San Francisco wine tasting course?

[ScottH]

Same question as raychip, different coast -- does anyone have a wine tasting course they can recommend in the San Francsico area? (I prefer the city, but I can go elsewhere)

Thanks.

[thewoodman]

I took a great clss from UC Davis extension. I think Berkeley Extension has one as well that I have heard good things about.

[winoweenie]

ScottH welcome to the board. A good friend of mine owns one of SF`s finer wine operations and can give you the info you need. Call Leslie Hennessey at 864-6677 or 777 9403. He can hook you up with whas` happinin`. winoweenie. His shop is naturally called "TATA" Hennesseys

[NikoChow]

how about a course in Los Angeles. Again, I am too lazy to head up there.

[Bucko]

Reply from a friend:

There are lots of classes in the San Francisco and the surrounding nearby area. Here is some (but only some) of what's available . . .

I teach a whole series of wine courses through the University of California Santa Cruz Extension program. My classes are generally held in Sunnyvale, about 40 minutes
driving time south of downtown San Francisco. Other people teach wine classes for UCSC in Monterey and Santa Cruz itself. UCSC Extension can be reached at
University of California, Santa Cruz Extension website (www.ucsc-extension.edu/) or at 800.660.UNEX. [Note: the "800" only works within California; outside CA, call
831.427.6600.]

UC Berkeley Extension teaches wine classes in Berkeley, in San Francisco, in Atherton, etc. (Each UC campus has their own Extension program responsible for several
California counties.) They generally do a very good job. Cal's Extension program is at UC Berkeley Extension Home Page (www.unex.berkeley.edu/) or at 510.642.4111


Also in San Francisco is a wine school called "Pacific Rim Wine Education Center." It's run by Bruce Cass, the person who edited The Oxford Companion to North
American Wines. They can be reached at Pacific Rim Wine Education Center (www.pacrimwine.org/) or 415.512.9318. The program is a bit limited and is more
expensive than the Extension programs at either UCSC or Cal, but Bruce is very knowledgeable and -- though only a year or two old -- I'm sure the classes are quite
good.

Another San Francisco-based wine school that is just starting up (January 2001) is called "The Grapes of Path" (?), headed by Pamela Busch. I don't know much about it
other than their "advisory panel" has some really good people on it. The website is at The Grapes of Path (www.grapesofpath.com), and their telephone number is
415.701.7335.

Hope that helps . . .

Jason