Understanding Wine

Understanding Wine – Long course

A course for the enthusiast who wants to discover more about wine Book Now 

5 weeks, 2 hours per session

This is a course for people who enjoy drinking wine and aspire to learn more about what they’re tasting, smelling and experiencing.  Over the course of 5 weeks, you’ll explore a range of wine styles, varieties, blends, and regions as our educators guide you through how to swirl, sniff and taste like a professional.

By course end, you’ll understand more about aroma and taste and you’ll know how to express it. You will gain confidence as a wine consumer and have fun with like-minded people in a  relaxed and informal setting at the National Wine Centre. This course is ideal for those starting out in the hospitality or wine industry.

Week 1 – Introduction to tasting. Recognising wine faults. An introduction to wine styles and their differences. Food & wine matching principles
Week 2 – White wines, 8-10 wines tasted
Week 3 – Sparkling wines, 6-8 wines tasted
Week 4 – Red wines, 8-10 wines tasted
Week 5 – Fortified wines and wine options quiz

Objectives

  • Understand the principles of sensory evaluation and apply them to a diverse range of wine styles
  • Understand wine flavours and characters
  • Understand the fundamentals of viticulture & winemaking
  • Appreciate the variances and influences of different wine varieties
  • Introduce you to Australian wine regions and styles
  • Understand the principles of food & wine matching
  • Understand Wine Faults

Outcomes

  • The attendee will understand the 5 senses used to to evaluate wine – Sight , Smell, Taste,Touch, Hearing
  • Competently discuss sensory characteristics of various wine varieties using a common set of terms
  • Understand the changes that may occur in wines during production and the ageing process
  • Understand the process of making wine. Harvesting, crushing, fermentation, maturation plus the physiology of grapes and vines
  • Understand and identify the impact of climate and regionality on wine styles
  • Form an understanding of varietal styles and begin to develop an understanding of the regional characteristics of Australian wine styles.
  • Develop skills and confidence to food & wine match,
  • Be confident to navigate restaurant wine lists and be confident in cellar doors
  • Be able to identify wine faults
    • Oxidation –
    • Volatile Acidity (VA) –
    • TCA – “cork taint
    • ‘Bret’– spoilage yeast brettanomyces)