For planners who want to get groups together to gain knowledge about wine while having an enjoyable experience in an unpretentious environment, Nicole Daddio of City Sip L.A. offers educational and entertaining classes. For $50 per person, Daddio, who trained at the International Sommelier Guild, teaches students the basics behind wine tasting—think swirling, sniffing, and sipping—as well as how to pair wines with appropriate foods. There are even blind-tasting competitions, where participants guess whether a sauvignon blanc comes from France or California. Themed classes focusing on a specific region, like the Latin Lovers course, which surveys wines from Portugal, Spain, and South America, are available, or clients can request a specific region. A private room in the Echo Park wine bar and market seats 10, and Daddio also offers courses at venues chosen by her clients.
