An in-depth knowledge of wine can enliven humdrum dinner parties, just as an in-depth knowledge of dynamite fishing can enliven foundering job interviews. Give palates an executive education with today’s Groupon to Katalyst Image Consulting. Choose between the following options:

• For $59, you get a Wine, Not Whine wine and cheese tasting course for two people (a $400 value).
• For $250, you get a Wine, Not Whine wine and cheese tasting course for ten people (a $2,000 value).<p>

For the two-person option, couples will be put in a group of 10 people.

Helmed by modern-day Pygmalion Kathryn Hodgkinson, Katalyst Image Consulting’s numerous classes help clients conquer quandaries about appearance, behaviour, and communication in order to enhance social and professional confidence. Each 60- to 90-minute Wine, not Whine course coaches a group of 10 fledgling oenophiles through the selection, food pairing, and tasting of a variety of vinous libations in a friendly, semiprivate setting. Tongue buds get a chance to gain an understanding of different terroirs, varietals, and mouthfeels as they quaff each sample of Spanish or California wines, using tasting notes to reinforce their gustatory awareness. The fermented-grape guru arms students with the know-how required to navigate often-overwhelming wine lists, ensuring stress-free drink selection during business meetings, dates, or romantic chess matches.

As mouths and brains expand with Dionysian savvy, pupils can bolster their cork-centric education by posing even their most embarrassing questions—such as “Wouldn’t you agree that chardonnay tastes better through a crazy straw?”—in a safe, nonjudgmental setting. As mouths get flooded with a quartet of wines, teeth can nibble through a platter dappled with samples of cheese, bread, and crackers. Participants leave the course with a newfound wine-based confidence, and a parting loot bag adds additional excitement at the course’s conclusion. While Katalyst Image Consulting’s programs cater to those sporting Y-chromosomes, women are welcome and encouraged to partake in the palate-training session.