Smell, Taste, and Identify Wine Aroma with Confidence
Take the first step on the
Spring2021 | The PATH to Aroma
Description Proficiency - ONE
Build the foundation on robust science-based principles and learn how to memorize and identify wine aromas.
The PATH to Aroma Description Proficiency - Level One
is a 4-week program that teaches you the fundamentals of wine tasting,
gives you a step-by-step process to learn wine aroma at home, and
prepares you to deepen your practice when you join PATH Level Two.
This unique program is for serious wine lovers, not wine snobs
If you're passionate about learning more about wine, already spending time online searching for tips, reading the book classics, or attending wine events, then you know these aren't helping you become more fluent when you try to describe wine aromas.
This program is for you if you're a wine lover...
Often wondering if you're drinking a different wine than the one described on the back label.
Working hard to pass with distinction your next blind tasting exam.
Working in the wine industry and wanting to develop new skills to grow professionally.
Then, you are in the right place
Let me tell you exactly how the PATH program Level One will help you trust your senses more and become super confident when tasting wine.
The PATH program Level One delivers the essential knowledge, tools, and professional coaching that will boost your self-assurance to pursue your training to the next level.
It's the first step on the path to wine aroma description proficiency.
By the end of this program, you'll have...
- Become a pro at differentiating the three major wine sensory perceptions, aroma, taste, and mouthfeel, so you can focus your attention on aroma description.
- Realized how complex wine aroma perceptions are and that there is no wrong or correct answers to sensory detection.
- Understood how learning by association and describing by categorization makes the identification task so much easier.
- Adopted consistent tasting practices to minimize biases that trick your senses and become more objective in your tasting notes.
- Put in practice the PATH framework with 6 typical wine aromas, and you'll be ready to tackle Level Two of the program.
"Isabelle packaged her extensive experience as a scientist and industry leader into this program to help you learn how to listen to your nose. This program is an excellent introduction to wine tasting. It complements the Wine Aroma Wheel I created to change the wine language from vague and non-descriptive to specific and meaningful. Highly recommended."
Dr. Ann C. Noble
Professor Emeritus - University of California at Davis
"Isabelle is extremely knowledgeable, patient, pragmatic, and helpful. Thank you for the course content and for putting me on a solid path as I continue my journey to enhance my wine tasting skills. "
Steve Snow
Wine enthusiast and Founding Member of this course
I created this training program based on solid sensory science principles and years of practical experience. Hundreds of people went through this proven system to become discerning and confident tasters.
Isabelle Lesschaeve, PhD
Your course instructor and wine tasting coach
Read what the Founding Members of this course have to say
"I took the WSET Level 1 and Level 2 courses in which I learned the wine lexicon and discovered 40 aromas. However, I was not taught about the potential aroma sources or how to practice aroma identification at home. I now feel more confident to train myself and to describe wine aroma."
Dariusz Dudziak
Wine sales consultant, UK
"Isabelle has put together a different wine appreciation course focused on the aroma of wine, and she even shows you how to make the aroma at home. This course is very relevant for the wine enthusiast. "
Rob Hodge
Wine Enthusiast, Australia
" I took this course to develop my ability to detect and describe the component aromas in wine. The program presented excellent background information for a better understanding of the entire olfactory process and an organization system to categorize the spectrum of aromas found in wine."
Steve Snow
Wine Enthusiast, US
"This course takes the wine tasting experience to specific ways of learning I have never had before. It's a foundation class that will help me take this skill, keep practicing, and get better and better.
I need to continue to practice like with a musical instrument."
Tasha Standridge
Winemaking Intern, US
What's Inside the PATH Program Level One?
Module 1: Principles of Aroma Perception
Tasting wine is confusing; a lot is happening.
By the end of this module, you'll stop wondering what are all these sensations on your palate when you taste wine!
Highlights
- Build a solid foundation that will help you understand what's happening when you taste wine.
- Discover why describing wine aroma is challenging.
- Understand why you're never wrong when sharing what you identify in a glass of wine.
Module 2: Aroma education
You didn't learn to identify aromas at school.
Your teachers made sure you recognized shapes, colors, and objects correctly. No one taught you how to identify your food by smell only, without any visual cues.
Highlights
- Realize why you should trust your senses when tasting wine.
- Understand what the obstacles to learning a common aroma language are and why the context matters.
- Discover how the Wine Aroma Wheel classification system helps to find the words to describe wine.
Module 3: Tasting best practices
Forget what you learned in wine appreciation classes.
In fact, you learned there what each wine style should taste and not how to use your senses to taste wine.
Highlights
- Implement the framework and practical steps to your tasting process.
- Identify possible biases and ways to counter them.
- Understand the basics of learning wine aroma at home and testing your identification skills.
Module 4: Home practice implementation
At this stage of the program, you'll be ready to start your wine aroma training at home.
Highlights
- Learn about the nature and origin of six familiar aromas in wine.
- Discover the value of preparing and learning with homemade aroma standards.
- Practice by describing two white wines, after discovering the factors impacting the aroma of the selected wine styles.
- Get a preview of the process you will go through in the PATH program Level Two to become proficient in identifying 18 more wine aromas.
By the end of the Level One program,
you'll be ready to start The PATH program Level Two.
When you enroll during this special, limited time period, you will get
The PATH to Aroma Description Proficiency - Level One
a US$ 499 value
4 modules to set you up on the path to trusting your senses when tasting wine and confidently name the aromas you detect.
A robust system to learn wine aromas and test your skills in a blind tasting.
New consistent and unbiased tasting practices to enhance your objectivity in describing wine.
A course certificate upon completion of all lessons and assignments.
Priority access to enroll in the PATH Level Two, a 4-week hands-on program to master 18 typical wine aromas.
One-year access to the PATH program Level One, including all the videos and supporting documents, so you can revisit essential concepts as you pursue your training.
You'll get access to one module per week to give you ample time to dive into the lessons and put the learnings into practice.
Plus, you will get these two bonuses to support you along the way and help put in practice what you've learned
4 one-hour live classes and group coaching sessions to solidify your learning and put them in practice
(a value of US$ 387)
Access to a private student community to exchange experiences, ask questions, and make progress together
(a value of US$134)
The Total Value of the Path Program Level One is US$ 1,020.
But today, I am offering it at this special price.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When does the program start?
I release one module every week for four weeks, every Saturday morning. The first release is Saturday May, 29th. When you enroll today, you'll have access to the learning platform and can familiar yourself with it.
When does the program end?
The last module (#4) will be available on June, 20th. The last live class is held the following week.
I am not sure I will be able to keep the prescribed weekly pace. Can I go at my own pace?
Yes, absolutely. You can watch the lessons and do the assignments on your own terms. You have access to the materials for one-year after you enrolled. You can do it!
Why taking this course when I can get certified with other wine programs
Other courses teach you what a wine style should taste, ask you to memorize it, and to repeat it during the exams.
I teach you how to use your senses and describe wine aroma with confidence. No need to become a parrot. At the end of Level Two of this program, you will be proficient in identifying 24 aromas and have a system and the tools to pursue your training.
What are the days and times for the live classes?
I'll hold a live class twice a week to give you options to fit it in your busy schedule. Option 1: Thursdays at 8 PM EDT (New York time) and Option 2: Fridays at 2 PM EDT (new York time).
What if I cannot attend the live sessions? Are they recorded?
I encourage you to attend the live classes. They're essential to your success. You'll get additional tips to enhance your tasting skills, and opportunities to ask clarifying questions. The sessions are recorded, but they are so much more benefits in attending live.
Do we taste wine together?
Yes, we will taste wine together in Module 4, after you spend the week learning how to identify 6 aromas in wine. I will recommend specific wine styles, not specific brands. It works well that way.
Is there a test or certificate at the end of the course?
I give you assignments every week to monitor your progress and send you a certificate once you complete ALL the assignments and lessons.
Can I upgrade to a higher course level, while I am taking the course?
This course is a first step to develop your ability to describe wine aroma with ease. You can enroll in the next level today or when PATH Level 2 opens again later this year.
Are there several enrollment times in 2021?
Yes, a new enrollment period will open in the fall. The exact date is TBD.
Still thinking about it?
If you're still wondering if this program is worth your time and investment, let me add this. Poor tasting skills limit your ability to expand your wine knowledge, whether it's a passion or a profession of yours.
Do you want to continue to rely on the guy behind the tasting bar to tell you what you're supposed to taste and smell?
After 20+ years of experience in the wine industry, I can tell you that knowing how to taste wine is essential for becoming a successful certified wine professional or sommelier.
It's also a critical skill if you want to build your own cellar and buy wines you will enjoy now or in 5 years.
Easy learning pace
I drip the course content one week at a time, on a Saturday morning. This schedule lets you enough time to review the Module content, do the short exercises, and be ready for the live class.
Live support
During the live class, I review the takeaways of each lesson and provide clarification as needed. I host 2 sessions per week at different times, so you can choose the most convenient time for your schedule that week.
Former students with busy professional schedules and weekly family commitments carried out each module requirement and completed the program within four weeks. I have no doubt that you can too.
I cannot wait to guide and coach you over the next 4 weeks.
Wine, sensory science, and education are my 3 passions. I develop each lesson with these 3 ingredients to help you enhance your tasting skills one module at a time.
It's so rewarding for me to see the impact this first program has on students' abilities.
Like them, I assure you that you'll go from hesitant and may be shy to speak up in a tasting into a confident and empathic wine taster. It doesn't happen overnight, and these 4 weeks will free you from the fear of being wrong.
You'll discover aspects of your senses and abilities to use them that you didn't realize before.
Should you choose to accept this invitation, I promise you that you will experience a profound transformation in your tasting practices. It will start changing your appreciation of wine.
I look forward to meeting you personally inside the PATH program.
Reviews
4.8
Top Rated
James Bandy
Informative
Enjoyed this learning experience. A very good start.
James Chambers
OTH
off the hook intro to wine sensory evaluation
Mike Dutch
Worthwhile
I learned that a chemical can have multiple aromas and an aroma can be the result of multiple chemicals. That alone makes the class worthwhile! I suggest future classes include 2 things: - Aroma wheel - Recommended wine selections to taste during the last class ... class member comments are not helpful when everyone is tasting a different wine. A month lead time is sufficient for the vast majority of students to acquire the wines.
Elwanda Klucik
Informative and helpful
Great info on how we perceive taste and aromas. Logical and insightful process instructions.
Rate this course