New Year, New Wine Knowledge! Take a Deeper Dive into the World of Wine
Ready to delve deeper into the fascinating world of wine? Explore the many varietals, styles, regions, customs and people behind the label? Now that we’ve returned from Napa Valley following a successful harvest season, we’re ready to roll up our sleeves and dive into another passion within the wine industry—education. Starting in early February, Doug will be teaching a six-week Vines to Wine course at Truckee Meadows Community College. This once a week, two-hour session is all about sharing our wine knowledge and experiences in a way that is straightforward, easy to understand and accessible. Utilizing a wide array of credentials, international perspective and travel, our hope is that this course will not only be very informative, but delivered in a comfortable, non-intimidating environment. The goal is to keep the class size very manageable and, in a manner, to provide every opportunity for Q&A along the way. Right now, class size is limited to 20 so that attention can be given at all levels and pace everyone can enjoy.
As a preview, here are some of the main areas Doug will cover:
History and propagation of the vine and wine
Vineyard annual cycle and managing aspects
Winemaking processes:
Red, white, rosé, orange (amber), sparkling, fortified and dessert
Common wine language/terminology
Major grape varieties
Major winemaking regions of the world
Regional influences such as geography, climate, terroir, and cultures
Worldwide regional laws, governance and designations of wine
Evaluate wine for distinguishable flavor and aroma characteristics (tasting event)
Proper wine storage, appropriate serving temperatures, and service
Wine with food pairings
Trends, economic impact, and business opportunities in the wine industry
Career fields associated with wine and programs/certifications available
Ok, that’s a pretty large list of items to cover in 12 total hours of classroom time over the six weeks. So, his hope is not to focus so much on getting through all the content at a high level, but to ensure everyone is getting what they want out of the class. We realize some people might have more (or less) wine knowledge coming into the course, but as a non-credited class, this is all about information sharing and community engagement. This course isn’t to make you a wine expert, but give you a better understanding of the wine world and how you can benefit from the knowledge gained. No prerequisite wine knowledge is required, which might be even more fun when exploring this amazing commodity.
He is excited to share this passion for wine and learn from those attending the class about their experiences, favorite varietals/producers, and why they decided to take this course. We look forward to seeing some familiar faces in the classroom.
Course details:
Course: Vines to Wine: An introductory wine course
Location: Truckee Meadows Community College, Meadowood Center, 5270 Neil Road
(Room 210), Reno, NV
Dates: February 3, 2026 – March 10, 2026
Time: Tuesdays, 6-8pm
Registration link: Vines to Wine
