Classin' It Up

Number 23 on my list is to take a sommelier class. The plan was to take a full-on class and learn the ins and outs of wine. I’ve done my fair share of tasting and drinking wine. And obviously I know a ton because my dad and uncle started a winery when I was in college. No, this isn’t true. I’m pretty sure I was drinking boxed wine during this time.

Over the years I’ve gone on many wine tours in Napa, Long Island, and of course my home in the Finger Lakes. I’ve also visited various wineries in Europe, including Spain and the UK. But I wanted to expand my knowledge a bit more. However, given the limited time I had, I decided to do a one-time class that would be more informative than your typical wine tasting.

A google search later, I found a place that had a class this week and was reasonably priced. I recruited my friend Kara to accompany me to the UWS and made our way to Nancy’s Wine on Columbus Avenue. This is where we took a 2 hour class on various wines from Italy. We tasted 3 whites, including a still Prosecco, and 3 reds. I went home with my favorites, a red, Sagrantino from Umbria and a white, Cortese from Gavi. Both pretty good.

The class was informative and I learned a few new things. I still don’t claim to be a wine expert, but I’m trying to go in that general direction. And the next time I go in a wine shop, I will have an expert recommend something new and different instead of just picking a random bottle that's within my budget.