Wine House Classes & Events - UPDATED December 14

WINE HOUSE NAMED ONE OF THE
"WORLD'S BEST WINE SHOPS" IN FOOD & WINE!

The Wine House is thrilled to be named one of ten of the "World’s Best Wine Shops" in Food & Wine! In addition to being described as a "wine geek’s dream destination" with modest markups and excellent small-production offerings, we were noted for having "an impressive lineup of classes."

We're also delighted to announce that Monica Marin, Director of Education here at The Wine House, is one of ten educators worldwide that have been nominated by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) as an Educator of the Year for 2019!

Remember: The Wine House has you covered for the holidays! Our store is now open extended hours – the next time you are in store, check out our Holiday Gourmet Food section and browse our accessory collection. You can shop online 24/7 for wines, premium spirits, beers, sakes, classes & events and select accessories for enjoying your wines. Or give a Wine House gift card and let the recipient choose!

SUMMARY OF UPCOMING WINE HOUSE
CLASSES AND EVENTS

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
Saturday, January 11, $299

WSET Level 1 Award in Sake
Sunday, January 19, $275

WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
Begins Saturday, January 25, $1,295

What You Absolutely Need to Know About Wine
Monday, January 27, $59

WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
Begins Tuesday, January 28, $795

Bordeaux Class and Tasting with Monica Marin
Wednesday, January 29, $99

In-Store Other Bubbles
Tuesday, February 11, $49

Wine Scholar Guild: French Wine Scholar Certificate Program *NEW*
Begins Sunday, March 15, $845

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, cancellations must be received at least 48 hours before start time for a refund or transfer to another class.

Scroll down for details on these classes that are coming up soon... or click below to see ALL Wine House classes and events!

The WSET Level 1 Award in Wines is a suggested prerequisite for the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and Spirits course. Students learn the basics of wine in this entry-level course in a format specially designed for those with no previous wine knowledge. It is strongly recommended for consumers or those new to wine and focuses on the main styles of wines available, tasting technique, wine, and food pairing as well as wine service and etiquette.

The 6-hour course includes an exam with 30 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 45 minutes, printed study guide, tasting of 10 wines, food pairing exercises, and exam fee. Successful candidates receive a certificate and lapel pin for the internationally-recognized WSET Level 1 Award in Wines.

The Instructor for this course is Monica Marin, FWS/DWS, and nominee for WSET Educator of the Year 2019.

Study materials are available for pickup immediately following booking confirmation.

View the course synopsis.

The Wine House is pleased to offer the WSET Level 1 Award in Sake! The instructor for this course will be Sachiko Miyagi, Master Sake Sommelier, Sake Service Institute (the largest organization of sake sommelier certification in Japan) and Certified Sake Educator Level 3, Wine & Spirit Education Trust. She is one of the few Japanese women to hold Sake certifications.

This class is ideal for consumers or those new to sake with the focus on:
Main sake ingredients
Main production steps
Principal categories and grades of sake
Specialty styles of sake
Controlled production steps
Japanese labeling terms
Storage and service
Common faults
Principles of food and sake pairing
Social and health issues

The class consists of a session of 6 hours that concludes with a short 30-question multiple-choice exam of 45 minutes. Successful candidates receive the internationally-recognized WSET Level 1 Award in Sake.

WSET Level 1 Award in Sake is strongly recommended for those who have little training in or knowledge of sake.

WSET Level 1 Award in Sake includes: 6 tuition hours, printed study guide, tasting of 8 sakes, exam fee, certificate and lapel pin to successful candidates. Light sushi lunch is included.

Time: Saturday, 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Class Dates: January 25, February 1, 8, 22, 29
Exam: Wednesday, March 11 – 6:30 PM
Where: Addie’s Place, the private event space upstairs from The Wine House
Instructor: Monica Marin, FWS/DWS, and nominee for WSET Educator of the Year 2019

Prerequisite: Pass the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines or consent of the instructor

Study materials available for pick up as soon as you receive a confirmation email of your registration.

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 Award in Wines (Advanced Certificate) course is intended to provide in-depth knowledge of a wide range of wines and is open to students who hold the WSET Level 2 Award in Wines or can demonstrate knowledge at Intermediate level through completion of equivalent education courses or sufficient wine trade experience. The WSET course covers wines of the world in considerable depth over 35 hours. All sessions include tastings.

The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines requires students to prove competency in theory and tasting. The examination for the Advanced Certificate is in two parts, a theory examination of 50 multiple-choice questions and four short-answer questions and a tasting examination consisting of a blind tasting of two wines. The WSET recommends that students complete at least 56 hours of personal study outside the classroom hours during their course of study. The WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is a prerequisite for students wishing to progress to the Level 4 Diploma Course. Students cannot enroll in a Diploma course until they have passed the Level 3 Course.

Two installment payment plan available. Please call the Order Desk for details, 310.479.3731, ext 0.

To find out more about this course, please contact Monica Marin, monicam@winehouse.com.

This course has a 72-hour cancellation policy.

Whether you’re an absolute beginner or a hardened vet, this class will teach you something you didn’t know, or at least were not sure of, in the complex and wonderful world of wine. Truth be told, there is a lot of fundamental information about wine that most people have just skipped over in order to get to the drinking part!

Participants will taste NINE great wines that illustrate the information presented. The most heard comments after this class are usually along the lines of: "I’ve been drinking wine for 15 years, going tasting in Santa Barbara and Napa, etc., and I learned more about wine in the first 20 minutes of this class than I did in all that time!"

Join Tasting & Seminars Director JB Severin for an entertaining revelation.

Class dates & time:
Tuesday: January 28, February 4, 11, 18, 25, March 3 (exam at end of class)
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Instructor: Monica Marin, FWS/DWS, and nominee for WSET Educator of the Year 2019

Study materials available for pick up as soon as you receive a confirmation email of your registration. It is advisable to pick up the materials before the first class on Tuesday, January 28.

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 2 Award in Wines course is intended as vocational training in product knowledge for those employed in the drinks industry but who have little previous knowledge of the broad range of alcoholic beverages available. The qualification is suitable wherever a good level of product knowledge is required to underpin job skills and competencies. The WSET Level 2 Award in Wines course is also appropriate for those not employed in the drinks industry but who want a serious education in wine, and wish to broaden their knowledge in a structured way. Wine tasting is a part of every class. The WSET recommends that students complete at least 14 hours of personal study outside the classroom hours during their course of study.

To find out more about this course, please contact Monica Marin 310.479.3731, monicam@winehouse.com. View the complete course specification.

This course has a 72-hour cancellation policy.

This evening is where you will learn everything you need to know about Bordeaux! Monica Marin, DWS, official instructor of the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin, will guide you through the key appellations of this legendary region in a detailed tour featuring red and white wines of the right and left banks. This 3-hour class will cover all aspects of the Bordeaux AOC, including: history, key factors that make Bordeaux wines what they are (location, geography, climate, grape varieties, soils), viticulture and winemaking techniques as well as the Bordeaux Classification Systems (Médoc, Sauternes, Graves, Saint-Emilion & Crus Bourgeois).

The class will cover the main appellations grouped in the 6 families of Bordeaux wines:
– Dry white wines
– Sweet wines (Sauternes)
– Bordeaux & Bordeaux Superieur AOCs
– The Côtes de Bordeaux
– The Right Bank (Libournais, Saint-Emilion & Pomerol – Merlot based wines)
– The Left Bank (Médoc & Graves – Cabernet based wines)

Participants will taste 10 wines, including some Grand Cru Classés, that illustrate each of the Bordeaux families of wines, covering the differences in quality and style of Bordeaux’s main appellations. Light food will be served (French cheese & crackers). Participants will receive educational handouts from the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin. All levels welcome!

The instructor for this course will Monica Marin, DWS, French Wine Scholar Educator, certified Educator by the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin, and nominee for WSET Educator of the Year 2019.

Other Bubbles, or "It’s Not Champagne!"

Join us for a pre-Valentine’s Day celebration of sparkling wines from around the world. For only $49, taste over 30 sparkling wines – including a couple of Pet-Nats you may have been hearing about!

More than 90% of the world’s sparkling wines are produced outside of Champagne, France, some using the same traditional (Champagne) method, others using other methods, such as tank (aka Charmat), transfer method, ancestral method, or carbon injection. In some cases, the same grapes that comprise Champagne – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier – are used, but sometimes producers use other grapes – Riesling and Shiraz, for example – to create crisp, refreshing, complex, and delicious sparkling wines, and often at a fraction of the cost of real Champagne.

On February 11, compare and contrast wines from countries around the world, including Cremant from the Loire Valley and Burgundy in France; Prosecco, Franciacorta and Moscato from Italy; Sekt from Germany; and Cava from Spain. And don’t miss the approachable New World sparkling wines from California, Oregon, and New Mexico, and Australia.

Soak up the bubbles with some delicious cheese and charcuterie from our gourmet department.

Purchase tickets for yourself or as a gift for the bubbles lover in your life.

Time: Sundays 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM and Wednesday evenings 6:30 to 9:30 PM
Class Dates: March 15,18,22,25,29
Exam: Wednesday, April 15
Where: Addie’s Place, private room adjacent to Upstairs 2 Restaurant above The Wine House
Instructor: Monica Marin, FWS/DWS, and nominee for WSET Educator of the Year 2019.

Note: Study materials will be available one week before the beginning of class for students registered before February 9; those registering after that date will get study materials on the first day of class.

Two installment payment program available via phone registration only. Call (310) 479-3731 during store hours to pay in two installments.

Course Includes:

• 24 hours of instruction (4 sessions of 6 hours each) with tutored tastings in all sessions
• Newly redesigned 270-page, full-color FWS Study Manual (6th edition, updated in 2017)
• Access for 1 full year to the FWS Online Study Program
• FWS in-classroom exam
• Upon passing the FWS exam, participants receive The French Wine Scholar (FWS) credential, a certificate and a lapel pin.

The French Wine Scholar Study and Certification program provides current, accurate and in-depth information on the wines and wine regions of France. Developed and administered by the Wine Scholar Guild with the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, this specialization program is designed for advanced students of wine, whether professionals or serious wine hobbyists. Students of wine who follow this in-depth curriculum and pass the exam will earn the French Wine Scholar (FWS) post-nominal (e.g., John Smith, FWS). The exam is given in multiple-choice format. There are 100 questions covering all of the wine regions of France. Passing score is 75. Students must be at least 21 years of age.

French wine regions and styles are the "reference points" in the world of wine, making an in-depth understanding of French wine indispensable. The course includes a foundation unit covering French wine law, grape varieties, viticulture, viniculture and a discussion of Old World vs. New World wine styles, plus in-depth study of each region:

Learn more about this course