As you may, or may not know, the Waldorf hotel has re-invented itself as one of the city's most happenin' spots (if you don't, you're not paying attention to our blog - shame on you - here's a refresher).

As part of the hotel's revival the management has come up with some cool events like the East Van Wine Academy. This one-hour wine class is taught twice monthly by Kurtis Kolt, the hotel's award winning sommelier (he was named sommelier of the year at the 2010 Playhouse Wine Festival, yo!).

Each class focuses on a different wine making region and Kurtis' 'lecture' will focus on the history and grapes distinct to that region, as well as covering tasting techniques and food pairings.

The next class is Tuesday, April 12 at 7:00 pm and the focus is BC wines. Kurtis will run through the Naramata Bench, Oliver, Okanagan Falls, the Similkameen Valley and beyond.

What's a wine course without a good tasting, right? Each class is followed by an Afterschool Party which features 10 wines from that week's class, all available in 3oz pours, and at different price points. The goal being to expose and encourage the 'students' to sample a wide variety of wines.

The full schedule for the spring and summer is HERE on the Waldorf's website. Tickets are $35, which includes the Afterschool Party with 2 tasting vouchers, a head full of wine knowledge and the Waldorf wine 'Zine, and are available online here,

If you're the type of person who preferred to sit at the back of the class and ditched to hang out at your high school's smoking area (ours was called the 'Breezeway'), then skip class and go right to the Afterschool Party for $10.