Looking to beat the heat but still enjoy the flavors of summer? The Greene Grape team has been cooking up something new with our team of experts! Join Michele Thomas and Sam Kling at Annex this summer for a series of exclusive classes and tastings that are sure to quench your thirst for knowledge!
Michele Thomas, Assistant General Manager of Greene Grape Wine & Spirits, will be leading our our wine classes beginning with Mythbusting Rosé! Michele is a writer, & Certified Sommelier with deep roots in the world of food, wine, & education. As Executive Editor of the International Culinary Center (formerly The French Culinary Institute), she edited recipes & developed curriculum materials for the school’s cooking and wine courses in New York and California, as well as L’Ecole, the school’s Michelin Bib Gourmand-rated restaurant. Michele is the co-author of Culinary Careers for Dummies (Wiley), with Chef Annette Tomei & Tracey Vasil Biscontini, & the author of Sodium & Oxygen (Rosen) two middle grade science books for children. Her writing about food, wine, & culture has appeared in The New Yorker, Edible Brooklyn, Activist Philanthropist, BestofNJ.com, and Garnish, the mobile bartending academy for wine & spirits professionals in Africa. When not selling or writing about hooch, she can be found in Bed Stuy with Pickles & Mimzy, her tiny feline overlords, & documenting adventures in food & wine on Instagram & Twitter as @bedstuysomm.
Sam Kling, is a Brooklyn-based Wine & Spirits professional with a decade of experience in the beverage industry, after previously working as a photographer and darkroom technician. He’s an avid home cocktail enthusiast, as well as a collector of ceramic tiki mugs, exotica records, ephemera, rum and other rare spirits. He credits his fascination for the genre to his great-grandparents mid-century basement tiki bar, and will be leading our Tiki Cocktails class. Sam is the General Manager and buyer for Greene Grape Wine & Spirits.
Friday, August 17th – Mythbusting Rosé
Wines and ciders and beers, oh my! Rosé may be the official beverage of the summertime, but do you know how it’s made? Put on your rosé-colored glasses and join our Beverage Experts as they guide you through a tasting of our favorite pink drinks. We’ve chosen 5 beverages from producers that we believe deserve to be highlighted because of their dedication to creating high quality products that benefit the environment, their employees, and consumers alike. {Reserve your spot, here!}
Wednesday, August 21st- Tiki, Do You Love Me?
Have you ever wished you could escape the city heat and drink a Mai Tai on the beach somewhere instead? Well, we can’t bring you the beach, but we can bring you the beverage. It’s no secret that tiki cocktails are having a moment, but do you know their origins? Our beverage experts sure do, and they can’t wait to share it with you! So “rum, don’t walk” to our Origins of Tiki class and taste 3 different types of rum alongside 3 classic tiki cocktails!
{Reserve your spot, here!}
Wednesday, September 18th – New York State of Wine (& Cheese!)
Start spreading the news…New York State has some delicious wine and cheese! Here at the Greene Grape, we take pride in supporting local and independent producers who use responsible and sustainable methods to create their products. From the Finger Lakes to the Hudson Valley to the streets under Crown Heights in Brooklyn, New York terroir plays an important role in creating unforgettable flavors in the products we love! Join our beverage expert and cheesemonger for a tasting of 3 wines and 3 cheeses that will definitely put you in an Empire State of rind. {Reserve your spot, here!}
Class registration includes a tasting and light refreshments, as well as a special offer to redeem at Greene Grape retail locations. If you’ve ever had a question about wine, cheese, or anything else, this is your chance to ask the experts! We’re looking forward to hosting you at the Greene Grape table!