Wine School: Oregon and Washington!
A comprehensive look at both states.
We’re heading to the Pacific Northwest to explore Oregon and Washington in full detail, complete with 20+ video lessons, curated links, and self-directed projects for deeper learning.
This course covers all the major and many of the minor wine regions of Oregon and Washington, including key grape varieties, history, key producers, travel hints and tips, and much more. This is the most comprehensive course on these regions we have ever put together.
The multi-week format of this course allows for a continuous trickle of information, rather than an overwhelming wave, which means our Wine School format is perfect for learning about regions like these.
Study at your own pace, but with a class community, projects, and workshop lesson to keep you on track.
The best NEW way to learn about wine!
What to expect
You’ll learn: A full overview of the wine regions of Washington and Oregon, including a deep dive into the Willamette Valley. You’ll learn all the major sub-regions found within these regions, the key grape varieties, hints on understanding the geography of the areas, and loads of advice for getting more bang for your wine buck.
Willamette Valley, Rouge Valley, Umqua Valley, Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Rocks at Milton-Freewater, Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Snipes Mountain, Waluke Slope, Ancient Lakes, and much more!
Emphasis is placed on: What makes each region unique, what causes them to make some of the best wines of North America, and how both Oregon and Washington went from “zero to 100” inside of 50 years of wine production.
Time and wine commitment: It’s up to you, and designed for flexibility. The core program is 21 days in length, with courses, classes, modules, and projects trickled out over the 21-day window. Do what you wish on your own time. There are no tests, there is no rote memorization, and there are no pins or titles at the end. Only pure learning, at your own pace (one to ten or more hours a week, it’s up to you). You’re free to come back to the online materials for up to one year.
In terms of wine, you can procure as little or as much as you wish, at any price level, for the course. You have complete control over your own wine budget. We do suggest, at the minimum, you plan on at least four to six bottles, and in this case, they would range from $15 to $50 a bottle. You can of course buy more and spend more if you wish.
We will also have a core list of suggested books that we will reference during the course.
What to look forward to: The core of Wine School is the community. We meet as a group, through zoom. We can see each other and we can share ideas. There are open “Sommelier office hours” to ask more questions and have more discussion. All gatherings are optional. We will also build and maintain a social board through the Padlet platform, where you can share your work and progress 24/7, and see the work and progress of your fellow students.
We learn better as individuals, by learning together.
What to expect after enrollment: Upon purchase, you will receive a confirmation of your enrollment from The Wine Workshop. After enrollment closes you’ll receive your first packet of course materials (PDF), the calendar for meetings and office hours, zoom meeting links, suggestions of wines to procure, and much more.
Our first gathering as a group will be the kickoff meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at 6:00 pm central time via zoom. If you are unable to make that meeting, no worries. We will record the meeting and the replay will be available for you (along with direct communication to us with any questions).