Virtual Wine Classes

Let’s take a journey through the world of wine, where half the joy is the exploration and discovery!

I’m Mary Beth Vierra, Certified Wine Educator and founder of Crush Course.  Whether you’re an industry pro, wine enthusiast or just wine curious, my classes and experiences help you learn (more), taste, and discover new pathways to wine enjoyment, wine fluency and professional expertise!

JOIN a Virtual Wine Class today – Enrollment open. New experiences each week -or- HIRE me to host an engaging virtual wine experience for your next group, client appreciation, or team-building event. 

Enroll in a class
Private Classes
Wine Explorations

1-hour

Interactive Exploration & (optional) Guided Tastings          Learner:  ALL LEVELS 

Virtual Exploration Tastings are for wine lovers of all levels, from early enthusiasts to industry professionals. Mary Beth Vierra shares her passion, knowledge, and the inside scoop on wine, grapes or regions, tips for understanding wine style, and strategies for inspired food pairings. Mary Beth makes wine approachable and fun, and she always has some tips up her sleeve to pique your curiosity, make sense of the sometimes puzzling wine world, and help  expand your wine palate with discovery and confidence.  BROWSE CLASSES

$30pp

 

Seminars & Workshops

1.5 to 3-hr

Gain deeper knowledge of a specific wine topic, skill or region with these interactive wine education classes. Included with each seminar/workshop:

  • Tasting Mat
  • Sensory Evaluation Tasting Grid
  • Handout/Worksheet(s)

Starting at $45 pp   

BROWSE CLASSES. Enroll in individual seminars, or for deeper skill, look for classes in a themed series or part of a larger expertise program (coming soon).

Pro Classes  (Interm to Adv):  For trade professionals, to expand and deepen their knowledge of wine topics/regions and sharpen their wine fluency. Fantastic support for wine certifications. Well-suited for the motivated wine enthusiast to aficionado. 

Appreciation Classes (Intro to Interm):  For novice to wine enthusiast and servers wanting a jump-start or a refresh, Mary Beth makes the world and language of wine approachable, understandable, and more enjoyable. Learn the “whys,” “hows” and beauty of wine. Feel empowered in the wine aisle, restaurant and comfortable selecting, talking about, and enjoying this magical beverage. 

Programs & Series

SERIES:  Keep an eye out for multiple Explorations or Seminars under a wine theme you love. Maybe it’s Wine and Food Pairing, or La Dolce Vita: A Taste of Italy, or Duelling Wines (compare/contrast a grape across regions or styles).  Don’t miss your favorites  *Multi-class discounts available

PROGRAMS:  (Coming Soon)  Assure you are on a path to success with longer-term or intensive multi-class programs on a topic of wine expertise. Go deep and set your sights on success.  Programs can range from 3 -4 classes to 8 or 10.  Some programs cumulate in a certificate. Take a few single modules, or enroll in the full program for mastery.

Let us know the deeper mastery skills most important to you. We may offer:

* Wine Foundations

* Wine 101

* World Wine Regions

* The Wines of Italy

* Great Wine Varieties of the World

* The Wine Host: Confident Wine & Food Paring, Buying, Serving

 

 

Wine Exploration Tastings

1-hour guided tastings, learning

ALL LEVELS

With wine, half the joy is in the discovery!  For wine lovers of all levels- early enthusiasts to industry pros. Get the inside scoop on wine, grapes or regions, tips for understanding wine style, and strategies for inspired food pairings.  Join us each tasty week as we taste, discover, and learn something new. 

$30pp

Wine Seminars & Workshops

1.5 to 3-hr Wine Education & Tasting

 

Included with each seminar/workshop
  • Tasting Mat
  • Sensory Evaluation Tasting Grid
  • Handout/Worksheet(s)

Gain deeper knowledge of a specific wine topic, skill or region with these interactive wine education classes.

Seminars available at both the Pro (Interm-Adv) and Appreciation (Beginner-Interm) levels  

Starting at $45 pp    

Coming Soon

Dates to be announced 

Pro Seminars:

Pinot Noir – The Prince of “Transparent” Reds

Intro to Italian Wines  [ Mini-Program: 5 classes ]

Appreciation Level Seminars: 

Wine Confidence: Decoding the Wine Label, Wine List, Wine Aisle

Wine Basics: The Lay of the Land   [ Mini-program: 3 classes ]
*The Making of Flavor & Style   *Top White Varieties  *Top Red Varities

Wine Exploration: 

LaDolce Vita: Italy in Your Glass  [ Themed Series:  3 classes ]
*Italian Wine Made Simple  *talian WHITES  *Italian REDS
  • Certified Wine Educator (CWE) 
  • Italian Wine Scholar (IWS) ~ Wine Scholar Guild
  • Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA) ~ VinItaly
  • California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS)
  • Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS)
  • Masters’ Degree in Rhetoric, UC Davis (MA)

Why Mary Beth?

 

Mary Beth Vierra, founder of Crush Course, has over a dozen years designing and leading wine training classes and programs for a premier world winery, lead wine country trips in the US and abroad, and hosted many beautiful wine dinners. She receives accolades for her approachable style, her enthusiasm, and for making the complex understandable. Common feedback she likes to hear goes something like: You’re classes are GREAT! We learned so much and would sign up for all of them.

Mary Beth has lead hundreds of team members and guests to wine discovery and confidence through both classroom learning and “getting your boots dirty,” in vineyards and wineries and through lots of wine-stained glassware. She’s also fluent in Italian (language and food) having lived in Italy five years!

 

“I find wine endlessly fascinating – a blend of art, science, nature and passion.” ~ Mary Beth