We kicked off the new session at the Wine School @ San Francisco Wine Center in style with our ever-popular Intro Class, Tasting and Describing. James Beard Award-winning wine author Jordan Mackay led a record sized Intro class of 24 guests through a blind tasting of popular varietals in classic styles made around the wine world. From color, aromas and flavors to acidity, tannin and alcohol, this class serves as an important foundation in recognizing the attributes of wine and pinpointing them to certain grapes and countries. As guests focused in on training their senses like professional sommeliers, Jordan also dropped a heavy dose of knowledge on them from the basics of winemaking to a summary of the most important wine growing regions of the world.
For the white wines, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc displayed the bright, zesty, citrus flavors typical of this wine; a Chardonnay from Chablis showed the crisp apple, blazing minerality and subtle creaminess of this grape’s motherland; a German Riesling added a little touch of mid-palate sweetness to the flight. For the red wines, Oregon Pinot Noir warmed our palates with cherry, spice and soft tannins. Tempranillo from Ribera del Duero was punchier with added weight and an earthy element. Sangiovese from Chianti made mouths water for red sauce and pasta, and bold Shiraz from Australia introduced a meatier element that segued nicely into the grand finale, a juicy and bold Napa Cab from the highly respected 2001 vintage. If you’re in the Bay Area this Spring, come join us for other exciting tasting classes! Visit sfwinecenter.com.
