Now in its 4th year, our annual Wine Passport Series brings the wines and stories of 12 of the world's best wine regions to you!
We asked 12 of our favorite wine experts to teach a class on the wine region they are most passionate about and this is what we ended up with - a 12-month series exploring everything from the blue slate slopes of the Mosel to the pudding stones of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and from the established classics of Bordeaux to the little-known quaffers of "Green Spain."
Whether you are new to wine or have been studying it for years, we invite you join us for this fun and informative series. Membership is available at all levels from Platinum Frequent Flyer to Daytripper.
Platinum Frequent Flyer - $480 for all 12 sessions (20% discount)
Gold Frequent Flyer - $255 for 6 sessions of your choice (15% discount)
Silver Frequent Flyer - $135 for 3 sessions of your choice (10% discount)
Daytripper - $50 per session
October: Mosel, Germany
- Thursday, October 11, 2012 6:30-8:30p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204, Portland, OR
- 12 spaces available.
- $50 / Members - $45
The slate-rich soils and cool climate of the Mosel produce many of Germany's best wines, with bottles commanding upwards of $4000 at recent auctions. The Riesling-based wines traditional to this region are known for their delicate weight, residual sweetness, and pronounced aromas of white peach, citrus, and stony minerality. In this class we will sample a range of these wines, from graceful Kabinetts to richer and more concentrated Ausleses and Beerenausleses, but we will also sample more modern, dry styles that emphasize terroir expression over grape ripeness.
About the instructor: Ewald Moseler is the northwest's foremost importer of German wines and, as his name suggests (Moseler means "From the Mosel"), he knows a thing or two about this region!
November: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
- Thursday, November 8, 2012 6:30-8:30p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204, Portland, OR
- 8 spaces available.
- $50 / Members - $45
The historic wine region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is known for the red blends it produces from 13 different grape varieties (most often dominated by Grenache, Syrah and Mourvédre), but is increasingly making interesting white blends as well. The wines reflect a complexity that is difficult to define, at the same time powerful – expressing the heat and aridity of the Southern Rhône climate – and also elegant. The wines also have a definite rusticity, reflecting a grape growing and winemaking philosophy that trusts nature over science. A huge diversity of soils, slopes, varieties and traditions further complicates the CDP picture . . . Join us as we try to sort this out!
About the instructor: Dixie Huey is proprietor of Trellis Wine Consulting and holds the WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits. Fresh from a trip to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, she looks forward to sharing the region’s wines and stories with us!
December: Champagne, France
- Thursday, December 6, 2012 6:30-8:30p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204, Portland, OR
- SOLD OUT - please email us to be added to the wait list.
- $50 / Members - $45
In this class we will explore the region of Champagne through a specific lens: a tasting of sparklers made by the region’s grower-producers. In a region dominated by merchant houses that create large volumes blends from across the entire region, a tasting made by small-scale artisans from their own fruit allows us to explore Champagne’s soil, topographical, microclimate and grape variations as well as the individual producers “finger print” and style.
About the instructor: Cheryl Wakerhauser is owner and wine director of Pix Patisserie. Pix has the largest selection of Grower Champagnes in the country and received the 2011 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Cheryl has traveled the Champagne region extensively and holds the WSET Advanced Certificate in Wine and Spirits.
February: Sonoma, California
- Thursday, February 16, 2012, 6:30-8:30pm
- Registration is closed.
- $50 / Members - $45
Sonoma was the original source for fine wine production in California and continues this tradition today, producing many of the state’s finest and most elegant wines. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the slightly-warmer Napa Valley, Sonoma sees a marked maritime influence with cool temperatures, frequent cloud cover, and coastal fogs – all which serve to produce slow-ripened, complex fruit with great acidity. Variations in microclimates means that while cool climate grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive in the cooler enclaves of Carneros and Russian River Valley, warmer regions like Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley are able to produce exceptional quality warmer-climate wines such as Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends.
About the instructor: Mimi Martin is director of The Wine & Spirit Archive. She holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits.
March: Rioja, Spain
- Thursday, March 8, 2012, 6:30-8:30p.m.
- Registration is closed.
- $50 / Members - $45
Spain’s most traditional wine region produces wine in a variety of styles. More “traditional-style” wines get their distinctive oxidized and vanilla-scented character from extended aging in old, American oak barrels, while more “modern” styles place greater emphasis on retaining fruitiness and show more new-French-oak character. In this class we will taste and discuss Rioja’s various styles as well as the impact of the areas different soil types and climatic influences on these wines. The unique white wines of this region – in both modern and traditional styles – will also be discussed.
About the instructor: Peter de Garmo is owner of Pastaworks and is the founder of the Slowfood Portland Convivium.