UC Irvine Offers New Summer Course: "Wines of California"
Participants Discover the Uniqueness and Differences Between Specialty Californian Wines

IRVINE, CA, July 14, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The University of California, Irvine Extension recently announced a new "Wines of California" course each Monday, Aug. 1-29 from 7-10 p.m. PDT at UC Irvine Extension Building C. Part of the Specialized Studies Program in Wine, course participants will learn what makes California one of the highest producing wine locations in the world.

Each class will be devoted to a single, premium Californian wine such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and pinot noir. Special tasting note sheets will provide participants a deeper understanding of terms on labels, how to buy and store wine, how to match wine to food and wine service. Smell and taste samples of individual wine components will demonstrate each wine's uniqueness.

"California accounts for nearly 90 percent of the entire American wine production, and we are excited to launch a course that will highlight the importance of California's viticultural history," said Kirwan Rockefeller, Ph.D., program director of the University of California, Irvine Extension wine studies program. "Students will gain an understanding of wine production, complexity and the differences that make each Californian wine unique."

Instructor Edward Manetta, who holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of California, Santa Cruz, will use his expert knowledge and experiences to guide students through the course. Manetta has worked in the wine industry for more than 15 years and passed his Certificate of Sommelier exam in 1999. He began teaching wine classes at UC Irvine Extension in 2002 and assisted in the creation of the Specialized Studies Program in Wine. Furthermore, he recently passed the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust Advance Certificate with merit. Manetta owns The Reserve Wine Bar and Shop, a combination retail wine store, wine bar and restaurant in Ladera Ranch.

To learn more about UC Irvine Extension's summer course offerings for the Specialized Studies Program in Wine, please visit www.extension.uci.edu. To register for the new course, call 949-824-6335 or email UnexArts@uci.edu.

About UC Irvine Extension: As the continuing education arm of UCI, UC Irvine Extension is dedicated to providing a university-level learning experience for students, offering thousands of exciting courses and programs to local, regional, and global constituencies via online curriculum as well as through on campus classes. UC Irvine Extension offers a rich array of academic and community programs to support a diverse audience, from a wide selection of academic programs to numerous campus activities. For more information, please visit www.extension.uci.edu or fan the school at www.facebook.com/UCIExtension.

Press Release Contact Information:

Travis Culver
Echo Media Group
Account Coordinator
12711 Newport Ave., Suite H
Orange County, California
United States 92780
Voice: 7145730899