Wine Classes

Being a wine anything wasn’t part of the original plan - and when you're raised in a military family, drinking wine may not be the first idea that comes to mind, either. Ian discovered the wine industry at the ripe age of 21 and didn't consider it a career option, but working for top chefs in the formidable dining rooms of early 1990s Los Angeles blew doors open - leading Ian to a career in wine education.

In 1995, he started the internet’s first website dedicated to teaching the world about wine: LearnAboutWine.com. Hosting 100 classes a year for about 20 years – Ian is finally starting to get the hang of this. In 2009, Ian and his best friend Clay Mauritson started making wine together: BeekeeperCellars.com; while this brand remains a small production, Ian hopes to grow Beekeeper Zinfandel into something special.
Working with and around great wine brands for most of his adult-life, and leading wine tours and culinary adventures around the world - Ian loves to share his story and his passion.

When Covid shut down his wineLA.com event business, Ian pivoted full circle and restarted LearnAboutWine.com and launched ZoomIntoWine.com as a way to bring his version of wine education and entertainment to a limitless audience. With his family’s wine store Merchantofwine.com, virtual wine tastings with wine delivered is the latest chapter in the evolution of Ian’s dedication to wine education and the wine lifestyle. This bio is a work in progress…let's see what the next vintage provides. In the meantime, Ian continues to study for his Masters of Wine and to write his next book about his journey.