Twelve-Hour WINE BOOT CAMP(R) Whips 'Recruits' into Savvy 'Wine Warriors'

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Aug 11, 2010, 12:17 ET

SEBASTOPOL, Calif., Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Wine lovers thirsty to expand their knowledge of wine through an authentic winegrowing and winemaking experience can sign up for the September 18th WINE BOOT CAMP(R) from wine education company AFFAIRS of the VINE (http://www.affairsofthevine.com/bootcamp.php). The event is a 12-hour hands-on reconnaissance mission in which "recruits" follow wine's journey from vineyard to bottle in one day.

"We're the original WINE BOOT CAMP," stated Major Barbara Drady, Director of WINE BOOT CAMP and Chief Wine Evangelist for AFFAIRS of the VINE. "We created the concept and experience. We're much copied, never duplicated."

The September 18th WINE BOOT CAMP will include the following missions:

Vineyard field exercises at Chalk Hill Vineyard and Winery (http://www.chalkhill.com) led by Chalk Hill's viticulturist, land steward and resident rock hound, Mark Lingenfelder.
An Aromatic Workshop in which recruits will sharpen their senses as they are challenged to identify the aromas in different wines.
Lunch and wine pairing at Chalk Hill prepared by acclaimed chef, Didier Ageorges.
Winery tour, barrel tasting and cellar mission at Michel-Schlumberger conducted by winemaker Mike Brunson. (http://www.michelschlumberger.com).
Brunson will lead the troops through basic training in winemaking as recruits create their own custom blends from the wines in barrel at Michel-Schlumberger.
Wine Tasting Reception highlighting the fabulous wine of Sonoma County.
Dinner featuring the wines of Michel-Schlumberger.

"Folks who enlist are the ones who take the rafting trip not the bus trip," Drady said. She has had recruits return for three boot camps in a row. "We change the properties that we visit for different boot camps so each experience is very unique - like vintages," she explained. "Recruits become an integral part of what's going on in the vineyard, and the unusual weather will make 2010 the most interesting harvest of the last 50 years."

Drady has more than 25 years of experience in the wine industry. She and her husband, John, founded the wildly successful Sonoma Coast Vineyards and sold it in 2008. She's been a featured speaker at the Wine Industry Financial Symposium and has been recognized by "Wine Business Monthly" and "Bay Area BusinessWoman" as one of the leading women in the wine industry. She incorporated AFFAIRS of the VINE in 1999, conducting interactive workshops and seminars for colleges and culinary institutes across the country. "AFFAIRS of the VINE is recognized as one of the industry's top wine education companies," she stated. The company conducts unique team-building and relationship building events wrapped around wine for corporations. Clients include numerous Fortune 500 companies.

The cost of WINE BOOT CAMP(R) is $495 per person and includes all seminars, educational materials, activities, three meals, a bottle of wine blended by the recruit, transportation to all food and wine events, and an "I Survived WINE BOOT CAMP" T-shirt and cap.