Wine School of Philadelphia

Cooks & Corks is a HUGE waste of money
CUSTOMER SERVICE IS AWFUL, VALUE HORRIBLY LACKING
#1 complaint: Undisclosed menu + shellfish allergy = no dinner, no compensation, no effort whatsoever
I bought these tickets for my fiancé and I as a nice date night. When you buy the tickets online, there’s no screening for food allergies or disclosure of possible food allergies in the class description, simply an automatically generated email confirming your ticket order. I didn’t even think about it. As soon as we sat down and saw the menu, Lobster Mac and Cheese was on the menu as the main course. I told the hostess (who doubles as the wine «expert») that I wouldn’t be able to eat it and asked if there was a substitute available, she quickly replied «Oh, I’m sorry, the lobster is throughout the dish, we can offer you extra salad or maybe some almonds??» Seriously? I paid $ 75 to eat arugula and almonds? I was instantly upset. While the dish was being served and I was sitting in front of an empty plate for half an hour, my fiancé asked if I could have another glass of wine, she instantly snapped «Oh no, everyone only gets a certain amount» I was so embarrassed and upset. She made absolutely no effort to compensate my only having one banana pepper and a few leaves of arugula. At the end of the night, the chef had the audacity to tell ME I should have emailed him regarding my food allergy. There was no description of what to expect on the website or to notify the school of food allergies. I had no idea I would have one pre-​made option on arrival.
#2 The class had about 20 people and the hostess divided just one bottle of wine per course between the entire class into very small «wine glasses». You can imagine how small the servings were. I probably had a total of one «normal person» glass of wine the entire two hours, no exaggeration. They continuously commented on how the bottles of wine they picked for the night were «less than $ 15» from the wine shop.
#3 The wine «expert» describes all the wines as «pure deliciousness» or «awesomeness»… how professional. By description of the class I expected to learn something more concrete about wine beyond just what this woman «likes»
#4 The majority of seats are stools with no back that, as we all know, become horribly uncomfortable after about 20 minutes and this is a two hour «class».
#5 The chef who «taught» the class had plenty to say, without any substance at all. It was seemingly an open mic for this guy to talk a lot about himself, cussing and making perverse jokes, while talking very, very little about actual cooking or food prep. Very little engagement with the guests, just silence as he rambled on and on
I left as soon as possible and didn’t finish my last glass of wine… Do not recommend to anyone!

True customer service in this place is atrocious Never attempt to change your tickets.. They did not honor ours. The owner made no attempt to handle thee situation.
The tickets were a special gift for my wife. An example of how not to run a business

I have attended the Wine School of Philadelphia three times in the past six months. Two of the three were gifts I received, the third visit was a gift I gave to someone else. These classes are the best value money can buy when looking for wine education. The location of the classes is wonderful as they’ll held in an old brownstone in Center City. There is easy parking in the area. I was able to attend a class on wine of Bordeaux, the Best Wines of 2014 and the Eight wines you have to try before you die. The instructor, Keith Wallace, provided a level of wine information and education I’ve never experienced before and I spent 17 years living in California where wine is in abundance and there’s no shortage of top people providing wine education there. Mr. Wallace’s knowledge of wine is second to none and I googled him prior to taking the classes and was impressed at the extent of his knowledge, experience and training. I wasn’t aware that he is also a highly accomplished chef and so his knowledge of pairings was also most welcome. I enjoyed the classs format very much as it is very informal. You go into a beautiful room that has several tables set up, almost like a small bar/​café. The number of seats is limited for each class so it’s very intimate. Each class started with Mr. Wallace introducing himself to people and making sure everyone know that this was going to be a very different experience. I highly appreciated that the instructor wasn’t «high brow» about wine, meaning, he was very down to earth and very passionate about wine and his love of teaching people about wine came across very clearly as he is very approachable and treats every question in the class as an opportunity to teach the attendees. In addition, he stays for a long time after the class to talk to any of the attendees about the wines of the evening and anything else they might have questions about. In addition, he was able to make several other recommendations for wines just based on questions we asked afterwards. He’s the kind of guy that you’d love to have come over for dinner one night just to sit and talk about wine and travel and food. He’s a wealth of knowledge about all of these things. He’s also the kind of guy you’d want to have as your friend because he’s no bullshit about anything, least of all wine and most of all about people who come into class trying to act like they know something about wine and trying to impress people who they came to the class with. We saw this happen one night in the class where one guy was being contrary through the whole class just to show off to the two people he came with. It was clear he had an agenda and the instructor picked up on it right away and put the guy in his place. There’s no question who is in charge in this classroom and we liked it that way so that no one in the room was able to dominate the conversation. As I said, we really appreciated the «no bullshit» nature of the instructor and also found him to be very humorous throughout the evening with his frequent sprinkling of curse words to punctuate his disdain for things and people and wine that are trying to be more than they really are. If you read his bio on google, you’ll understand that he has every right to be the way he is because he’s earned it. We just loved sitting back and listening to him, salty language and all because we know a whole lot more about wine as a result and will continue going back to the classes for more instruction. Hell yeah! :) Now for more wine…

I love being a wine school student! The individual classes are a fun way to explore a small region. The instructors all have different methods, and bring an incredible amount of experience, passion, and knowledge. The semester-​long courses are an exciting mix of world history, geography, and vinology. Sometimes there are people in class who don’t stop their personal conversations, which can be distracting. The website is very well-​designed, because you barely have to click to get where you need.

We went to the wine school as a family as a present to my mother-​in-​law. We were told that it would problematic if we (5) could sit together, so we argued with the instructor (Keith) and sat together anyway. Keith, once you got through his disjointed sentences, clearly knows a great deal about wine. One thing that sort of bothered me was his constant use of the word shit or shitty to describe things wine related. I thought that was somewhat unprofessional and that someone who knows how to describe the nuances of wine could come up with better vocabulary. The course was very informative and I learned quite a bit, however. Otherwise, I don’t think we will be coming back.

We attended a beer/​cheese pairing class recently. Our instructor was Keith, who, although very knowledgable, never finished a sentence or thought, and kind of rambled on in random directions. Very laid back, he might have tried to exercise a tinse of class control and smack the inconsiderate 20 & 30-​somethings who simply laughed and talked loudly among themselves while he was presenting a concept. 5 beers were presented along with a selection of cheeses. We had fun, but it might have been better structured for ~$ 50+ each. Parking available in lots around the corner for $ 10/​eve. Hit the nearby Smile Café before class.

I have been meaning to write this review for two years because that is how long I’ve been going to the Wine School.
I am currently in the Professional Program, but have experienced the school in a couple different ways. I began as an enthusiast in the 101 class, but loved it so much that I signed up for the Global Intermediate class once 101 wrapped up. In the meantime, I went to the one-​night-​only classes (such as Champagne Night and the Wine Trials, both AWESOME), as well as the Sommelier Smackdowns (also awesome, and the food is delish.) Aside from the fact that I absolutely love to learn about wine, here is why I keep coming back:
1. The instructors (I’ve worked with Zack, Alana, and Keith) are informative, experienced, well traveled, and well researched with good credentials. They’re also a lot of fun, and have a genuine enthusiasm that draws you in and makes you want to know more.
2. Classes are very thorough. You learn a TON, and taste a lot of different wines. Not just *any* wine; wine that has significance to where you are in your education — whether you’re just having fun or trying to go pro. You will discover wines that you never knew you appreciated and wines that you never knew existed. It can literally be amazing.
3. It’s awesome to taste, and talk about, wine in a group. The whole class, along with whomever is teaching, can get really caught up and pretty soon you have a couple of new friends. It happens every time. I mean, 12 people who have similar interests, learning about and tasting wine? You WILL start talking to your neighbor.
I have brought my husband and friends to the school on various occasions and it’s always a huge hit. Even on my own, I will go back again and again, and am very proud of the education I’ve gotten to this point.
If you’re thinking about checking it out, whether just for fun or for something more, you really should!

We went for «America, &@#* yeah» on july 25 which included a tasting of beers, wine and bourbon from yup… America. Our host was awesome! Knowledgable, funny, well versed & even as he stated non pretentious. I liked the story behind the spirits and the integration of history with the tasting. His ability to meld the two was entertaining and kept us interested. Ill be back for another class in September or October. An absolute must– we did this as a date night and it was a great decision.

I went here to take a Wine 101 class. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and setup of the place. The room was small and the environment was welcoming. Being a wine novice, I felt totally comfortable taking part in the class. It was 2-​hours in length and the teacher was great — humorous and knowledgable. Plus, you get to drink lots of wine ;) I am definitely going back to signup for the beer class!

First visit was for Wines of Italy. Instructor was very down-​to-​earth, very knowledgeable. Class was perfect paced, and nice pours for tasting!

We went to an extreme beer class. Class was incredible! Very informative and instructor was willing to stay after to answer questions. He was very personable and knowledgeable. Left having learned a good deal and having tried some great beers!

Surprised I hadn’t reviewed this yet, since I’ve been to I think 4 classes int he past year or so and plan on attending more in the future.
I love this place because it truly is approachable. I admittedly knew very little about wine, beer and cocktails, but I’m trying to at least be informed. These guys make you feel like that’s OK and have done so in each class I’ve attended. I’ve done their Speakeasy class, Wine 101, Wine & Cheese Pairing, and recently the Around the World in 8 Glasses class which I found particularly interesting. Did you know booze built the pyramids, fueled the Industrial Revolution, started the American Revolution, amongst other things? Bet not.
I’ve had I think his name is Zach a couple times, and Keith a couple times. Zach is calm, opinionated, clear and concise. Keith obviously knows his stuff (being the founder and all) but each class has started off with an excuse relating to «I was up all night, travelling/​with my dogs in the ER/​wandering, etc…» and him pounding coffee. He can be hard to follow with his run-​on sentences, free flowing thought but remember, he realllly knows his stuff. Take advantage of that. He’s like a human Ulysses. The James Joyce book, not the President. Mr. Grant actually WAS a human, obviously.
Just go give a class a try. You’re guaranteed to do two things; drink and learn something. Where can you go wrong?

Took the Wine Tasting 101 Class a year or so go. Learned tons and the class was enjoyable. Well worth the price which was very reasonable.

The Wine School of PA has been on my radar for a while now. Every Christmas/​Hannukah, my coworkers and I pitch in and get a gift for my boss. Yes, we are kiss asses. So last year, we got him a gift certificate for the wine school for him and his wife. Now I like my boss and all (I mean, he signs my paychecks) but he can be the most difficult person when it comes to liking things. He always finds something wrong with every place he goes to.
And he absolutely loved The Wine School of PA. So I knew I had to check it out.
Last Saturday, my husband and I attended a Wine 101 class at the school. The room itself was super cozy and inviting. The instructor, Zach, was awesome– gave us tons of information but in a fun and informal way. The wines we sampled were all delicious and I really learned a lot about how wine is made, why it tastes the way it does, the proper way to taste wine, and the history of wine production and exportation.
I am eagerly anticipating the next class that I get to take at The Wine School of PA!

Keith Wallace & Co. have a terrific thing going with the Wine School of Philadelphia. I’ve taken several courses with them, starting with a one-​evening Wine 101 course, followed by the Wine Foundation Program, and then the Intermediate Certificate Program.
The classes are taught by folks who are clearly passionate about wine, but without what you might expect in terms of stuffiness; all the information they offer is very accessible, and presented in an entertaining way. Before I took the Wine Foundation course, I knew what I liked about wine, but lacked a lot of the vocabulary to discuss it effectively. The course helped with that, but also expanded my understanding of why I liked it. The classes also are focused on providing you with experience at tasting the wine, so, yeah, you get to drink during class.
Depending on the level of the course you select, the price range can be extremely affordable, or a serious commitment. The Wine 101 class, and other one-​evening classes and events, are relatively inexpensive, especially considering the quality of the wine you get to taste (and by «taste,» I don’t mean spit out, unless, I guess, you really wanted to). The longer classes are indeed expensive, but actually work out to around $ 60-​ish per class over eight weeks. Given the quality of wine and information provided, it’s worth it if you’re really interested in getting a deeper understanding of wine. So, while the price range I listed with this review indicates «Pricey,» that’s more for the longer classes. I’d go with «Moderate» or even «Inexpensive» for the 101 classes.

I went to the beer school last night. Beer 101. If you see my profile and my Unilocal Elite status (or fellow Unilocal Eliters I have partied with attest), you can see I am familiar with beer. But what is refreshing, that even an experienced drinker (in fact, all the students last night probably were) like myself learned some new things about beer, like what contributes to color, aroma. You learn how a mass produced beer like Bud is made to those who simply want to get drunk to the more fancy type of home brew where beer drinkers are trying to finding that ideal beer. It didn’t change my preferences for what beers I like (Mexican is still my favorite), but it did give me insight on why my taste buds prefer certain beers.
Also, while the intent was to merely taste beers like you would tasting wine at a winery, not to get you drunk, some of the last beers at the end were so high in alcohol, that I felt buzzed just by smelling it. In fact, because I was driving back, I had to wait around for a while, before I sobered up. Some of the beers were that strong to keep me from driving for a while and like I said, I am an experienced beer drinker.
But while I like the different exposure to beer, I really like the attitude of the teacher. He was very personable and best of all, NOT A SNOB in the least. I’ve been to some film classes where some teachers think you don’t love film if, say you, prefer The Avengers or Ted to Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind. Not here, if you just wanna drink Bud, he’s cool with it. If you want that hard to find microbrew, he’s cool with it too. The point is not to tell what you beers to like, but showing what types of beers are out there.
I tasted about 7 beers for $ 40. Not a bad deal. If I want to understand wine, I will come back here, it seem Unilocalers have similar comments about what I said about Beer 101. I can’t comment about the other programs that the Wine School offer, having not done them. But as a beer class, whether you have never drank before or have drank, this beer class gets 4 stars.

The Wine School is a lot of fun. I was sad to learn it is leaving the neighborhood at the end of March, and heading to a new locale around 22^nd and Sansom.
I took Wine 101, which was a great run through the basics of what you’re experiencing when you drink wine. We learned what to think about when tasting a wine, and the wine samples were used to illustrate the different points.
All in all, we had 8 different wines tonight. I now understand what gives some Chardonnay a buttery taste, and the difference between Shiraz and Syrah.
Compared to Tria Fermentation School, this is generally less expensive. You do get a bit less of each wine. The class feels more casual (like you’re sitting in a wine bar chatting with the sommelier, whereas Tria is set up like a sophisticated classroom).

I enjoyed my experience at The Wine School when I attended Wine 101. Look at it this way: If you are prone to dropping $ 40 in one night at places like Tria, why not spend a night here, spend the same amount of money, and learn a few things. Samples were plentiful and the wine was very good quality. The classroom is set up to look and feel like the lounge area of a bar.
Our class was taught by Zack, who was great for this gig. He was very detail oriented and quite knowledgeable about the history of wine. He was clearly a big wine fan as well, which helps. Even if you think you know wine, Zack will surely be able to give you some new information.
Just an additional note: When I purchased the tickets for the class, I chose to go for the «discount» tickets. The premium tickets offered customer support via telephone and the ability to reschedule your class. I am really not sure what circumstances would have required customer support prior to Wine 101, so unless the rescheduling option really entices you, I would save the $ 10-​$ 15.

Did the Wine 101 class in preparation for a trip to Napa and it was great! The teacher, Collin, was very knowledgeable on types of wines around the world and even offered to provide us with his recommendations on wineries in Napa.
Some of the topics were a bit over my head, but gave me a basic understanding/​foundation to build on as I travel around wine country. A fun class to do on your own or with a group of friends!

Great way to have fun while learning about wine. Our teacher was laid back and humorous making it comfortable for everyone, even someone with no prior knowledge on wine, to have a good time.
I don’t know how all the classes are run but ours was on exotic wines you don’t usually get to try. Four whites and four reds were picked out to taste. I think sometimes they do food/​wine classes and what are good choices for cooking or different foods.
our teacher said he didn’t like wine with cheese, but mmmmm… give me some brie, sharp cheddar, gouda, pineapple, grapes and wine and I give you five stars.