Château Pétrus & Friends Bordeaux Dinner w/ Christophe Émé | Friday, March 17th at 6:45pm OVER $15,000 WORTH OF WINE by Ian Blackburn, Sommelier, Wine Entrepreneur, Wine Educator.  Well noted Chef Christophe Émé né Guide Michelin Étoile Restaurant Ortolan, Kass, Chef de Cuisine of legendary L'Orangerie prepared an impeccable, sumputous 6 course Menu Dégustation using Truffe Noire, Sevruga Caviar, etc. that was fit for royalty paired with extremely well known ultra premium Bordeaux wines.  What made for a very unusual pairing is not just having one wine but two of the same wine from the same vigneron but of two different years for a mini Vertical Wine Tasting that was so educational in being able to contrast and compare.   For me, having the privilege to dine many times on Chef Émé's rarified Nouvelle Cuisine Française is a sensory delight along with Ian Blackburn's selection of superlative wines. It reminds me of the heydays when Patina rocked with warm hospitality by Kevin & his kind staff, exquisite cuisine, paired wines by the incomparable  Silvestre Fernandes. I will post the menu and photos to document this very rare event where master cuisine meets the greatness of Bordeaux: Château Pétrus, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Ausone, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Château Saint Yquem, Château Talbot, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Haut Lafite.  Thank you Ian & Chef Émé for une très grande haute soirée that will be long remembered and a high bench mark in which to compare other Menus Dégustation avec Association de Vins et Mets.  Bravo!!!   5+ stars read more

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Always an amazing experience! Ian is incredibly knowledgeable.. Both Ian and Alice are exceptional hosts, read more

Professional, communicative, and accommodating! We hired Ian Blackburn to catalog, assess, package, and coordinate auctioning and selling our wine collection. We were on a short timeline to find a professional sommelier who could do everything for us to sell and vacate from our wine cellar within a month and a half. Ian was clear, accommodating of changes, and willing to help with everything we asked. I couldn't have asked for a smoother coordination or transaction. read more

Classes are NOT worth the money. Ian is a teacher that doesn't meet you where your wine experience is at when you start the class. The wine class has a generic outline and Ian seemed uninterested in seeing his students succeed. After 4 weeks he still didn't know our names, showing how little he interacted with us. Get the book, it will teach you everything you need to know. Steven Kolpan Exploring Wine: Completely Revised 3rd Edition read more

Oh how I love to Learn About Wine! So much so that when searching the internet for wine clubs and cool wine events a few years back, I stumbled across Ian Blackburn's company and immediately signed up for his mailing list and now am an avid fan of his events. They take place all over town and if you have an interest in wine, I highly recommend going to one. The TASTE series events are my personal fave, but I think you'd be hard pressed not to find something that will spark your curiosity :) Here is their up to date calendar of events page: http://www.acteva.com/ttghits.cfm?EVA_ID=18201 As you can see, the classes and events offer a really fun and diverse array of themes and varietals and they are all really fairly priced for the amount of grapey goodness you get, so check out one of these events soon with friends, a date or even by yourself. You are guaranteed to meet people and have a blast! Salud! read more

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Let me begin by saying, that I've been with WineLA since 2010 for all my wine needs and questions. From a thorough wine education to a plenty of fun wine events, such as tastings, exquisite dinners, and travel abroad those guys cover it all. With their great knowledge and understanding of wine culture they pass it to their customers for a reasonable value. The company is always organized, attentive and delivers exactly as advertised. So, whether you want to expand your wine knowledge or simply spend a fun time with your friends, I would absolutely recommend to contact WineLA. Cheers! read more

Great class. This class was bought as a gift for me by my wife and while I love wine, I was at first skeptical. However, Ian is a wonderful teacher and a great person. I have learned so much from him and so much from this class. I've always enjoyed good wine but I stuck to my comfort zone and didn't try too many different styles. However in this class, I got exposure to so many different styles and varieties and I learned how to appreciate really good wine. I highly recommend this class. It's fun, it's educational, and it helps you grow. read more

I went with my gf for an early vday event this past Saturday. The place was easy to find using a navi and there wasn't a whole lot of street parking but we got lucky. Just a warning: we saw the parking enforcement nazis (two of them) giving out tickets so becareful where you park We got there right at 1pm and there was a line entering the loft. A culinary student greeted each one of us and we signed up and a nice lady seated us. They use their best judgement when seating you and try to place you around people your own age which was good service to me because you end up getting a little buzzed and chatting and getting to know people across from you. There were about 4 long wine table clothed tables lined up and a total of about 50 people in the class which was considered sold out. The loft was spacious and the sun was brightening the room for an excellent day. we had a total of 10 differnet wines (4 white, 6 red), 5 cheeses, and 5 chocolates along with sun dried cranberries and apricots. The edibles were neatly arranged in an oval shaped plate in front of you, along with 2 empty wine glasses, a bottle of water, and 2 pages of informational material (description of wines/foods, sommelier Ian's bio, etc) The class was a total of about 2 hours with Ian describing how wine was made, how to drink wine, how to enjoy it, what to look for, etc all the good, educational stuff an eager student like me enjoys. He also used a powerpoint presentation to describe cheeses and showed a couple interesting youtube clips. It was a great atmosphere with good people, great wines and great wine+food pairings. I definitely learned a thing or two and was never too fond of white wines but after this class learned to appreciate them better (especially a 2004 German Reisling) I would recommend this for anyone who wants to learn more about wine, get out of the house and enjoy an event in LA, and/or go on a date. Ian offers other classes and wine tasting trips (domestic and international) as well. He has one called "Palate Builder" I am interested in taking. read more

Came here for the Valentine's day Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese night, which included 10 wines, 5 chocolates, and 5 cheeses. The pours were generous for a tasting and there was even some left over after the event if you wanted to revisit any of them. They were also good about refilling the crackers to have with the cheese. The space is unique in that it is a loft downtown. Parking was easy but then you had to buzz yourself up as though you were visiting your friend. Once inside, the decor is cozy and there are maps all over to help you get a sense of where some of the wines are from. The teacher, Ian, is certainly knowledgeable and came around to answer questions one on one afterwards. Part of the class was watching YouTube videos explaining stuff. This class was suitable for the beginner to intermediate wine person. read more

I have been dealing with Wine LA, (both classes and social affairs), for almost 10 years. I have been more than impressed with every event attended. Ian is a seasoned pro with over 20 years in the business. Wine LA courses are taken by many up-and-coming somms and various other wine stars both in the industry and for personal education purposes. We've hired his team for private events that are still discussed by all persons involved. His wife Alice is wonderful to deal with and is herself well versed in wine education. You won't regret involvement with Wine LA. read more

Went to the Palate Builders event this weekend and it was not only a great learning experience as a wine lover but was really fun and met a great, diverse group of new people. The host, Ian, was incredibly knowledgeable and made the whole evening great. If you're looking for an interesting new experience, whether you know about wine or not, it's worth checking out. M read more

I would love to update my review. Me and my husband have attended multiple La Brea Bakery & Cafe unlimited wine tastings Great intimate event, no long lines. Amazing winery lineup as usual. Fantastic vintners and wineLA hospitality. Food was abundant and delicious and only available at the event. I couldn't get the same items on the La Brea regular menu. Received great value for the money, will be attending when possible! read more

It's a great place to spend time with my family. Service is awesome it's worth to try.

Wine, cheese and friends. Pretty hard to take those three things and turn them in to a terrible time right? Well this guy managed to do that. We all went in expecting to learn about wine, instead we got rambling opinions and youtube clips of children explaining how to make cheese (seriously). Even if this class was $20 I would've thought this was a terrible event, but $100?! It was like he had typed "wine" into wikipedia and youtube the night before to come up with his material. All his personal anecdotes were boring, and he kept telling us how he wanted to get a masters in the field of wine, my advice to him would be to actually get the education before he gives the class again. You are thinking "How does this have such a high rating if its so terrible?" Well its because if you write a bad review he looks up your name/e-mail from the class and threatens you. He did this to my girlfriend and will probably do it to me, but sometimes you just have to stand up to bullies and call it like it is. read more

I am a bad wine snob. Bad, bad wine snob! This is how tasting wine is supposed to go: 1. Approach the booth and get a pour of wine. 2. Eye the glass, noting the color of the core of the wine versus the rim. 3. Swirl it and get a good sniff. Make a mental note of if it's clean and the flavor characteristics. 4. Take a good swig. Determine the acidity and tannins. Again, note the flavor characteristics, the body and the length of the finish. 5. Spit and dump. It's number 5 where I really start to have a problem - especially if it's a yummy wine. And there is my real problem. What kind of wine snob describes wine as being "yummy?" I guess I am the type who loves my wine and managed to get sloppy drunk from it at Learn About Wine. Anyway, thanks to a fabulous Yelp Goddess, I was able to indulge myself at Learn About Wine - regardless of what kind of wine snob I am. With 30+/- boutique type wineries from Napa participating on St. Patrick's Day at the South Coast Plaza, it was difficult to not indulge. It was so easy to move from one booth to another. I was selective, too. Even so, I tasted more than my fair share of Cabs and was stunned to try a couple of "Old World" style wines - complete with that barnyard funk. Notables of the evening were a $150 Cabernet Sauvignon from Heitz, a Syrah from Kuleto, a Shiraz (Austrialian clone) from Darioush, a classic Cab from Duckhorn, a Pinot Noir from Madonna and a highly tannic Merlot from Peju. OK - those were the notables. Is it any wonder I went home drunk? The food was also fun. I didn't try a lot of it, but everything looked very tasty. It was a fun night that I'll be talking about for awhile. The bad wine snob that I am can't wait for the next one! ~~~~~Edited 6/2007~~~~~~~ So, I went to another Learn About Wine event...a Sake Tasting and Lecture. This one was at Katana and was filmed for AP news. What a fun and educational class! Once again, I was impressed by the caliber of the event. Ian's classes are surprisingly interesting and definitely are a good time! read more

****EDIT**** Ok, the CEO offered me a discount that would actually work... I still won't go, but I appreciate the real gesture. (I'll bring up my rating to 3 stars from 1 star) I don't say this a lot... because I try to be as positive as possible, but I wish I could give these guys negative stars. First and foremost, please know that I didn't actually attend a class, so I have no idea how they go once you are there. I signed up online for a wine, chocolate, cheese class for me and my wife as an anniversary gift... but almost an hour after I signed up realized I double booked with something else we had already planned that day. I quickly emailed them through their website to see if I could get the date changed.... no answer. I figured it was my mistake and my loss...so chalk that to my bad... BUT, a few days after the original class was held, I get an email asking me why I didn't come out. I tell them that I tried to change the date, and never heard back... in which they say they never got the email... ok... sure... that sucks, but ... oh well. This is where I start to get upset. They email me telling me that they will give me a coupon for $20 my next purchase, which I figure is a nice gesture so I try to sign up for the class we CAN go to. The coupon doesn't work... I email saying that it doesn't work. I'm told I am putting it in wrong. I put it in "correctly" and it still doesn't work. I email them again, to find out that the coupon doesn't work for 2 people (since they ALREADY take off for the 2 person discount...) Then I'm told that I need to call in to talk to the assistant... for what?!?!? If the coupon you gave me doesn't work for anything, why am I signing up? And why am I the one that has to call you? Can't you fix it on your end? The whole coupon gesture was so pointless, that I felt cheated. This whole process was so aggravating, that even if they offered me a free class at this point I wouldn't want to go. Thanks for nothing Learn About Wine... read more

PERFECT. That is the ONLY word I could possibly use to describe my experience with Learn About Wine last weekend. Some friends of mine and I descended upon the Malibu Wine Classic last Saturday afternoon. Not only was the location beautiful, (overlooking the Pacific Ocean from a sandy beach in Malibu always gets extra points) but the top notch wineries and the tasty delights from high end restaurants from the surrounding areas filled the white tents with a plethora of aromas and the cling and clack of wine glasses toasting....Add a few great ladies into the mix - and you have yourself one pretty amazing afternoon. When we first arrived at the event, it seemed as though the line of tables was never ending as we walked into the tasting area, and we were only happy to rise to the challenge resulting in a few of us getting pretty "toasty" ourselves. Special thanks to Ian who really knows how to put a classy, informative and fun event on. :-) This is definitely an event I'd love to go to again! read more

Repost as it was not in the right category: In June 2007, I attended a Learn About Wine event at H.D. Buttercup, a furniture mart that also hosts various events. This review for a wine event and is not representative of their furniture or the store. It's a huge building with lots of expensive looking furniture for good prices. Located on a huge lot with parking, a renovated building that was formerly the Helms Bakery building. There are wine tasting events here, with the Learn About Wine folks, LACMA, etc. Mac n cheese, sushi, tacos and ice cream served, though they ran out of mac n cheese and sushi when I got there. There are yesteryear photos and even one of the old bakery trucks complete with drawers to store fresh baked goods. I guess they use to sell them while driving around, like ice cream trucks. No one there to scold you if you sit down on the furniture. There are signs posted on some of the furniture pieces that say "do not sit here." Other than that peeps at the wine tasting sat at the tables and sofas with their wine glasses and tacos. The lines for the food, especially the tacos were fairly long, and also apparently for the sushi. Crowd is nice looking, peeps walking around the building, or hanging out on the furniture in small groups. People wander around and the space is rather large, I didn't see the whole building. The showroom is filled with furniture. In da house, the sensational sassy lass, Stephy S, and yelpers Jenn L, Pamela R and Joe E. - the dj from Indie 103.1, a really cool guy, just like on the radio. The Learn About Wine wine glasses are small and they pour just a little bit, so I would have to say for the wine tasting - not all that. The venue nice for furniture buying, not so great for mingling. There during the last 30 or 40 minutes, I missed the dj and house music. You use the same glass over and over, so keep it with you. I had less than a regular glass of wine and had to wait around in lines for 4 little pours, so advertising 100 wines - well, not so much. I did get the half price tickets, so that was cool. I would go there to buy furniture though, nice stuff, at least 4 stars for the furniture mart. read more

Awesome location. What an educational and fun way to enjoy wine with like minded wine lovers. Will definitely do more of these! read more

LearnAboutWine - Wine Tasting Classes Near Me - Los Angeles, California

This review is long overdue. I feel compelled to write this because I have seen all too often, that people only speak up when there is something negative to say & I believe credit should be given when deserved. My first encounter with wine was a few years ago at an event hosted by Learn About Wine. I had no prior knowledge but longed to know more about wine...and discover my own likes and dislikes. I was intimidated but put at ease by the wine educator, Ian's ability to break down each wine's unique characteristics. The organization of the event and venue was a great supplement to all of this new information I gathered. The crowd was pleasant. The impeccable timing and details of that event was a dream, not unlike a well-performed sonata by a preferred orchestra. Since then, life has taken me down different avenues, hobbies, & career paths, but I have never forgotten this company's wine events. I've even urged and tried to orchestrate having friends come with me to his events. But alas, conflicting job & social schedules abound. It's not a matter of if I''ll be back, it really is a matter of when. I'm rather excited to learn that the educator now has his own website where he shares his knowledge of wine available for purchase! Indeed, this is a welcome addition to his business. While there's other wine education events in town, Ian's business is the perfect combination of information, service, venue, and personality not to be had elsewhere. There's a reason his events are full of people- it reveals the caliber of his events. His taste in wine and the way he conducts business is unparalleled. We are now fortunate to have his wine recommendations on his website. I've already bought a ticket for a friend as a present...and planning my next outing to an event as well. read more

I am a huge fan of wine and cheese! The choices for the wine were not very good, according to my palate. I've been wine tasting 3x in Napa, once in Santa Ynez, in Virginia a few times, and in Italy (aside from all of the local tastings at wine bars), so I'd like to think that I have a relatively decent palate and knowledge. The cheeses were really good though! The space was so neat, being in a very Americana vintage feeling restaurant downtown in the art's district. The class was held in a very informative manner, whereby we weren't really encouraged or even allowed to talk to those at our table/friends. The information given was fine. To be honest, I didn't really learn anything that I didn't already know, or there was nothing so shocking as to keep in the wine file-box of my mind. (he showed youtube clips of various things, including how to make cheese--which I already know and have done multiple times thanks to my Indian cooking classes back in the day! Oh paneer!) The host was very kind and pleasant, but boring and not captivating. The servers were super kind and sweet! The class was waaaaaay over priced for what it was! As said earlier, the wine selection was unimpressive, and the pour size was dismal! I came from a long work day, and was hoping to at least get a wee bit of a buzz, but I was not so lucky. It was $95 for a sober night. *tsk tsk tsk* I would not recommend this event. It was not horrible, or anything like that. I had a very fine time, actually. I just would not pay $95 for this. *and to the man in charge, I've read below that you write harassing emails to those who were less than enthusiastic about your events. Please save us both the time, and do not. Cheers read more

I went to a Wine, Cheese and Chocolate class a little while back and loved Ian from day one! I think that class was the actual start of my wine journey. I've kept up with him on Facebook and recently asked for his suggestion on a unique wine. We had a $300 spending limit. He recommended a wine for half the price that was a total hit! He knows his stuff and I'm so happy to have crossed paths with him. As my wine knowledge grows, he is just "that guy" that knows it and does it! Thanks Ian!! read more

Varietals and appellations and vintages - OH MY! Everyone who loves drinking wine, raise your glass! And wine there was, tables of it - as far as the eye could see. I had the delightful experience of attending Learn About Wine's "TASTE" series that featured Argentinean wines. Being a certifiable California-centric wine snob, you'll be hard pressed to get a glass of South American wine in my Reidel. But at the very first table, my breathe was taken away with a stunning cab sauv that rivaled the juice found in Napa's most exclusive of caves. Did I mention that this was table ONE? We made our way around the beautiful space that is HD Buttercup, where the event was held this particular evening. Home wares that cost nearly double my car payment set a stunning backdrop and offered a very comfy place to sit in between tastes (and if you were to get too drunk there were some lovely bed displays where I considered a quick nap). The wines were delicious, some savory cheeses were on hand along with dark chocolate to accentuate the many Cab Sauvs, Syrahs, Merlots (yes merlot, dont judge), Chardonnays (even some I liked) and many, many Malbecs. The wine pourers were informative, fun and (if you blinked your pretty lil eyes) weren't shy on the pour - if you know what I'm sayin'. I went with a very fun group that kept me entertained but I imagine this would be a fun place to meet new people. I am already looking for a sign-up page for the March event on Napa wines. The cost is MINIMAL for the amount of wines you get to taste and even though I couldnt be bothered to dilute all the tasty wines with food - they even feed you with a proper themed meal. If you like wine & like a lot of it - do yourself a favor & check out a night with Learn About Wine! You'll only be sorry if you don't take some aspirin before going to bed. read more

We went as a couple. Ian, the owner was intimidated by our knowledge. For that reason, he "punished" us by not allowing us to answer wine trivia. Then he switched to non wine trivia. It was rather discriminatory. He prefer the younger kids where perhaps he could boast more to. It would have been great he he incorporated more of tasting notes and kept it objective and stick to wine trivia. He ended asking engineering trivia instead!!!! Not very professional. He made it such that the group next to us felt they had to chest and copied our answers. If he was more objective with the groups and stick to wine related questions maybe it be worth it. Go to wine blending at the grove. More fun more Interesting and you will learn more. read more

Ian provided a very warm welcome into his WineCamp class at The Flats. He was very personable and overall I really enjoyed the class. I know more than the average person about wine but always learn a lot from a class like this. However, my dad attended who doesn't know as much and I think a bit more foundational education would have been more helpful. Some basics were talked about: how to hold the glass, how red/white wine is made, some palate and nose characteristics. There could have been more: different types of grapes and how they differ, major wine regions, how to swish the wine in the glass, what the bucket is for (for spitting/pouring out but it was never mentioned), more focus on the notes of various wines. The latter had some discussion but it would have been great to get a bit more. I didn't think there was a good narrative or structure to the class that felt like we were starting at the beginning and working our way to tasting. A bit more introduction to wine basics should have been covered. I have no question that these classes are popular and are teaching people a lot about wine, but Ian is more than capable of refining the agenda into a more balanced and procedural structure. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and I will most definitely be keeping an ear and eye out for other classes that are being offered and will share it with others. read more

My wife surprised me for my 39+ birthday with a trip to Napa she arranged with Learn About Wine. There was a group of 12 that included Ian the brain child behind this incredible business. We've attended his events in the past, mainly in the LA area, but nothing like this. The experience was incredible and we did things that any person just visiting Napa cannot do without serious hook ups and deep inside connections. We had the times of our lives and felt honored to be part of this event. I encourage anyone interested in Wine or is just a lush like me to partakes in an event as they are so much fun and a great value...Thank you LAW and Ian! read more

LearnAboutWine - Behind the scene winery tour in the hills of Napa - Wine Tasting Classes Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Learn About Wine is one of Los Angeles' great treasures. Ian and his wonderful staff hold a variety of events from private tasting dinners at restaurants around town, to group dinners at his loft, and fabulous wine tastings at The Grove, The Peninsula, and all over. There's also classes where you can, guess what, LEARN ABOUT WINE and it's broken down so it's straightforward and not snooty. We have been to a ton of his events over the years, including a day trip to Santa Barbara for wine tasting, to LAW school (Learn About Wine school where you get a ton of knowledge about wines of the world), to private dinners at Josie and other amazing places, Riedel tastings at the loft, and high end potluck dinners at his loft. Every event is very thoughtfully planned down to the smallest detail, and Ian is the consummate host. You'll meet fun new people, learn lots of great information presented in a friendly manner, and most importantly taste great wines and delicious food. He also does anything from day trips to weekends in Napa/Sonoma, to international trips where he sets up incredibly special tastings and meals, and plans everything for the (small) group so you just show up, drink, eat, and enjoy. Flawless. If you aren't on the email list, join now and you'll get special advanced notices about events so you get exclusive pricing and access. There's such a huge variety of events that there is something for everyone. I highly recommend checking out Learn About Wine. Thanks Ian! read more

Learn About Wine hosted a SummerTASTE event at the Santa Monica Place, which is a series of wine tasting events. Various vineyards come out to showcase a couple of their wines and food vendors come to provide food sampling for the guests. Thought it would be fun to lounge around the Santa Monica Place sipping on wine, munching on food, and mingling with friends. We arrived on time to get a head start before the crowd came rolling in. We tried as many syrahs as we could. Some vendors were more information and polite than others. I don't know if it was because we didn't look like "wine snobs," but one vendor barely gave us the time of day. Oh well. We were given 2 food tickets: one for a slice of flatbread pizza and the other for cheese/salami. For the price of the admission ticket, the size of the slice was quite disappointing. The best part of the night was the chocolate/brownie bar. No tickets required and we were able to eat as much as we wanted. This event was fun because I was in good company, however, I don't feel like I learned anything about wine... read more

4.5 review. Went to a LAW event at the sherman oaks galleria and it was amazing!! Very well set up and so many wines for a reasonable entrance price! I love how many new wines we were able to try. The half a star off would be that some of the wine "experts" weren't experts at all. Im a novice at best and I felt I knew more about the wine than some of the people working there. I was hoping to learn a few things and I really didn't. The ticket price included appetizers and i only saw about two plates being passed the entire time. I may have just missed them. Such a great experience so far and worth every dime. (we got a half off promotion because we are vip galleria members). I definitely recommend! read more

What a fun way to learn about wine! I attended the Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese class, and it was great learning about the different pairings. I'm a wine novice, so I learned a lot. It probably wasn't the best class for someone that has more experience, but I think Mr. Blackburn offers some more advanced courses for those that do. The location of the classes is a cool downtown loft which is cozy and comfortable. I was exposed to a wide variety of wines, and Mr. Blackburn gave some background information about each of the wines, chocolates, and cheeses. It was fun to learn (but really, it was more fun to eat and drink)!! Hehe! I'd definitely go again! read more

I have attended 3 events hosted by LearnAboutWine in the past 3 months. I recently acquired a desire to learn more about wine and my search led to LearnAboutWines. My first event was a Wine Camp at Josie's Restaurant in Santa Monica. You taste about 6-7 wines and Ian guides you along the way. It was very informative and just what I was looking for. The crowd was very diverse - white, black, asians, young and old. I went with a date and had a blast. I would bring a date again to this event. My second event was an outdoor event at The Grove called "Summer Taste." I went with 2 of my female friends and loved all the selection. I think next time I come back, I would bring more friends with me. My favorite of all events was a private tour + tasting + picnic at Rosenthal Estate in Malibu. I went with a couple of friends during the heat wave and in spite of the scorching heat, we all had a blast. Food was surprisingly amazing. I expected a hotdog but I had gourmet selection. Would definitely do it again! Overall, I'm very happy with my experience with LearnAboutWine. I don't think it is the place to meet people but it is definitely a great way to experience wine with friends or significant other. read more

Ever Tried the South West Wines of France? Me Neither. Not until http://www.LearnAboutWine.com This past Tuesday, I was excited to be included in a small class of wine buyers and writers to hear Fred Dexheimer, Master Sommelier, introduce the South West Wines of France Tasting Seminar on behalf of IVSO, Interprofession des Vins du Sud Ouest. The sit down presentation was held at the LearnAboutWine.com Classroom, "loft 218, a trendy office in the new art's district of Los Angeles. So, of course, I was the first one there. Ian Blackburn, the founder of Learn About Wine, was there to greet his guests and I spent a few minutes taking in my surroundings. The Setting The large airy "loft" is beautifully framed with Riedel stemware, wooden wine boxes, framed maps of wine regions and other wine-related fine art. In the largest area, tables were set for at least 40 guests, each with five tasting glasses. Adjacent to the tables was a large television monitor our speaker would use during his presentation, and further, tables with wine and staff from Church and State restaurant busily prepared cheeses and crusty bread to start, and a lunch that was to come later. One wall was dedicated to Ian's new built-in cellar. OMG...that was the only distraction. Ian's events are always classy. And this one was sure to be a hit. I knew exactly what was to happen: We'd be introduced to the region, gain an education, have a guided tasting and then chat over lunch. There was only one surprise...I was being given an opportunity to taste wines I had never had before. The Tasting As Fred guided us through the region, I have to admit, I was trying to decipher the aromas and flavors in the wines. (I will give you a synopsis of the lesson in my conclusion.) (Yelp note: For readers that want to see my tasting notes go to: http://westranchbeacon.com/2011/09/eves-wine-101-ever-tried-the-south-west-wines-of-france/# As that is where my full column is printed.)) Conclusion Trying to figure out where the South West wine region of France is? Find Toulouse on a map, then widen your eyes. There are 7 main appellations, many of which you just tasted virtually. Fred said that rivers flow through all of the regions; rivers being important for grape growing areas. The wines, as I described above, are great food wines. And, as I recall from my Wine and Spirit Education Trust classes, French wines are made to go with food. When we got to the Church and State lunch (pictured above), that included two pork dishes, I swear that the chef used some of the red wines we tasted today in her recipes. The pairing was that good. Like an echo of the wine. It was almost impossible, though Fred prompted us several times, to name other wines, or regions, similar to what we were tasting. So much so that we were often, pleasantly, stumped. In conclusion, I look forward to having both the whites and reds again, with food, by the glass or by the bottle, and for very reasonable prices in our finer local stores, wine bars or restaurants soon! Thanks LearnAboutWine! Yours, in wine and out, Eve Bushman read more

We took the Wine Camp class last Saturday and walked away really impressed with the class as well as an intention to seek out further Learn About Wine events. Our host, Ian, walked us through seven different wines starting with the lighter sauvignon blanc and ending with the full bodied Zinfindel. Each wine that Ian chose was not cheap wine, but also provided good bang for your buck. In addition to explaining all the different wines, he also walked us through a ton of other subjects like the history of wine (why we say cheers before we drink), up and coming wine areas, potential wine bubbles, what the legs on wine signifies, etc etc.....i totally found myself taking notes!! After the class, we were all allowed to go back and re-taste the wines...we mentioned to Ian that we were planning a trip to Sonoma and if he had any recommendations...he said, sure..email him. We did and he gave us a whole list of suggestions! Awesome!! Thanks!! read more

Ian was great! We learned so much. Ian's knowledge about wine is impressive. We learned everything about the history of wine making to great tips about buying your everyday wine for drinking with your dinner that night. Eat.Drink.Americano was a comfortable location and the number of people in the class was small - about 10 - which was perfect. The wine selection for tasting was great- you really could see the subtle differences between some of the selections with Ian's help and they were all very tasty. The cheese provided at the table was also amazing! Really a first class event, but comfortable and casual. We will for sure attend another class. This would also make a great gift for a couple. Thanks Ian! read more

LearnAboutWine - Wine Tasting Classes Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Learn about Wine is the best of the all worlds - the opportunity to learn about wine, try incredible wine, and interact with one of the most knowledgeable people in the wine world - Ian Blackburn. We attended a Malibu Wine Tasting event put-on by Ian and are looking forward to taking classes and attending many more events. Ian made us feel right at home and this really is a top-notch organization! read more

You get so-ooooooooooo much for your money at one of their monthly "TASTE" Friday evening events!!!!!!! Always a great SoCal scene. A great Happy Hour-like crowd for making new friends who share a common curiosity in learning just a little bit more about wine. Where else can you go and sample 40+ wines all for the same price as two martinis at a club on Sunset?!?!?! Besides, they wrap up by 9:30pm, so you can always roll over to another bar afterwards with your new wino-friends. :) Even better when my friends and I go as a group. Seems even easier to meet other people that way... read more

I LOVE this organization!! And I love the events they have at The Grove! You take your dog, drink tons of fabulous wine (all varieties and regions) and meet new people! The dogs make it a lot of fun! And at July's event, I won "beaucoup" of wine in the silent auction. Awesome! It's a super fun event and I can't wait to try some others. I'd love suggestions! Only note about the event, I wish there was a little more thought put into the food. But, it's really not about food...it's ALL about the wine!! And there's one the first Wednesday of every month at The Grove. Join their facebook page for more details... See you there next Wednesday! read more

If you're a beginner then this class is perfect for you. I still find it fun to go wine tasting and get to talk with the person who grows his own grapes. read more

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Last night was my second time at Wine LA. Our first was a Chardonnay challenge last year while this time, it was the Chinese food and wine challenge event. The tasting room is sleek and modern, the wine education was informative and interactive, the service was superb and the 24 white and red wines we tasted were simply intriguing. Ian and his staff served us many great dishes from Ding's Garden in Monterey Park, and it was a FEAST. Wine LA is a must do if you are a wine enthusiast or connoisseur - you will not be disappointed. read more

We went on Valentine's day after seeing this on Goldstar and had a blast. The wine and cheese were fantastic. The chocolates were only so-so. Ian was very knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. Ian played videos about making cheese and wine interspersed with personal stories and the work he is doing to become a wine master. Make sure you leave early - traffic is terrible after 5pm in LA to get downtown. Half of the group was late because of traffic on a normal Tuesday. The tasting is located in a condo building - so don't be scared that you're going to the wrong place. The neighborhood seems a little sketchy at night - but we parked on the street without any issue. The hosts had a small dog in the condo when we went - and they allowed the dog to wander among the wine guests. This may be very Californian - but I am allergic to dogs so it was uncomfortable. The wine servers even carried the dog around on their shoulders when filling wine glasses which meant the dog came near my face even when I had informed them that I was allergic. I removed one star for the dog, paper plates, flimsy chairs and mediocre chocolate. But I highly recommend if you can find this on Goldstar again (essentially two for one). read more