Aussie/Sydney: Wine Course Recommendations

Hello David,

Quite often local universities offer short courses on wine.

for example. TAFEs [not sure if TAFE is in NSW, but sure there will be something similar] which are technical colleges also run similar things.

To be honest I've never done one, but like anything perhaps word of mouth is best [duh! why you're asking in here!], as I know sometimes ppl teach well outside of their expertise. IT is a classic for underqualified teachers in these sort of things.

You might also try the CAE

which have similar things from time to time, probably at a local community college [duh again!].

Also, as someone not very far ahead of you myself, I'd suggest books, reading this newsgroup and most importantly ####drinking as much wine as you can####, reading the labels, googling stuff like the winemaker etc.

The important thing is to enjoy what you drink, not try to impress ppl who are probably more clueless than anyone, but manage to bluff others.

Also, I'd recommend books like "Wine" by Halliday [he puts out a book of Oz tastings every year, with some other info], Choice, Quaff, Drink,Drank,Drunk etc all usually good books. Which at this time of year u can probably pick up very cheap at the little discount bookstores that open up to sell off surplus books; DFO [direct factory outlets], Angus and Robertson etc have them around the major shopping centres.

O, and at the moment SBS have reruns of the wine show at 3pm or thereabouts on Friday arvos. This series is a few years old, but still quite excellent. Also sometimes the little snippets they have on lifestyle shows are quite helpful.

Hope that helps,

Mat.

P.S.: Just keep trying wines. I find a lot of the fun is just trying new wines and varieties. You'll always have your favourites you can go back to, but I love trying new exotic and not so exotic things I've never had before.

Sorry I have been considering this one:

;

Wine Appreciation Taste and discuss various wine styles in a balanced tasting. You will be taught how to read and understand a label. Information on cellaring is provided. Four fascinating sessions cover: dry whites, reds, sweet whites, and 'bubblies'. Very popular and convivial. Req: notepad and pen. (8 hours)

050WINEA: Tuesdays, 6.30-8.30pm 4 sessions from 18 January Monash students $99, Concession $115, Other $130

has anyone done this one? It's at Clayton SE of Melbourne.

Is it *very* rudimentary [one week on shiraz being dry] or is it a bit more advanced?

Any info would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mat.

Thanks for that, yeah I know where you are coming from, but i wanted to get some grounding in how wine is described, the best way to tell between different varieties/regions, the different processes involved in making it etc, etc.

I think having someone with you (an expert if you will) can only be beneficial when starting out, he is standing next to you while your trying the wines, asking for your opinions on it and asking why you think that. I think it's a training process, he gives the pointers and you taste it and say 'Ok I see what you mean'. If you're at home you tend not to have five bottles of red open at the same time testing for differences in blends or styles. But in the class room you have 10-20 people, comparing and questioning. A course also provides a better point of focus for learning, so you're not distracted by other things. Once I've done the course I will probably appreciate the books/videos/etc. more.

Cheers

David E

They are some excellent points David.

I think that wine being such a fluid [excuse the pun] entity it is possible to recieve the wrong grounding. For example, there is the possibility the teacher reps for say Wolf Blass, and all he does is talk up their wines and their anonymous labels as well as typical Wolf Blass characteristics and being region heavy where Wolf Blass is generated.

There is a lot of that sort of thing goes on in the wine industry as in any other industry, partisan parties pushing their own product and not telling you why they are doing so.

Also, it is possible the teacher is not really an expert as such, more an enthusiastic amatuer. Community colleges tend to be full of them, and often you have to wonder why an expert is schlepping it there if they are so good.

So they are my reservations about wine courses, plus of course there is a huge social pressure to be a "wine expert" in such things, and no doubt you will meet at least one person who trys to bluff you into thinking they are an expert when they are in fact not.

I guess I am just being a sceptic as usual, and I think you are correct, and this course will do a lot more good than harm, and will fast-track your learning.

I personally have learnt most things vis-a-vis wine the hard way, and I wonder if I've appreciated it more for it, or if I would have been much better off doing an appreciation course first-up [or even now!].

Good luck anyway. Which ever one you do let us know how it goes.

Mat.