Difficulty level: Wine 101
France’s Rhône Valley is a marvel. The Northern and Southern regions are fascinatingly different from one another, in geography and the wines they produce, and yet they share an enchanting wildness. The Rhône has been a viticultural hotspot for over 2,000 years and there are 21 authorized grape varieties, yet some appellations use only a single one. Bordeaux may be for the statesman, Burgundy for the intellectual, but the Rhône is for the passionate adventurer. Annie Edgerton, DWSET, will take you on a journey through the breathtaking region, its history, varieties, and styles, sampling five incredibly diverse wines. Will she be able to corral everything the Rhône has to offer into one class? She’s ready to try!
This class will begin at 6:00pm on Tuesday, November 5 and run for approximately 90 minutes. Wines tasted in class will be available for purchase with a discount available to attendees only.
Each class begins at 6pm. Unless otherwise noted, classes will last approximately 75-90 minutes. Seating is limited and we encourage early arrival if you wish to sit together with your party. If your plans change, let us know as soon as possible: refunds can only be issued when notice is given 48 hours before the start of class.
Meet your instructor
In 2022, Domaine Lafarge-Vial produced simply sensational Cru Beaujolais. These are deep, finally balanced wines with a deliciously rich fruitiness that makes these a lot of fun to drink now. But they are made in a Burgundian style and have a sneaky amount of structure for Gamay-based wines, so they are also unquestionably ageworthy. If you are a fan of Lafarge, or of great Beaujolais, these are must-tries:
Arnot-Roberts' Gorgeous Trousseau is the New California Icon We Need
Among the classic cult wines of California, we have a favorite that's especially refreshing, unique, groundbreakingly innovative, and elegant. It's also pure fun, joyful and somehow one of the most affordable — when you can get it — of them all. How is this possible? Because it's Arnot-Roberts' Trousseau, one of the new-wave California icons that has never lost its touch.
Terrific 2021 Côte-Rôtie from Rising Rhône Star Xavier Gerard
Xavier Gerard is a relative newcomer to the world of old school Côte-Rôtie vignerons. But since he took over for his father in 2012, the wines have become critical darlings. John Livingston-Learmonth raves vintage in and vintage out. But they aren't the kind of Côte-Rôties that appeal *only* to wine geeks and Northern Rhône nuts. Xavier is friends of the Levet family, the super-old school producers in Côte-Rôtie whose wines are very much on the wild and woolly side of what the appellation can do.