Back to School: week 1

photo by TEP

I headed off to the first session of the six week Wine  and Spirits Education Trust Level 2 Class.  I was excited and admittedly a little nervous. My nervousness skyrocketed when I realized my GPS was not taking me  to the same coordinates stated on the Capitol Wine School site.  Late for class - ugh!

photo by TEP

When I entered the classroom the instructor was already in the front of the room and it appeared the participants were introducing themselves.  When I introduced myself I mentioned that I was a blogger and that my goal was to expand my vocabulary in describing wine and spirits. Before moving to the student adjacent to me the instructor wanted to know the name of the blog and  joked that she hoped I wouldn't say mean things about her. I reassured the instructor that the blog's focus would be about my experience in the class.

photo by TEP

There are approximately 30 students in class. We're a pretty diverse group with respect to age, gender and ethnicity. The one thing we all have in common is we want to learn about wine. Several classmates work in the food/beverage  industry as beverage managers, owners, or bartenders.

The focus of the first class is to help students understand  the factors that influence wine style. The class presentation included lecture on conditions needed to produce healthy grapes, winemaking processes, vineyard activities to produce healthy grapes, the impact of the growing environment on the grapes and the maturation processes for wine types.

photo by TEP

photo by TEP

The instructor was engaging and gave us pointers on how to taste the wine - swallowing the wine is not necessary. Using this approach I see how the class can taste 8 to 9 wines in a class session. Buckets are provided to discard the wine that has been tasted.

photo by TEP

The class was encouraged to provide feedback. Initially the class was a little hesitant, but the instructor gently coaxed the class to share their thoughts. There were no wrong answers  because each student's palate and sensory memory is different. Each student is provided sheets of paper to capture their tasting notes.

At one point the instructor looked at me and said, "I want my blogger to describe what she tastes". The class waited patiently as I described the dark berries, fig, and spice elements I tasted in the wine. The  instructor nodded approvingly -the butterflies in my stomach went back to their usual hiding place.

Reading between classes is a must. The instructor suggested making flashcards to reinforce understanding of some concepts. I've purchased the index cards.

I survived the first class. I'm ready to return and learn more in session 2.


Be well,

Technicolor girl

image created by Ink+ LLC