I had been meaning to attend the Wine 101 Class by Wine Story Academy for months. But because of tight schedule, booking a classΒ did not seem possible. Finally, I freed up one SaturdayΒ just before the week of our wedding to attend the wine appreciation class in Wine Story Parker Room at Serendra, BGC. For two hours, we had a cool opportunity to sample a range of wines as Wine Education Manager Carla Santos provided us a solid foundation in understanding and appreciating wines even more. In this post, I’m sharing the top 3 lessons we learned (aside from the aroma, palate, and tasting notes of wines).
Top 3Β Lessons Learned from Wine 101: Wine Appreciation Class (Wine Story Serendra, Philippines)
1. Wine can be intimidating but it doesn’t need to be.
Some people are not comfortable with the thought of tasting or drinking wine. Especially to those that are not familiar, it can be a confusing topic. Attending theΒ Wine 101 ClassΒ has removed our fear and hesitation about learning what we have always wanted to learn about wine.
Since the class had a small group of students (12 per session), our inquiries and questions wereΒ all entertained and answered. Carla started with an overview of the basic terms and principles about wine and then proceeded on covering topics such as how to properly taste wine and how to make a good selection in a restaurant or a store. We explored the process of making wine from picking the grapes in the vineyard to bottling the wine.
The short course gave us a good insight to the introductory aspects of wine and wine tasting. At the end of the class, we felt more knowledgeable and more confident in choosing good quality wines over bad ones.
2. There is much to learn and enjoy during an actual wine class and tasting session.
We can always read tasting notes and wine characteristics from websites and online tutorial pagesΒ (UdemyΒ and Coursera, for instance), but having the “taste” experience is still better and more preferable. Knowing the different flavors, mouthfeel, acidity, aromas, and colors as well as the grape varieties, food pairings, and origins requires more than just reading text from the computer screen (or mobile phone).
The beauty about attending Wine 101 is the act of tasting different wines and making sense of what we tasted relating to description, quality, style, type, preference, drinking context, etc.Β It allowed usΒ to practice wine tasting with sensory evaluation and discover our preferences in a relaxed environment. All materials were included. No prior knowledge was required.
3. Aged wine is not always better.
I had the misconceptionΒ that wines are all meant to be aged and that aged wines are higher both in cost and value. The truth, as it stands, is that 90% of wine must be consumed within a year of production.
Aging does bring out an array of exotic smells and tastes. (A correctly aged Pinot Noir can gain aromas of truffles; a Syrah can become fragrant with rich spices.) However, there’s science involved in wine aging and it’s not as simple as storing it in a dark room in your home for decades and expect it to taste great. Factors such as temperature fluctuations, excess vibration, and excessive light can hasten the deterioration of wine.
Each crop of grapes is different. Each bottle of wine ages a little differently from the next; the perfect time to uncork a particular grape varietal will change with the region, the year, and the specific process the grapes undergo as they are being smashed and fermented into wine.
WSA: Approved Program Provider of WSET
Wine Story Academy (WSA) in the Philippines accommodates wine loversβ desire for further wine education from any level of experience. For beginners, Wine 101 is an excellent starting point to know more about wine in a casualΒ and organized setting. If youΒ want something unique for your next date or acquire newfound knowledgeΒ with family or friends who love wine, booking a slot here is highly recommended. In this course, we learned how to improve our palate, overcome wine anxiety, widen our technical knowledge, and set aside any wine prejudices we have arrived with.
For those wanting to take things a step further, WSA offers four levels of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) qualification courses as an Approved Program Provider. The WSET is a worldwide organization providing high-quality training and qualifications for professionals working in the wine and spirit and hospitality trades.
Wine Story is a luxury store in Shangri-La Mall, Serendra and One Rockwell. There is no other wine store quite like it… not in Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai or even Tokyo. Wine Story offers up to 16 wines by the glass for sampling before you buy. The cutting-edge store design, state of the art ambiance and the finest wine selection of Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, California Cult and large format bottles will simply take your breath away.
About Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco
Health and technology freak. Food and lifestyle blogger with a large appetite for food and travel.
That sounds like so much fun! I love wine, and wine tastings are absolutely a classy way to spend an evening. Sounds like a great get together.
Yup! Imagine a whole bunch of friends learning about wine. How classy, right? The room at Wine Story is a great space, intimate enough to get to know your fellow students, but spacious enough to hear the teacher and learn. Everyone was super friendly and the instructor answered every question and was so knowledgeable about the wine.
That sounds like so much fun! I love wine, but usually choose it by the colourful fun label. I would love to be able to tell what makes a good wine and the history behind it!
Great! It’s nice to know that you’re interested. Wine 101 is a really fun and engaging experience no matter what your wine IQ is. π
Now this looks like fun! I need to go to a wine appreciation class and learn all about wine!
If you’re in Manila or anywhere near, Wine 101 by Wine Story Academy is very accessible for newbies and winos alike. Take a chance and go with your friends, or spice up that date! π
I would love to take a class like this. I have always wanted to learn more about Wine.
Nice! Wine Story Academy is a gem. Carla is a good wine instructor and she’s intelligent and candid about her experience in the wine industry.
What an exciting event. That’s what I thought about aged wines, too. This is great information.
Haha. It’s great to learn something new every chance we get. π
I really want to learn more about different wines and it’s taste. I’m glad that you had an amazing day with those wine.
Yup! I’ll revisit to attend a wine and food pairing class next time, hopefully with my husband. π
I totally would love to go to something like this. I love wine but would love to learn more about the different kinds.
It’s never too late to learn. The good thing about Wine Story Academy is that classes can be very thorough. You get to learn a TON and taste a lot of different wines. They offer not just any wine but wine that has significance to where you are in your education. Whether you’re just having fun or trying to go pro, you will discover wines that you never knew you appreciated and wines that you never knew existed. It can literally be amazing!
It sounds like you had an amazing time at your wine appreciation class. This is something I would love to do some day. The history alone would be awesome to learn. Thanks for sharing your experience.
You’re welcome! It’s awesome to taste, and talk about, wine in a group. The whole class can get really caught up and pretty soon you have a couple of new friends.I mean, 12 people who have similar interests, learning about and tasting wine? You WILL start talking to your neighbor. π
This looks like a lot of fun. I think a wine class is just what I need. I’d love to attend one of them someday.
It’s so fun. If you’re thinking about checking it out, whether just for fun or for something more, you really should!
I know nothing about wine, but my husband took a class years ago to learn all about it. I think I would definitely love to learn about wine.
It takes two hours only and your knowledge in wine will advance so you’ll be more confident when it comes to social scenes. π
How neat! I’d love to do something like this. especially with my friends. We’d have such a blast!
Yes, I can imagine that. π
I am not a huge wine drinker. However, I have always wanted to do a wine tasting just to see if there was a wine that I actually enjoyed.
You’ll definitely discover which wine types and varietals that fit your palate in a class like this. π
I love wine and drink it occasionally. I would love to take a wine class. Sounds fun.
I’m also an occasional wine drinker. Attending Wine 101 has heightened my understanding about how wine is made, why it tastes the way it does, the proper way to taste wine, and the history of wine production and exportation. π
I don’t know about wine which is why I’ve always wanted to take a wine tasting class. It looks and sounds like fun especially when you’re with friends.
It will be fun! Just go give a class a try. You’re guaranteed to do two things; drink and learn something. Where can you go wrong? π
Oh, I wouldn’t need a class for this. I appreciate all wine! White, reds, blends, I love them all.