Let's acknowledge the facts... we love food, and we love wine. One way to enjoy and appreciate each more is to understand and learn how they go together. It's not complicated and there is no hardcore right or wrong. This unique collection of classes will allow you to discover chefs and vintners' feelings on the subject and, more importantly, let you learn with your own senses which tastes you like with a glass of wine.

$85 • 1 session

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Friday, February 5, 7-9 PM

The many styles of rich, velvety porto pair beautifully with all sorts of cheeses, and this classic duo makes an extraordinary finish to a meal. In this delicious class, sommelier Richard Vayda will discuss the incredible variety of port styles, such as Ruby, Tawny, Late Bottled Vintage, and Vintage. He will also describe the region that produces this wonderful wine, how the various styles are crafted, as well as proper presentation and service. Representative ports will be tasted with their traditional cheese partners.

$95 • 1 session

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Sunday, February 14, 7-9 PM

Prosecco, Prosciutto, and Provolone—some of life’s simplest and tastiest pleasures come straight out of Italy. Join ICE Director of Wine Studies, Richard Vayda, for a delicious discussion, as you tour some of the major wine regions of Italy while tasting traditional cheeses and cured meats. Wine making as well as the production of cheeses and salami will be covered, while enjoying a variety of products, from fresh and uncomplicated to rich and complex. Un vero festival!

$275 for two • 1 session

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Saturday, February 13, 7-9 PM

$120 • 1 session

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Saturday, February 20, 6-10:30 PM

This hands-on cooking class will teach you simple tips for pairing wine and food successfully.  You will prepare simple dishes that will be tasted against three white wines (Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay) and three red wines (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz). This format provides you with the opportunity to experience for yourself the tactile and sensory results of combining wine and food; you decide what works and what doesn’t. All six wines will be tasted with Indonesian Barbecued Shrimp; Duo of Pasta (Cappellini Marinara and Fettuccine Alfredo); Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms; Grilled Lamb Chops with Mint Pesto; Cheese, Fruit, and Nuts; and Chocolate Brownie Sundae.

$120 • 1 session

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Saturday, March 13, 6-10:30 PM

Dessert wines are not just to be paired with desserts. While they are of course a match made in heaven, a variety of savory dishes are also perfect accompaniments for sweeter wines. In this hands-on cooking class, you will prepare simple dishes that you will taste individually with six dessert wines: Sauternes, Tokay, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato d’Asti, Tawny Port, and an ice wine.  This format allows you to experience for yourself the tactile and sensory results of combining dessert wines and food—you decide what works and what doesn’t. You will make Seared Foie Gras and Pear Salad; Chili-Laced Tandoori Chicken; Assorted Cheese Plate; Baked Apple, Cherry, and Fig Crostata with Vanilla Ice Cream; Crème Brûlée; and Chocolate Soufflé with Chocolate Sauce and Raspberry Coulis.

$120 • 1 session

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In this hands-on cooking class, you will prepare simple dishes to taste individually with six red wines: Malbec, Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and Shiraz. This format allows you to experience for yourself the tactile and sensory results of combining red wine and food—you decide what works and what doesn’t. You will cook the following dishes, to enjoy with the wines: Sesame and Chili Seared Tuna Sashimi with a Thai Cucumber Salad; Mussels Marinara with Spaghetti; Magret of Duck with a Port Cherry Glaze; London Broil with Sautéed Mushrooms and Parsley Potatoes; Assorted Cheese Plate; and Red Wine-Poached Pears with Hazelnuts and Chocolate Ganache Sauce.

Made Here: New York State Wines and Cheeses

Richard Vayda

$95 • 1 session

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$90 • 1 session

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Saturday, April 24, 7-9 PM

New and established artisan producers alike are making fantastic cheese in all corners of the United States. Old Chatham Sheepherding Company upstate New York, Cypress Grove in California, and Consider Bardwell Farm in Vertmon are but three examples of stellar cheesemaking. Join Marisa Perry to taste their and other cheeses, accompanied by wines from the North Fork, California, and Oregon. Depending on availability, you might taste Barely Buzzed (Beehive Cheese), Clandestin, Classic Blue Logs (Westfield Farm), Crater Lake Blue (Rogue Creamery), Dorset (Consider Bardwell Farm), Grayson (Meadow Creek Farms), Madawaska, Manchester, Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert, Purple Haze (Cypress Grove Chevre), Sentinelle, Tarentaise (Thistle Hill Farm), and Vermont Shepherd.

Willie Glückstern---acclaimed wine educator, importer, and author of the best selling The Wine Avenger (Simon & Schuster, 1998)---and chef Cathy Kaufman will guide you through a menu of 5 classic dishes and 15 great wines, illuminating why certain types of wines work beautifully with so many foods, while others consistently fail. Bring all your wine questions to this bold, entertaining evening and learn how deceptively simple great wine-food pairing can be.

The bill of fare is a fabulous, seasonal five-course meal that includes a vegetarian appetizer such as Pasta Primavera, a fish course such as Salmon Teriyaki, a meat dish such as Roast Duck Breast with a Balsamic Reduction, a trio of artisanal cheeses, and a seasonal dessert such as Peach Cobbler. In each class, you will learn the no-fail secrets that Willie has been teaching America’s best-known chefs and sommeliers over more than 15 years of wine and food workshops. Whether you’ll be spending hours in the kitchen to create the perfect dinner party or simply chowing down at your favorite Chinese joint, this is the exciting culinary event that makes it all come together with wine.

 Wednesday, April 28, 6:30-9:30 PM

Wednesday, March 3, 6:30-9:30 PM