Rhode Island to Host National Wine Educators Conference

Rhode Island to Host National Wine Educators Conference

The best noses and palates are on their way to Rhode Island this summer.

The Society of Wine Educators 35th Annual Conference will take place August 3-5 in Providence, Rhode Island this year, with a creative take on the theme, "A Food and Wine Experience."

High-level cooking classes + wine tastings

The Conference will feature multiple types of pairings: wines and spirits with complementary foods, as well as the pairing of the Society of Wine Educators and Johnson & Wales University. Both pre-conference and conference activities will take place on their campus. In addition to high-level cooking classes taught by their Chef/Instructors, covering four major cuisines, the International Wine Tasting will take place at the recently completed Culinary Arts Museum. There's also the pairing of imaginative ingredients in the "Creative Cocktails" event.

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Focus on Portugal

A central session will focus on Portugal. There will be three different topics covered: The New Wave of Women Winemakers; Modern Portuguese Cuisine - a multi-course luncheon paired with Portuguese wines, prepared by Henrique Sa Pessoa, Lisbon's leading Chef; and a comparative tasting of fortified wines, including Port, Madeira, and Moscatel.

The SWE Conference is unique in its coverage, offering over 50 sessions, presented by experts in their fields. These guided tastings and lectures include "The Legend of Sassicaia," "Benvenuto Brunello," "Lafite Around the World," "Rules of Engagement," "Blanc de Blancs Champagne," "Wines of Germany" and "Raising Cane: A Deep Dive into Caribbean Rum." This year's Conference will offer sessions on beer and tea. Sponsors include Planet Bordeaux, Wines of Navarra, Wines of Portugal, Nestle Waters and Wines of South Africa.

The mission of the non-profit Society of Wine Educators is to advance wine and spirits education through professional development and certification. Founded in 1974, the Society is now headquartered in Washington DC, and has over 2,600 members in 13 different countries.