Secrets of New Zealand

You could pay a fortune to see one of Mark Oldman’s famous, “five-star” (Food & Wine) “wildly popular” (Aspen magazine) live seminars at the nation’s top food festivals or you can take a Bevinar virtual wine class for a fraction of the cost and from the comfort of your own living room. In his trademark style that Bon Appétit calls “winespeak without the geek,” award-winning author and renowned speaker Mark Oldman transports you to four of the world’s iconic wine regions: the Rhone Valley, Paso Robles, Australia, and New Zealand.

SECRETS OF NEW ZEALAND CLASS

You might have recently read that Silicon Valley billionaires are building doomsday compounds in New Zealand. Sure, the Kiwi nation is the furthest place from anywhere, but another draw is the country’s superb wine. Join Mark as he spirits you to the pair of small islands at the bottom of the world.

Among the subjects we will cover is the country’s recent emergence as an iconic wine region, how to home in the highest quality examples of New Zealand’s hallmark grape, Sauvignon Blanc, what makes New Zealand Pinot Noir so ravishing and differentiates it from versions in other parts of the world, and more.

In addition to focusing on the country’s Sauvignon Blanc and increasingly world-class Pinot Noir, we will examine other grapes prospering on Kiwi soils, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Malbec. And we will cover tasting techniques, decoding the label, agebility, and food pairings.

Moreover, if you’ve ever been to one of Mark’s presentations, you know it is brimming with humor and his trademark “nuggets” of useful insider information that you won’t find anywhere else.

The cost of the class is $55 per household, and if you want to taste along with Mark, an optional 3-bottle Bevinars wine kit is available to purchase at Wine.com. 

You are encouraged — but not required — to taste along with Mark. If you wish to buy the accompanying Wine.com wine kit, please do so here soon as possible after you register below. 

The featured wine types are:

• Pinot Gris from New Zealand
• Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand
• Pinot Noir from New Zealand

The specific selection of wine, and its vintage, can vary depending on your location, but all bottles have been personally approved by Mark for their deliciousness and typicity.

If you do not purchase the wines online, you are free to ask a trusted local merchant for their recommendations for the three wine types listed above.

Registrants will be the Zoom link and reminders prior to the class. The class fee is non-refundable.

FOUR-WEEK COURSE: The Secrets of New Zealand class is part of the four-week Secrets of Iconic Regions 3 (April-May) course. Register below for the full course (4 classes) and receive a 20% discount on the course. The cost for four classes is $176 per household.

MISS A CLASS, NO PROBLEM: Full course participants may access video recordings of the entire course for two months after the course ends, ideal for those who miss a class or want to watch again. Individual class registrants may request a link to the recording of the relevant class.