Christine Ansbacher

Christine is a noted wine authority with two high level wine degrees. She is a Certified Wine Educator, the top certification from the Society of Wine Educators in the US which requires an exceptional standard of academic knowledge and sensory tasting ability. There are only 180 CWE's in the US. She also earned the prestigious three year Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London (DWS) which places her in a select circle with only 90 other American wine professionals.

Christine was dubbed "The Wine Diva" because she is not just a wine educator, but an entertainer who instructs with a healthy dose of theatrics. Whether speaking about wine as an investment or wine as pleasure, her style is humorous, fast-paced and inter-active. She is able to knock the stuffing out of the stuffy world of wine because she avoids the "vino babble", i.e., talking about how the soil and climate influence the taste of wine, and describing wines in flowery language like, "this wine tastes like blueberries with a whiff of smoky bacon fat and tar."

She is a featured speaker at corporate events all over the US and her clients range from financial icons like Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch to retail giants like Macys and Bloomingdales to blue chip companies like AT&T, American Express, Allergan, Pfizer, KPMG, and Pizza Hut.

With the launch of her new book entitled "Secrets from The Wine Diva: Tips on Buying, Ordering and Enjoying Wine," she frequently appears as the keynote speaker at prestigious wine festivals all over the US including Miami, Atlanta, Hawaii, Dallas, Monterrey, and Nantucket to name just a few.

How did she get her start in the world of wine?

"Christine, I think the cellar at the country house needs restocking. Don't spend more than $50,000." These instructions from her boss, a member of the Vanderbilt family, jump-started her journey into the fabulous world of wine. At the time, she was a personal assistant to this prominent New York, social figure, businessman, philanthropist--and serious wine collector. Asked to maintain the quality of his 30,000-bottle cellar, she soon realized that her knowledge of wine was not up to the assigned task, so she began taking courses and attending wine tastings.

Sadly, her employer died suddenly in 1996, and she was left without a specific use for her wine savvy. But by then learning about wine and evaluating it at tastings had become a passion, so she decided to make it her profession. In addition to her not notch academic credentials, she has traveled to every major wine region in the world walking the vineyards with the vignerons and tasting wines with the winemakers, becoming what people call, a "wine expert."

SHOOT OUT! California vs. French Wines Made From the Same Grape

Taste and compare California and French wines made from the same grape: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blan, Pinot Noir and Syrah. This novel side-by-side comparison helps you discover and appreciate the differences in style:

• California epitomizes the "New World" style BOLD--prominent fruit flavors, strong oaky aromas and high alcohol.
• France stands for the "Old World" style SUBTLE--subdued fruit, restrained oak, moderate alcohol and more complex flavors that are revealed as the wine evolves.
• Each pair of wines is tasted blind. Most people are amazed to discover they really can identify correctly which wine is which from just a few sniffs and sips. Another surprise comes if they find out they prefer one style over the other no matter what the grape variety.

KISS = Keeping it Sexy & Seductive

Forget flowers and chocolates. RED is the color of love! So spice up your love life and your taste buds with voluptuous red wines that set the right mood, and are a catalyst to transform a hurried meal into a dinner you linger over with that special person. A sumptuous red wine can also be a very romantic gift because it demonstrates you've put some thought into it and not just picked up the "same old, same old." In order to cover every occasion with your loved one, discover reds that are great values and others that are smart splurges. Either way, these reds are a sumptuous indulgence that will melt your cares away and get you in the mood.

Drink Two Glasses of Red and Call Me in the Morning

The latest scientific studies reveal specific styles of red wines offer more health benefits than all the rest. Taste many of these wines and learn how altitude, grape variety and winemaking techniques make them the "healthiest" choice. Christine also delves into the latest medical headlines which tie red wine drinking to preventing arthritis, prostate cancer, asthma, kidney dysfunction, cataracts, and more! Then laugh as she regales you with stories of red wine drinking mice. She will also share how to prevent red wine headaches, pair red wine with heart-healthy foods, and other useful health tips.

Chardonnay Boot Camp

Enlist now and discover how Chardonnay can be camouflaged to taste like six completely different wine styles so that this grape can infiltrate an entire meal from appetizer to dessert. Maneuvers will cover a lot of ground from California to Australia, France to Italy. The taste differences and preferences you discover in basic training will help you make better command decisions in the field when you are in restaurants and at the wine store.

Instant Wine Savvy: 10 Tips to Save You Time, Money and Aggravation

Christin reveals how to get more pleasure from your glass and not have to pay a lot for the pleasure. Taste wines that reflect some of these practical tips:

• Three tricks to make a $10 Cabernet taste like a $30 bottle
• Great values and smart splurges on a wine list and at the store
• Six Reasons to actually refuse a bottle of wine at a restaurant
• Foolproof wines to help you pair with flair
• Why you shouldn't store wines in your refrigerator
• Two ways to get out a difficult cork in just seconds
• Five products to save leftover wine so it's really fresh many days later
• How to avoid the dreaded red wine headache
• An unexpected super-fast way to chill your wine
• Two quick fixes: how to remove red wine stains on your teeth and on your clothes

Good Values & Smart Splurges on Restaurant Wine Lists

Taste wines from California and around the world that reflect how to get more for your money and aren't the "same old, same old." Branch out from you tried and true Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay. Give Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet a rest. Discover six other grape varieties where, happily, the name of the grape is the name of the wine. These wines reflect good values and smart splurges. Christine will reveal how to get even more pleasure from your glass via proper serving temperature, aeration and glassware. She will share six problems that should make you say, "take back this wine and bring me another bottle." Along the way, you'll pick up a few foolproof tips for pairing these wines with food, as well as other money-saving tips about "second labels" and "satellite" wines.

Taste Your Way to an Affordable Wine Cellar: Six Ways to Drink Better for Less

Enjoy wines you can find every day to stock your new or existing cellar without emptying out your wallet. All it takes is a willingness to try some unfamiliar wines: delicious alternatives for price Cabernet and Chardonnay; less familiar grape varieties; wines from less familiar wine regions. Discover the "wanna be's"... the up and coming stars that recently have doubled and tripled in price as well as wines that are next door to pricey vineyards. Finally taste "second labels" that are often dead ringers at half the price for renowned wines made by great producers in both Bordeaux and California.

Food and Wine Pairing 101: A Simple, Foolproof System to Pair with Flair

If you're just beginning to experiment with food and wine pairing you need to know a little, but not too much or you'll suffer from overload. In this tasting you'll learn three simple guidelines that are easy to remember. But first, The Wine Diva says forget white wine with fish and red wine with meat. Be color blind! Then, run through the answers to these three questions in just a few seconds:

• COOKING METHOD: Is the dish cooked in a clear liquid (water, broth, oil) vs. browned (roasted, baked, sauteed, grilled)?
• FAT: Is the meat fatty or lean? Or does the dish have dominant fatty ingredients like butter, sour cream or mayonnaise?
• THE "S" FACTOR: Does the dish have Spice, Salty, or Smoky ingredients?

Christine reveals how the answers to these three questions can immediately tell you the best type of wine to go with your meal. Using her foolproof system you'll be confident and prepared for any wine pairing occasion. It's easy as 1-2-3.

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