Wine Smarties

San Diego, United States

4.9

20 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 619-955-8884
Website:
www.winesmarties.com
Address:
415 Laurel St, San Diego, CA, 92101
b/t Brant St & 4th Ave
Banker's Hill
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
0.8 miSan Diego Airport Loop Shuttle
0.8 miMiddletown
0.9 miCounty Center/Little Italy
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Today

Today –
Local time (San Diego) 10:36 AM Thursday, November 28, 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
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Thursday –
Friday –
Saturday –
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

The Wine Smarties promotes ‘thoughtful drinking’ through education and consulting. We cater to the needs of many different wine lovers: from the aspiring aficionado just beginning to understand the joy and complexity of wine to the food and beverage director looking to expand her restaurant’s wine offerings.

Our classes change regularly and are catered towards all levels of enthusiasts. In addition to these casual-​learning classes, we also teach the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) certification program, and the FWS (French Wine Scholar) for those truly passionate. This is one of the most respected certifications in the wine industry today and is the prerequisite to the MW (Master of Wine) program.

The Wine Smarties also specializes in events of all sizes, including fundraisers, private home parties, and corporate team-​builders. They also offer consulting services for the wine collector, restaurant or hotel group.

History

Established in 2006.

The Wine Smarties was founded on the premise that there was a real lack of wine education amongst the public consumer and industry professional alike here in San Diego. The company was created to fill that niche to improve the knowledge of the trade professional and a consumer’s ability to purchase and describe wine. The Wine Smarties promotes thoughtful drinking.

Meet the Business Owner

Lindsay P.

Business Owner

Lindsay Pomeroy, Founder, Owner, and Principal Consultant of The Wine Smarties, boasts a diverse resume perfectly suited for her company’s mission of wine education. Her career highlights include:

Master of Wine Student-​Institute of Masters of Wine (MW)

French Wine Scholar (FWS)-French Wine Society

Certified Wine Educator (CWE) — Society of Wine Educators

WSET Diploma — Wine & Spirits Education Trust

Certified Spanish Wine Educator — The Wine Academy of Spain

Directed Wine Spectator Award-​Winning wine programs at Andaz Hotel, Petco Park Wine Cave, Wine Steals, Dussini Mediterranean Bistro.

Teaching since 2001

Affiliated with the Food & Beverage industry since 1991

San Diego Magazine’s 2009, 2010, and 2011 finalist for ‘Women Who Move the City’

Full of pizazz and endless new ideas, she adds sparkle to the wine!

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20 reviews of Wine Smarties

No registration required
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Short Story: I simply can’t give a higher or more positive recommendation for Lindsay and Wine Smarties. Call her. Pronto.
Long Story: I was interested in organizing a private event for my wife’s birthday, and thought a wine tasting might be a great way to both introduce her to new wines AND bring our friends and family together to celebrate.
After a little research, I gave Lindsay a call and she was immediately helpful in terms of how to approach the evening. For the record, I know zero about wine and really appreciated Lindsay’s guidance. For example, although I had initially wanted to focus on Rose, Lindsay suggested including some alternatives to Sav Blanc upon learning that my wife was a fan of the grape/​style. She helped us think through price points for the wines, wisely advising us to focus on available/​affordable options that we could drink more often (vs. blowing it out on pricier options). We settled on a 6-​wine tasting (3 Sav Blan alternatives, 3 Rose) with 2 affordable options and 1 special/​pricier version for each style. Lindsay also gave us some great suggestions in terms of food/​snacks to have on hand for the tasting.
Suffice it to say that having Lindsay walk us through each wine was like having a good friend with tons of wine smarts at the table. She was great with the noobs (ahem, me) and non-​noobs alike. Just a really comfortable, casual and fun evening.
Here’s a text I received from a friend the next morning:
«Dude. Home run last night.»
‘Nuff said.
Place rating: 5
Solana Beach, CA
I have taken the WSET Level 2 course and several wine classes from Wine Smarties. It would be easy to become intimidated by the broad subject of wines but Lindsay made learning fun and her skills helped me develop my base of knowledge, my palate and tasting skills step by step. I just returned from a week in Paso Robles where the knowledge gained from her classes created an entirely different experience in the region. The tasting room hosts were more willing to share stories about their industry and even offer wines off the tasting menu as they could sense your deeper interest in the subject. It made it more interesting for them and fun for me.
Place rating: 5
Banker's Hill, San Diego, CA
After going wine tasting in Paso Robles I mentioned to my boyfriend that I would love to take a course on how to taste wine. I know I love wine, but I have never known what exactly to be looking for in a better wine. He took me the Basic Tasting 101 class that was held in a private room at 57 Degrees. I didn’t know what to expect and was blown away. I was blown away not only by how knowledgable Lindsay is, but how much knowledge other people in the class had.
I could take this class a couple more times and learn something new every time. I really enjoyed Lindsay’s approach to teaching, her demeanor, and overall knowledge on the wines she was speaking about.
We already have two classes on our calendars to come back and try. I would recommend this class to anyone that would like an opportunity to expand their knowledge of what wine is really all about, and wants to do so in a comfortable, and fun setting.
Way to go with providing us a 5 star experience.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Where do I start?! I wanted to get into wine and make wine my career so I looked into Lindsay’s WSET program called Wine Smarties. Best decision I ever made! Her classes were fun, super informative and taught me so much. After only a month since completing my level 2, I got a full time wine and beverage steward job where I also order all the retail product for a store that does $ 120k a week! Without this school and Lindsay’s awesome guidance, I’d never be in this industry.
She also has SO many connections and will help with job placement since she knows loads of industry people. Well worth the money and time invested to better my wine knowledge and career. Can’t thank her enough for helping me get to where I want to be in my life!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I have been in the wine industry for about 5 yrs but the last 2 I had been unemployed in San Diego. I decided to further my education with the WSET program that Lindsay teaches. I have been to through a few programs and classes, but the WSET ones taught by Lindsay were the best! She’s fun down to earth and makes the entire experience amazing! Not only did I pass the level 2 with flying colors, it also opened me up to a manager position at Wine Steals in Hillcrest! I cannot wait to begin the Level 3 class and continue on with the WSET program. If you are looking to further your wine knowledge, whether for career purposes or just for fun; I highly recommend Wine Smarties and Lindsay!!!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
After taking the WSET course, I feel much more confident in social settings or in the company of wine gurus as I Now have a great foundation for understanding the various grapes and regions of the world and which wines correspond to the specific regions. She is a great teacher and I suggest her for all wine educational needs. A+
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
When you begin your career in the wine industry, you will likely notice that there are many schools and programs from which to choose in order to further your studies beyond the confines of your living room and Google. There’s the Court of Masters, the CSW exam, SDSU and Grossmont programs… it can be overwhelming! I chose the WSET program, as I felt it was the most well-​rounded of the major programs. In the beginning course, you will be introduced to major varietals, regions, and styles, and gain an excellent overview of all the information necessary to get started in the industry.
I have taken both the intermediate and advanced classes with Lindsay and have found them to be not only informative, but a ton of fun! Lindsay’s style is an engaging mix of valuable information blended with a fantastic sense of humor and a genuine desire to see all of her students succeed. She makes herself available before and after classes to answer any questions, and is quick to respond to any emailed questions a student might have. Oh, and did I mention you get to drink in every class?!
The Wine Smarties also offers a series of one-​off classes geared towards a specialized interest, such as blind tasting, aging, and Premier Cru classes.
If you’re looking to break in to the wine industry, or just to learn how to not sound like a novice at a wine bar, I highly recommend taking your first steps by attending one (or more!) of Lindsay’s classes with the Wine Smarties. You’ll be happy you did!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I met Lindsay of Wine Smarties when I took her Blind Tasting 101 class, which I really enjoyed. I had taken a «Wines of the World» class at community college but we hadn’t done any blind tasting. She was very approachable and funny and really knew her stuff.
I ended up taking the Advanced WSET class with her. Her class is a great prep for the test. Also, I was impressed with the fact that after the first class or two, when I came to her in a panic after class and had that «deer in the headlight» look when it came to blind tasting, she encouraged me to meet with her one-​on-​one, at which time she not only walked me through with some tips, but she reassured me that I was on track and that I’d do fine in the end.
If you want to learn more about wine in an unpretentious setting from a very good instructor, definitely give Wine Smarties a try.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I’ve taken the intermediate and advanced WSET classes with Lindsay, and have learned so much. She definitely knows how to teach a class and most definitely has a copious amount of knowledge about the world of wine.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I have taken Lindsay’s Advanced WSET and several of her wine tasting classes and have loved every class and session. Great humor, lot’s of information and good discussions. It’s a non-​intimidating way to learn to breakdown each wine and understand what you are tasting, why it tastes that way and more. Highly recommend!
Place rating: 5
Poway, CA
I loved the WSET Advanced Certificate course. Lindsay is so knowledgeable and fun. I totally recommend any classes with her/​wine smarties! She offers very interesting seminars too! She has very good communication skills and truly does make it feel as it should– Wine Smarties, not Wine Snobs!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Just completed the WSET Intermediate program with Lindsay at Wine Smarties and really enjoyed the experience. Lindsay is a great teacher and presents the material in a fun and approachable way, plus we get to taste a number of wines from all over the world. I’ve also taken a few of her wine classes and always found them to be fun and informative. Highly recommend.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I have taken the WSET Intermediate & Advanced wine certification classes through Lindsay through Wine Smarties and have worked on several tastings with Lindsay. Her teaching skills and passion for wine shine through as she details varietals and regions with personal stories and visuals. Her classes are entertaining and fun and always involve tastings of excellent wines.
Whether taking a WIne Smarties class or attending on of the tastings, you will not be disappointed with the experience!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
I consider myself to be pretty savvy when it comes to wine, but I learned several things in Lindsey’s class that I had not known previously. Lindsey is extremely knowledgable about wine, and she’s pretty funny as well. The class was casual and fun, and of course involved lots of wine drinking, so it was a blast. Highly recommend.
Place rating: 5
Riverside, CA
My wife and I have taken the WSET Intermediate and Advanced classes from Lindsay at Wine Smarties. She is a great teacher. Very approachable and fun. Definitely not the snobby wine type that you might expect.
She has a wealth of knowledge on wine and spirits. She still considers herself a student of wine.
Lindsay has opened up the world of wine to us. Thank you Lindsay!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
We booked a class for my friends birthday last week. She loves wine, so we thought it’d be great to take her somewhere where she could taste & learn about wine. It was the best idea ever! We all had so much fun, and learned a lot in the process. Lindsay is very warm and personable and helped us learn how to appreciate all of the many subtleties and nuances of the different wine varieties. She is a true wine professional and I suggest you check out one of her classes if you are looking for something new & interesting to do. Also, I feel much more confident discussing wine during business events and with my clients now.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
My husband & I attended a Wine Smarties blind tasting class recently and loved it! Lindsay is super knowledgable and really entertaining. You learn a lot of useful information in a fun, casual, no-​stress environment and taste some really good wine. We’re looking forward to attending Lindsay’s wine & cheese pairing class next month. Great date night!
Place rating: 5
Chula Vista, CA
Lindsey is an amazing teacher. I have attended several of her Wine Tastings about San Diego and have found her to be very charming and personable.
Her wine courses are very informative and worth the fees. Any time you can go to a Wine Smarties event, go!
Place rating: 4
Allentown, PA
For Valentine’s Day, my bf surprised me with wine tasting and chocolate making/​pairing class. Wow! It was fabulous! We tasted 4 different wines and I loved 2 of the 4. To make it even better, they were locally available at BevMo and part of the 5 cent sale! I love tasting wine and be able to buy it without paying for shipping.
I have always been more of a beer tasting person, but I am slowly becoming a «Wine Smarty»! Can’t wait to go back in a few weeks! Love the groupons!
You really should give this a try for a fun night!
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
I have great things to say about the Wine Smarties. I like wine, and enjoy learning about it, so finding Lindsay was one of my best San Diego finds of 2008.
I met her when I enrolled in her wine and chocolate pairing class: «Wine 101», at Tango Wine Bar in Little Italy. I fell in love with her. She’s dynamic, funny, and knowledgeable.
I’ve taken since more classes, done more pairings, and took the Intermediate Wine Class, and soon, I will be venturing in the Advanced Wine Class. She’s the best!