Wine Classes in English with Home Tastings.
Tuesdays, 6-7:30 pm.

Although Francine's cooking classes are finished for the summer, you can drop-in on a wine class through August 10. Cooking and wine classes are part of our summer Cultural Seminars. Enjoy learning about the history and traditions of French regions through the lens of cuisine and wine. Each 4-week seminars can be attended as a bundle of four sessions, or as a single session drop-ins. Choose your options during registration.

Join Sommelier, Wine Educator and Alliance Board Member Maxine Borcherding for a tour of some more of the delicious wines of France. Each class will offer you the opportunity to purchase the wines to taste at home. Food pairing suggestions (and recipes) for each class will be provided when you register.

Taste along at home during the class session with Maxine via Zoom. Wines for each class can be purchased in our Boutique. Look over the wine lists and descriptions for each class – click here to download the complete set for all four classes. If you're not sure how to deal with all the wines for tastings at home, read Maxine's guide.

July 20 - Rosé, Rosé, Rosé
They're not all the same! The Rosés of la Belle France are made throughout the country and are deliciously different in style, variety of grape, and flavor. The aromatic, light and dry rosés of Provence are among the most food friendly wines in the world. The darker and bolder rosés of the Rhône can stand up to a steak. From the off-dry roses of the Loire Valley to the stunning sparkling roses of Burgundy and Bordeaux, you won't want to miss this delicious romp through the wonderful wines of summer. Download the list of rosés and descriptions.  Visit la Boutique to order: 5 rosés $93.50

Register for July 20 

July 27 - The glorious wines of Alsace
French by nationality, German by heritage, the wines of Alsace are rich, full bodied, and spectacularly varied: from dry to sweet, from still to sparkling, all benefiting from a long, slow growing season filled with sunlight despite its far northerly location. A highly complex geological history of 13 soil types formed hundreds of millions of years apart form a patchwork of terroirs which produce wines of unique nuance and character. Bottom line: the wines of Alsace are spectacularly good. You won’t want to miss these exceptionally food friendly beauties. Download the list and descriptions of wines from Alsace.  Visit la Boutique to order: 4 for $73.50

Register for July 27

August 3 - Champagne
Its very name conjures elegance and celebration. But the wines of Champagne were not always as they are today. They were still, barely red, and suffered from an inferiority complex when compared with the more famous Pinot Noirs of Burgundy. It took several monks, the British Navy, English glassmakers, the Royal Society of London, French textile merchants, and a widow to create Champagne as we know it. Join with us to learn its history, how it is made, and taste why it is revered around the world. Download the list and descriptions of the champagnes.  Visit la Boutique to order: 4 for $169.50

Register for August 3

August 10 - The Rhône Valley
I’ve often said that if I could only drink wine from one region for the rest of my life, it would be from the Rhône Valley. There is so much variety and it is all marvelous: from the world famous Syrahs and the rich Marsanne and Rousanne based whites from steep granite hillsides of the Massif Central in the north, to the deep galet roulé (rounded river rock) of Châteauneuf de Pape and the sun baked herb scented garrigue of the South, you aren’t going to want to miss this exploration of my favorite wine region. Download the list and descriptions of the Rhones.   Visit la Boutique to order: 4 for $119

Register for August 10