Wine 101 with Boston Wine School
Not sure if you really know the difference between red, white and rosé? We can fix that! Why aren’t all sparkling wines called Champagne? How does Sauvignon Blanc differ from Cabernet Sauvignon? What are the perfect foods with different kinds of wine?
The Boston Wine School is here to help answer all those questions and more. “Wine Tasting for the Complete Novice” is the ideal class for wine lovers just starting their wine lives. You will learn about the four major wine styles and focus in on four of the most popular wine grape varieties. In the process, you will begin to learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines.
Learning about wine means learning more about yourself and other people. Our goal is to help you understand and communicate your experience of a glass of wine.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND This is a Level 1 survey course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Students will learn technical wine tasting, major wine grapes, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis is on providing an overview of wine ideas, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
PLEASE NOTE Wine & food menus are subject to change based on availability, inspiration, and whimsy!
WINE MENU (tentative) Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) | Chardonnay (California USA) | Rosé (Southern France) | Pinot Noir (Oregon USA) | Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS Guests & students must be at least 21.
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2026.
The Boston Wine School is here to help answer all those questions and more. “Wine Tasting for the Complete Novice” is the ideal class for wine lovers just starting their wine lives. You will learn about the four major wine styles and focus in on four of the most popular wine grape varieties. In the process, you will begin to learn basic wine tasting skills and how to describe the different personalities of these wines.
Learning about wine means learning more about yourself and other people. Our goal is to help you understand and communicate your experience of a glass of wine.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND This is a Level 1 survey course for beginners and enthusiasts. It assumes some exposure to wine but little or no formal wine knowledge. This program is appropriate for both consumers and professionals in all wine, food, hospitality and service industries.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN Students will learn technical wine tasting, major wine grapes, and fundamentals of wine style. The emphasis is on providing an overview of wine ideas, plus an introduction to wine and food pairing concepts.
PLEASE NOTE Wine & food menus are subject to change based on availability, inspiration, and whimsy!
WINE MENU (tentative) Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) | Chardonnay (California USA) | Rosé (Southern France) | Pinot Noir (Oregon USA) | Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile)
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS Guests & students must be at least 21.
JONATHON ALSOP is founder & executive director of the Boston Wine School, author of The Wine Lover’s Devotional and In Vino Veritas, and a commentator for National Public Radio on WGBH | Boston Public Radio and Under The Radar.
He began writing about wine, food and travel in 1988 and emerged as a wine expert through his syndicated wine column. He has contributed numerous articles to the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer Magazine, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor’s Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and many others.
Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes in a dedicated 100% snob-free zone. His new book Wine Life: A Collection Of Verses will be published in 2026.
