Step into the shoes of a wine sleuth for an evening where every glass becomes a delicious mystery. Blind tasting isn’t just a party trick—it’s one of the most rewarding ways to understand and develop your palate. By exploring wine without any labels or expectations, you’ll learn to trust your senses and uncover the hidden clues that reveal what’s in the glass.

Can your palate tell the difference between a $7 bottle and a $37 bottle? In this fun, judgment-free blind tasting, we’ll pit Trader Joe’s wines against comparable styles from well-known producers to explore where value ends and quality begins. You’ll taste side-by-side flights without knowing what’s in your glass until the final reveal.

Guest Educator: Sofia Yankelevitch

The Douro Valley is one of the world’s most dramatic wine regions, where steep, terraced vineyards produce everything from bright, mineral-driven whites to rich, age-worthy reds, along with the legendary Ports that put Portugal on the map.

In part two of our deep dive into the world’s most iconic blends, we shift the spotlight to the producers — the visionaries, rebels, and legacy houses who turned regional traditions into global empires. From the prestige-driven bubbles of Champagne to the sun-drenched gravitas of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the storied cellars of Rioja, the renegade Super Tuscans, and the liquid gold of Sauternes, this class unpacks the business behind the blend: how style, storytelling, and scale helped shape what we now consider the pinnacle of wine.

Tasting includes high-tier examples of each blend — bold, cellar-worthy, and built to impress.

Grenache (a.k.a. Garnacha, Cannonau) is a shape-shifter. Bright and juicy in one glass, rich and warming in the next. As summer fades and fall approaches, this adaptable red grape shines, offering the ripe fruit and easy charm of warm-weather wines alongside the spice, depth, and texture that feel right as the air cools.

Whether you're on the floor or just want to serve with more finesse, this hands-on class covers the gold standard of sommelier service — from presenting and opening bottles to pouring with precision and handling common service scenarios with confidence. Led by a 20+ year industry veteran with experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and elite private clubs, this workshop is your chance to learn directly from one of the best.

With Advanced Sommelier Jason Wilfore

Tucked in the French Alps near the Swiss border, Savoie is one of France’s most overlooked — and most exciting — wine regions. In this class, we’ll explore the crisp whites, refreshing reds, and distinctive local varieties that thrive in this cool, mountainous terrain. Expect lively acidity, unexpected complexity, and a whole new appreciation for grapes you’ve (probably) never heard of.

Educator: Sofia Yankelevitch

Every decision a winemaker makes leaves a trace — if you know what to look (and smell) for. This class trains your palate to recognize key winemaking techniques by their structural and aromatic signatures. Through a guided tasting, we’ll explore the sensory clues of oak fermentation, carbonic maceration, oxidative aging, and lees contact. You’ll learn how to spot lifted esters, creamy textures, oxygen-driven development, and more — building your ability to reverse-engineer how a wine was made, just by tasting it.

Think all 98-point wines are created equal? Think again. In this revealing class, we’ll pull back the curtain on the world of wine scores — who gives them, how they’re awarded, what they cost (financially and politically), and whether they actually matter to your glass. From palate preferences of top critics to the influence of big brands, we’ll explore how scoring shapes the wine world — and where it falls short.

Join us for a hands-on class designed to help you identify and connect aromas found in wine. Through smelling fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, we'll explore how these "banker aromas" relate to specific grape varieties. With five or more wines available for tasting, you’ll gain practical experience while participating in an open community discussion. This is a fun and interactive way to enhance your wine knowledge and sensory skills!

Theme: Herbs & Vegetables

Some of the most exciting wines in the world come from the places you'd least expect — wind-beaten coastlines, glacial valleys, and frost-prone hillsides barely warm enough to ripen grapes. In this drop-in class, we’ll taste through wines from the outer edges of the wine map: Tasmania, Patagonia, England, and New York’s Finger Lakes. Along the way, we’ll explore how extreme climates and marginal growing conditions produce wines with electric acidity, delicate structure, and a distinct sense of place.

Love Brunello but hate the price tag? Dreaming of Amarone without the splurge? This class is your guide to drinking Italy’s boldest, most iconic wine styles — for way less. We’ll explore how to spot the best-value bottles from the same regions, often made by the same producers, but labeled under lesser-known or declassified names like Rosso di Montalcino, Langhe Nebbiolo, and more.

Often overshadowed by the Médoc or Right Bank giants, the wines of Graves and Pessac-Léognan deliver elegance, complexity, and age-worthy structure — with none of the hype (yet). In this insider tasting, we’ll explore four expressions from Grand Cru Classé producers.

Some of the world’s most celebrated wines are built on balance — and that balance comes from blending. In this class, we’ll explore five legendary blends that have shaped wine history: the structure-driven reds of Rioja, the rule-breaking Super Tuscan revolution, the sun-soaked richness of Rhône’s GSM, the zesty elegance of Bordeaux Blanc, and the fine-tuned fizz of Champagne.

Tucked between Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia, Slovenia is quietly producing some of the most compelling wines in Europe — and it’s time you got to know them. In this deep-dive masterclass led by Slovenian wine specialist Manjula, we’ll explore the country’s diverse wine regions, indigenous grape varieties, and cutting-edge natural and traditional winemaking styles.

What happens when the same grape grows in a totally different climate? In this side-by-side tasting, we’ll explore how cool vs. warm climates shape the flavor, structure, and style of two of the world’s most versatile grapes: Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir. From zippy, high-acid whites to bold, fruit-driven reds, we’ll break down how growing conditions impact alcohol, tannin, body, and ageability.

Educator: Kimberly Jones

Explore the nuanced world of Pinot Noir through the lens of the Côte d’Or’s most iconic villages. This class offers a focused tasting of both village-level and premier cru wines from five distinct communes, showcasing how variations in soil, slope, and microclimate shape the character of Burgundy’s most celebrated red grape. Through side-by-side comparisons, students will deepen their understanding of terroir expression, quality tiers, and the stylistic differences that make each site unique.

Educator: Chelsea Young

Forget memorizing pairing rules — in this interactive tasting, you’ll learn why certain wines work with certain foods by experiencing it yourself. We’ll taste six wine styles alongside small bites representing salt, acid, fat, sugar, heat, and umami, exploring how each element affects the way wine tastes in real time. You’ll leave with practical, foolproof pairing tips and a better understanding of how to make wine and food enhance each other — no sommelier certification required.

Educator: Kimberly Jones

Curious about building a wine collection but don’t know where to start? This class breaks down the essentials of wine cellaring — what makes a wine age-worthy, how and where to buy bottles with long-term potential, and the best ways to store them (even without a fancy cellar). We’ll explore key regions and styles that reward patience, how to research vintage information, and when to know if a wine is ready.

Join us for a hands-on class designed to help you identify and connect aromas found in wine. Through smelling fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, we'll explore how these "banker aromas" relate to specific grape varieties. With five or more wines available for tasting, you’ll gain practical experience while participating in an open community discussion. This is a fun and interactive way to enhance your wine knowledge and sensory skills!

Theme: Stone & Tropical Fruits

A focused exploration of Vinho Verde’s complexity. In this session, we’ll dig into the region’s diverse subzones, uncover the distinct personalities of grapes like Alvarinho, Loureiro, and Avesso, and taste through the surprising range of styles from coastal to inland expressions. We’ll also examine how producers are crafting more structured, age-worthy wines while staying true to place. Come ready to reframe what Vinho Verde can be.

From famous houses to tiny grower-producers, Champagne isn’t one-size-fits-all. In this approachable tasting class, we’ll explore the five core styles of Champagne — Non-Vintage House Style, Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs, Rosé, and Grower Champagne — so you can start to understand what you actually like in a bottle of bubbles. You’ll learn how to read a Champagne label, what different terms mean (like RM vs NM, Brut vs Extra Brut), and what drives pricing — whether you're spending $45 or $145. Tasting included, sparkle guaranteed.

Step into the shoes of a wine sleuth for an evening where every glass becomes a delicious mystery. Blind tasting isn’t just a party trick—it’s one of the most rewarding ways to understand and develop your palate. By exploring wine without any labels or expectations, you’ll learn to trust your senses and uncover the hidden clues that reveal what’s in the glass.

Think pink—but not just one kind. In this easygoing class, we’re sipping our way through four totally different styles of rosé. You’ll discover why some rosé is barely blush while others are bold and fruit-packed, what goes into making the color just right, and how climate and grapes shape the vibe in your glass.

Chelsea's back from Pinot Camp so it's time to nerd out!

This advanced class and wine tasting elevate participants' knowledge of Willamette Valley wines by delving deep into six distinct sub-AVAs. The focus is on the intricate relationship between soil types, elevation, and the resulting terroir that defines each sub-AVA's unique character.

Educator: Chelsea Young

An easygoing introduction to Portugal’s most refreshing wine. We’ll explore where it’s made, what’s in the bottle, and why it’s known for being light, bright, and just a touch fizzy. How to enjoy and talk about Vinho Verde with confidence — no experience needed.

Step beyond the polished world of textbook wine and into the thrilling gray area where flaws flirt with finesse. In this class, we’ll dive deep into the volatile beauty of wine’s most misunderstood traits—those aromas and textures that ride the fine line between defect and distinction.

This class is intended for advanced wine students, industry professionals, and enthusiasts looking to get nerdy.

Join us for an in-depth exploration of Virginia’s Monticello Wine Trail with Kelly Cornett of A Cork in The Road Podcast and former winery manager. This engaging class uncovers the history, terroir, and standout wineries that define one of the most exciting wine regions on the East Coast.

Guest Educator: Kelly Cornett

Welcome to a class that promises to challenge your taste buds and perceptions! In this session, we're diving deep into the world of Kirkland Signature wines and putting them to the test against their "supposed" label counterparts. Kirkland, known for its range of quality private label products, including wines, has garnered quite the reputation. But are these wines truly on par with their higher-priced, brand-name equivalents?

Guest Educator: Kelly Cornett

Get ready to uncork your inner wine detective! Prepare for an evening of wit, intrigue, and sensory mastery as we unlock the secrets of blind tasting. We'll guide you through the thrilling world of wine exploration without any visual clues, arming you with the tools to unravel grape varieties, regions, and more with finesse. No labels, just uncorked enigmas waiting to be decoded!