Event: French Wine and Cheese Class 

When: January 18, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm 

Where: Blind Bishop at 310 Sunset Ave, Dallas, TX 75208 

Price: $75 

Format:   

Seated, interactive class with instruction. We welcome solo learners as well as couples and groups who would like to learn together.  

Level:   

All levels from beginner to advanced.  

Learning points:   

• The major grape varieties and wine regions of France, including red and white Burgundy and Bordeaux, delicious wines of the Rhone Valley, Alsace and the Loire Valley.   
• The major characteristics of these regions and varieties by tasting wines that clearly show the classic grapes and the typical style.   
• Important French wine terms on the labels such as Cuvee and Grand Cru, and how to interpret them to make an educated guess about how the wines will taste.  
• How to ask the right questions about French wines when you visit a wine shop or when you see them on a wine list at a restaurant.  
• The ways in which French cheese and wine can elevate your tasting experience when combined.   
• Pairing suggestions for French wines and the principles behind these suggestions.  

Wines:   

• A minimum of six different French wines. Each wine will come from a different region or made from different varieties so you can learn how the climate, geographic, and historic grapes influence a distinctive style.   
• As learning is an important goal, we serve each wine in a different glass, with all six glasses on the table for each participant. This is a great opportunity for comparison.  

Food: We will have a selection of artisanal French cheeses, charcuterie, and bread to enjoy with the wines.  

This class is part of a three-part series on European wines and cheeses. If you are interest in also taking the Italian Wine and Cheese class (February 1) and the Spanish Wine and Cheese class (February 15), you can sign up for all three at a discount!  

Please register below. 

This class is the second event of a three-part series exploring the major grapes and regions of three prominent European wine-producing countries and their cheeses!

Event: Italian Wine and Cheese Class 

When: February 1, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm 

Where: Blind Bishop at 310 Sunset Ave, Dallas, TX 75208 

Price: $75 

Format:  

Seated, interactive class with instruction. You will learn about each wine in a very hands-on format, so you can immediately put your new tasting skills and wine knowledge into practice. 

Level:  

All levels from beginner to advanced. 

Learning points:  

• The major grape varieties and wine regions of Italy including Sangiovese from Brunello di Montalcino and chianti, the powerful Aglianico, and the exquisite Barolo.  
• The major characteristics of these regions and varieties by tasting wines that clearly show the classic grapes and the typical style.  
• Important Italian wine terms on the labels such as classico and riserva, and how to interpret them to make an educated guess about how the wines will taste. 
• How to ask the right questions about Italian wines when you visit a wine shop or when you see them on a wine list at a restaurant. 
• The ways in which Italian cheese and wine can elevate your tasting experience when combined.  
• Pairing suggestions for Italian wines and the principles behind these suggestions. 

Wines:  

• A minimum of six different Italian wines. Each wine will come from a different region or made from different varieties so you can learn how the climate, geographic, and historic grapes influence a distinctive style.  
• As learning is an important goal, we serve each wine in a different glass, with all six glasses on the table for each participant. This is a great opportunity for comparison. 

Food: We will have a selection of artisanal Italian cheeses, charcuterie, and bread to enjoy with the wines. 

Please register below.

This class is the last event of a three-part series exploring the major grapes and regions of prominent European wine-producing countries and their cheeses!

Event: Spanish Wine and Cheese Class 

When: February 15, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm 

Where: Blind Bishop at 310 Sunset Ave, Dallas, TX 75208 

Price: $75 

Format:  

Seated, interactive class with instruction. We welcome solo learners as well as couples and groups who would like to learn together. 

Level:  

All levels from beginner to advanced. 

Learning points:  

• The major grape varieties and wine regions of Spain including Tempranillo from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, the refreshing Albariño from Rias Baixas, and the iconic Garnacha-based blends of Priorat among others.  
• The major characteristics of these regions and varieties by tasting wines that clearly show the classic grapes and the typical style.  
• Important Spanish wine terms on the labels, and how to interpret them to make an educated guess about how the wines will taste. 
• How to ask the right questions about Spanish wines when you visit a wine shop or when you see them on a wine list at a restaurant. 
• The ways in which Spanish cheese and wine can elevate your tasting experience when combined.  

• Pairing suggestions for Spanish wines and the principles behind these suggestions. 

Wines:  

• A minimum of six different Spanish wines. Each wine will come from a different region or made from different varieties so you can learn how the climate, geographic, and historic grapes influence a distinctive style.  
• As learning is an important goal, we serve each wine in a different glass, with all six glasses on the table for each participant. This is a great opportunity for comparison. 

Food: We will have a selection of artisanal Spanish cheeses, charcuterie, and bread to enjoy with the wines. 

Please register below.

This is our last session in our Pinot Noir December series! It's time to assess how much you've learned from the past two weeks.

Part 3 is Sun, Dec 17 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 19 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), one wine from each of the six regions previously tasted (Burgundy, Oregon, California, Germany, Chile, New Zealand).

The cost per session is $28 per person and helps us cover the venue and wine costs.

Please remember to bring your own wine glasses. The bowls of your tasting glasses need to be 10 oz or less.

Let us know if you have any questions.

For December, we are focusing on distinguishing the differences between expressions of Pinot Noir. We will discuss the classic profile of Pinot Noir (high acid, low tannin, red fruit) and then what geographical, viticultural, and vinification influences create a unique typicity to each region.

This week is Part 2: Sun, Dec 10 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 12 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), two wines from each from Germany, Chile, New Zealand.

Sign up next week for Part 3: Sun, Dec 17 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 19 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), one wine from each of the three regions tasted this week (Germany, Chile, New Zealand) as well as the three regions lasted last week (Burgundy, Oregon, California).

The cost per session is $28 per person and helps us cover the venue and wine costs.

Please remember to bring your own wine glasses. The bowls of your tasting glasses need to be 10 oz or less.

Let us know if you have any questions.

For December, we are going to focus on distinguishing the differences between expressions of Pinot Noir. We will discuss the classic profile of Pinot Noir (high acid, low tannin, red fruit) and then what geographical, viticultural, and vinicultural influences create a unique typicity to each region.

This week is Part 1: Sun, Dec 3 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 5 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), two wines from each from Burgundy, Oregon, California.

We will continue our Pinot Noir journey for two more weeks:

• Part 2: Sun, Dec 10 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 12 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), two wines from each from Germany, Chile, New Zealand.
• Part 3: Sun, Dec 17 at 3:30 pm and Tue, Dec 19 at 6:30 pm (same flight each session), one wine from each of the six regions previously tasted.

The cost per session is $28 per person and helps us cover the venue and wine costs.

Please remember to bring your own wine glasses. The bowls of your tasting glasses need to be 10 oz or less.

Let us know if you have any questions.

This week, we will have one session on Tue, Nov 28 at 6:30 pm with a flight of six red wines with varying levels of perception of pyrazines.

Methoxypyrazines lead to more "green" flavors such as fresh herbs, grass, asparagus, or bell-pepper. In cooler climates or when the grape has not had adequate time for these flavors to ripen, these notes are more pronounced.

The cost per session is $28 per person. Please note that due to the educational nature of these tastings, this is not a for-profit tasting, but simply to cover the cost of the six wines used for each session.

Please remember to bring your own wine glasses. The bowls of your tasting glasses need to be 10 oz or less.

Let us know if you have any questions.

Event: Wine 101

When:

January 25, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm

February 29, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm

April 18, 2024 at 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Where: Blind Bishop at 310 Sunset Ave, Dallas, TX 75208

Price: $75

Format: This is a seated, interactive class with instruction. You will learn about each wine in a very hands-on format, so you can immediately put your new tasting skills and wine knowledge into practice.

Level: Beginner-friendly - we will start from square one. This is an educational event that’s both a little nerdy and a lot of fun!

Experience: You will first learn about a wine tasting system that the professionals use. This will give you the vocabulary and a method to describe the wines you do or do not enjoy, so you can make better choices for yourself when buying or ordering wine.

You will taste and discuss six different grapes to have a foundational understanding of what distinguishes wines such as Chardonnay versus Sauvignon Blanc or Syrah versus Cabernet Sauvignon. We will then walk through how to read a wine label or list so you can decipher what an unfamiliar wine might taste like based on those profiles.

We will also explore the basic principles of food and wine pairing. By learning how wine interacts with different aspects of food, you will be able to more confidently select a wine to go with your meal at a restaurant, purchase wines to pair at home, and make selections when hosting others.

Wines: Three white wines (like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay) and three red wines (like Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon).

Food: You will have a plate of food components representing basic tastes (sweet, salt, acid etc.) to learn and practice with food and wine pairing principles. We will also have a light selection of artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, and bread to enjoy with the wines.

Why Blind Bishop’s Wine 101 is different:

This class is designed by Dilek Caner, Master of Wine, who has taught various wine certification and tasting courses for more than 20 years in New York City and in Dallas. In designing our Wine 101, Dilek used her experience towards the following goals:

• You will get the most accurate and up-to-date information about the ever-changing world of wine.
• The information is distilled down to what is most relevant and topical for a beginner. Instead of learning trivia that one tends to forget, you will receive usable information that you can immediately put into practice.
• The wines you taste in class are selected carefully as classic, high-quality examples of their types so you can gain a true understanding of what is typical for different grapes and regions.
• If you are in the wine industry or thinking about a career in wine, this course is also a solid starting point to understanding foundational concepts and preparing you for the next step.
• All of our instructors have multiple, advanced wine certifications and are experienced wine professionals.
• Last but not least, this is a great way to get into wine and also meet other wine enthusiasts who share your excitement and desire for learning about wine.

Join us as we explore the magical world of sparkling wine at a walkaround tasting on Friday, December 15th at Blind Bishop! Please complete the registration form below to purchase your ticket.

What:

• 10 sparkling wines made in various methods from different countries.
• Cheese, charcuterie, bread and dips.
• A learning experience where you will get to know the major sparklers of the world and their grape varieties.
• A way to taste a bunch of bubblies before you make your holiday and New Year's Eve selections.
• Discounts on the bubbly packs that you want to take home.

When:

Friday, December 15 at 5:30pm - 7:00pm

Where:

Blind Bishop
310 Sunset Ave.
Dallas, TX 75208

This week we have two sessions: one on Tuesday Nov 14 at 6:30pm and the other on Sunday Nov 19 at 3:30pm. Both will feature the same line-up and we will have laterals for both on the wine dispensers for you to practice with.

This week's blind tasting will include the following.

Four whites that you can distinguish by using non-fruit characteristics:

When tasting white wines that do not very quickly reveal what they are, you can use help from the non-fruit aromas. We all know about the grassy, herbaceous character of Sauvignon Blanc, petrol notes of Riesling or leesy character of certain Chardonnays. But I see these easily confused with each other in contexts not all of the wines are present. For example, I've seen many learners identify the leesy notes in a Hunter Valley Semillon as an oaky Chardonnay, or a Riesling with petrol aromas, or even an herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc.

So this week, we have 4 whites that display this type of characteristics, and we hope that after tasting and discussing these, you will get a good understanding of how they manifest in white wines.

Two reds made from a single major grape variety from two different countries:

One wine will be a blend, dominated by a single variety and the other one will be a varietal wine made from the same variety. We suggest that you think about which grapes could fall into these groups before coming to the tasting.

We will charge $28 for the 6. Please note that due to the educational nature of these tastings, this is not a for-profit tasting.

Please remember to bring your own wine glasses. The bowls of your tasting glasses need to be 10oz or less.

Let us know if you have any questions.