Wine takes flight in the garden at Tracy Aviary
Jim Santangelo, the owner of Wine Academy of Utah is like everyone’s favorite wine uncle. When he shows up to run an event, he is the perfect mix of emcee, comedian, sommelier and cheerleader. His knowledge of food and wine is vast. But he manages to make wine “fun, educational, and entertaining,” in his own words. “So there’s this light-hearted goodness with it. I’ll do a deep dive with somebody, if they want, on a dramatic characteristic or a winemaking technique during the presentation.”
But don’t be fooled by jovial Jim. He also teaches Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Certification classes. Which is serious business. “It’s funny because when I shift over, I’ll have people who go to my wine tasting events, and then they’re in the certification class, it’s like, Oh, that’s Jimmy, the teacher now,” says Santangelo. “The fun and the entertainment is lower because I’m accountable for you to pass an exam. I want to provide you with the proper education and the tools necessary. I’m light-hearted about it, but it’s definitely different. One person told me, ‘I loved it, but I just didn’t laugh as much.’”
In addition to providing a professional certification, you can also find Santangelo hosting various wine tasting events throughout the summer, including the Wine Take Flight event at Tracy Aviary on the third Thursday of every month through August. When it comes to wine tasting, Santangelo has some strong feelings, “Wine events are no longer sit down, be quiet, listen to me, formal settings. They have evolved into experiences where you can come in and you’re shown how to assess the wine, how to look at it, smell it, put it to the palate. We lead you in those aromatic characteristics. Engage with you and see where you’re at with it,” says Santangelo. And then a good instructor will back off and let you enjoy the wine and the setting and the person you’re with. We’ll drink to that!
Find out more:
Visit wineacademyofutah.com, Santangelo also talks food and drink with Radio from Hell host Bill Allred on the Let’s Go Eat and Drink podcast. letsgoeat.podbean.com
See more stories like this and all of our food and drink coverage. And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah.