Wine Flavor Compounds Masterclass: One-Day Sensory Intensive

Taste wine with absolute certainty. Isolate 25+ foundational elements and faults with data-driven sensory science.

Pass the 3-Second Test

The Transformation: Move from second-guessing your blind tastings to experiencing unshakeable palate certainty. Isolate the exact chemistry of wine in a single day.

Why Vague Descriptions Are Holding You Back

Most wine students and industry professionals are taught to analyze wine through abstract poetry and subjective storytelling. You are told to look for "hints of leather" or "whispers of green orchard fruit," leaving you to second-guess your palate during high-stakes exams or critical client consultations. When you stumble on terms like pyrazines, terpenes, or Brett, you are forced to decode a complex liquid matrix without a clear baseline.

This masterclass flips the traditional script entirely, discarding elitist jargon for objective science. This intensive treats your palate like a high-precision instrument.

Feel completely confident in your tasting mechanics because you will isolate, test, and anchor over 25 distinct flavor compounds and structural faults side-by-side against a pure, identical control wine.

No Poetry. Just Data.

We have intentionally broken the traditional, exclusionary mold of wine education. This isn't a relaxed, passive tasting; it is a fast-paced sensory calibration laboratory.

Instead of opening random bottles and hoping you cross paths with a specific wine fault or varietal marker, we systematically isolate the exact molecular compounds responsible for the flavors. By stripping away the architectural noise of the wine, you map your personal sensory thresholds, discover your blind spots, and anchor true chemical reference points in your permanent memory.

How the Sensory Lab Works

To move far beyond the passive theory found in standard study guides, this masterclass utilizes a highly engineered side-by-side spiking method:

• The Control Baseline: In each session, you are given 11 glasses of the exact same neutral wine. One glass remains pristine and untreated to anchor your palate.

• The Spiked Variables: The remaining 10 glasses each contain a single, isolated flavor compound or fault marker added at precise, identifiable thresholds.

• The Structural Analysis: You will directly investigate compounds such as rotundone, diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and TCA, and discuss exactly how specific cellar practices—such as carbonic maceration, cold soaking, and malolactic fermentation—manifest in the final profile.

• The Practical Exam: Every technical session concludes with a blind identification drill and an interactive blending activity to cement your practical mastery.

Designed to build both theoretical understanding and practical tasting acuity, this promises to be a compelling evening to deepen your knowledge of one of the world's most dynamic cool-climate regions under the guidance of a Master of Wine.

Masterclass Syllabus & Timeline

This single-day intensive is structured into high-impact, focused blocks to prevent sensory fatigue:

Who Is In The Room?

This ascension program is strictly engineered for serious wine learners who demand real skill development over mere knowledge acquisition:

• WSET Level 3 & Level 4 Diploma Candidates are determined to eliminate second-guessing and secure high-distinction marks on their blind tasting papers.

• Sommeliers, Buyers, and Cellar Professionals who need authoritative quality control skills to safeguard inventory and manage fine wine programs with absolute authority.

• Passionate Enthusiasts eager to cross the bridge from casual appreciation to sophisticated, analytical sensory mastery.

Meet Your Expert Instructor: Sietze Wijma

Based in the Netherlands, Sietze Wijma is a globally recognized wine educator and the founder of The Art of Tasting. His highly sought-after flavor calibration vials are trusted and shipped to wine educators and professional students worldwide.

Sietze holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Sensory Science, is a WSET Diploma graduate, and is an Advanced Cicerone®. By combining hard sensory chemistry with an engaging, approachable teaching method, he strips away the pretension of wine analysis to build authentic tasting confidence.

• Connect with the Science: www.artoftasting.nl | Instagram: @artoftasting

Tuition, Logistics, and Registration

• Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026

• Location: Napa Valley Wine Academy, 2501 Oak Street, Napa

• Tuition: $495, includes all custom wine flights, technical workbooks, and your official physical Certificate of Attendance.

• Premier Crew Discount: Premier Crew™ members receive an exclusive 10% discount on enrollment for this advanced masterclass.

• Strict Capacity Cap: To maintain premium standards for individual instructor interaction and calibration guidance, this lab is capped at 14 attendees.

Accelerate your tasting journey. Claim your station before the room is full.