Chicago Wine School (Closed) Claimed

Patrick Fegan

In March 2018, the Chicago Wine School was closed after the passing of its founder. Patrick Fegan was an important figure in the wine education field. The Chicago Wine School was America’s first independent wine school: its wine courses pre-dated the sommelier certifications offered by WSET and CMS. He was the author of the influential book “Vineyards and Wineries of America.” Patrick and his wine school will be missed.

Wine Programs

The core of CWS courses were five-week sessions, one evening per week, of which there are 3 levels: The Basics, Intermediate (“The Varietals” and “The Countries”), and Advanced (“The Regions”). In addition, they offered numerous seminars that were one evening only. Our regularly scheduled courses and seminars were open to anyone interested in wine, from the simply curious to the seriously devoted and those in the trade.

Origin

Fegan founded the Chicago Wine School in the mid-1970s. He had taught dozens, perhaps hundreds, of beginning, intermediate and advanced wine-tasting courses. He wrote extensively on the subject, including several columns in the Chicago Tribune. He also is the author of the book “Vineyards and Wineries of America.”

In Memoriam

Carol Mighton Haddix, the former Chicago Tribune food editor, said Fegan was “the person in Chicago if you wanted to learn about wine. His classes were phenomenal. He knew so much about the subject.”

Patrick was a good friend, and his impact on wine education cannot be overstated.