Turn Ons: Friendly hosts, top notch instruction, impeccable presentation, and great wine!
Turn Offs: My only turn-off was some of the attendees who spoke loudly over the instructor. Next time, I’ll sit closer to the front.
Rate My Date:
- Not My Type
- 1 Night Stand
- Crush
In Love
- Happily Ever After
Set in a Tribeca wine shop that doubles as a retail store and event location with a modern stainless steel kitchen, my “Wine 101: A Sensory Guide” class at New York Vintners was a 2-hour life changing experience. All this time I’d been using wine to dull my senses and to “take the edge off” due to my PMSD (Post Marital Stress Disorder). Far from possessing a discriminating palate, I couldn’t differentiate a Pinot Noir from a Malbec or Petit Sirah from a Cabernet Sauvignon. And I certainly couldn’t describe specific characteristics of wine that appealed to me. I used wine to make me feel good. Taste was irrelevant.
Now when I drink wine it’s a multi-sensory experience reminding me of how much richer life is when we tap into all of our senses simultaneously and truly live in the moment. In class I learned to examine and distinguish various characteristics of red and white varietals through sight, smell, taste and feel. I learned to look for clarity and vibrancy when I tilt my glass at a 45 degree angle. I learned to distinguish notes of fruits, berries, citrus, grass and cocoa and taste to see if the wine meets my nose’s expectations. I learned what high acidity vs. low acidity or full bodied vs. medium bodied feels like in my mouth and to determine the type of “finish” a wine has.
Between 6 glasses of different wines (3 white & 3 red) we delightfully cleansed our palate with a beautifully presented assortment of cheese, bread, prosciutto, chocolate, olives and marinated artichokes. Meanwhile our passionate and informative instructors detailed everything from the most popular wine making regions of the world to how wine is made. And they answered our questions about tannins, sulfites and cork vs. screw cap. Plus they explained different characteristics of grapes and how to pair wines with food. Most importantly, they designed the workshop to be experiential so that we could discover wine through our senses and become educated consumers.
I’m far from a connoisseur but it’s peaked my interest and I plan to return for more workshops.
21 Warren Street New York, NY 10017
Getting There By Subway:
- R, W to City Hall
- 6 to City Hall
- A, C to Chambers Street
- 1, 2, 3 to Chambers Street