An Inquiry into the Pedagogy of the Sensory Perception Tasting Component of Wine Courses in the Time of COVID-19

Panic-gogy in the time of COVID-19 affected beverage instruction at universities across the United States. The way professors teach, the pedagogy, concerning the sensory perception of wine component of a beverage class was threatened. Traditional face to face interaction was dramatically altered, or moved to an online deliverable. The Beverage Education Special Interest Group, made up of university teachers of beverage, became focused on the issue. A dozen virtual meetings were conducted to identify the challenges and share potential solutions with one another. This community of practice took a deep dive into how best to address an unforeseen challenge with technology often thought to interfere with the process. Cracks in the system of higher education, coupled with administration unable or unwilling to offer advice or help, created a strong and determined group of educators looking to serve the student, and the pedagogy, without compromise. The Teacher-Student Relationship, and a keen attention to process and system understanding, are highlighted in this unique look through the eyes of the teachers responsible for delivering sensory evaluation wine tasting experiences online.