Cheesy Basics 101: Culinary Series by School of DECANT

Cheesy Basics is the first in a new Culinary Series at DECANT Napa. This first class is a comprehensive, approachable introduction to the world of cheese — how it's made, where it comes from, and what makes each style distinct. Led by Rebeckah Burnette, Certified Cheese Professional (ACS-CCP), the evening covers the full arc of cheese production: farming practices, milk types, the role of rennet, how rinds develop, aging and affinage, and how to properly slice, store, and care for cheese once it's in your hands.

Rebeckah brings a rare breadth of real-world experience to the subject — from years of farmstead cheesemaking in New Jersey, to plant-based production in Northern California, to studying alongside shepherds in the mountains of Northwest Italy during seasonal transhumance. She knows cheese the way sommeliers know wine: from the ground up.

The class wraps with a guided tasting of a curated cheese board paired with wines selected by the DECANT team.

What's Included:

• A guided deep-dive into cheese production, from farm to wheel
• Coverage of milk types, rennets, rinds, aging, and home care
• A curated cheese and wine tasting led by a working cheese professional
• Plenty of time for questions

Who Is This For? Anyone who loves cheese and wants to understand it better. No prior knowledge required — just curiosity and an appetite.

About Your Instructor Rebeckah Burnette is a Certified Cheese Professional (ACS-CCP) with hands-on experience spanning farmstead production, affinage, culinary cheese work, and traditional alpine cheesemaking. She currently serves as Harvest Manager at Meadowood Farms in Napa Valley.

Tickets: $55 per person Space is limited. Reserve your spot below.

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