Burnt Wine
Exploring French Wines and their Terroirs
Back To School... Wine School.
I have put together a programme of three wine tasting sessions for people who already know a bit about wine but want to explore further.
The usual format for a "Burnt Cream" event, with a maximum of 8 people around the table. We'll open a range of wines and talk about them in a very informal, un-snobbish way.
By the end of the three sessions, you will have tried, tasted and talked about at least 20 different wines. You will have a solid knowledge of the French wine regions so that when you walk into your local wine shop, you will recognise styles of wine that you like.
Even though the sessions will be essentially an opportunity for you to taste a lot of different wines, there will be a heavy theoretical component in order for you to take your wine knowledge further. I will send emails with further reading between classes. There may even be flash cards and homework too.
Here is an outline for the three tasting sessions :
1. Reading Wine Labels - what to look for and what does it all actually mean?
Why do the French define their wines by their "appellation" rather than their grape variety?
2. Natural Wine - what is a natural wine and how does it differ from a conventional wine? What are biodynamics? Does it really make any difference?
We will keep exploring other wine regions and talk about food pairings.
3. Lesser-Known Wines - Sancerre and Chablis are great... but there is so much more. We'll use this final session to talk about wines which offer better value for money and to taste wines that are harder to find.
Burnt Wine: Talk'n'Taste 1 - Reading Wine Labels
What to look for on the label and what do all the terms actually mean?
Why do the French define their wines by their "appellation" rather than their grape variety?
Through a comparative tasting (i.e. trying two or three wines simultaneously) you'll appreciate the differences between:
- the diversity of the Loire Valley whites
- a pinot noir from Burgundy vs one from Alsace
- northern vs southern Rhone
- a cheap vs expensive bottle
(These examples are an indication of what we will be tasting and are in no way contractual.)
A light dinner will also be provided.
Tuesday, Jan 26, 2016, 07:00 PM
Burnt Cream HQ, Rue Ordener, Paris, France
Burnt Wine: Talk'N'Taste 2 - Natural Wine
What is a natural wine and how does it differ from a conventional wine? What are biodynamics? Does it really make any difference?
We will keep exploring other wine regions and talk about food pairings.
The trendy restaurants in Paris all seem to offer small plates and natural wines. Is it just a fad or are these natural wines here to stay?
They say sulphites give people headaches. Is that true?
*This date could be modified to suit your availabilities.*
Tuesday, Feb 9, 2016, 07:00 PM
Burnt Cream HQ, Rue Ordener, Paris, France
Burnt Wine: Talk'N'Taste 3 - Lesser Known Wines
- What about the mountain wines from the Savoie and Jura?
- How do you make a sparkling wine? Crémant and Pét Nat - are they serious alternatives to Champagne?
I'm sure there will be other questions that will come up during the other sessions. We'll have the time to address these properly during this third and final evening.
*This date could be modified to suit your availabilities.*
Tuesday, Feb 23, 2016, 07:00 PM
Burnt Cream HQ, Rue Ordener, Paris, France
How does it work?
The price for three classes is 140 euros. As stated above, this includes generous pours of at least 20 different wines, a LOT of reading material about wine and wine-making and three dinners.
- VERY EARLY BIRD OFFER at 100 euros if you book before 1st January -
- EARLY BIRD OFFER at 120 euros if you book before 19th January -
If you are interested, please send me an email (you can use the button below) and I'll send you the link to my Paypal. Once your enrolment to the classes has been confirmed, I'll send you the address and door code. All you need to do is show up! It's as simple as that.
Why is the wine burnt?
Well, I’m hoping it won’t be… but I don’t want your expectations to be too high.
"Burnt Cream" is the name of the food blog that I have been writing since Jan 2011. My apartment is the lieu-dit "Burnt Cream HQ" and logically enough, "Burnt Food" is the name of the supper club and "Burnt Wine" the wine tastings.
Email: burnt.cream@gmail.com
Website: https://theburntcreamblog.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Burnt.Cream
Twitter: @emmabentley87