WEEK 01

TASTE LIKE A PRO

Foundations of Tasting & Sensory Evaluation

Flight Structure:

  • Flight 1: Intro to Structure – Acidity, Body, Tannin, Alcohol

  • Flight 2: Aromatics – High-aroma varietals across styles

  • Flight 3: Red vs White Structure – Compare weight, texture, and finish

  • Flight 4: Blind Flight – Test your senses on familiar varietals

  • Flight 5: Winemaking Influence – Oak, steel, skin-contact

Sample Wines:

  • Riesling, Albariño, Sancerre, Viognier

  • Pinot Noir (Oregon + Burgundy), Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot

  • Unoaked Chardonnay vs oaked

  • Skin-contact white (orange)

  • Natural red (glou-glou style)

Key Skills Developed:

  • The 5 elements of professional tasting

  • How to write a tasting note

  • Intro to blind tasting logic

CAN YOU TASTE
THE PLACE?

WEEK 02

Terroir, Regions & Climate Expression

Flight Structure:

  • Flight 1: Chardonnay Around the World

  • Flight 2: Pinot Noir by Region

  • Flight 3: Old World vs New World Syrah

  • Flight 4: Cool Climate vs Warm Climate Reds

  • Flight 5: Wildcards – Surprise regional picks

Sample Wines:

  • Chablis, Sonoma Coast, Margaret River, Champagne Blanc de Blancs

  • Burgundy, Willamette, Central Otago, Germany

  • Rhône Syrah, Barossa Shiraz

  • Gamay (Beaujolais) vs Zinfandel (Paso Robles)

  • Tannat (Uruguay), Blaufränkisch, Etna Ross

Key Skills Developed:

  • Recognizing regional typicity

  • Understanding the impact of terroir

  • Navigating regional labels

WEEK 03

THE FLAVOR FILES

Aroma, Flavor Development, and Descriptive Mastery

Flight Structure:

  • Flight 1: Primary Aromas – Fruit, floral, herbal

  • Flight 2: Secondary – Oak, butter, yeast, lees

  • Flight 3: Tertiary – Age, oxidation, bottle evolution

  • Flight 4: Smell-Along (paired with physical aroma samples)

  • Flight 5: Descriptors in Action – Taste & describe

Sample Wines:

  • Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Torrontés, NZ Sauv Blanc

  • Oaked vs unoaked Chard, Champagne, white Rioja

  • Barolo (aged), Bordeaux (10+ yrs), Sherry, Madeira

  • Smell: vanilla, cloves, green bell pepper, petrol, truffle

  • Pinotage, aged Riesling, Sémillon, dessert wine

Key Skills Developed:

  • Building scent memory

  • Confidently describing wine

  • Connecting process to palate

WEEK 04

MEET THE MAKER

Winemaking Decisions & Technical Exploration

Flight Structure:

  • Flight 1: Fermentation Variables – Temp, yeast, vessel

  • Flight 2: Maceration & Extraction – Skin contact, pump-over

  • Flight 3: Oak Program – French vs American, new vs neutral

  • Flight 4: Aging Impact – Youthful vs evolved

  • Flight 5: Natural, Organic, Biodynamic – Style comparison

Sample Wines:

  • Carbonic maceration Gamay, skin-contact Pinot Gris, barrel-fermented Chard

  • Rioja Crianza vs Gran Reserva, Cabernet with extended maceration

  • French oak Merlot vs American oak Syrah

  • Tempranillo: joven vs 10 yrs aged

  • Orange wine, natural Beaujolais, amphora-aged red, sulfite-free cuvée

Key Skills Developed:

  • Linking winemaking methods to style

  • Understanding vintage and aging decisions

  • Evaluating age-worthiness

WEEK 05

Pairing & Play

Food Pairing, Wine Lists, and Real-World Application

Flight Structure:

  • Flight 1: Acid + Salt – Sparkling, Riesling, Albariño with salty bites

  • Flight 2: Fat + Tannin – Big reds with cheese/fatty foods

  • Flight 3: Spice + Sweetness – Pairing tricky profiles

  • Flight 4: Offbeat Pairings – Unconventional matches

  • Flight 5: Restaurant Flight – Practice reading a wine list

Sample Wines:

  • Brut Champagne, off-dry Riesling, Albariño, Vermentino

  • Napa Cab, Bordeaux, Syrah, Petite Sirah

  • Gewürztraminer, Lambrusco, chilled Gamay

  • Lambrusco + chips, Prosecco + fried chicken, Sherry + nuts

  • Curated menu-style list with four wines from different categories

Key Skills Developed:

  • Core food + wine pairing strategies

  • Wine list navigation

  • Real-world wine confidence