WINE WISDOM ON OFFER

COURSES

SEMINARS

PRIVATE TASTINGS

PERSONAL WINE INSTRUCTION

WINE PARTIES

EXPERIENCES

We have one mission: to take the mystery out of wine, without stripping away its magic. We believe that clean, compelling, pleasurable wine should be accessible to all, no matter the price-point. Wine without pretense.Our courses are designed to make you a better wine enthusiast through in-depth discussions and a no-nonsense every day approach! We keep it fun, informative, and relevant. We cut through the marketing-hype, debunk myths, and offer wine wisdom for every day life. – #realwine.

TESTIMONIALS

“I am about as inexperienced as it comes with regard to wine. To be honest, I was a little intimidated because of my inexperience and was unsure of how much I would enjoy [it]… I was blown away within the first ten minutes. Your event was informative and engaging from the get-go. My wife and I felt comfortable with our initial lack of knowledge and helped close that knowledge gap. Alejandro and his colleagues made us feel welcome to ask questions and completely removed any hesitation about asking to learn more. Thank you for hosting such an awesome event!”

-R Mautz

ABOUT ALEJANDRO

Originally trained as a Chef at The Culinary Institute of America (the other CIA), Alejandro is a consummate creature of the Food & Beverage world. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in sun-drenched Miami, he’s a romantic (of course!) that firmly believes wine is about the people who make it, the traditions that inspire it, and the places that make it all possible.

Alejandro gained a reputation as a passionate supporter of independent producers, family wineries and the captivating stories behind the labels. Food & Wine Magazine included his work in the “Best 10 Wine Lists in America 2006,” and he received Wine Spectator’s “Best Award of Excellence 2006” (The Setai, South Beach).

In 2007, Aman Resorts tapped him as the Global Cellar Master for their (über) luxury hotel group. Based in Singapore, Alejandro broke new ground with independent-producer-focused wine programs across 26 properties the world over, from Bhutan to Turks & Caicos, Laos to New Delhi. He earned mentions in Departures Magazine, Travel + Leisure, and The Robb Report among others; as well as becoming a regular contributor to Sommelier India Magazine (while living in New Delhi).

In 2012, Alejandro made his way back “home” to Miami and (along with partners) opened The Federal Food, Wine & Provisions (an American-style brassiere) and Acme Bakery & Coffee (Miami’s first artisan bread bakery as featured in Food Network’s Diner’s Drive-Ins & Dives and Top Chef). Although he’s not “Southern”, Alejandro’s recipe for “The Fed’s Buttermilk Biskit”’s earned one of Food & Wine’s “Best Biscuits in the US” (true story).

Through his consultancy, Alejandro works with different facets of the industry (wineries, importers, restaurateurs) lending almost 20 years of experience in many major aspects of the wine business (F&B, logistics, importing, beverage management) to help like-minded partners find relevancy and a clear message in a crowded and changing national market.

Because Alejandro is a champion for training and development, 2018 saw the début of Normal School of Wine (with its first classroom at J’s Bottle Shop) in Athens, Georgia. Normal School of Wine’s educational mission is to offer the wine-loving public fun and practical wine knowledge for everyday life through a series of ongoing classes, seminars, and events. Alejandro’s style is straightforward, fun and informative: “Wine is about pleasure… it’s about life and living… I want to take all the mystery out of wine, without stripping it of any magic.”

Alejandro lives in Athens, Ga. In his spare time, he’s working out the mysteries of the known universe and figuring out how to get his dogs to walk themselves.

Check out Alejandro’s blog here:

CIRCA ALEJANDRO

CLASSES

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Courses

Our courses are designed to offer practical everyday information that will help you become a more informed wine enthusiast. We concentrate on key bits of information while eschewing alot of the impractical jargon and unnecessary information (like, who cares what the percentage of Slovenian oak is in a wine… it doesn’t add to one’s overall enjoyment). Our courses are multiple sessions with a visual presentation which brings the imagery of wine to life. Each session in a course is designed to offer progressive insight and information to provide you with a three-dimensional understanding of the particular subject at hand. As a rule, we keep it informative, fun, and approachable.

CURRENT OFFERINGS

Seminars

Our Signature Wine Tasting Seminars (Virtual and in-person at participating Host locations) are the best place to start and get a feel for what Normal School of Wine is about. Each Signature Seminar is designed around a theme and is accompanied by a visual presentation to bring the imagery of wine to life. Our Signature Wine Tastings seminars are stand-alone sessions allowing you to pick and choose anyone that finds your fancy! Check out our current line-up of seminars as well as some of what we’ve done! Each Signature Wine Tasting Seminar is 90-minutes and we evaluate six wines around a theme. Registration is required. Zoom Link provided with matriculation. Remember you can join our Virtual Signature Seminars from anywhere in the world! With registration you receive a Wine Buying Guide which you can print and take to your local independent retailer to source some or all the wines. You don’t have to buy all six wines- grab one or two and join us!

CURRENT OFFERINGS

Private Tastings

We offer virtual and in-person private wine tastings for small to medium-sized groups. Private wine tastings are perfect corporate events, get-togethers, and any other time where you may want a customized wine experience. We work with you to pick a theme, budget, and a selection of wines to fit the objective at-hand… anywhere in the world! We help with where to source the wine and provide you with buying guides to supply yourself with all the vinous needs which may be required. 

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Personal Wine Instruction

Tired of being embarrassed when you have to entertain and don’t know what wine to get? Does a wine list look like a lot of mumbo-jumbo? Are you in a wine rut? What’s what on a label? Care to know more about Tuscan Wines or Champagne? Fret not! We’re here for you.We work with you to identify your wine goals and customize a wine journey which will arm you with practical and actionable information you need to take your wine game to the next level. The wine journey we partake in is designed around what you want to learn and understand and may include maps, interactive media, and other visual tools to help you better understand wine. Instruction can be virtual or in person* and designed to fit your budget and availability. Reach out to us today and let’s start our journey together!

*in the Greater Atlanta area, GA. Minimum two sessions. Contact us for more information.

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Wine Parties

Why have the same old boring party? Add some wine know-how to the mix and we can get things shaking right! Whether it’s a themed wine-tasting, an exploration of the guest-of-honor’s favorite wines or whisking your guests away to Tuscany or Napa, Wine Parties are designed around you in mind. Wine parties can be virtual or in-person, enquire (here?) for more information. Remember to tell us how many people, date, and any ideas you may have and we’ll, ahem, uncork, the possibilities. 

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Experiences

Coming soon with more information!