Early History & Migration: Empires, Monasteries & the Making of Wine Culture
Early History & Migration: Empires, Monasteries & the Making of Wine Culture
Discover how the Middle Ages and Renaissance transformed wine from ancient beverage to cultural cornerstone, creating the traditions and regions we revere today.
What You'll Explore:
The Birth of Viticulture
Trace wine's origins in the Caucasus region, where wild grapes first met human ingenuity. Discover how the earliest winemakers in ancient Georgia and Armenia developed techniques still used today.
Greek Symposia
Understand the role of wine in ancient Greek philosophy, politics, and daily life and why Dionysus was among the most important gods due to how wine fueled both celebration and intellectual discourse.
Roman Engineering
Discover how Rome transformed wine from luxury to everyday commodity, developing amphoras for transport, using it as fuel for the body and courage for the soul, creating vast vineyard estates, and spreading viticulture across Europe.
Monastic Mastery
Learn how medieval monks became Europe's greatest winemakers, meticulously mapping terroir, developing techniques, and creating many of the world's most prestigious wine regions.
The Role of the Church
Understand wine's sacred significance in Christianity and how the need for communion wine drove viticultural innovation. Explore how the Church preserved and advanced winemaking knowledge through the Dark Ages.
Royal Courts and Noble Estates
Follow wine as it moved from monastic cellars to royal tables. Learn how aristocracy shaped wine culture, created the concept of "great growths," and established the prestige appellations we know today.
Trade Routes and Economic Power
Trace the Hanseatic League's wine trade, the economic importance of Bordeaux to English kings, and how wine commerce shaped European politics and power structures.
Classification and Codification
Explore how Old World wine regions developed their classification systems, appellation controls, and quality standards—frameworks that still govern wine today.
There will be a wine shared that demonstrates each of these steps through history to see how wine has progressed, shaped by and shaping, cultures.
Hosted in the Médoc Room, the private dining room of Meritage just across the hall, bedecked with historical maps and surrounded by our wine cellar. Seminars are taught by Desta Marée and team, including Alex Seide our Assistant Wine Director and Nick Rancone, our Hospitality Manager, as well as invited professionals.
Details:
When: Sundays in January 2026, 2:00pm-4:00pm
Where: The Médoc Room, Meritage Restaurant
Investment: $85 per person, per seminar (or $300 for all four sessions, a $40 savings only available with full course registration)
Includes: Five wines per tasting, expert instruction, tasting notes, historical materials and information
You are welcome to join us at Meritage, of course, as we offer Brunch from 10am-2pm & dinner service begins in the Oyster Bar at 4pm. All enrolled students are offered 10% off their entree & even beignets or dessert on class days, as a benefit for enrollment.
Off-street parking is free on Sundays, and they are just wrapping up multi-year construction, so parking this time of day is ample outside of events.
PRO TIP: recent students have reported taking ride services like Uber or Lyft to and from class, with positive feedback about the cost being offset by not having to find parking, pay for a lot, or deal with the weather - or drive after class and the wine tastings for that matter.
