VWE Academy: All About Italian Wine presented by Caroline Hermann MW and Jay Youmans MW (Includes 2-Class Course and VIP/Early Saturday Afternoon Grand Tasting)

Virginia Wine Expo & the Capital Wine School Present An Incredible 2-Class Course on Italian Wine Which Includes Admission to the VIP/Early Saturday Afternoon Walk-Around Grand Tasting

In partnership with the Capital Wine School, the Virginia Wine Expo presents a two-class Virginia Wine Expo Academy (VWEA) course, All About Italian Wine, a unique and unparalleled opportunity to learn more about the extraordinary diversity and quality of great Italian wine.   Led by two Masters of Wine (MW), Jay Youmans and Caroline Hermann, this incredible seminar will educate and enlighten your understanding of one of the world's most diverse wine regions.

This two-class courses includes admission to VIP/Early Saturday Afternoon Walk-Around Grand Tasting (details below).  

After taking the course, the candidate will receive a Certificate, joining an exclusive club whose membership includes discounts on select future Virginia Wine Expo events.

Your Ticket to All About Italian Wine Includes the Following:

• Class #1 - Online & Taped via Zoom on Saturday, February 17, 2024, 10AM - 12:00PM, or anytime thereafter via taped replay
• Class #2 - LIVE at Main Street Station on Saturday, March 2, 2024, 9:15AM - 11:00AM: This class includes a comprehensive tasting of Italian wine
• VIP/Early Saturday Afternoon Walk-Around Grand Tasting on Saturday, March 2, 2024, 11:00AM to 4:00PM: This event is literally steps away from the Academy class and begins just as the Academy class concludes

Course Details

The first, virtual class will primarily focus on Italy's wine history and culture, terroir, biodiversity, viticultural regions, notable grape varietals, techniques and challenges, economics, distinctive characteristics, major personalities, and place in the greater wine world.  The second, live class at Main Street Station with a will be a thorough, comprehensive tasting of the most relevant grape varietals and blends from various regions the country.

The courses will be team-led by Jay Youmans, Educational Director and Owner of the Capital Wine School and a Master of Wine, and Caroline Hermann, an instructor at the Capital Wine School and also a Master of Wine 

About Caroline Hermann, Master of Wine & Co-Seminar Leader

• Caroline Hermann, Master of Wine (MW), is a highly respected wine lecturer, having taught wine industry professionals since 2010 at the Capital Wine School in Washington DC. She has worked in many aspects of the industry, including wineries and retail sales, as well as wine law and regulations. She has studied viticulture, winemaking, and tasting analysis at the University of Bordeaux, and judges tasting competitions internationally. Caroline is a WSET Certified Educator for wine and Japanese sake, and is Washington DC's first woman Master of Wine.

About Jay Youmans, Master of Wine & Co-Seminar Leader

• Jay is the owner and Education Director for The Capital Wine School in Washington, DC, www.capitalwineschool.com. He teaches the wine course for L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD. His credentials include: Advanced Level Sommelier - AS (Court of Master Sommeliers), Certified Wine Educator – CWE (Society of Wine Educators), French Wine Scholar – FWS (French Wine Society), Italian Wine Professional - IWP, Burgundy Wine Educator ( BIVB), Bordeaux Wine Educator (CIVB), Napa Valley Wine Ambassador, and Master of Wine - MW (Institute of Masters of Wine), which he passed in 2004, receiving the Vina Errazuriz Award - www.mastersofwine.org.
• For the past seven years Mr. Youmans has been the Competition Director for the Virginia Governor’s Cup® Wine Competition, one of the most stringent wine competitions held in the world.

Special Discount for the Trade

The wine trade will receive a 20% discount on the cost to enroll in All About Virginia Wine and All About Italian Wine.  Interested members of the trade should e-mail Alex Papajohn at apapajohn@VariantEvents.com for details on trade enrollment.