TASTINGS are held once a month and last a little less than two hours. 10 wines are tasted in blind-conditions (meaning that participants know the varietal, but do not know which wine is in which glass until the results of the tasting are announced).

Each wine is poured into a separate, lettered Riedel crystal wine glass. 10 glasses for 10 wines. The taster is seated comfortably and is presented with a semi-circle of glasses for analysis of the wines. To facilitate concentration, a quiet atmosphere is maintained until each taster has completed his or her evaluation. Then, a consensus discussion begins. White tablecloths enhance visual evaluation. Tasting sheets and other aids are provided. The specific wines are identified only after tabulation of all the scores and rankings has been completed, the consensus discussion at each table has been concluded, and the results announced. These results, which are of tremendous interest to consumers and wine professionals all over the world, are also published electronically. Over the past 50 years, Members have been enriched by over 1,563 educational tastings and events.

POST-TASTING DINNERS: Recognizing that wine is made for enjoyment with food and friends, the tastings are followed by a dinner at which the tasted varietal is paired with food. These dinners are designed to advance participants' knowledge of the tasted wines and to add to the camaraderie.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Tastings and events routinely sell out quickly. Waiting lists are common due to limitations of seating space and stemware.

Cancellation deadlines are generally one week prior to the tasting. This facilitates proper preparation--- sufficient quantities of wines, sufficient German crystal stemware, sufficient numbers of tables, sufficiently large tasting room, etc. --- and helps to avoid unnecessary expenditures. It also facilitates the efforts of our generous volunteers. Should an unforeseen circumstance present itself after the cancellation deadline has passed, you may send a substitute, provided that you e-mail the Vintners Club with the name and contact information of your substitute at least one business day prior to the tasting. We regret that we are not able to include any member or guest who has not made an advance reservation.

OUTREACH PROGRAM: So as to further wine education as a public benefit, and with the goal of educating young consumers, a limited number of scholarships are offered to full-time students over age 21. Students at Stanford University, University of California at San Francisco, the California Culinary Academy, University of California at Davis, University of California at Berkeley, University of Southern California, Sonoma State University and University of San Francisco have availed themselves of these opportunities.

HIGH-END WINE EDUCATION DINNERS are organized from time to time at restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and at Members' homes. Often, the wines for these dinners come from our Members who have extensive private wine collections. The Club strives to introduce Members to American and foreign wines with which they may not have much familiarity. Appropriate pairing of the wines with food is an important component of these educational events.