bowl and place over the water.

( this is called a water bath)

Turn the heat to simmer and whisk the egg mixture until light in color and hot to touch. ( if you have a kitchen thermometer it should read 150˚ )

Remove from water bath and whip until cold, preferably using a Kitchen Aid mixer or if not an electric hand mixer.

Slowly add the mascarpone.

When it is incorporated add the heavy cream. Continue whipping until thickened but still pourable.

Do not over whip, mixture will break.

 

Assembly

Ladle small amount of custard on the bottom of the 9×13 pan.

Soak Lady fingers in coffee and lay, crosswise, over the base of the pan.

Ladle custard over the cookies until all are covered, about ½  in. thick of custard.

 

Repeat with layers of soaked cookies and finish with custard.

Top the whole pan with a layer of grated chocolate.

Kitchen Wizards: A Taste of Italy Part 4 of 5

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Cinghiale de Umbido- Pork braised  in Chianti with orecchiette – with Chianti

http://www.kitchenwizards.us/

http://www.worldwineeducation.com

This is the one, Course Four that the Harley sisters just had to have seconds of.  The meat just was so…tender and flavorful you just wanted more of it.    Chef Herve said that the traditional meat would have been boar in the dish, to which there was some playful banter between Chef Herve and Chef Judy…All I heard was the pork had been braised in Chianti, and a ton o’ fresh vegetables, for a very…long…time.

A note on the wine: Four of the five wines were whites, light, flavorful, and some with playful bubbles.  As far as the pairing, I’d have to say the food took center stage…not that the wine was in anyway bad, I think it was just the nature of the “wizardry”.

Course Four

Braised Wild Boar

(Serves eight)

3 ½ lbs. boneless boar roast

(or 6 lb. bone in pork shoulder)

Salt and pepper to taste Plus ½ tsp. of each

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup olive oil

6 oz. pancetta or bacon, cut into in” cubes

1 ½  cups diced onion

1 ½ cups shredded carrots

1 ½  cups diced celery

6 cloves of garlic

2 sprigs of fresh chopped rosemary

1 bottle Chianti or other heavy red wine

1 28 oz. can Italian whole plum tomatoes

2 cups chicken stock

¼ water

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

•                Pre- heat oven to 350˚

•                To prepare roast, dry the meat and season well on both sides. Dredge in flour on both side and shake off excess flour.

•                In large, heavy bottom  stock pot or Dutch oven, heat ¼ cup oil over medium-high heat until oil shimmers.

•                Add the meat and deeply brown all sides. Allowing a thick brown crust to form. (total time about 15 minutes.)

•                In another skillet add ¼ cup oil to the pan and the pancetta. Saute about 7 minutes, until golden brown.

•                Remove with slatted spoon and add diced vegetables and garlic clove, plus ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper.

•                Increase heat and sauté  for 10 minutes, or until onions are translucent and other vegetable are soft and almost mushy.

•                To the stock pot add bottle of wine, return to heat and bring to boil for 5 minutes. Add sautéed vegetables, reserved pancetta, can of tomatoes, 2 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water.

•                Remove stock pot from stove top, cover and place in the oven.

•                Simmer for 3 hours, until meat is falling off the bone.

•                Carefully remove meat from the pot. At this point you can either slice the meat or shred it and place on a serving plate.

•                Take the remaining liquid and solids and press through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon, collecting the liquid in a bowl.

•                Skim the fat.

•                Return to the pot and add the cornstarch to the water and pour into the liquid and whisk.

•                Cook until slightly thickened.

Pour over the pot roast and serve.

Kitchen Wizards: Taste of Italy Part 3 of 5

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Classic Mushroom Risotto – with a Barolo d’Asti

http://www.kitchenwizards.us/

http://www.worldwineeducation.com

Course three from A Taste of Italy at Kitchen Wizards, are you ready, palate sufficiently watering?  I sniffed the air as Chef Herve melted the butter just right, added the risotto until it “popped” and then was served:

Mushroom Risotta

(Can use chicken or vegetable stock)

1 lb. crimini mushrooms

¼ cup olive oil

2 shallots, minced

1 ½ cup Arborio rice

4 ½  cups chicken stock

4 oz. dried porcini mushrooms

¼ cup chopped parsley

½ cup shredded parmesan

1-2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

•                In sauce pot simmer chicken stock and porcini mushrooms.

•                In large skillet heat 2 Tbsp. of oil, add shallots and chopped mushrooms.

•                Cook until all liquid has evaporated. (can take up to 10 minutes, stirring so you do not burn them) Set aside.

•                Heat large, deep sided, pan and add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and rice. Stir to coat rice with oil. (30 seconds.)

•                Add ½ cup infused chicken stock and reduce heat to medium-low. Stirring constantly until stock is absorbed.

•                Keep adding more stock slowly and only when previous liquid has absorbed.

•                When all stock has been added rice should be tender, if not add a little warm water bit by bit until rice is tender yet firm.

•                Add salt and pepper to taste.

•                Fold in mushrooms

•                Fold in Cheese

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve in bowls.

Kitchen Wizards: Taste of Italy Part 2 of 5

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Branzino Arrosto – Roasted Sea Bass with fennel and olives – paired with Verdicchio.

http://www.kitchenwizards.us/

http://www.worldwineeducation.com

Okay, now we’re all revved up.  Last week I shared the first course from an Italian wine pairing class at Kitchen Wizards.  Today is Course Two.  Chef Herve made it very clear to the class that a fresh fish should…come with a head.  It also made it easier to slip the ingredients inside, see those listed below, that would make the dish flavorful.

A Taste of Italy

Roasted Branzino

(whole roasted sea bass serves 2)

1 bulb fennel

1 orange

2 lemons

½  cup plus 2 Tbsp. olive oil

½  cup calamata olives, pitted and  chopped

2 sprigs ea. sage, thyme and rosemary

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 two to 3 lb. Branzino, cleaned and scaled, with head and tail left on.

Pre-heat oven to 350˚

•                Remove some of the leafy greens from the fennel and place in a bowl.

•                Cut fennel in half and slice as thin as possible. Add to tops.

•                Zest the orange and 1 lemon and add to fennel.

Juice both and set aside.

•                Add ¼ olive oil, the olives, herbs and 1 tsp. of salt and ½ tsp. of pepper. Toss like a salad and set aside.

•                Pat fish dry, inside and out. Then rub with remaining olive oil. Salt and pepper inside and out.

•                Stuff cavity with the fennel salad and place on a foil covered baking sheet.

•                Slice the remaining lemon and place, shingled, onto the fish.

•                Place baking sheet onto the middle rack in the oven and bake 20 minutes per pound or about 40 minutes total.

•                Add 2 Tbsp. of olive oil to the reserved juice to make a light dressing.

Add salt and pepper and serve on the side.

Kitchen Wizards: Taste of Italy Part 1 of 5

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Grappa Cured Salmon with Crostini, served with  Prosecco

http://www.kitchenwizards.us/

http://www.worldwineeducation.com

My Mind Began to Reel: Don’t stop with the Grappa, no, the Grappa itself was infused with fennel and the recipe also included thyme, sugar, salt and, what Chef Judy said, a very fatty and fleshy salmon….

That was me above, during Course One of the five I would watch being created at Kitchen Wizards (And yes, I will share the recipes with you for four more weeks) in front of a packed classroom of Culinary Arts students from College of the Canyons, a trio of sisters that hadn’t missed a single class, wine instructor DiMaggio Washington…and me, madam reporter.

A Taste of Italy

Course One

Grappa Cured Salmon

Make ahead note: the curing process takes 2 to 3 days

1 cup Kosher salt

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. red chili flakes

½ Tbsp. coarse ground pepper

1 ½  lbs. high quality fatty salmon, Filleted and skinned.

½ cup Grappa

1 baguette

 

Mix together:

8 oz. plain Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

2 Tbsp. minced red onion

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

 

•                Day 1 mix all dry ingredients together. Pat salmon dry and coat one side, flesh side, with salt mixture.

•                Lay out 2 pieces of plastic wrap, large enough to cover entire fish and seal tight.

•                Place in a non-reactive  container. ( not aluminum)

•                Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hrs. (Can go up to 36 hrs.)

•                Remove plastic wrap and gently rinse off the salt cure. Pat dry with paper towels.

•                Place on a grate or rack and brush both sides with grappa,

•                Do this while cold to create a shiny finish.

•                Return salmon to fridge, uncovered, to rest and repeat 3 more times, every 3 hours.

•                 Then rest, uncovered, overnight.

•                Crostini, slice bread, ¼ in” thick, brush with olive oil and toast.

Place small amount of dill yogurt on the “crostini” and top with a thin slice of cured salmon.

From Eve, For Women Only: Developing Your “SuperTaster” Status

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Tired of being considered the weaker sex…when it comes to wine?  Yes, I’ve read it all: We buy wine based on the pretty labels, the pink color, the low price, and from a supermarket shelf, etc.  But we’ve got one thing over our male counterparts when it comes to wine: there are more female “SuperTasters” than male.

So, I’ll tell you what that means and, even better, help you become one if you aren’t one already!

Defining a SuperTaster

Have you ever heard of the term “SuperTaster”?  It refers to someone, more often a female over a male, that can detect a myriad of different flavors in aromas and palate.  Internationally recognized wine educator and author Jancis Robinson is one.  And I was recently accused of being one during a class on orange wines.

According to Wikipedia, a “SuperTaster” is defined as, “a person who experiences the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average. Women are more likely to be supertasters (I added in the bold, italics and underline, but of course) as are individuals of Asian, African and South American descent. The cause of this heightened response is currently unknown, although it is thought to be, at least in part, due to an increased number of fungiform papillae (look it up.)

The evolutionary advantage to supertasting is unclear. In some environments, heightened taste response, particularly to bitterness, would represent an important advantage in avoiding potentially toxic plant alkaloids…”

Becoming a SuperTaster

Some women have admitted to me that they simply can’t detect what they are tasting in a wine.  For me it’s been helpful to taste alone, without food, and taste often – for comparison sake.

But when I got started writing tasting notes it helped to have a few “tricks” at my fingertips.

One is recalled memories.  No, there isn’t chocolate in your wine when a pals remarks smelling or tasting it there, though it is often what a new person to wine may think.  Instead it’s a memory of a chocolate birthday cake or chocolate covered strawberries.  Your mind, cognizant or not, brings up the memory of a smell and reminds you of it while you taste wine.  You just have to be aware of it.

During my Level 2 Intermediate certification process for Wine and Spirits Education (WSET) I was prompted by my instructor, DiMaggio Washington, to look for at least one fruit, a spice, a wood and a minerality while tasting wine samples.  If I think about it I can usually get 2 out of 4, give or take more than one in any of the given categories.

And my trick, at least in the beginning, was to have my handy WSET guidelines available to help me.  (See photos of 2 WSET charts below.)  I prompt you to print them and try with a glass of wine, alone, or with other ladies that want to enhance their “Supertaster” status.

Supertasting Spirits

Of course I’ve had the opportunity to taste spirits side-by-side as well.  A vodka tasting is interesting as whatever the source – potato, corn, rye, wheat, barley, even grapes – the vodka maker has the choice of distilling down to a colorless, flavorless spirit, perfect for mixing, or to retain some of the flavor.  Taste a potato vodka alone – try Chopin – and then try Ciroq, distilled from grapes.  Even in a martini, shaped only with a little dry vermouth, you should be able to taste the potato once these two are compared side by side.
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And the same thing can easily be done with tequila, beer, whatever your preference is.  One of my favorite learning experiences has been with the ForScotchLovers.com site and playing their Explorers game.  We paid some bucks for the club, but we get several samples of scotch over the year, unlabeled, and then run through several questions as we taste.  There is also a tab on the site that can give you help, just like my WSET cards, in looking for the perfect descriptor.  (See the following post today for scotch descriptors.)

Conclusion

I welcome your questions and comments, so let me know if you’re willing to try this and later, if this worked for YOU!  Bragging about being a “SuperTaster” is a God (albeit the wine God Bacchus) given right.  And I, for one, would much rather be known for better taste buds than a male pal instead of perpetuating the myth of a female shopper that buys wine based on pretty labels and pinker colors, instead we buy wine based on the nuances we alone (mostly!) can detect.

Wine 101 Lesson Part Two And…want to join me for more?

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These tidbits come from DiMaggio Washington’s World Wine Education textbook and the classes I took from him for my level two WSET sommelier certification.  Consider this as a Part 2 of a Wine 101 education.  (Thirsty for more? Scroll down for WSET class information and join me for the next one!)

  • Wine was first made in the Middle East in 5000 BC.
  • Dates were used to make wine.
  • In most states if a wine is labeled, say “Cabernet Sauvignon”, it must be 75% from that grape.
  • 93% of U.S. wine comes from California.
  • There are approximately 100 different grape varieties grown in CA.
  • The 1976 French vs. U.S. tasting, the “Judgment of Paris”, pitted CA wines against French, blind.  CA won the top spot for both red and white, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay.
  • It was mostly Franciscan monks that gave CA its start in the mid-1700s.
  • Sutter Homes’ White Zinfandel hit in 1975 – a very popular “first” wine.
  • Red wine may make an oily fish taste metallic.  The one red wine, suggested for non-oily fish, is a low-tannin (more fruit) Pinot Noir.
  • It’s sparkling wine in the U.S. and Champagne if from the Champagne region of France.
  • There are approximately 4 glasses of wine from one bottle.

Also, to learn from DiMaggio, he is currently teaching Wine Studies at College of the Canyons.  The summer session classes, including Wines of France and Wine Appreciation, both held at the Valencia Campus, can be found here: https://my2.canyons.edu/WebAdvisor/WebAdvisor?TOKENIDX=3227376511&SS=2&APP=ST&CONSTITUENCY=XWBS

*Want to join me in a WSET education?  DiMaggio is teaching both Level 2 Intermediate (for those with some wine knowledge) and Level 3 Advanced (for graduated of Level 2, like myself.  And yes, I plan on taking the next class!) here in Santa Clarita:

Forming classes for June and July, on Sundays, from 9am-6pm

Instructor: DiMaggio Washington

**RSVP: 310.720.5401**

A minimum of 12 students per class, required

**REMEMBER** Must be confirmed for course no later than May 15th, 2012

Intermediate Level 2 Course Fee $675

Advanced Level 3 Course Fee $1,150

~ includes lecture material, wine, notes and exam fee ~

WSET Level 2 Intermediate ~ This class, although noted as an “intermediate” course, is open to anyone who’s interested.  You will cover all the basics and learn the essentials necessary to pass the test for certification. Two Day class.

WSET Advanced ~ This class is for those who already hold a Beginner/Intermediate WSET Certificate and are choosing to take their knowledge to the next level.  You will learn the essentials necessary to pass the test for your WSET Advanced Certification.  Four Day Class.

Class Location:

The Kitchen Wizard

23640 Cinema Drive, Suite B

Valencia, CA 91355

Phone:  661.254.1234

Website:  www.thekitchenwizards.net or Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/Kitchenwizardsscv/info

Email: info@worldwineeducation.com

Website: www.worldwineeducation.com

Who will teach this course, DiMaggio Washington:

A few certifications held by DiMaggio would include: UCLA Certified Vintage Wine Program, UC Davis Small Vineyard and Wine Program, Court of Masters (International), WSET Wine Spirit and Education Trust (International) INSTRUCTOR.

DiMaggio’s passion for wine education encouraged him to recently publish a book, World Wine Education, for the student, hobbyist or wine lover in all of us.  He also offers Wine Appreciation and WSET Certification Classes, as well as an education in wine and food pairings.  You can visit his website at:  www.worldwineeducation.com or contact him at info@worldwineeducation.com