FD 01 — From Grape to Glass: An Introduction to Wine Tasting and Regions
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Liz Thach
Date(s): Feb 4—Mar 11
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Tuition: $430
Refund Deadline: Feb 6
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 55
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 5:30—7:20 pm (PT)
Date(s): Feb 4—Mar 11
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $430
Refund Deadline: Feb 6
Instructor(s): Liz Thach
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 55
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Behind every glass of wine lies a story of grape, soil, and craft. This course will teach you how to approach wine with confidence, beginning with the essentials of tasting and the vocabulary to describe what you experience, from bright acidity and firm tannins to sweetness and alcohol. You’ll learn the major red and white grape varietals and follow the winemaking process from grape to glass, including still, sparkling, and fortified wines. We’ll then travel through the great wine-growing regions of the world, exploring the traditions and styles that make each distinctive. Along the way, we’ll embrace the social side of wine: presentation and service, from glassware and decanting to food pairing. Each class session offers the option to put theory into practice through a guided tasting of one to two wines. By the end, you’ll not only feel confident choosing, tasting, and serving wines, you’ll bring greater enjoyment and ease to every glass you share.
This course includes optional wine tastings. Students will spend approximately $160–$200 to purchase the wines. More details will be provided in class.
LIZ THACH
Wine Business Professor, Writer and Consultant
Liz Thach is a wine writer, researcher, and educator with 25 years of experience in the global wine industry. She was the first female Master of Wine (MW) in California. Thach is an author or co-author of nine wine textbooks, including Luxury Wine Marketing and Best Practices in Global Wine Tourism. She has also written more than 300 wine and sustainability articles for publications such as Wine Spectator, Forbes, and WineBusiness Monthly. Thach received a PhD from Texas A&M. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.