Take a Sommelier Class with the NSLC

Since wine is one biggest interests, it’s only natural that I’d want to expand my knowledge (+ sample lots of types of wine). I added #1038 to my bucket list for just those reasons. Sommeliers are professionals wine experts who can provide recommendations for how certain types of wine should be served, what food they can be eaten with, etc.

In Halifax, we have an upscale liquor store called The Port, which runs tons of events and classes. They have 4 week courses where you can really delve into a certain type of wine, or wine from a specific region. These courses are extremely popular (and only $60!), and I’ve unfortunately been unable to reserve a seat. They also offer one night classes, like the class I took about Pinot Noir. As soon as I got an email about this class being offered (yes, I’ve subscribed to get updates), I gathered a few friends and booked the class. Good thing I acted fast, as the whole class sold out in 24 hours.

The night of the event, we walked to the back of the store to their Experience Room. They had tables set up with 7 glasses of pinot noir and a platter of h’ors d’oeuvres at each setting. While we were waiting for everyone to to arrive, the sommelier offered us a glass of bubbly to get the night started. I learned that champagne is actually made from the pinot noir grape as well!

Once everyone had arrived, the sommelier led us through the 7 samples of pinot noir from all over the world. We had 2 samples from France (the birthplace of pinot noir) and then moved on to Oregon, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, and California. We were shown photos of each of the wine region and learned why the each have a specific taste. I learned what food went well with each of the wines, and was cued when to take a bite of one of the h’ors d’oeuvres to get the best tasting experience. The food was provided by Primal Kitchen, and included duck prosciutto, a mushroom tart, caramelized onion, and smoked salmon. After the class was over, the sommelier stuck around so you could ask him any questions and ask him about specific recommendations.

I’ve never been a red wine kind of girl, but this class opened my eyes to red wines that weren’t heavy and thick. I also learned some other wine tips, like Chardonnay shouldn’t be served ice cold, just slightly chilled (who knew?). I would highly recommend looking into classes at The Port if you live in the Halifax area, or looking into classes at your local liquor store if you live out of the area. The class was a steal at only $25, and you definitely got your money’s worth.

Let me know in the comments if you’re planning on attending any of the classes at The Port!