Engage your palate, senses and mind with wine-tasting experiences with wine sommelier Andy Andresky when he teaches six continuing education classes at McHenry County College this fall.
Students must be age 21 years or older to enroll in wine classes. The following classes begin soon:
Sensory Wine Tasting: Become a better taster through smelling. Learn to identify grapes and describe their aromas and flavors. Participants will smell 36 different essence oils that each relate to 12 classic grape varieties. This class also includes aromas of oak-barrel compounds and their smells, then participants will taste wines that will trigger those aromatic compounds. Wine-tasting included. Class takes place from 7 to 8:20 p.m. Friday in Room B178. Cost is $39. Use course code: NCU S78 002 to register. Cost is $39.
Art of Blending Wine: Learn how the pros blend using organic wines. Instructor Andy Andresky shares his knowledge and expertise by giving cutting-edge information about wine that is way ahead of the textbooks. He has the latest information on organic and biodynamic wines that may help improve your health. Participants learn about unusual pH diversity, the reasons for it and how it affects the wine. Participants will create their own Meritage blend using beakers and graduated cylinders to mix their wine. Class takes place from 2 to 3:20 p.m. Saturday in Room B178. Use course code: NCU S39 002 to register. Cost is $39.
Port Wine and Fortified Wines: Port wine is a Portuguese fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley in the northern provinces of Portugal. It typically is a sweet, red wine, often served as a dessert wine. Participants will learn about tawny, ruby and vintage port wine styles, and the instructor will discuss how port is made its varied types, such as late-bottled vintages, Quintas, reserves and more. Class includes port wine-tasting with cheese. Class takes place from 2-3:20 p.m. Oct. 27 in Room B178. Cost is $39 a student. Use course code: NCU S61 004 to register.
Wonderful Winter Big Reds: Andy has everything you need to know about the best red wines to complement hearty winter meals. There is a wine to complement almost everything we eat, and instructor Andy Andresky will give each participant a taste test of different varieties of bold red wines and the foods to pair them with. Class takes place from 7 to 8:20 p.m. Oct. 25 in Room B168. Cost is $39 a student. Use course code: NCU S54 003 to register.
To register, call 815-455-8588 or visit www.mchenry.edu/myMCC and click on "Register for Workforce and Community Development Classes." For information, call Christine Barnes at 815-455-8717 or Tracy Berry at 815-455-8758, or visit www.mchenry.edu/personaldevelopment.