Wine is a brilliant compliment to just about everything: it makes your food better, makes your cozy movie night better, and sometimes even makes your company better.
I love whites, I love reds, I love sparkling, I have great disdain for boxed and ports.
When I was sixteen and sent in my Early Decision letter to attend this fine institution, I found out that they offered classes on wine, beer, and food and wine pairing. I heard rumors that the professor for these classes -Lorraine Hems- was amazing, and if you didn't take a class with her before graduating, you would be doing yourself a disservice. This is absolutely true.
I took Wines of the World I with Lorraine Hems during the fall semester 2013, and I am currently enrolled (and studying for my final) in Food and Wine Pairing. Each of these classes has enhanced my knowledge and appreciation for wine tenfold. There is something to be said about the ability to order successful accoutrements to meals, discern minute flavors or methods of fermentation, understand what others are talking about while at dinner/parties, and honestly just learn to love wine (more).
In Wines of the World, each class is two hours and devotes one day to one region/country/state. We covered California, Portugal/Spain, Argentina, Washington/Oregon, New York, Australia/New Zealand, Italy, Burgundy, and Bordeaux. In Food and Wine Pairing, the time is the same, and we covered earthy foods, desserts, cheese, butter, acidity, herbs and spices, smoky foods, and foods at the "peak" of freshness.The final project for WotW is open to much interpretation- I redesigned a label and created an advertisement for Casillero del Diablo's Cabernet Sauvignon from Santiago, Chile (how APR), and for F&WP we have to create a four course menu with pairings we think go well, and explain why. There does not have to be a theme to these pairings, however something reminiscent of a holiday menu might be intriguing.
I must say, although classes for your major are important, diversifying your skill set and learning a little something about such a prominent social topic will undoubtedly be helpful for any professional field. Taking these classes has already elevated my life experiences- so do it, you won't regret it!
