Crash Courses in Wine From The Second Glass

Not sure about the difference between a Pinot and Prosecco? Or a Merlot and a Muscat? Then maybe you need a little guidance from The Second Glass. This Boston-based print and online wine magazine offers a hip, unpretentious approach to wine, demystifying the world of wine and helping beer-loving Bostonians learn more about different wine regions, styles of wine, and pairing options. They also offer a weekly email called the Wine of the Weekend. (Full disclosure: I’m friends with the marketing director, but I’d be blogging about this either way. Trust me, it’s that cool.)

The Second Glass hosted a fabulously fun wine event called Wine Riot at the Boston Center for the Arts Cyclorama earlier this year, and they offer crash courses in wine every two weeks and other events at venues in and around Boston.

Earlier this week, I participated in a crash course on wine cocktails at Brookline’s Wine Gallery. If you haven’t been to the Wine Gallery, their claim to fame is their wine jukebox, which allows you to choose up to six different wines to sample before you buy. I love wines and I love cocktails, so I figured this was a recipe for one very satisfying evening.

We sampled Kir Royale and a white and red Lillet (a fancier version of sangria, as I learned), then they put us to work creating our own wine cocktail using Cava, Triple Sec, Bordeaux (I believe it was Bordeaux, but after a few glasses, who can recall?), club soda, and assorted herbs and fruits like mint, rosemary, pineapple, strawberries, grapes, oranges, limes, and lemons. I’m pleased to report that my group’s limited edition cocktail, the Sec-C, won the popular vote. That may have something to do with the name, but I think our blend of mint, citrus, and Cava was pretty irresistible, too.

Here’s a roundup of upcoming events offered by The Second Glass:

• May 26, Guest Chef Night at the Savant Project
• May 27, Crash Course in Sherry (Not Just for Your Grandma) at Downtown Wine and Spirits
• June 2, Crash Course in Summer Sippers at the Wine Gallery

Have you attended one of The Second Glass’ crash courses? Know of other cool wine events? Leave a comment and tell us about it!

Flickr photo courtesy of robertpaulyoung