News Release: Tuesday, July, 2nd, 2024
About: WSET "Live" Classes
Metro wines is again collaborating with Melanie Webber, Certified Wine Instructor, to present WSET classes at Quench!, our new Wine Bistro and location for The Asheville School of Wine in Reynolds Village, Woodfin.
Melanie Webber is a certified wine instructor, sommelier, writer and communications expert who helps wine industry professionals achieve their wine certifications and wine lovers deepen their appreciation and understanding of wine. At the core of everything Melanie does is her passion to make it fun to learn how to taste, assess and enjoy wine. She holds the globally-recognized Diploma in Wine & Spirits from WSET as well as the French Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar certifications from the Wine Scholar Guild and is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust to teach WSET Level 1, 2 and 3 Awards in Wine.
Melanie’s MWWine School is an approved program provider of WSET and Spanish/French Wine Scholar courses in Asheville, North Carolina and SLO County, California. She has taught WSET courses since 2018, helping hundreds of industry professionals and wine lovers achieve their certifications. She is also an adjunct wine studies professor at College of the Canyons. Melanie has traveled extensively to wine regions around the world gathering material for classes as well for her articles for her blog, BottlePoet, and for a variety of other outlets. Melanie’s article “The Wine Student” was shortlisted in the 2023 Jancis Robinson Wine Writing competition and is published at JancisRobinson.com.
"I am excited to offer a VIP discount for Hospitality and Wine Industry Trade and MWWS Alumni for all courses this summer in Asheville. Use code ASHEVIP to receive 10% off all course registrations. We are also pleased to offer payment options through Afterpay," says Melanie Webber. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Asheville Course Schedule at a Glance:
* WSET Level 1 Award in Wines August 4
One day class & exam
A beginner level introduction to wine, all in one day, suitable for those starting a wine career or pursuing an interest in wine. You’ll explore the main types and styles of wine through sight, smell, and taste, while also gaining the skills to describe wines accurately, and make food and wine pairings, as well as learning wine service and etiquette. Tasting of 10 wines from around the world.
* WSET Level 2 Award in Wines August 5, 6 & 12
Three day class & exam
For individuals seeking a core understanding of a wide range of wines, this qualification explores the major grape varieties of the world and the regions in which they are grown. Through a combination of tasting and theory, you’ll explore the factors that impact style and quality and learn how to describe these wines with confidence. The course includes tastings of over 35 wines.
WSET 3 Fall - Note from Melanie Webber:
WSET Level 3 Award in Wines is one of the industry's most respected credentials, and, as such, it is a serious and challenging course that demands commitment – over 50 hours of private study is recommended. Please be sure to review the candidate specification before registering. Your work outside class hours is as important, if not more so, than your time in class. Successful candidates in my previous classes have formed tasting and study groups and practiced writing answers for the theory portion of the exam. The exam consists of a blind tasting exam and a theory exam consisting of multiple-choice questions and essay questions. The good news is that everything you need to know for the theory part is in your book, so if you know your book and are able to apply knowledge you should be fine. Students tend to be the most nervous about the blind tasting exam, but most students pass that, it is the theory exam that provides the biggest challenges. "I make sure to space classes out so you have ample study time between sessions, provide homework with sample exam questions, and we taste all wines blind and I put you through many mock blind tasting exams."
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* WSG Spanish Wine Essentials August 11 & 13
Two day class & exam
News Release: Monday, May 8, 2023
About: Ciao Asheville Event
Taste and Talk Series: Art and Wine
Can art affect and inform winemakers and their philosophy about making their wines and how they want the public to perceive those wines? The answer is definitely yes!
This is an Asheville FIRST! Ciao Asheville and Metro Wines team up with Sarah Newman, art historian and Certified Sommelier with Volio Imports, to discuss the symbiosis between art and wine. This event will take place on Tuesday, June 13, 5:30pm, at Engaged Asheville Event Space, 41 N Merrimon Ave #107, Asheville, NC 28804.
Sarah just returned from a whirlwind trip to Italy, making her way from Piemonte to Sicily, visiting a number of winemakers, and will discuss their favorite artists and the various ways that art fuses with wine.
This event will include a talk by Sarah while everyone tastes 6 Italian wines:
Fantinel Sun Goddess, Prosecco Brut
Berlucchi, Franciacorta Brut Rosé 61
Ilatium Morini (Latium), Soave (2020)
Val delle Rose, Vermentino Litorale (2021)
Rivetto, Langhe Nebbiolo (2020)
Tenuta Argentiera, Bolgheri Poggio Ai Ginepri Rosso (2021)
This is a great opportunity to enjoy the sensory experience of these wonderful Italian wines while Sarah discusses the winemakers’ philosophies, the journey behind the bottle, and lots of “inside information” about these wines and the marriage of art and wine.
Price for the evening is $40 + tax (refundable up until 48 hours prior to the event), which includes the tasting and talk by Sarah. Light snacks will be served. Register online here. For more information call Metro Wines at (828) 575-9525.
All wines featured can be purchased at event pricing this night only.
More about Sarah Newman:
After graduating from Duke in 2007 with an A.B. in Visual Art and Art History, Sarah Newman moved to New York to pursue her masters at Sotheby’s Institute of Art. It was a part-time job at a wine bar while in graduate school where Sarah was first bitten with the wine bug. Her New York restaurant experience includes such iconic places as P.J. Clarke’s, Oceana, Felidias and Artisanal Bistro. While in New York, Sarah also began pursuing wine education. She became a Certified Sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers) in 2013 and passed with merit the advanced exam for Wine and Spirits Education trust. She is now pursuing the WSET Diploma, completion of which will make her eligible to become a candidate for Master of Wine (MS).
Here in North Carolina, Sarah worked as a sommelier at the Angus Barn before discovering wine distribution. After working with over 85 restaurants in Durham, Sarah became the Regional Sales Director for Volio Imports and now represents her portfolio in over 10 states, including North Carolina. She is delighted to share her love of Italian wine in her home state.
More about the wines:
* Fantinel Sun Goddess, Prosecco Brut
Region: Veneto, Italy
Appellation: Prosecco
Appearance: straw-yellow with citrine glints. Nose: intense and extremely elegant, giving off fruity aromas recalling especially apple, pear and peach. Palate: a creamy essence and a velvety flavor, revealing a structured body rich in volume and smoothness. Acidity is pleasant and perfectly balanced, for a freshness feeling and a delightful after-taste.
* Berlucchi, Franciacorta Brut Rosé 61
Region: Lombardy, Italy
Grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Appellation: Franciacorta
Wine Enthusiast – 92 Points. A Wine Spectator “Top 100”. “Bright and savory, this refreshing, polished sparkler boasts alluring aromas of juicy raspberry, wild cherry, baking spice and a whiff of bread crust. The inviting aromas follow over to the vibrant palate along with a continuous refined perlage. A tangy candied nectarine note closes the finish.” – K.O. 9/12/2017
* Ilatium Morini (Latium), Soave (2020)
Region: Veneto, Italy
Grapes: Garganega, Trebbiano di Soave
Appellation: Soave
Fresh and very persistent on the palate, a finish with delicate hints of bitter almonds typical of Soave. It is ideal at any time of day.
* Val delle Rose, Vermentino Litorale (2021)
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Grape: Vermentino
Color: Straw-yellow, with light gold reflections. Bouquet: Intense, fruit-forward aromas that suggest tropical fruits. Taste: Fresh, crisp with well-balanced acids, and an assertive finish.
* Rivetto, Langhe Nebbiolo (2020)
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Grape: Nebbiolo
Appellation: Langhe
An extremely pleasing and drinkable wine and although it has a high alcohol grade this never overpowers its fruity character. Its red color has Bordeaux reflections and the slow trickle from the edge of the glass confirms its optimal concentration and good body. The palate is caressed by a smooth tannin content typical of the Nebbiolo grape and by a warm and enveloping flavor.
* Tenuta Argentiera, Bolgheri Poggio Ai Ginepri Rosso (2021)
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Appellation: Bolgheri
This Bolgheri DOC is composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot vinified separately and extracted by soft pressing. A nice wine with defined structure and pronounced concentration. The wine’s olfactory panorama is ample and profound while at once immediate and present. An intense structure characterizes this wine, but with a beautiful softness and a remarkably clean finish. Tenuta Argentiera stands in a magnificent patch of land in the Maremma that blends countryside and sea, suspended between woods and Mediterranean scrub.
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Contact: Gail Rampersaud: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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(828) 575-9525