Wine is the gift to keep on giving in the New Year

They say that in wine there is truth. One of those truths is that in wine, one learns not just more about oneself, but about the fascinating relationship of humans with the grapevine. It’s a lifelong learning journey for everyone I know in the wine business, and there’s no reason it can’t be the same for everyone who is the least bit curious about the farming of vines to the production of wine to the enjoyment of the final product.

San Francisco Wine School, run by Kristin Campbell and master sommelier David Glancy, offers a wealth of programs for every level of interest—for those who are just beginning to explore wine for pleasure, serious wine lovers who want to broaden their education and travel the world from their favorite lounge chair, industry professionals who want to beef up their skills and bolster their knowledge of specific regions, and food lovers who want to understand more fully the chemistry of what makes the perfect wine and food pairing.

The beauty of these classes is that many can be done over Zoom and the wines will be sent to you. Some top choices include:

• Wine 101: A great first wine class. Delve into the basics of wine from grape to glass in this two-hour class.
• Two-day Immersion: The most essential wine info in one weekend class. Learn tasting, pairing, buying, serving and storing plus the best regions to know.
• Intro to Wine Series: An entry-level dive into the basics of tasting, pairing and the world’s most important wine regions in an eight-week series.
• Somm Essentials: For those who want foundational knowledge at a professional level in a broad array of fine beverages.

There are also trips abroad that immerse participants in the intricacies of a wine region. There’s one coming up in 2026 to the Valle De Gaudalupe region of Mexico, May 31 to June 4.

Finally, there’s The Secret Wine Bar, open Thursday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m., visit on the top floor of 415 Grand Ave. in South San Francisco, home of the San Francisco Wine School. Check out the website for the current agenda, but the month of December featured wines from regions around the Bay like Marin, Contra Costa, Alameda, Solano, Santa Clara and San Mateo County.

For more information, visit https://sanfranciscowineschool.com/collections/classes-events

Gift wine

Holiday giving tends to last into the New Year, and wine is always welcome. Is there anything more fundamental to a Mediterranean lifestyle than wine and olive oil? We think not. Robert and Recha Bergstrom, Portola Valley residents and founders of Sandar and Hem, a local winery tapping some of the finest vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, have doctoral-level academic backgrounds in the biomedical sciences. They are offering some great gift bundles, including a choice of chardonnay, pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon paired with a bottle of olive oil from a small grove in Sonoma run by Recha’s sister. https://www.sandarandhem.com/shop/holiday-2025-pinot-noir-evoo

House Family Winery in Saratoga is offering $1 shipping anywhere in the US, as well as same day delivery on local wine orders within 20 miles of the winery. They offer complimentary festive packaging and lots of curated bundles, including the ultimate Santa Cruz Mountains wine collection with the Holiday Estate Six, packaged in style with a luxurious vintage trunk. Have some 2000s nostalgia fun with the Sideways Collection, or take a trip to France with the Taste of Rhône Pair. https://www.housefamilyvineyards.com/collection/holiday-collection

Gift experiences

Wine lovers and food connoisseurs would thrill to attend one of the nation’s finest food, wine and spirits events, held on the Monterey Peninsula at the Pebble Beach Resorts. Pebble Beach Food & Wine, set for April 9-12, offers a lineup of over 50 events with more than 150 acclaimed chefs.

The Grand Tasting offers access to 100 world-renowned wine and spirits producers for a weekend of signature tastings, expertly curated wine and spirits tastings. The Schramsberg and Louis XIII Grand Champagne Cognac seminars I attended last year are experiences I will not forget.

Tickets are on sale now at https://www.pebblebeachfoodandwine.com/events, with limited-time holiday pricing across packages, à la carte options and signature tasting events.

Looking for a romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day or a pick me up after the quiet time after the holidays? Bummed at the potential lack of white stuff in the Sierras thus far this season? I know I am. But never fear, there’s a whole new way to enjoy white in winter: Head to Anderson Valley for the International Winter White Wine Festival Feb 14-15, an annual celebration of aromatic and exciting white wines like gewurztraminer, Reisling, pinot gris and sauv blanc. There’s a Grand Tasting on Saturday, Feb. 14, featuring wines from the Anderson Valley as well as guest wineries from Lake County, Germany, Mexico and the Finger Lakes. Sunday, the local wineries will be open for custom tastings that are sure to tickle your tastebuds. It’s going to be a deliciously white time. Buy tickets at https://avwines.com/international-white-wine-festival