One of my favorite group of folks to hang out with are sommeliers. First of all, they are in the business of making people happy and generally speaking, they're pretty good at it. Because they know an awful lot about wine, I almost always learn something from them.
Since you might only get a few moments consulting with a sommelier or wine director in a busy restaurant or wine bar, taking a class from them is a great way to absorb even more wine smarts.
Recently I attended a class at the SOMA wine bar District. Wine director Caterina Mirabelli is just a terrific person to spend your time with on a lazy Saturday afternoon. She's smart, friendly, enthusiastic and has a real eye for quality not to mention value when it comes to wine. She's also not afraid to buck the trends. I love the way she describes certain wines-- Pinot is an elegant lady or Zinfandel is a big bruiser. Her classes are interactive, small scale and include a brunch buffet.
Upcoming September classes at District include French Pinot (Burgundy) vs Pinots from around the world and a brunch featuring pate, French charcuterie, and foie gras.
