SFW offers several ways to learn about wine. In addition to podcasts and wine reviews on a number of sites — such as Vivino, Delectable and the SFW blog — we offer virtual classes and tastings. (And in certain areas in-person tastings may be available. Please contact us for more information.)
Our goal at SFW is to make you more knowledgeable about wine, to help you better understand the style of wine you enjoy, and to enable you to become more confident in navigating a wine list in a restaurant or selecting wines from your local wine shoppe. Take a SFW class to learn more about wines, grapes, regions, and to just enjoy Sipping Fine Wine.
In some classes you will also learn about the proper storage of wine, how to open difficult bottles, and our recommended food pairings. We will also help you cultivate the knowledge in choosing wines you personally enjoy. But most of all, you will have some fun Sipping Fine Wine!
Online Classes
Interactive format, via Zoom, and seats will be limited to encourage participation and foster a personalized experience. SFW will provide a detailed handout in advance of the class so you can concentrate on listening and sipping. We encourage note taking on the wines you taste and we will help you to identify the wines and styles you enjoy.
We will provide you a list of wine types to purchase for the class. Not brands but types, for example; 2021 Napa Valley (CA) Chardonnay or 2020 Willamette (OR) Pinot Noir. We will taste 4 to 5 wines per class. If you register for a class at least 2 weeks in advance, we may suggest a wine shoppe where you could order the wines from and have them shipped directly to your home, although this is not required. Having participants with the same style, but with different brands, will lead to greater participation on the sharing of tasting notes. We will also discuss ways to store the wine for a few days after tasting so you can continue to enjoy.
Upcoming Courses:
Sherry: Spain’s Fortified Wine, Beyond the Sherry Triangle — SOLD OUT
Friday, April 21, 2023 – 6:00pm ET
Sherry is a Spanish fortified wine, made by either of two methods; 1) Biological Aging, where the wine develops a layer called “Flor,” or 2) Oxidative Aging, where the wine comes in direct contact with oxygen, or a combination of both methods. Sherry can be crafted from several authorized grape varieties, however the most traditional grape is Palomino, producing most of the Sherry, followed by Moscatel de Alejandria and Pedro Ximenez grapes. The Sherry Triangle, how it was known until recently, was the three towns of Jerez de la Frontera (main city), El Puerto de Santa Maria and Sanlucar de Barrameda. Now, seven other towns are authorized to produce Sherry. Sherry is extremely diverse; colors range from palest and brightest greenish yellow to darkest and opaque mahogany; and tastes range from very dry to extremely sweet, from light and lean to full-bodied and mouthcoating, and everything in between those extremes. There are many styles of Sherries, we will look at five styles:
- Manzanilla
- Fino
- Amontillado
- Olorosa
- Pedro Ximenez
Wines of Napa Valley — SOLD OUT
Friday, March 10, 2023 – 6:00pm ET
Napa is renowned for producing some of the best wines in the world, and home to over 400 wineries! In this class we will discuss the Napa Valley Appellation (AVA) which is about 30 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point. Napa has 16 distinct sub‐appellations, each has a unique microclimate with different soil types and variety of grapes planted. We will look at 5 wines of Napa:
- Napa Sauvignon Blanc
- Napa Chardonnay
- Napa Merlot
- Napa Red Grape Blend
- Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
Check back often for new class offerings!
Special Tasting Classes:
From time to time, we will partner with a winery for an exclusive tasting class. We will still offer the class in an interactive format, via Zoom, where you will learn about the winery, wines, winemaking and vineyard management. We will have a list of 4-5 specific wines to purchase and SFW will assist in a direct purchase from the winery. Registration for the class will be at least 3 weeks prior to start of class.
There will be an opportunity to join the winery’s “Wine Club.” A Wine Club provides for automatic shipments of wine, directly from the winery, at various times during the year, depending upon the plan selected. Many Wine Clubs offer limited production wines that never hit a wine shoppe and can only be purchased if you are a Club member.
Check back often for new class offerings!