Fellow Wine Lovers,
I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger, sang Ronnie Wood in 1973, for the Faces…
The Korgis, in 1980, sang the words, Everybody’s got to learn sometime…
In 1985, Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush duetted, Don’t give up, you still have us…
And 11 years later, Blur came up with the line, Educated the expensive way, he knows his Claret from a Beaujolais…
What few people realise is that they are all referencing our fabulous 6 week Wine School.
Ronnie’s comment bemoans the advice given to him by Rod about which wines to match with asparagus. The Korgis, having tried to open Champagne with a corkscrew, decided it was time to come and see us. Damon fully appreciated the investment we had put into our WSET Diploma, and was suitably impressed by our intricate knowledge of all things French.
But what is this course about which they rave?
When we worked in Clapham, a customer asked us how he could learn more about wine but without any pretensions. Or having to do any exams. And where the only homework involved tasting something different once in a while.
We said we weren’t sure where he could do this but if he could wait a few months we’d try and write a course that would fit these criteria. And this is the course we still do now. Alex can be a little pretentious in his pronunciation of Italian and Spanish wines and Wayne has been known to get a bit scientific when discussing cork taint or alluvial soil in Marlborough, but otherwise we remain true to our initial promise.
The course runs over 6 weeks, the first week introduces you to the how’s and why’s of wine-tasting, weeks 2 & 3 cover a range of the major white grape varieties (around about 14, normally), weeks 4 & 5 give the major red grapes the same treatment and week 6 examines all things fizzy. Also tucked in there will be a foray into Rosé wines, sweet wines, a selection of wine faults and some blind tasting too.
You don’t get a certificate or a lapel badge but you will finish confident that you have tasted in the region of 60 wines over the course and have a far better view of what wines please your palate the most.
If you’re interested in signing up, the course runs on consecutive Wednesdays from the 27th January at 8pm until 9th March. That is actually a 7 week period as we take a one week half term at the same time as the schools take the week off. It costs £150 per person and is starting to fill up – many people have taken fliers (see attached) so if you want to confirm your seat at the table then you can either reply to this email or give us a call on 020 8944 5224 – our dedicated sales team will be able to answer any questions you may have (yes Wayne, that’s you).
But hang on; you may be thinking, what about Kate and Peter, what were they singing about?
Well, I have to tell you, honestly, that neither Kate Bush nor Peter Gabriel has been on our course. Theirs was a song to remind us that, in spite of it being January, with the festive season well buried, we still have friends out there. We also see it as an imploring suggestion not to abstain in January, or perhaps we’re being unusually fanciful…
… because why would you abstain when we are offering our annual 6 for 5 deal? Yes indeed, for the sixth year running we will be offering six bottles for the price of five or, if you prefer, 16.66% discount off a case of six bottles, mixed or all the same. This offer doesn’t include Cristal or the James Bond Bollinger but everything else is fair game – even San Pellegrino, if you are abstaining but still like a deal!
Reasons to be cheerful, part 3 crooned Ian Dury in 1979 – and even though it’s cold and very January outside, we’re inclined to agree!