One could argue that France is the philosophical heart of fine wine. Much of what the world now does, from vineyard practices to winemaking techniques, can be traced back to the viticultural motherland. Here are some must-know terms for exploring the wines of France.

Wine Scholar Guild Education Director, Lisa M. Airey, CWE, FWS was knighted by the French government in a ceremony at the Embassy of France in Washington DC on March 28, 2018. She was inducted as “chevalier” to the Ordre du Mérite Agricole for her contributions to French agriculture (namely, wine!).Sylvain Maestracci, Agriculture Counselor, officiated. It was his first knighting ceremony and hard to tell who was more touched as the medal got close to the lapel.Lisa was commended for the development of the French Wine Scholar Program which is now taught by over 50 program providers, in 53 cities, in 16 countries on 5 continents. It is also hosted as an online program in independent- and instructor-led formats.

Summary:  The basic principle is that of simple alchemy: the vine turns sunlight into wine. Yet there are a host of variables that impact the production of sugar in the leaf, the translocation of those sugars to the grape and the ripening of the fruit. Several key growing season variables impact sugar production. Learn how clouds, wind and temperature determine “just how sweet is all is”…in the end. Presenter: Lisa Airey Lisa M. Airey, FWS, CWE has

Summary: Ever wonder how those hints of green bean, bell pepper, jalapeño and celery stick got into the wine?It’s a fascinating story of insatiable, greedy-gut pirating, Mother Nature’s grand design for consummate fertility and the vigneron’s attempt to farm for flavor. Guess who wins? Presenter:  Lisa M. Airey, FWS, CWE has thirteen years of experience selling wine at the wholesale level and in training both the sales force and wait staff. She sat on the

Wine Scholar Guild's Education Director Lisa Airey speaks to events in the past that have shaped some of the regions.

Presenter: Lisa M. Airey CWE, FWS Lisa M. Airey, FWS, CWE, has thirteen years of experience selling wine at the wholesale level and in training both the sales force and wait staff.She sat on the Board of Directors for the Society of Wine Educators from 1998 to 2004 and co-chaired their Corporate Wine Training Committee which authored and edited the first SWE Certified Specialist of Wine Study Guide. She currently serves as Director of Education for the Wine

Summary:  Come explore the fundamental principles of food and wine pairing in a webinar that is guaranteed to take you from ingénue to expert in less than 60 minutes!Why does Chateau Haut-So-Good taste oh-so-bad with certain dishes? What cosmic combinations transform ordinary meals into religious experiences?There ARE rules and most are absolute (despite the

Summary:  Discover the history of this wine taint, how it is created, how it is transferred, and how it has been eradicated. Truth be told, “cork taint” is actually a misnomer. Although cork acts as a powerful sponge for this volatile aroma, cardboard, paper and other wood products carry it too! Learn the facts. Be informed. Not every off-aroma is TCA. Presenter: Lisa Aireya Lisa M. Airey, FWS, CWE has thirteen years of experience

Summary:  Wine appreciation is subjective. We either like a specific wine or we don’t. But how we FEEL about a wine is not necessarily a reflection of its quality level.  In this webinar, we’ll remove the veil of subjectivity and explore the structural components inherent in all wines of quality.  Does price factor into the matter? Find out in this eye-opening

Learn more about the Wine Scholar Guild in this candid interview with Education Director, Lisa M. Airey If you missed our Education Director Lisa Airey’s cameo on the Wine Two Five Podcast last week, you can listen to the recording here: