City Paper Article on The Wine School of Philadelphia

If you’ve read my profile recently, you know I’ve been taking classes at The Wine School of Philadelphia, which was founded by Keith Wallace.

The classes have been validating in a lot of ways; the analytical way I have been approaching and deconstructing wine is directly in line with the school’s philosophy. At the same time, though, Keith and his colleague, Brian Freedman, have taught me so many new things. As a result, the course has been profoundly empowering—I’ve learned to identify characteristics about a wine from just one sip that I never thought were possible, things that highly-paid sommeliers can’t identify. It’s scary, actually. The funny thing is that you could do it too. It’s not supernatural. In fact, it’s imminently teachable.

When the City Paper put out the call for freelance writers, I pitched a piece on The Wine School of Philadelphia and they liked it. The article I wrote appears in this week’s issue of the City Paper.

In addition to the Foundation Program I wrote about, The Wine School also offers individual classes that are rooted in the same sensory-based philosophy for as low as $37.99. In Wine 101, for example, they cover the nine basic varietals and dispel popular myths about wine, including the sulfite myth and the belief that you need a different glass for each type of wine.

Also, please check out this week's Small Bites section of City Paper. I profile the Argiolas 2005 Costamolino Vermentino. The creaminess I describe is the result of a process known as partial malolactic fermentation, which I was able to identify instinctively thanks to the skills I learned from Keith and Brian.