James Dunne, one of the region's leading beverage educators who has taught many top hospitality professionals about wine for more than a decade, is now bringing his expertise in the wine industry to the general public. This fall he will launch the first session of Vino University - a unique eight-week course he has designed to arm people with the wine tasting/buying skills that have become increasingly important in today's business and social culture. Unlike more traditional wine education programs, Vino University is geared to provide a casual and relaxed atmosphere with as much emphasis on having fun as learning about the differences and nuances between various styles of wines.

Dunne, who is professor of culinary arts and hospitality management at a leading New York area college, will begin the first session of Vino University Wednesday, Sept. 14. Registration for each session of Vino University, which is based at the Long Island Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Uniondale, is limited to 50 participants. Additional registration information and program details are available at www.VinoUniversity.com or by calling 483-7037.

Vino University marks the first time that Dunne is offering his unique insight into the food and beverage industry to general consumers. The course has been designed to enhance the wine tasting/buying experience for business professionals, diners and hospitality professionals alike - providing an environment where participants can gain a better understanding of wine, while enjoying the camaraderie of the interactive sessions.

"Vino University was created as an option for people who want to learn more about wine for business or entertaining, but who have traditionally shied away from formal wine tasting workshops where they may have felt intimidated, uncomfortable or bored," Dunne said. "My goal is to take the stuffiness out of wine tasting and make wine education something that is not only more accessible and enlightening, but a lot more fun."

Each eight-week session of Vino University will cover the basics of wine education - from history, to what to look for when tasting to distinguish between wines, to how factors such as geography and the winemaking process influence taste. The course will also cover the "essentials" of ordering wine - from the principles of wine and food pairing, to decoding a wine label to how to order from a wine list. Sessions run for two hours (6:30-8:30 p.m.) and are presented in an interactive and relaxed manner - combining Dunne's expertise, insight, humor and anecdotal stories to bring wine education to a new and memorable level.

Participants in the Vino University program will taste between eight and 12 premium wines each week, sampling a total of more than 80 wines during the course of the session. The program also provides participants with a take-home eight-week tasting guide and Vino University's tasting portfolio, as well as a distinctive gift to commemorate the experience. Cost for the eight-week session is $595.

Dunne is well-known for his role as one of the leading hospitality consultants in the region. In addition to his academic position, he is the president of Service Dynamics - the company he founded in 1994 that offers hotels and restaurants proven ways to improve their sales and service. Through Service Dynamics, Dunne has helped hundreds of local hospitality clients by offering them profitable strategies, tools and techniques to help improve sales, morale, guest loyalty and guest satisfaction. He is also the author of Service Dynamics: Profitable Hospitality for the New Millennium.

For more information about Vino University or to register for any of the eight-week sessions, visit www.VinoUniversity.com or call 483-7037. In addition, to schedule James Dunne to address the topic of guest satisfaction/customer service within companies of any industry, contact Dunne at www.VinoUniversity.com or call 483-7037.