Culinary Trail – Training Course 2: Sommelier Beginner Course

HRC Culinary Academy, together with its international partners, is proud to support the second pilot training within the international project “Culinary Trail of the Ethnic and Local Cuisine in the Danube Region”, co-funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme.

As part of the project’s educational series, Culinary Trail Training Course 2 offers an engaging introduction to the world of wine through the unique lens of the Danube wine corridor and its rich local and ethnic traditions.

This beginner-friendly online course provides participants with essential sommelier knowledge- covering wine origins, tasting techniques, service basics, wine labels, and food pairing, while exploring how geography, climate, and regional identity shape the wines of the Danube region as a unified wine system. Designed for culinary enthusiasts and newcomers to wine, the training combines structured learning and practical examples to build confidence and understanding.

Training Details
Title: Sommelier Beginner Course – Exploring Wine Through Local and Ethnic Traditions
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Time:
10:00 – 16:00 (Central European Time, CET)
11:00 – 17:00 (Eastern European Time, EET)
Organisers:
ARoTT – Romanian Association for Technology Transfer and Innovation
Format: Online via Zoom

👉Online Access:
https://eu01web.zoom.us/meeting/register/20SJGgyhQmKwZFwaaiWWSw

Key Highlights

• Understanding how wine is made and what influences wine style
• Recognising regional grape varieties and their characteristics
• Applying structured tasting methods for describing wine
• Demonstrating basic wine service and storage skills
• Matching food and wine using classical and regional pairings
• Exploring Danube wine labels, quality systems, and flavour zones

Programme

10:00 – 11:30 – The Danube as a Wine System
Geography, Climate, and Structure of the Danube Wine Corridor
Core Grape Varieties of the Danube
11:30 – 11:45 – Break
11:45 – 13:15 – Wine Styles of the Danube Corridor
The Danube Flavour Zones
Key Wine Regions of the Danube
13:15 – 13:30 – Break
13:30 – 15:00 – Understanding Danube Wine Labels and Quality
Core Sommelier Tools and Decision Frameworks
Tasting Danube Wines: A Structural Approach
Food Pairing with Danube Wines
15:00 – Q&A

Through this training, the Culinary Trail project continues to strengthen knowledge exchange across the Danube Region – connecting wine, food, culture, and professional education in a structured and accessible format.