Karina Roe
Karina (she/her) is a wine educator and our Events General Manager. She has her Diploma in WSET Wines & Spirits, and finds that her fridge is constantly occupied by bubbles, Riesling, and non-alcoholic beer. She and her partner share an adorable dog named Ziggy who loves eating sticks as much as she likes drinking bubbles.
Even though September marks the end of a glorious summer, it always seems to kick-start things anew, too. Schools are back in session, sports seasons start up again, and sweaters get put back into clothing rotations.
There’s no shortage of new things at France 44 either—we’re debuting several new public classes, a new cycle of WSET courses, and fresh pop-up events coming down the pipeline. Here are a few events and classes we’re particularly excited about:
Casual Classes & Pop-up Events
France 44 Wine-a-Thon | October 16-17
We’re hosting our first-ever Wine-a-thon! This is a 2-day marathon of mini wine classes, with topics ranging from learning how to navigate the wine aisles to diving into orange wines, blind tasting, and more. These 30-minute bite-sized classes are $25 each(!) and are the perfect way to dip your toe into wine education. Sign up for 1, 2, or all 8 classes!
German Wine Bar | October 19
Our favorite German wine queen Amy Waller is back in town, and she’ll be pouring a lineup of her favorite wines from around Germany. Whether you want to get down and nerdy with Amy or casually imbibe your way through the menu with a cheese plate, you’re bound to have a sehr gut time.
Deep-Dive Classes
Wines of Armenia | October 3
We’re bringing in an extra-special guest for this incredibly unique and thought-provoking class: Dana Farner, importer with Storica Wines, will be here to guide us through the enigmatic wines of Armenia. Armenia has been going through a wine renaissance in the last decade or so, and their story of deep history and incredible resilience is one not to be missed.
Wines of Southern France with Steve Hoffman | October 10
Join us for a different look at the wines of Southern France—from the viewpoint of local author Steve Hoffman, who spent time in a small village and befriended a local winemaker. Steve’s poignant stories of French village life will bring your wine flight to life in a way that tech sheets and encyclopedias never could.
From France with Love: Discovering Armagnac | October 15
This brand-new spirits class introduces a niche but historic category of the liquor aisle: French brandies. Learn the differences between Armagnac, Cognac, and Calvados from spirits expert Steffen Spinks of Heavenly Spirits Imports, and how to incorporate them into your home bar.
Certification Courses
WSET Levels 1-3 in Wines | starting January 2025
We’ve released a new cycle of WSET Levels 1-3 in Wines! For those wanting to take their wine knowledge to the next level, these certification courses are structured, lecture-based classes with textbooks, workbooks, maps, and a slew of wines to taste.
