Had a very enjoyable late afternoon learning about New Zealand wines. The instructor was engaging and knowledgeable. The course lasted about an hour and a half. There were a number of safety measures in place including checking temperature and pulse ox. Looking forward to going back for another class in the future!

I had a chance to take a cocktail crafting course here as part of a special event and had an amazing time! This was such a wonderful event! I really appreciated the intimate setting of the event and am so grateful to have been chosen to attend. Keith did a great job explaining every aspect of crafting a perfect cocktail and had answers to everyone’s questions. As a bartender, I had some previous knowledge of cocktail crafting but his instruction allowed me to have a greater understanding of certain concepts, and to learn even more about my craft. I had no idea that this amazing resource of such high repute existed in Philadelphia. I’ll definitely be recommending this school to others.

Took the Whiskey and Cocktails class. Teacher was very funny and extremely knowledgeable. I learned a lot and cant wait to go back!

Ive attended two classes at the Wine School with Keith. Both times I have found the classroom to be a great environment for intimate gatherings of people interested in wine. The tasting room is comfortable, everyone has clear views of each other and Keith, and the groups are small. Unfortunately, Ive been disappointed in the actual content of the classes. It seems like, regardless of the class thesis, the actual discourse rambles throughout many topics, lacking clear direction and coherency. In both sessions, I felt like I tasted new and interesting wines but learned little beyond my own experience. I enjoyed the contrasting pairings of wine as a framework for discovery. I felt encouraged to explore by Keiths tasting notes. Beyond this, basically everything else he said detracted from the experience and the possibility to learn.

The first class we took was nothing more than a lark. A reasonably priced date night, a class on Italian wines. I found the class to be very reasonable for the price. The wines were very good and the instructor knowledgeable. The setting is very nice, with reclaimed wood tables and a cozy winery feel. We opened the door on 22nd Street and were transported to Tuscany.We took multiple classes since, and plan on taking more. The only downside is that they are very Best and many classes sell out very quickly. Some highlights have been the food and wine pairing class and an exotic wine class. I think we may sign up for their longer formatted classes too if we can sync our schedules.Oh, and a little tip: if your instructor is a cranky old guy, don’t worry. That’s the director of the school. Wait until the class starts. He is quite charming, actually.

Excellent Classes - especially the online Zoom offerings are informative with a friendly vibe.

Almost a year ago, I was hired as a cellar worker at a winery. I mostly moved barrels and cleaned equipment. We lost our winemaker two months after I started, and the owner asked if I would take on the job. I really didn’t know anything, so I asked Jim (the owner) if I could take some wine classes.After doing research, we both agreed I should go to this wine school. I first took a one night class first, then jumped into the diploma program feet first. I can’t say enough good things about this school.My two instructors were Keith and Alana. They have been amazing and kind to me. I’m dyslexic and have had difficulty with the reading. Each of them has been so helpful and make sure I know the material. It’s been six months and taking classes has really helped. I owe them my career.

Went here with a few friends over the weekend and was very disappointed. The class was an overview of Spanish wines and while I did learn a little about a few of the wines the experience was overshadowed by the ego of our instructor. The selection of wines was also disappointing. They seemed to be selected by the instructor who confessed to liking young wines (or perhaps they were selected because they were cheaper than more aged wines). In my opinion it was not a representation of what Spain has to offer.Another drawback was the lack of food to accompany the wine (even a bit of cheese or chocolate would have sufficed). Especially when the instructor is constantly suggesting that the wine pairs well with food!The school does allow the class to enjoy the remaining wine... The remnants of 8 bottles rationed between the 21 attendees. When my wife asked if there was more of a particular wine, she was flat out ignored! After asking the instructor four times if there was more wine she finally confronted her. The instructor got an attitude and complained that she didnt feel my wife was attentive enough during the class! Its a shame that the class cant talk amongst themselves due to the instructors insecurities .I dont think that I have to say it, but we will not be back!

I’d recommend the wine school to anyone looking for a night out. The classroom setting is very lovely. It looks like a winery run by a mad scientist. One wall is a huge cage of corks, and another wall is build from wooden wine boxes. A large chalk board on a barn door track is at the front.One big tip is to not come late. They start on the dot, so I’d try to get there about 10 minutes early. Otherwise, you may have to sit in the back or be split up. I took my mom to a bubbles class, and she loved it. We drink so much Cava now. Thank you, Alana! I also have gone to the Italy versus Spain class which was just as great.

Philly is a drinking city. You know that. I know that. It’s also a city of world class colleges. If you drew a Venn diagram of bookworms and boozers, you’d end up with an interesting community. There should be a place in town that brings them together, right?With that in mind, I was doing some late night “research” and came across the Philly Wine School. Proud of myself, I booked a whiskey class. And then I waited. The first two were already sold out, so that wait was something crazy like three months.Then I went. Like other reviewers have said, this is the real deal. The instructor showed us how to distill (cool), had us make a cocktail (I forgot which one) and then did a retrospective of classic whiskey styles. He pulled out a Bourbon from the 1960’s which was the best think I’ve ever tasted.Talking with another student in class, a very lovely lady, it also seems that they never repeat themselves. She had gone to five (!) whiskey classes and didn’t regret it one bit. I think I’ll stick with one and look for another class, maybe a wine and cheese class.

Alana was so great for this introductory class all about finding out which wines you prefer, despite getting over her cold. We had a full house, and she did a great job keeping the crowd engaged while teaching us something new with each new tasting. We had a great time learning facts about wine we should have known years ago. Immediately after the class, we put our new knowledge to the test by going to the liquor store to pick out some nice wine! Thanks, Alana!

I started to write my review, but I got curious. I read some of the reviews other people wrote. It’s an illuminating read. Philly has a love/hate relationship with this school. The owner knows this and lets people know the deal ahead of time. This school isn’t for everyone.That’s a shocking thing for some people, but it’s quite refreshing, IMHO. It’s a great place to go if you are open-minded and willing to be exposed to new ideas and have your assumptions challenged.In other words: everyone but the haters loves this place. Philly is a diverse city, and so is this school. If you aren’t comfortable around POC, this isn’t the place for you.Read the negative reviews! One guy hates the fact that a female instructor dared to correct him. Another hated on an instructor with epilepsy. The fact that these people hate the school makes me love it even more.The Wine School is one of the greatest things in Philly It’s not for everyone, that’s for sure. Nothing great ever is.

I have attended several wine events at the Wine School of Philadelphia and each one was a wonderful experience. I was there for the Cook and Corks in October. Keith was a delight and not only did I learn a lot about wine, I laughed along the way. Alana was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant. The menu was complex, the food was delicious and the wine pairing was perfect. Thank you for a great night out! I will be back!I would HIGHLY recommend a night out or class at the Wine School!

This is hands down the best place to learn about wine. Keith has developed a rigorous curriculum that underscores the complexity of the wine world whilst making it digestible to those new to it. The Wine School space itself is beautiful, and you have the opportunity to try some fantastic wines throughout the various courses. Really a fantastic experience.

If Amazon ends up in Philly, all those west coast nerds are going to feel right at home here. I mean that in the best way possible. I like smart and passionate, but snobs put me off my wine. When I first attended a class, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Keith and company changed my life. I really mean that.I’m now the wine guy among my circle. Even my boss now defers to my judgment when we are on business trips. My two favorite teachers are Keith and Alana. Alana knows everything. All around brilliant teacher. Keith is the founder of the school and he still teaches classes.One work of caution: don’t come expecting to chat or gossip in your group. The other students (myself included) not be pleased. We come for the experience, not to hear about your lame life!

I wish we had been able to rate the experience, unfortunately however we never made it that far. Maybe the worst customer service ever led us to finding out our Valentine’s Day plan didn’t actually exist after being given the run around for 3 days for trying to use a gift card.... so excited to read “what really happened.” Maybe just attach the screen cap of the exchange so folks can see for themselves.

Every year, I send my top employees to a wine course. I find it’s important in our line of work to be well-rounded. As most of us work remotely, I have sent students to classes in SF, Chicago, NYE, DC, and Philly. For my West Coast employees, I’ll still send them to several schools (the one in Napa is very good). But for my East Coast people, I’m sending them to Philadelphia. This school is simply the best at what they do. It’s close enough to the Amtrak station that our people can take the Acela.

I went to a class with a group of friends. At first, I didn’t know what to expect. The place is located in a row home below Center City’s skyline and across from an elementary school. Parking wasn’t too hard, by Philly standards.I don’t know any sommeliers or winemakers. I always imagined them to be an aloof group. I also thought we would be standing around, swirling wine and talking smack about aromas and bouquet and stupid stuff like that. I was wrong. This is a sit-down class where you listen to a teacher standing in front of a chalk board. I hate chalk boards.So why five stars? It was a great experience, actually. The teacher was awesome. World-class great. I had an epiphany while making notes about the wine and noticing so many different flavors and scents. I never really “Got” wine before that night.I’m not one to go to classes, but this was something else. This was like being taught guitar by Joe Walsh. I’m not into playing guitar either, but that would change my mind.

I recently finished the Wine 101 tasting class and I absolutely loved it. Every class was very informative, instructors were experienced, funny and made me enjoy coming to every session. Keith Wallace was my favorite instructor but Zach is fun to listen to as well. The classes are interesting and entertaining at the same time and the knowledge Ive acquired became really useful to me personally. I would say, this is one of the better wine tasting schools in Philadelphia, and I would definitely recommend my other friends to try it out!

I love the authenticity of this place. That is a funny GenX kind of sentiment, but it’s not a bad thing at all. They love wine and it shows. I took a Wine 101 class and it was a blast. I learned a lot. They ask everyone to write down two questions and address everyones questions during class. It was seamless how they did it, and I wouldn’t have noticed except that both my friend’s question and my own were answered during the tasting portion of the class. I thought that was a really nice touch.

I heard an interview with Keith, the founder of the Wine School, on the Philly Who podcast. Sounded like a remarkable person running a cool company. I signed up for a class at the last minute, which was a rarity unto itself: all of their classes are sold out months ahead of time.The hype isn’t wrong about this place. That old rumpled dude at the front of the class? He’s pure magic. It’s like being in the room with a freaking supernatural creature or maybe the Einstein of booze.I’d suggest checking out that podcast after you go to a class, not before. I was getting choked up in class about this guy’s amazing life journey. He’s an inspiration, and he loves popping open awesome bottles, so there’s that.All the classes sell out months in advance. If you can’t schedule your time three months out, I got you. The hack is to check out FB of all things: They post last minute openings on their facebook page. If you follow them, you’ll be able to jump into a class last-minute.

A pretty incredible thing to hide in plain site. I’ve walked past this school for years as I head back and forth between home and 30th Street Station. The first time I saw it, I thought “cool, what is a wine school?” and after a while, I kind of forgot about it. I tried the door once, I think, and it was locked.I don’t think I’ve ever read about the school in the Inquirer or in Philly Mag, but once in a while I’d be reading Forbes another national magazine, and there they would be. I was at the Vintners Collective in Napa Valley, and a winemaker asked if I’d ever taken a class in Philly. A friend of hers was a graduate and had nothing but good things to say.A few winters ago, my boss gave me a gift certificate because he knew I liked wine. I eventually found a class that worked for my schedule and booked.When I got to the school, sure enough, the door was unlocked, and I went inside. My god, it was like I had stepped into a totally different world. The inside is beautiful, like an ancient wine cellar. The class was a real class, not something you expect at a winery or a tasting room. This was serious. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s just when you ask a question, you get a serious answer. My instructor was a former winemaker who has been teaching at the school for 20 (!) years.I love that we have such hidden gems in Philly. I told the teacher they should advertise more, they could be huge. His response? “We like being small, letting folks discover us is the way we like to do business.” I appreciate that. I’ll keep coming.

Thank you! Your amazing wine tasting classes have opened a whole new world for me. If has been a pleasure to become involved with the Wine School of Philadelphia. I have been able to take wine classes and courses, as well as sommelier training. It is truly a unique experience and you must try it to believe it.

This is a must for anyone who enjoys a glass of wine and respects the taste of it. They teach you a lot of things that you would never learn anywhere else, and its an affordable experience. Thanks again.

If you live in Philly, you know that there are some best-kept secrets. The Philly Wine School is one of them. How can a full-blown wine school exist for twenty years without being mentioned a single time in the newspaper? Thats this city for you. I read about the school in Napa when I lived there. Its got a great national reputation. About a dozen winemaker I know got their start there, and plenty more sommeliers. All I and say is, why doesnt Philly know this? Philly is crazy.

I took a class on food and wine pairing here. I had an awesome time. But I also learned more about pH and acidity than I did in my college chemistry classes. I guess if Dr. Harrow had a better personality and served food during class I would have learned a whole lot more. Maybe I would have been a STEM superstar instead of working in real estate.It was amazing how the wine professor threaded science into what we were tasting. I realize now that every sommelier I’ve watched on television has no idea what they are talking about. There are interactive elements in this class, which I really liked a lot.

Can a winemaker be woke? The class I took was great. It was called the Exotic Wine Class. The wines were crazy and good. If you ever get a chance, try a Plavac Mali from Croatia. I had no idea what I was missing. Also who knew Crete wines were a thing?The best part of the class was how the instructor tied all the wines together in this really awesome tapestry of interconnected histories and dna and a whole lot other mind-bogling revelations. “Everything is exotic if we haven’t experienced it yet.” Is how he opened up the class.If you come to a class, I strongly recommend getting there a few minutes early. The best seats are in the front of the classroom, if you really want an education. If you are more of the gimme-wine kinda person, then you may want to sit in the back. My instructor’s name was Keith, and he’s incredible. He used to be a winemaker, and his depth of knowledge is fierce. I’ve read about Alana in some reviews, and I hope to be able to sit in her class, too.

I feel a little cheated. The wine 101 class was great. My instructor was a winemaker from California and he was legit. I wasnt really into wine or a wine snob, so I figured this was par for the course in wine classes. I was wrong. I took a class in NYC and I was really disappointed. I think this joint is special, not sure what I was thinking.

When I started getting into wine, my friends convinced me to take a wine class in San Fran. It was OK but it seemed too restauranty to me. The teacher had been a waiter who earned a WSET certification a few years before. It had the feeling of a power-point presentation run by a sn*b. It didn’t help that the class was held in the back of an old restaurant.After that, I was done with wine snobs and their classes. Or so I thought. A few years later, I read about a wine school in Philly run by a winemaker who was teaching at Drexel. That seemed more up my alley, and I put it on my to do list. That was years ago, but I finally booked a class a few months ago.It was amazing.Is it wrong that I prefer to have teachers with real degrees and a passion for what they do? Is it wrong to like having a Sylvia Plath reference while talking about Pinot Noir? Maybe it is, but it makes for a magnetic night. I can’t recommend this school highly enough.

Went for a class a year ago. My wife bought as a date night. Guy teaching was super drunk. Learned nothing. Wife was extremely embarrassed and upset.

Ive been working in the wine trade for a long time now. George Bush was president when I got my first job working in Sonoma. I am talking about daddy Bush! My partner was transferred to Philly a few years ago. I thought that would pretty much mean my retirement. I didnt think my skill set was in need, or that I would find like minded people in a state where the government has it fingers in every single aspect of the wine trade. I was wrong about that.A friend pointed me in the direction of this school. I took the Foundation program and was hooked. The program is the best I have ever taken. Yes, that includes the UC Davis online program. The school is downtown in what looks like a wine cellar. Its better looking than any other wine school I have attended, but that is only window dressing. The classes are stellar, and the instructors are well trained and have impressive backgrounds.I cant talk to their public wine classes, but some of my fellow students take them, as well. I am still a student, and hope to finish the diploma by the beginning of 2016.

I have Pharma clients in suburban Philly. Meetings often only last a few hours on either Thursday or Friday. It’s worth it because of what a great food town it is. I’ve been making a weekend out of the trip for a few years now. I’ll go to Vetri or Vedge on Friday. On Saturday, I try to book a class here. The classes sell out a months in advance, so I don’t always get in.Last time, I sat was with two sommeliers from Manhattan who came down to Philly for a deep dive into wine. We agreed that this is one of the best places to get a bead on what’s going on and to learn trade secrets. I’m surprised this place isn’t on everyone’s radar. It has a sparkle and shine that I don’t find anywhere else, even in New York.

Last year I did a class in this what you call win school!! It was A joke the information that you will get and the extra charge for Material it’s a rip off . If you don’t know How to follow a recipe for mac & cheese the school will fit you.

Whether its for professional development or hobby, The Wine School of Philadelphia is an enlightening and informative experience. Heavily recommend!

My sister recommended this to me a few years back, and sent me a gift certificate for my birthday. She used to live in the Fairmount neighborhood and took classes here before they moved to center city and talked about their classes a lot.The class I picked was just amazing. I was lucky enough to get a seat for the Sommelier Smackdown. When I called her to thank her for the gift, she had a story to telk, very apropos to what’s happening in the sommelier world today.About eight years ago, she was taking a class at the wine school and she asked if the teacher was a Master Sommelier. He said no, and would never recommend anyone going to the Court of Master Sommeliers. He said that their were a lot of rumors that the exam proctors were on the take. If you paid them to “tutor” you, they’d slip you the answers.The instructor went on to talk about how philly’s Wine School made sure to keep everything on the up and up, because eventually people would expose what was going on.That seemed unbelievable back then, but now it’s obviously true. They just caught one of the Master Sommelier’s in the act of selling the answers to the Master Somm exam. It seems pretty clear to me that the people who run Philly’s wine school really know what’s going on behind the scenes. And they are good people.So, for being a great school and for being 100% honest, they deserve this review, and more.

I think of myself as reasonably well-traveled person. I’m also a big wine fan, so I try to hit as many wine spots as I can. On the East Coast, I’ve been to Spoke in Boston, 13.5% in Baltimore, and La Compagnie Des Vins Surnaturels in NYC. I couldn’t find a comparable wine bar in Philly, so I booked a Wines of Israel class at the Philly Wine School. Not that I was into wines from Israel, per se. It’s just what was available.That was a few years ago, and ever since that wine class, I’ve been hooked. Every time I am in a major city, I book a wine class. I’ve been to classes in San Francisco, London, and Bordeaux. You know what? I didn’t like any of them as much as the class I took in Philly. Also, never have had Israeli wines that amazing ever since.So I don’t take wine classes anymore, except in Philly. It’s not just the classes, but the people who go to them. Young and hip crowd that are really into the experience. Very few old snobs. I’ve been coming now whenever I can. One of the recent classes was my favorite. The Wines of Santa Barbara. Next up is a Barolo class.

One star or five? I wasn’t really sure which way I was going to go at first. The person who bought be ticket told me it was a food and wine pairing dinner. That seemed odd, since it was clearly a school, but I went along with it.The waiter seemed aloof and a bit demanding. There was no coat-check, and seating was communal. There were no menus at all. I texted him: you sure this is a restaurant? They didn’t respond, which spoke volumes to me. I was kinda angry, and I really wanted a dinner.I was going to leave, but then the woman who I thought was a waiter started to talk. In a few minutes, I knew two things:1st, If I stayed, I was going hungry; and2nd, I wasn’t going to leave. The class was called “Sommelier Secrets” and it was great. I learned a lot about wine, and the instructor (I apologize for thinking you were a waiter, Alana) was a brilliant lawyer-turned-sommelierThe one star if for my“friend” who lied about the gift (he only spent $40 on the tickets, cheapskate) and the five star if for Alana and the Wine School for being awesome to me, despite my grumpy misunderstanding.Hey do have a food and wine pairing class, so I think I’ll take that next time.

I took my parents and girlfriend to a class over the winter, and it was a giant mistake. The instructor was rude and even insulted my mother when she asked questions. He then proceeded to mock her in front of the entire class. I would never recommend a class here to anyone. It was an incredible waste of a Christmas present.In response to review question: When she asked a question regarding some flavors in the wine, the instructor snapped back You dont know anything about wine, I do. He then went on about her lack of knowledge about wine, and how many celebrities he has met because of his wine knowledge. His tone and dismissed attitude were disrespectful and completely uncalled for, especially considering what we had paid for the class.

Learned quite a bit at the wine school and Im glad to have attended. Very affordable as well.

Lots of fun, get to drink and very informing!

I recently bought a voucher from the Wine School of Philadelphia. After a family member had fallen ill, we were unable to attend so I exchanged emails (because they refuse to answer the phone) with someone asking for a refund so we could pay the medical bills, every little bit helps. I finally got in touch with Steve, one of the instructors, via phone and he was incredibly rude and combative. He said he read all of my emails and listened to all of my voicemails and not once did he return them - he had a co-worker do it for him. Not only did he not care what I had to say, he told me I was the rude one for calling him about this matter, and hung up the phone on me after stating that he would email me a voucher to come another time but refused to reimburse me for a class I could not attend. I left my conversation with him feeling completely dumbfounded. They have the WORST customer service of any company I have ever dealth with. I cannot believe they actually treat paying customers with such disrespect. I would not reccomend the Wine School of Philadelphia to my worst enemy.

Great information, great people, and great prices. I couldnt be more happier with this wine school, thank you!

Learned a lot here about wine and Im glad I signed for the classes!