University of California, Irvine Extension announced "The Great American Wine and Food Revolution", a six-week online course from April 2 to May 13. With the proliferation of ethnic cuisine and cross-cultural combinations, such as Mexican/Korean or Japanese/French, and unusual "gastro-fusion" dishes that are finding their way into the mainstream society, acclaimed wine expert and course instructor Marlene Rossman will show course participants how to identify mutual elements that create the perfect pairing of wine and food.

This course is part of the newly launched Specialized Studies Program in Wine Management in which participants, mostly restaurant industry professionals, have the opportunity to increase wine comprehension, as well as preparing for the two major wine certification credentials: Certified Wine Specialist (offered by The Society of Wine Educators) and Master Sommelier (offered by The Court of Master Sommeliers).

"Our society has transitioned from a soda pop and martini society to a wine culture in which the perfect pairing of wine and food is critical to a guest's satisfaction, no matter the type of cuisine," said Kirwan Rockefeller, Ph.D., program director of the UC Irvine Extension wine studies program. "The Great American Wine and Food Revolution course is a practical way for participants to develop the necessary wine comprehension skills that are needed in the world of wine and fine dining to set them apart from others and increase their demand in the industry."

Course instructor, Marlene Rossman, M.B.A., M.A., is the president of Manhattan Wine Seminars, LLC and has taught wine education at New York's French Culinary Institute, Laguna Culinary Arts and develops custom wine education programs for Fortune 500 corporations. She is the wine columnist for Chef Magazine and a frequent judge at international wine competitions.

The online Specialized Studies Program in Wine Management offers a practical and comprehensive educational learning pathway appropriate for individuals seeking a career change or advancement within the food and wine business, hospitality, wine sales and retail trade industries. This multidisciplinary program is taught by highly experienced and credentialed instructors and topics of study include grape growing and wine making, food and wine pairing, history of wines, types of wine products available, and classification of major worldwide wine producing regions. The program is designed for professionals seeking to develop their wine comprehension and sit for the Certified Wine Specialist and Master Sommelier wine certification credentials.

To learn more about the Specialized Studies Program, a free informational webinar will be offered on Monday, March 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. PST.

For more about UC Irvine Extension's Specialized Studies Program in Wine Management course offerings or to enroll, visit www.extension.uci.edu/wine or call (949) 824-5414.

About UC Irvine Extension: University of California, Irvine Extension is the continuing education arm of UC Irvine. Through thousands of courses and programs offered on campus, online and on site, UC Irvine Extension helps adult learners reach their career advancement and personal enrichment goals --and is celebrating 50 years of providing universally accessible, university-level learning to local, regional, and global communities. Learn more at extension.uci.edu, or join us on Facebook at facebook.com/uciextension.

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, UCI is among the most dynamic campuses in the University of California system, with nearly 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,000 staff. Orange County's largest employer, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.