Hi! I'm Eric Fleming—a sommelier, wine educator, and event producer with a passion for using wine as a tool to foster deeper connection.
I've spent 10+ years working in and managing some of New York City's top wine programs, and in that time I've met countless people who love wine, but freeze up when asked to talk about what they like. People whose sole descriptor is “dry.” People who pick a wine because it’s the only grape they’ve heard of (and the label looked fun.) If any of that sound familiar, I can help. I know what it takes to go from feeling fearful and like an impostor in these spaces to having fun, feeling knowledgeable, and rooted in confidence.
Whether you’re looking to learn the essentials, to build your personal collection, for group-building activities, or someone to curate wine for your work events- I’ve got you covered! Not sure where to start? E-mail me for a consultation!
Wine knowledge is social currency—and I'm here to make sure you have it.
I work with professionals who are not wine industry people, but want to think like, taste like, and order like a pro. When you’re at a client dinner, or when your boss asks you to pick the bottle, or when you're networking with leaders in your industry, wine knowledge becomes social currency. It's the thing that can secure a deal or signal that you belong in the room.
Here’s the truth: Being in a client-facing role and not having wine knowledge can be a barrier of entry. According to a Harvard University study, 85% of business success comes from having well-developed soft skills, which include wine knowledge. Utah Business Magazine says that wine knowledge is “as much of an executive skillset as a firm handshake is.”
Here's what I do: I give you an immersive, wine education experience in six weeks. Each session we’ll:
Dive into a particular wine style (ex-sparkling, skin contact, etc.)
Learn and practice wine terminology
Immerse into a discovery and sensory experience
Taste with food-if you’re in person- to deepen your knowledge about how to pair and to experience the synergy of food and wine
Dissect and analyze the structural components of wine (all the skills you need for blind tasting)
Explore popular grapes and their common traits
Investigate soil types and how they impact wine
Develop an undsertanding of the winemaking process and how vessels (barrels, stainless steel, etc.) influence what we taste
By the end of our time together, you won’t just be more knowledgeable. You’ll be credible.
My goal is to make sure that you’re able to identify the components of wine, determine which styles you like, and feel comfortable talking about it in a way that feels good for you.
I’ll teach you how to understand wine practically. As someone who is primarily self-taught, I went from knowing next to nothing about wine to being at the helm of an award-winning wine program within five years using these methods. These same techniques moved me from being an amateur to being named Rising Star in the Food and Wine Industry by trade publication SevenFifty Daily.
By the end of our time together, you won’t just be more knowledgeable. You'll be credible. Whether you're ordering for clients or joining a conversation at a work event about wine, you will be grounded, skilled, and confident. Ready to get started? I offer three ways we can work together. Scroll to read more.
The Free Workshop: The 4-Step Method
Learn the framework I developed during my 10+ years of working in wine that will empower you to navigate wine conversations with confidence, ease, and clarity. You'll walk away with a concrete method to have conversations with wine professionals and get exactly what you want—no guessing, no anxiety. This is your foundation.
Wine Terminology Workshop
You know how to order now. Ready to speak the language? In this immersive 90-min workshop, you'll learn the technical language wine professionals use, taste through and identify every component of a wine, and learn how to talk about it in a way that feels good for you. You'll have the confidence AND the language to back it up.
Virtual: $97 (1 hour) | In-Person NYC : $147 (90mins)
The 6-Week Immersive Experience
This is the full journey. You'll move from novice to credible. You'll learn everything—how to taste, how to pair, and what to expect from popular grapes. By the end of our time together, you will have all the tools you need to think, taste, and order like a professional.
$1,500
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