Education
Tasting wine is a deeply personal experience. Each person’s palate — their ability to smell and taste — is different. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to taste wine but knowing something about the wine you’re drinking can help you appreciate it all the more!
In our series of Wine 101 classes, I lead attendees through a fun and engaging hour of sipping, chatting, learning, and sharing. My approach to education is designed to be accessible for wine drinkers of all experience levels.
As part of the session, attendees may purchase bottles presented during the class at a special price, as well as any bottles from our larger library bottle shop.
David Anderson, Co-Owner, WSET Level 3 with Merit
Wine 101: Tiny Bubbles
Saturday, November 15th at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
We think sparkling wine is good any time of the year, but around the holidays it becomes a hot commodity! Have you ever wondered how a sparkling wine is made, or what gives a particular sparkling wine its unique flavors and aromas?
Is there more than one way to make a sparkling wine? When was the first sparkling wine made? Is it true Champagne was a latecomer to the sparkling party? How are sparkling wines made in different countries? What if my relatives drive me nuts at Thanksgiving and I drink the entire bottle myself? If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, this Wine 101 class is for you!
Cost
$40 per person
WSET Level Instruction
Edudcational Materials
Flight of Applicable Wines
Topics
Chile/Argentina
Burgundy/Bordeaux
Tuscany/Sicily/Piedmont
Walla Walla
Wars & Wine
Instructor
David Anderson
WSET Level III- with Merit
Co-Owner of Syndicate Wine, LLC
Previous Owner of OregonWines.com
If you are interested in having our instructor come on site for any corporate staff development activity, please email our sales team at the email below. We have set curriculum with desired wines that we can bring to any location.
Why is our education program called
“Wine 101”?
We feel wine education should be available to all levels of understanding. Whether you are newly learning about wine, or have been exploring, our teaching methods will seem very approachable, easy to understand, but also challenging. We offer example of wines so you can taste, smell, and apply the knowledge learned. Our Syndicate Sommelier creates a space where all questions are appropriate, creating a freedom to ask questions that you may not feel comfortable in other settings.
Previous Classes
Wine 101: Sardinia
Saturday, October 18th at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
The island of the Nuraghi, an ancient people that built elaborate stone structures and round buildings, Sardinia is also home to as rich a history of winemaking. With a warm growing climate, only certain varietals fluorish under the Mediterranean sunshine.
Sardinia was once part of the landmass that is now France, before breaking away with the Eurasian plate as it moved to collide with the African plate and helped create the Apennine mountains of Italy. With unique soil composition and diverse winegrowing terroir, Sardinia’s wines are elegant in their purity.
Wine 101: Portugal
Saturday, September 20 at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Who thinks Portugal is just about Port or Porto wine? Would you believe that along with Spain, the region may have served as a relative for many original varietals now grown throughout Western Europe?
Historically, Portugal carved its name into the global wine industry due to the English empire having disputes with the kingdom of Spain.Switching away from sweetened Canary Island wines towards the sappy, fortified port wines run by the English, Portugal has been synonymous with the sweeter, dessert-style wines for centuries.
Wine 101: Volcanic Vinos
Saturday, August 16th at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Be one of the first to register for this mineral rich class exploring some of the volcanic wine growing regions around the world. There’s no question that wines grown in volcanic soils exude a distinct character and diversity that will reward your palate!
We taste through nine distinct wines, while learning about the geological history and influence that put them on the map!
Wine 101: Burgundy, France
Saturday, July 19th at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Originally settled by Romans, established in the Middle Ages as a stronghold of European wine production, and now home to 84 distinct appellations, Burgundy isn’t just about Pinot Noir! In this class, we look at the landscape of Burgundy, sampling nine different red and white wines of distinction, learning about the endless walled vineyards and generational properties bringing forth some of the most renowned wines of Western Europe. It’s sure to be an incredible time!
Wine 101: Argentina
Saturday, June 28th or 29th at 2 PM
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Argentina is more than just Malbec! With mountainous and high-elevation vineyards, and unpredictable weather to match, Argentina produces incredible wines! In this class, we examine the history and culture of Argentina, and how it became an established powerhouse on the world wine scene. We also taste through nine different wines highlighting Argentine varietals and blends you’ll want to know about.
Wine 101: Bordeaux, France
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET-3
Located on the western coastline of France, the land of Aquitaine, thought to have been planted with grapes from Spain by the Romans, is today a powerhouse of the French wine industry. In this class, we look at its history and evolution, what makes its terroir so distinct, and sample eight different wines from the region.
Wine 101: Piedmont, Italy
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Nestled in the northwestern corner of Italy, Piedmont encompasses dozens of winegrowing regions as distinct as the wines produced throughout the land. In this class, we look at micro-climate nuances that contribute to the wine industry’s resulting bounty, and sample nine different wines representing the sparkling, white, and red wines of Piedmont.
Wine 101: Chile
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
From lush valleys and rugged mountain slopes to bone-dry, high elevation deserts that almost touch the stars, the landscape of Chile offers terrain as diverse as the white and red varietals grown there.
In this class, we discuss both historical and recent influences upon Chile’s wine industry, and sample eight wines demonstrating the wide range of Chilean wines produced!
Wine 101: Spain
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Learn about eight distinct wines from as many winegrowing regions in Spain! This one-hour class is $30 and includes instruction, guided tasting of eight wines, printed course materials and references, and lively, interactive discussion led by David Anderson, WSET 3 wine educator and Syndicate co-owner. Wines presented will be available for purchase at a special discounted rate following the class.
Wine 101: Sicily, Italy
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
While a small geographic footprint of European winemaking, Sicily has carved a niche for itself among the most prized vineyards and vintners, producing heralded wines and blends with intense richness and balanced finesse, standing their own against top vintners worldwide. While a relative newcomer to the global wine market, Sicily has something for every palate.
Wine 101: Tuscany, Italy
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Italy is a diverse and complex country, comprising hundreds of recognized wine growing regions and producing wines made from just as many varietals.
This class but scratches the surface of wines found in Tuscany, a part of the country spanning some 23,000 square miles, with edges reaching seas, mountains, valleys and rivers, and with a rich story dating back to prehistoric times.
Wine 101: Australia
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Australia is a wild and untamed land of tremendous richness and diverse agriculture. A major player in the global wine market, Australia’s founding in winemaking trace to its original settlement as a British colony.
Today, it is recognized as producing some of the finest, full-bodied red wines on the market. As its dozens of regions continue to mature, more and more varietals, styles of winemaking, winemaking practices, and overall direction of its industry continue to be honed and refined further.
Wine 101: Regions of Oregon
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
Oregon is home to 23 distinct winegrowing regions, known as American Viticulture Areas, or AVAs. The primary regions are the Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, the Columbia Gorge and Eastern Oregon. This class highlights primary varietals (types of grapes) grown in these regions, and styles of winemaking as they are influenced by local micro-climates. A future class will examine nuances between specific sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley, with an emphasis on Pinot Noir, and is set to draw on content covered in this first class.
Wine 101: Reds from Walla Walla
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
In this class, we examine what makes the Walla Walla Valley so distinct; The wines and styles of winemaking evolving on both sides of the Washington and Oregon border; And we sample eight distinct wines from the region, including the Oregon sub-appellation known as The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater (aka The Rocks District AVA, which we will use for the sake of brevity).
It’s guaranteed to be a fun and tasty class, lasting about an hour, with opportunities for special bottle prices to-go afterward!
Wine 101: Oregon Pinot Noirs
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
In this class, we will cover eight of Oregon’s 23 different appellations, or distinct winegrowing regions, starting with the Willamette Valley, and seven smaller regions located wtih it. Each region is known for producing distinct Pinot Noir wines with particular attributes.
As part of the class, we will examine what makes each appellation unique, in terms of climate, geology, soil composition, and other factors impacting how grapes are grown and wines are
produced.
Wine 101: Winemaking Process
Instructor: David Anderson, WSET- 3
During this class, we will discuss the primary differences between how white wine, rosé wine, and red wine are made. We will examine two of each kind of wine (six total) through a guided tasting. The wines presented will highlight stylistic differences and provide attendees with a framework of understanding as to how and why each wine can be made, and is made.
Beaverton
Tuesday-Thursday
4 PM to 9 PM
Friday & Saturday
11 AM to 9 PM
Sunday
2 PM to 6 PM (except Club weekends)
Monday
Closed
Contact Us
Phone
971-979-4637
Event & Large Groups
Address
12620 SW 1st Street
Beaverton, OR 97005
