YEAR-ROUND WINE SCHOOL OPENS IN SAN FRANCISCO ON APRIL 20TH – San Francisco Wine Center Expands to House Permanent Wine School

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – San Franciscans finally have a fully-dedicated year-round wine school, just minutes from the Financial District. Twelve of the Bay Area’s Master Sommeliers, industry experts, and well known wine personalities have partnered with San Francisco Wine Center owner Brian McGonigle to open The Wine School at San Francisco Wine Center.  With this dynamic and talented instructor team and the intimate and comfortable classroom space at SF Wine Center as its permanent home, the Wine School will take its place among the finest and most prestigious in the world.

Classes begin on April 21st with the Six Week Wine Experience, a series that will take students from novice to expert in six entertaining and informative sessions. The Wide World of Wine specialty classes introduce students to the world of wine and food, with topics such as Bordeaux, Napa, Tuscany, Designing Your Dream Cellar, Wine Collecting Fundamentals, and Wine and Food Pairing. The Wine Industry Dignitaries series will feature industry icons like Evan Goldstein, Raj Parr, Laura Catena, Allen Meadows, Jancis Robinson, Steve Heimoff, and Jean-Charles Boisset. In the Professional series, the instructor team will share their knowledge and experience in straightforward, easy to understand and highly effective classes for sommeliers, wine directors, servers, chefs, wine retailers, and those in wine sales who work for distributors, importers, or suppliers.

Jason Alexander, Wine School @ SF Wine Center Instructor and former Wine Director at Restaurant Gary Danko and Cyrus, and current GM and Wine Director of State Bird Provisions and The Progress, said, “Many of the Sommeliers and educators in the Bay Area have always wanted to open a San Francisco-based wine school, and we are excited to have the beautiful home at the San Francisco Wine Center as a permanent venue. Already a true hub of wine activity with its state-of-the-art wine storage facilities, collector services, pre-auction tastings, and food and wine events, we think The Wine School will become the city’s premier wine destination to gather, learn, taste, and share great wine experiences.”

San Francisco Wine Center owner Brian McGonigle adds, “We have always envisioned one of the best wine education programs in the world having its home here at the Wine Center and in San Francisco. We are extremely excited to be working with Jason Alexander, Mauro Cirilli, Amy Currens, Emily Wines MS, Brian Cronin MS, Jesse Becker MS, Leslie Sbrocco, Christie Dufault, Evan Goldstein MS, Raj Parr, Gillian Balance MS, Jordan Mackay, Jean Reilly MW and the rest of the incredibly talented instructor team.  This will be an unparalleled wine education opportunity for consumers, restaurant and wine shop staffs, as well as Master Sommelier and Master of Wine students.”

About The Wine School at San Francisco Wine Center

The Wine School at San Francisco Wine Center answers the need for a year-round Bay Area wine education center for consumers and the trade. Collaboration between Bay Area Master Sommeliers, well-known wine industry personalities, and San Francisco Wine Center owner Brian McGonigle, The Wine School provides wine education at all levels in an intimate, comfortable and interactive environment. Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, wine writers, well known wine directors, winemakers, top chefs, and local wine celebrities make up the instructor team. To learn more and to make your reservations, visit our online reservation system at www.sfwinecenter.com/wineschoolcalendar.html. Or contact the Wine School at 415.655.7300 or wineschool@.com for more information, or to plan your own private group classes. Classes are also posted on Local Wine Events web site and other wine industry news and events sites. Missed classes can be made up anytime throughout the year to accommodate students’ busy schedules.