Thanks to the inescapable influence of the global luxury goods industry, Champagne is a universal byword for elegance and aspiration. But there is much more to Champagne than marketing. Real wine lives and breathes under all that polish—if you know where to look (hint: not under the yellow umbrella or in rap songs from the 90s). Join us to find out what actually makes proper Champagne one of the great wines of the world, from geology and farming to the painstaking production method and the vital role of bottle aging. Learn how the rise of the Grower Champagne movement shook the market dominance of the big brands and how they have risen to the challenge. Explore how organic farming has revitalized the region and how climate change will shape its future. Most importantly, taste a diverse flight of fabulous Champagnes and consider classic and innovative food pairings.

Of the great wine regions, in France and beyond, perhaps none offers a more diverse array of world-class wines than does the Loire River Valley. Justly celebrated today for the dry white wines of Muscadet, Sancerre, and Saumur, the Loire has a long history of producing magnificent late-harvest sweet wines. Red wines run the gamut from rich Cabernet Franc and earthy Côt (Malbec) to silky Pinot Noir and peppery, translucent Pineau D’Aunis. And don’t forget the sparkling wines from Champagne look-alikes to funky Petillant Naturel (“pet-nat”) wines. In fact, your entire Thanksgiving feast could be accompanied beautifully by Loire wines. A celebrated tradition of winemaking combined with an exciting community of naturally-minded, farming-focused young vignerons makes the Loire one of today’s most dynamic growing regions. Taste the diversity, and value, it offers.

Alsace is one of the most strikingly beautiful regions in France, and has straddled the oenological, epicurean, and cultural traditions of both Germany and France for centuries. Belle’s village in “Beauty and the Beast” was indeed modeled after a picturesque Alsatian town, and no doubt she would have enjoyed the lovely wines made on the foothills of the Vosges Mountains. Tonight we’ll be communing with Belle and her furry love, tasting through a flight of the best that Alsace has to offer, from Grand Cru single varietals, to field blends, to delectable botrytized and late harvest dessert wines.

Since the Romans gouged terraced vineyards into the steep cliffs of the Mosel river valley over two thousand years ago, Germany has been deeply intertwined with the vine. Nurtured for hundreds of vintages by the monastic orders of the Holy Roman Empire, a proud tradition based principally on the Riesling grape reached an apex in the 19th Century, when German wines reigned as the most celebrated and expensive in the world. Decades of war and economic isolation, followed by a short-sighted emphasis on exporting low-quality sugary-sweet wines, badly damaged Germany’s viticultural reputation abroad. Only recently, through the dedicated labor of talented winemakers focused on dry Rieslings, have American consumers begun to appreciate how diverse, food-friendly, and fascinating German wines can be. Learn about Germany’s major regions, grape varietals and styles—including under-the-radar red wines that deserve a closer look.

Chianti, Brunello, Vino Nobile, Vin Santo, Sant'antimo, Super Tuscan. All incredibly important wine appellations from this one province in Italy. One of the culinary capitals of Europe with some of the most recognizable wine appellations enjoyed in American culture, Tuscany has been a prosperous land to farmers for centuries. In this class we will do a deep dive into several Tuscan appellations (likely cannot do all of them) and what their wine is expressive. We will also cover some history and try to answer questions like: How many clones of Sangiovese do we know of? Or Who was Franco Bernabei and what was his influence on Chianti?

The Italian Peninsula has served as a hub of viticultural wealth and diversity. With over 1000 varieties in this country alone, there is plenty to decode. This class will focus on Red wines that typically maintain structure and remain alive in bottles for a decade or more. We will a focus on the different tannic structures and flavor profiles found in famous expressions of Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, as well as delving into varieties not so often found in cellars like: Sagrantino di Montefalco, Single cru Nero d’Avola, Amarone della Valpolicella, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and even bordeaux variety blends from the Veneto and Tuscany.

Along with Burgundy, Bordeaux is France’s other most famous red wine region. Although not nearly as old as Burgundy, Bordeaux’s reputation has skyrocketed since the late 1980s, when the up-and-coming wine critic Robert Parker made certain vintages and producers famous. We’ll be discussing how to comprehend Bordeaux’s complex appellations and classification systems and how to find lesser-known Bordeaux wines of high quality. As you might expect, dear reader, we’ll be enjoying a variety of styles from Bordeaux.

Burgundy is arguably one of the most sought-after wine regions in the world, and its influence on the global wine scene is unparalleled. Monks have been studying the terroir in Burgundy since the dark ages, and nearly all the appellations in Burgundy result from their meticulous scholarship and winemaking. Given Burgundy’s storied history, it is a rather difficult place to understand, and Burgundian labels are notoriously befuddling. We’ll be discussing this history, cracking the code of Burgundy’s highly confusing appellations, and pouring a killer flight of wines, including Premiers and Grands Crus.

Born of the noble Nebbiolo grape, Piedmont’s Barolo and Barbaresco rank among the greatest red wines not only of Italy, but of the world. But there is more to the story of this large and varied region, from the complex, heady reds of the Alpine zones to hearty Barberas and silky Dolcettos. Even more surprising are the pleasures offered by the region’s under-appreciated white wines. Yes, of course there will be Barolo, but this class will illustrate how much more Piedmont has to offer.