Lee Romano Sequeira

Ask most winemakers in the Northern Hemisphere when their year really begins, and most will skip right past January, and say September -- also known as harvest. Those few weeks when grapes finally come off the vines, get crushed, and start the slow turn into whatever ends up in your glass two, five, or twenty years from now. Everything that happened earlier in the season: the rain, the heat waves, every pruning call, the pests nobody wanted to deal with, it all comes down to this one stretch, and there are no do-overs. Pick too early and the grapes haven't caught [...]

Anyone can taste wine. Tasting it with purpose, that's the part that takes practice. Left to your own devices, you'll figure out pretty quickly whether you like a wine. What's harder is explaining why. A guided tasting (aka wine class) gives you a framework: what's actually in the glass, how it got made that way, and what makes it worth noticing in the first place. Over time, that structure builds real confidence, not just "I liked it" confidence, but "I know why I liked it" confidence. It teaches you what to actually look for Most people start and stop at "do [...]

You may have noticed something new about the Wine & Spirit Education Trust: WSET has introduced a refreshed logo and visual identity. The updated branding marks a new chapter for the organization, but the trusted qualifications, structured learning, and rigorous approach to drinks education remain at the heart of WSET. For students at Capital Wine School, it is a fresh new look for the same respected wine education they know and trust. Whether you are a curious wine lover, an aspiring professional, or an experienced member of the wine industry, WSET offers a clear path for building your knowledge, developing your [...]

You're handed a glass of wine. Someone swirls. Someone sniffs. Someone says something about "notes of wet stone" or "a hint of cassis" (that's blackcurrant, by the way), and suddenly you're wondering if you missed a memo. Here's the good news: you didn't miss anything. Tasting wine is not a secret skill reserved for sommeliers. It's simply about slowing down, paying attention, and giving yourself a little structure. Once you know what to look for, wine becomes much easier to understand — and a lot more fun to talk about. The approach used by wine professionals worldwide is called the Systematic [...]

I've always loved food. Cookbooks stacked in the kitchen cabinets, the pretty ones displayed. I'm the kind of person who reads the entire menu before ordering. But it wasn't until I started learning about wine — really learning about it — that I understood how much of the eating experience I'd been missing. That sounds dramatic. It wasn't a single glass of Burgundy that changed my life. It was something quieter: a shift in attention. Wine education taught me to slow down, pay close attention, and actually taste what was in front of me. And that skill turned out to be [...]

You sit down, open the wine list, and suddenly it feels like you’re taking a test you didn’t study for. Pages of regions you may or may not recognize. Grapes you’ve never heard of. Prices that seem to jump for no clear reason. Here’s the good news: You don’t need to know everything about wine to choose a great bottle. Why Do Wine Lists Feel So Confusing? Wine lists are usually organized by region, not grape. That’s why you see: Burgundy instead of Pinot Noir Rioja instead of Tempranillo If you haven’t studied wine, it can feel like a different language. [...]

If you’ve ever stared at a wine list and guessed, you’re not alone. A beginner wine class is one of those deceptively powerful life upgrades: you show up for a fun night out and leave with new favorite wines, real confidence, and the ability to order without pointing at the cheapest glass. At Capital Wine School in Washington, DC, we believe wine education isn’t just for sommeliers or restaurant pros. It’s for anyone who wants to drink better, feel smarter ordering wine, and actually enjoy exploring a wine shop instead of panicking in Aisle 3. Whether you’re in the DC area or [...]

Sake isn’t just a drink — it’s a bridge to Japanese culture, history, artistry, and flavor traditions that span centuries. And much like wine, there’s a spectrum of styles, techniques, terroir-like influence, and tasting nuances waiting to be discovered. Whether you’re a curious wine lover who’s always wanted to understand sake beyond the basics, or you dream of tasting sake with confidence on your next Japan trip — Capital Wine School has the perfect path for you to begin your sake journey. At the Capital Wine School, our sake courses are taught by Caroline Hermann MW,  WSET Certified Sake Educator (2018), [...]

Champagne is one of the most celebrated wines in the world—and also one of the most misunderstood. It’s easy to fall into a few default habits: grabbing a familiar label, assuming all “Brut” tastes the same, saving bottles only for big moments, or guessing when someone asks, “What Champagne should I buy?” Champagne education changes that. Not by making it complicated—but by making it make sense. And if you’ve ever wanted to understand Champagne beyond the bubbles (and feel genuinely confident recommending, serving, and pairing it), there’s a structured way to go deeper: becoming a Champagne Specialist. What does it mean [...]

If “learn more about wine” has been floating around your brain for a while, consider this your sign. The new year is the perfect moment to finally go from guessing to knowing—and to build wine confidence that shows up everywhere: restaurants, wine shops, travel, dinner parties, even your own kitchen. Over the last few months, we’ve shared a full WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) series—from the first step (Level 1) all the way to the pinnacle (Level 4 Diploma, aka DipWSET). Here’s the full wrap-up, plus a simple way to choose your level and get started at Capital Wine School. Why the new year is [...]