Food & Wine Scholar™

An 8-Week Advanced Course in Flavor Theory and Pairing Practice. From January 5th to March 2nd. No Class on February 16th.
Part of the National Wine School’s Advanced and Master Certification Programs

Program Overview

Forget the guesswork. This is not your standard wine and cheese class. The Food & Wine Scholar program offers a comprehensive, hands-on education in pairing theory, grounded in sensory science and built for professionals. Over eight intensive sessions, you’ll learn how flavor works on a molecular, cultural, and perceptual level—and how to apply that knowledge in real-world tasting environments.

From genetic tasting labs to full-scale service exams, this course pushes you to explore the boundaries of what wine can do at the table. Whether you’re a chef, educator, or working toward your Master credential, this course delivers the framework and confidence to execute truly exceptional pairings.

Class 1: Introduction to Food & Wine Pairing

We kick things off by building a shared vocabulary—and a framework for structured analysis. You’ll review the olfactory system, identify the five core structural flavors, and reengage with the ABT (Analytical Balance Theory) and FEW (Flavor Element Weighting) models. This class also introduces the Sequential vs. Mixed Tasting methods and begins the self-assessment process, including the infamous “Narcissist Question.”
Cohorts are seated by dietary preference—vegetarians together.

Class 2: Wine & Cheese Pairing

A classic revisited. This isn’t about memorizing which cheeses go with which wines—it’s about understanding why certain pairings succeed while others fail. You’ll apply structural and aromatic matching techniques to traditional pairings and test their limits.

Class 3: Taste & Genetics Laboratory

This session puts your biology under the microscope—literally. Using blue food coloring and magnification, you’ll count fungiform papillae to determine your taster type. You’ll also test your sensitivity to PTC/PROP compounds using a supertaster genetic kit and evaluate how genetic variability affects perception of bitterness, capsaicin heat, and metallic elements (such as iron and blue cheese).

Important: Wear clothing you don’t mind staining!

Class 4: Component Lab

Here we isolate taste. Using base ingredients and neutral wines, you’ll build a sensory map of how sweetness, acidity, bitterness, salt, umami, and fat interact with wine structure. This is foundational work—essential for anyone making pairing decisions under pressure.

Class 5: Flavor Lab

This is our walk-around scent and structure lab. You’ll match major varietals with their aromatic signatures using scent sticks, flavor wheels, and analog pairings. Think Gewürztraminer and lychee, Cabernet and graphite, but from a component-matching standpoint.

Class 6: Judging Pairings – Smackdown

Time to put your theory to the test. Four dishes. Four wines. Four opinions per table. You’ll debate, taste, re-taste, and ultimately argue for which pairing works best—and why. This is both competition and consensus-building. Structured chaos, by design.

Classes 7 & 8: Sommelier Pairing Exam

This is the final: a practical exam that mimics real-world food service. You’ll design and present five food and wine pairings to a judging panel. Each presentation includes a live pour, a timed service window, and a three-minute explanation of the pairing. You’ll be evaluated both on the quality of your matches and your ability to assess the pairings of others.

• Doors open at 6:30 PM; food must be delivered to Keith by 7 PM.
• Dishes should be portioned and ready to serve within 5 minutes.
• Practice your pacing—7 minutes total per pairing exam.

Important Notes

• Supply Fee: A $50 fee covers food, wine, and lab materials.
• Tastings: You will consume wine and food in every class. Please bring water.
• Dietary Restrictions: Due to the scientific nature of certain labs (e.g., blue cheese and iron pairings), not all restrictions can be accommodated. Contact the school before registering if you have any dietary concerns.
• Tools Required: Bring water every session.