wise about wine
Hill Country Wine Academy uncorks new core classes under $100
Hobbyists and professionals alike are invited to start or embellish their journey with these new classes.
It's impossible to know everything about anything, really, but wine knowledge is especially expansive. Thank goodness it's so fun to learn. Sommeliers, whether they're in it as a career or a hobby, can still get serious about reaching new heights.
The Hill Country Wine Academy in Stonewall, Texas, is reflecting some of that depth with an expansion of its offerings. Five new classes will have students hitting the books — or the wine glasses — in 2024. Some have already started, with the first classes beginning in late April.
All short-form about core topics, these new learning opportunities cater to people who are breaking their learning up into smaller pieces (not lasting a full day), without sacrificing those basic tenets.
Although the academy offers longer WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) accredited courses, the new classes are additional learning and are open to anyone who wants to learn more about wine.
According to a press release, these classes lasting only 90-120 minutes include:
- Wine & Bites Workshop
- Hold or Fold 'Em (determining age ability)
- Local to Global Tasting Workshop (a Texas-versus-other-regions tasting and discussion)
- Vino Vernacular (wine vocabulary)
- Harvest Insider (viticulture and vinification) — not on the schedule yet
Although these classes Students who sign up for one class will receive a punch card and receive the fifth for free.
This wine academy is only a year old, having been launched in April 2023 by William Chris Wine Company (WCWC) as the William Chris Wine School. In addition to its WSET courses (the global standard), it offers Texas Wine Ambassador Certification courses.
The latter is exclusive to the academy, and provides a "foundational knowledge of wine" in addition to more Texas-specific tips — especially when it comes to sustaining the local industry — in a single day of learning.
The Hill Country Wine Academy is located at 235 Miracle Mile Unit J3 in Stonewall, Texas. Tickets (starting at $65) and more information about the current courses are available at hcwineacademy.com. More class dates for winter will be added soon.
