This wine tasting class zeroes in on the essential grape varieties—the ones every wine drinker should know cold. We’ll map out their core flavor profiles, break down the logic behind wine labels, and taste through a lineup that makes the whole system finally click. By the end of the night, you’ll buy and order with confidence and actually get the wine you intended to get, no matter the price tag.

This class is also a nod to Andrea Immer Robinson—Master Sommelier, bestselling author, and one of the finest teachers our industry has ever had. Her book Great Wine Made Simple (Clarkson Potter) landed in 2000, just months before the Wine School opened its doors. It became required reading for our earliest students, and it still stands as one of the best starting points for anyone beginning their wine education.

Andrea later returned the kindness. In 2004, she headlined a Wine School of Philadelphia lecture at the Food Network’s Great Big Food Show. She opened her talk by telling the sold-out crowd, “You are lucky to have the Wine School of Philadelphia,” along with a few generous words about Keith Wallace.

This class carries that spirit forward. Inspired by Great Wine Made Simple, it gives students a clear, practical way to read and understand the wines of the world. Expect a guided tour through the classic regions of France, Italy, Spain, and beyond—structured, approachable, and built to stay with you long after the bottles are empty.

Tasting Sheets

Great Wine Made Simple

Flight 1

1. Hammond 2014 Trocken Riesling, Rheingau, Germany

Flight 2

1. La Forcine 2015 Sancerre AOC, Loire Valley, France

2. Babich 2016 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Flight 3

1. Zotovich 2013 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, California

Flight 4

1. San Felice 2014 Chianti Classico D.O.C.G., Tuscany, Italy

2. Illuminati 2013 “Ilico” Riserva Montepulciano, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo D.O.C., Abruzzo, Italy

Flight 5

1. Château Lestruelle 2009 Cru Bourgeois, Médoc, Bordeaux, France

2. Domaine Lafage 2014 Cuvée Nicolas, Vieilles Vignes, Côtes Catalanes, France

Great Wine Made Simple

Flight 1

1. Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler 2011 Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany

Flight 2

1. Sbraga Family Vineyards 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma

2. Karine Lauverjat 2014 Sancerre AOC, France

Flight 3

1. San Fabiano Calcinaia 2012 Chianti Classico Denominazione di Origine Controllata E Garantita (DOCG), Tuscany, Italy

2. Villa Mora 2008 Rosso Riserva, Montefalco DOC, Italy

Flight 4

1. Bastide Miraflors 2013 “Vieilles Vignes”, Côtes Catalanes, France

2. Chapoutier 2013 Bila-Haut, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, France

Flight 5
1. Château La Cardonne 2009 Médoc AOC, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France

Great Wine Made Simple

Flight 1
1. St. Urbans-Hof 2010 Bockstein Ockfen Kabinett Riesling

Flight 2
1. Nicolas Potel 2011 Mâcon-Villages Bourgogne

2. Jean-Claude Lapalu 2009 Beaujolais-Villages

Flight 3
1. Fratelli Revello 2009 Langhe

2. Rocca di Castagnoli 2009 Chianti Classico

Flight 4
1. Marqués de Riscal Reserva 2006 Rioja

2. Dom. de la Grand Ribe 2009 Côtes du Rhône Villages Centenaire