Know What you Like.
Learn Why you Like it.
Hello friends!
This program is similar to the sommelier certification but with an education emphasis instead of a service emphasis.
I am a wine-tasting host and professional wine educator, certified as a level 2 professional by The Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Unlike most wine professionals, my goal is not to sell you wine. I want to help you learn more about it. Therefore, my goal is not to influence you towards a certain wine or brand, but to help you discover what you love and most importantly why you love it. Once we’ve accomplished that, I can help you find that and other similar flavor profiles going forward. I strive to create a non-judgmental and unpretentious atmosphere where people are free to ask any question they’ve ever had about wine and how to enjoy it to its fullest extent.
My goal is to help you find what you like and understand how to find more of what you like.
Here’s how it works.
I come to you. You can choose how you’d like to learn about wine and what you’d like to learn about wine. I offer one-on-one classes, small group tastings, or you can host a small party, and I can discuss wine with everyone. It all depends on what you want to get out of the experience.
After you’ve completed a hosted tasting, you become a Wine Guide Family Member for life. I host quarterly tastings via Zoom for all family members at no cost. And, if you have a question about a bottle, or if you need advice on a special bottle for a special occasion, you can always text or email me with any questions. I am happy to help!
Tasting Classes
I can help you learn more about any aspect of wine. I have organized some popular topics into tasting classes. These have proven popular in the past, but they are starting points. I can customize an experience based on your needs, and the possibilities are endless. Scroll down to learn more about the most popular classes, peruse them all, or contact me today to begin a conversation about a custom class.
A Journey Through France
French wines are some of the most complicated in the world to understand. There are so many regions, sub-regions, and classifications of French wine, and they all mean something different depending on where that wine originates. It can be confusing and frustrating to decode.
The truth is that many French wines are delicious, but some may not choose to buy them, being unsure of what the labels mean.
This class is extremely popular, and it is designed to help everyone understand and enjoy French wine. Choosing this class will help you to understand French labels, regions, and styles. This experience is designed to help you become more confident in choosing French wines and gain an understanding of which regions are your favorite.
We can journey through all of France, or I can do a deep dive into Bordeaux or Burgundy. This class works great at a private wine tasting with up to 20 people or for a small group of couples.
Become a Wine List Expert
Have you ever been handed the wine list at a restaurant and thought to yourself “I have no idea what to pick or how to pick it?” Then you point at one that matches your budget, right? I have done that in so many restaurants, I’ve lost count. Now that I know how to read a wine list, I can make an educated decision on what wine I would like to go with my dinner.
In this class, you will learn to decode wine lists and pick the right wine for you. We will look at several typical wine lists and taste different wines that come from those lists. I will help you understand what most restaurants are hoping to achieve with their wine lists, and you will learn the right questions to ask your server or sommelier.
This class is very popular with people who often entertain clients at dinner and with couples who enjoy dining out on a regular basis.
Aging Wines
People often ask me if the vintage of a wine really makes a difference. The answer to that question is yes . . . Most of the time. There are some winemakers who strive to make their wine taste the same year after year. There are others who allow the growing environment - known as terroir - express itself in in the wine differently each year.
In this class, we will taste the same wine from different vintages, which is known as a vertical tasting. We will explore how to tell the age of a wine by looking at it., and how the wine changes and develops with age.
This class is unique, and it is truly one of my favorites. It is always fun to learn about the differences in wine, but exploring different vintages from the same winemaker is a whole different level of exciting!
Back to Basics
Many people love wine. Many of those same people wish they knew how to better describe and dissect the wine they love. Wine is complex. There are many elements to interpret, such as aromas, flavors, texture, body, acid, sugar, and alcohol.
Would you like to confidently say that you get a hint of candied pineapple when you nose a wine? Would you like to know whether a wine is high or low in acid? In this class, you will learn how to identify the elements of wine, and we will begin to learn how to detect flavors and aromas.
This class works best for small groups of no more than 10. Guests will be tasting a variety of liquids in addition to wine, which requires extra preparation and time during the tasting.
“John is both knowledgeable and personable. He made wine--something which usually intimidates me--approachable and fun, while still teaching me a lot about it! I've been to several wine tastings before, and yet I learned so many new things about how to smell and taste wine, how wines are classified, alcohol content, and how to be a smarter wine shopper--he seriously seems to know everything about wine! Overall, the tasting was the perfect mix of fun and informative, and I can highly recommend doing a wine tasting with John!”
— Shannon K, Lincoln, NE
Contact
Are you ready to enhance your wine journey? Send a message to begin a conversation.
Email
info@johnthewineguide.com
Phone
(970) 661-6041