1st lesson free
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Justin
- Price $107
- Answer 1h
$107/h
Contact
1st lesson free
- Oenology
FOOD AND WINE PAIRING A sommelier from a Michelin Guide and SF Top 100 restaurant teaches the art and science of food and wine pairing for all levels in San Francisco
- Oenology
Lesson location
About Justin
I'm Justin, a sommelier and wine educator with over a decade of experience across fine dining and wine distribution, two sides of the industry that together give me a perspective most educators don't have.
My career has taken me from the distribution side of the wine world into some of the most demanding fine dining environments in the country. I've built wine programs from the ground up, opened restaurants, developed tasting menus, and trained front-of-house teams to talk about wine with confidence and genuine enthusiasm. Most recently, I helped open a restaurant in San Francisco's Mission Bay that went on to be featured in the Michelin Guide and named one of SF's Top 100. Before that, I was Beverage Manager at a celebrated fine dining restaurant in Honolulu, and prior to that, Wine Director at a Wine Spectator award-winning program in Hawaii. Along the way, I've had the opportunity to curate and run some of the most exclusive wine dining experiences in the markets I've worked in, including multi-course tasting menus built around exceptionally rare and sought-after bottles.
My expertise is rooted in Italian and French wine, though my knowledge spans the full international landscape. I bring the same depth and curiosity to every region I teach.
As an educator, my approach is conversational, structured, and always grounded in real-world experience. I don't teach from a textbook. I teach from the floor, from the cellar, from years of tasting, pairing, and talking about wine with people at every stage of their journey. Whether you're picking up a glass for the first time or preparing for a professional certification, I'll meet you where you are and build from there.
My students can expect lessons that are engaging, well-paced, and genuinely useful. I take preparation seriously, communicate clearly, and make it a priority to tailor each session to the individual goals of the student in front of me. Wine is one of the most fascinating subjects in the world, and I consider it a privilege to share that with anyone who wants to learn.
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About the lesson
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- +2
levels :
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Professional
Kids
- English
All languages in which the lesson is available :
English
The right pairing doesn't just complement a meal, it transforms it. And once you understand why, every bottle you open and every dish you sit down to becomes a different kind of experience.
MY APPROACH
I teach pairing the way professionals actually think about it, not as a set of rules to memorize, but as a living logic you can apply to any situation. My classes are conversational and tasting-driven. I ask questions, I want to know what you're already tasting and thinking, and I build from there. The goal is always comprehension over compliance. I want you to understand why something works, not just that it does.
A TYPICAL LESSON
Every lesson starts with the core principles: how acid, tannin, fat, texture, and weight interact on the palate, and why those relationships matter. From there, we move into applied examples, working through real pairings together, tasting when possible, and talking through the reasoning at every step. By the end of the first session, you'll have a framework you can take to any table.
The theory side of this course runs up to 5 sessions, each one building directly on the last. One class will give you a solid foundation, but the full series is where it really clicks, where the logic stops being something you remember and starts being something you just know.
Sessions 6 through 10 shift into hands-on tasting, working through wines together in real time, pairing them against food, and developing your palate through direct experience rather than just concept. Each lesson brings new wines, new combinations, and new layers of understanding. You can absolutely start with a single session and see how it feels, but most students find that once they taste the difference a structured approach makes, they want to keep going.
WHAT SETS ME APART
I'm Justin, a sommelier with over a decade of experience in fine dining wine programs across California and Hawaii, currently at a restaurant featured in the Michelin Guide and named one of SF's Top 100. Pairing wine with food across very different cuisines and menus has been at the core of my career, and I bring that real-world, restaurant-level thinking into every lesson.
WHO THIS IS FOR
This class is designed for curious beginners, home cooks who love food and want to understand wine better, and anyone who wants to feel confident ordering or pairing at the table. It's also a strong fit for restaurant professionals, servers, and sommeliers looking to sharpen their pairing instincts and bring more depth to their guest interactions. No background in wine required. Just curiosity and a willingness to taste.
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Rates
Price
- $107
Pack prices
- 5h: $533
- 10h: $1065
online
- $98/h
travel fee
- + $25
free lessons
The first lesson with Justin will allow you to get to know each other and discuss your needs for future lessons.
- 1hr
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