Essential Wines of Napa & Sonoma

California is the top wine-producing state by far --- and when most people think of California wines, Sonoma and Napa immediately come to mind. But in reality, only about 10 percent of the state's wine comes from these two celebrated regions. This evening’s tasting, hosted by ICE’s resident sommelier, Richard Vayda, pits the two regions' best varietal wines head-to-head in a no-holds-barred face-off! Come help judge the best (or at least your favorites) from these two renowned areas. Of course, some delicious California cheeses will accompany the evening's eight wines!

The popularity of Korean BBQ is growing, fueled by the DIY aspect of making dinner with friends and family and eating as you cook. You don’t have to have a table with a built-in grill to enjoy your favorite flavor-packed grilled meats at home: grill pans on your stove or an outdoor grill are great stand-ins. Your menu starts with gyeran jjim (steamed egg custard); then moves to the grilling of sokalbi gui (beef short ribs) and samgyeopsal (pork belly) and assorted banchan (spicy vegetable side dishes) complete the meal.

Do you need an antidote for the cold weather? Can that antidote never be too rich or too flavorful? How about spending a whole evening with lush red wines from around the world and hearty cheeses that match them? Richard Vayda, ICE's director of wine studies, will discuss cheesemaking and cheese service, as well as red wine and food pairing, as you sip and eat the evening away. We'll taste at least eight wines, plus matching cheeses.

Come join NYC’s longest running wine course. Over its 45+ year history, thousands of students, food and wine professionals and the wine interested public alike, have participated in this program. This six-session course, crafted by ICE director of wine studies Richard Vayda, uses grape varietals, as well as winemaking regions, as the keys to understanding the full wine spectrum. You will receive a thorough introduction to winemaking, tasting, laws and labeling as you learn about wine components and taste some of the world’s most celebrated wines. In these six sessions, you will sample up to 60 wines! Session 1: Winemaking and Wine-Tasting Basics. Session 2: France: The Wines and Grapes of Burgundy and Bordeaux. Session 3: The Major Wines and Grape Varieties of Italy. Session 4: Spanish and other Warm-Climate Wines. Session 5: Wine Tour of the US West Coast. Session 6: A Tour of Sparkling Wine from Around the World.