WineMasters Class

The story of winemaking is very old. Research is still ongoing but the Caucasus and Near East seem to be the cradle of wine making, trading and culture. Some of these countries still produce wine in a very traditional way. We'll visit Georgia, Armenia, Lebanon and Greece, where we'll guide you through the history of wine and explain the different methods of winemaking.

In the Northern Rhône, it's all about Syrah. Hermitage is the most famous appellation and produces one of France's most valued wines. Perfumed and sumptuous white wines made from Viognier can be found in the appellation of Condrieu, while other white wines in the region are made from Roussanne and Marsanne. In our experiment we'll learn you tricks how to detect aromas in alcoholic beverages

The northern part of Portugal is most famous for its fortified wine Port, and we'll explain the making of the different styles Ruby and Tawny Port in our experiment. Portugal is a treasure trove of indigenous grape varieties. We'll visit Vinho Verde, the Douro and Dão, where a new generation of winemakers create authentic quality still and dry wines which are age worthy too.

Rioja's vineyards are situated along the Ebro River and Tempranillo is the most important grape variety. But the wines made from it come in so many different styles, both varietal and blends, that no two Rioja's are ever the same. Mazuelo, Graciano and Garnacha are other grape varieties we'll highlight and in our experiment, we explain how altitude and exposure affect the grapes.

Sweet wines can be made in several ways, and we'll discuss the different methods that are used to make sweet wines. The real challenge is always for winemakers to create the perfect balance between sugar and acidity, and when this happens these wines can last for decades. In our experiment we'll give insight on pairing these wines with food.

Oregon and Washington are divided by the great Colombia river and it's this river, and its tributaries that provide many ideal locations to plant vines. Oregon is best known for Pinot Noir, while Washington is harder to pin down to just one variety, as it produces quality wines from many, mostly French, grapes. In our experiment we'll talk about canopy management.