The Wall Street Journal & BusinessWeek agree on the Wine School

The Wine School of Philadelphia is getting the nod by the nation’s top business media houses. This month, The Wall Street Journal is reporting on the school’s classes and programs. This follows a similar BusinessWeek (Small Biz Edition) article in the third quarter of 2005, when it recommended the school’s Wine Basics program.

The Wall Street Journal’s February 7th article highlights the Wine Basics Program. “The seven-week program is a proven success” says Keith Wallace, the school’s director, “it is based on the research done at Monell Chemical Senses Center here in Philadelphia and at the University of California at Davis. Far too many wine professionals say taste is subjective. They are dead wrong. It’s a science, and it can be taught to anyone.”

The exposure in the business media is expected to help the school’s graduates and students. “When the owners of wine companies are reading about the Wine School in the Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek, our graduates are given an invaluable advantage in the marketplace, “ continues Mr. Wallace “the question becomes, why hire someone in the wine industry who hasn’t graduated from the Wine School?”

Former students cite the program as being instrumental to not only advancing their wine careers, but also getting accepted into the highly competitive winemaking programs at major universities. “I never would have received the experience and knowledge required for acceptance into The University of Adelaide in Australia without my experiences at the Wine School of Philadelphia.” says wine school alum Jenny Shultz.

Because of its success, the Wine School is also currently in negations with a major American university to offer the Wine Basics program. Mr. Wallace notes that this will affect many aspects of the program. ‘The biggest obstacle will be associated costs” says Mr. Wallace “the partnership will likely drive prices significantly upwards by mid-September. That is to be expected from moving from being a small not-for-profit school to a partnership with a major University.”

Prior to the anticipated move to the University, the Wine School is offering the Wine Basics Program several times before the summer break. An evening session begins Thursday, March 2nd , and a week-long accelerated Basics program begins the afternoon of Monday, March 13th. Registration for both programs is available at www.winedegree.com.