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INTERVIEW: Jeni Wilson from Vintage Class (Aranda de Duero, Spain)
Pierre Freyermuth Latest News
Meet Jeni Wilson, founder of Vintage Class in Aranda de Duero, first wine school to launch the French Wine Scholar® in Spain!
Their first FWS is scheduled to begin January 22th 2020, more information and registration HERE.
Vintage Class will also offer the Spanish Wine Scholar® in 2020!
Could you give us a bit of background on your personal and/or professional history in wine and what made you decide to move into wine education?
Vintage Class was created in 2004 in Aranda de Duero to meet the needs of the Business and wine world in La Ribera del Duero. Native of Australia and Scotland, I spent several years travelling and working as an English teacher and decided to study Enology and Viticulture in the Aranda Adult centre for a year before opening the centre in October 2004. It seemed a logical combination- two passions: education and wine.
Tell us more about Vintage Class, your wine school in Aranda de Duero. What type of education experience do you provide that you think sets you apart?
I have been an English teacher for 20 years and also run an English academy. Teaching experience is essential, not just a knowledge of wine.
We hold our wine courses in wine regions offering students the possibility to spend time in a winery, visit vineyards and taste the local gastronomy. We work closely with Lagar de Isilla in La Ribera del Duero where we hold the course in their Hotel Enologico and the students can sleep in a barrel in one of their wine themed room. In La Rioja we work with Bodegas Gomez Cruzado who treat our students to winetastings, guided visits and local delicacies.
Vintage Class is going to be the first wine school to launch the French Wine Scholar® program in Spain. Do you think that the FWS could fill any gap in the way wine professionals can study French wines in Spain?
There is a lot more interest in international wine now and I feel that with France as a neighbour, students will enjoy delving into the wines of France. It will also help students with WSET 3 and WSET 4 studies.
Jeni, if you were a wine, which one would you be or like to be?
Ja ja .. Australian Rutherglen Muscat..rich, luscious and a little unusual.
