OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Whether you know a little or a lot about wine, are a seasoned wine sipper or a budding wine enthusiast, Ocean Wine School can help you build your wine knowledge. Ocean Wine & Spirits located in the Wegmans Shopping Center in Ocean is now offering affordable Wine Education classes on Wednesday evenings.
Since the retail location is not always the best venue to learn about wine, the classes will be held at Branches Catering in West Long Branch each week.
Ocean Wine School curriculum begins with the basics: how to taste wine and identify flavors. Classes continue with region-by-region sessions to give tasters a well-rounded knowledge of wine. The first offering on March 3rd, is Basic Wine—a smart and fun class that introduces the most important building blocks of wine knowledge. Come with an open mind, because we will also dispel many of those wine myths that are too often bandied about.
Attendees will learn how to swirl, sniff and sip like a pro while acquiring a true understanding of the tasting process. Understanding the basic six grape varieties will help students anticipate the flavors from the label, an invaluable skill when selecting from a restaurant menu or retail shop.
The classes will be taught by Ocean Wine & Spirits’ Certified Sommelier, Barbara Hay and guest lecturer John Lombardo, GM of Branches Catering. The sessions will run on average two and a half hours.
No experience is necessary or required to begin learning about wine. There will never be a better time to start tasting than now. All classes in the Ocean Wine School series may be taken individually at $45 per person or as part of a specially-priced package which offers a discount on five or more classes. To register, interested parties may contact Ocean Wine & Spirits 732.660.6700 or go to www.oceanwineandspirits.com for more detailed information.
Ocean Wine School Classes
Wine Basics 101 - Wine and Sensory Evaluation
This class is an exercise on the basics of wine by using the senses of sight, smell, taste and touch. The information is presented with humor to lay the foundation for enjoying the world of wine. The first third of the class explores components in wine and sensory evaluation--you learn to identify the various components that make up wine: acids, sugar, alcohol, et al, and why they pair with food.
Then, we cover the history of wine in brief with a quick overview of the grapes, aromas, tannins, acid, regions and styles. We also discuss worldwide wine classification, and some of the regulations that govern wine in the US. Finally, you learn the part that soil and climate play in winegrowing, and how to read wine labels.
The second part of the class illustrates how best to appreciate wine through proper tasting techniques.
Wines will be tasted with a discussion of the differences between acids, tannins, sugar levels and body/weight found in wine, what legs or tears mean, plus the principle characteristics and aroma profile of each. The segment ends with a tasting of wines to illustrate the result of wine classification.
The final portion of the class illustrates the practical side of wine buying by identifying varietals and blends. From ordering from a 50-page wine list to selecting wines in a shop, you will develop an understanding what the wine label says, and how to buy, store, serve and savor. We’ll cover wine flaws and defects to help you determine when a wine is spoiled or when it is simply badly produced; the proper storage temperature for wine: how long to keep wine once it's been opened, when to microwave & freeze wine and much more.
The class ends with a segment of questions and answers. This is a great introductory class for the novice wine drinker to help expand their palate and take the mystery out of wine. Three-hour seminar costs $45.00 per person. The cost includes wine and food, plus printed materials. Take home literature includes: Sniffing, Swirling and Savoring along with our Experts
Bordeaux Basics
Are you interested in wines from Bordeaux but don't know where to start? Learn the classifications, the taste profiles and the price variations for the different regions in one of the greatest wine regions of the world...Bordeaux!
Discover the wines of one of the most famous and celebrated regions in the wine world.
This seminar explores the grape varieties, growths and classifications, history and soils of this unique area that the ancient Romans called Terra Burdigala.
Several wines from the varying communes of Bordeaux will be tasted with insight into what has made these wines the benchmark of quality for centuries.
This is a unique seminar for those wishing to demystify this region and get familiar with the different styles produced.
Two-hour seminar $45 per person
Wines of the Rhône Valley
This region, located in the southeastern portion of France, is in fact where the appellation of origin system was born with the introduction of quality regulations in Chateauneuf-
Two-hour seminar $45 per person
German or French? Wines of Alsace
With the Vosges mountains and the rest of France to the west, and the Rhine and then Germany to the east, Alsace really is a mini-kingdom to itself, which has absorbed aspects from both French and German cultures. This region, now located in the northeastern portion of France, has been French then German, then French since WWII it has remained French. It's no wonder most of the people in this tiny region speak both French and German and produce French versions of classic German styles.
This region offers a broad range of delicious, well-structured, food friendly white wines, and include the famous Riesling, more commonly associated with the vineyards of Germany, as well as the Pinot Noir, the red grape of Burgundy. Less famous, but no less capable are Tokay-Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Blanc.The wines of Alsace can truly be wonderful, covering all price ranges and style. Several wines will be tasted from Alsace with a discussion of the styles attributed to each.
Two-hour seminar $45 per person.
The Many Levels of Burgundy
With 1000 years of history behind them, the wines of Burgundy are the best known in the world. Burgundies - are red wines made from pinot noir or white wines made from chardonnay. Other varietals of this region include Gamay and Aligoté. You will discover why Burgundy has a higher number of Appellation d'orginine contrôlées (AOCs)
Two-hour seminar $45 per person.
Barbara Hay
Advertising / Marketing Manager
Ocean Wine & Spirits
1104 Rte. 35 South
Ocean, NJ 07712
Phone; 732-660-6700
Fax; 732-660-6701
Email: bhay@oceanwineandspirits.com
Alternate Email: hayseeds@mac.com
PLEASE VISIT HTTP://www.oceanwineandspirits.com FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CLASSES
