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Fellow Wine Lovers,<\/span><\/p>\n Reading the headlines this week you could be forgiven for thinking we\u2019ve entered some dastardly 80\u2019s\/90\u2019s time warp. We\u2019ve had coal mines closing, ministers expense scandals, The Masters without Tiger Woods, even Norman Tebbitt demanding resignations. Clearly there are positives (We\u2019d rather Betty Boo than One Direction and Twin Peaks on the TV wasn\u2019t so bad) and negatives (not sure we need the Austin Montego & Jive Bunny again?). \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A quick check at the sports pages brings us back to reality though, Mourinho is difficult to miss, the cricket seasons is about to start (Test Cricket for Ireland and Scotland, who\u2019d have thunk it?) and Arsenal get a chance to underwhelm in their last hope of silverware for another season. Paris – Roubaix bike race this weekend too with over 5 million cobbles to ride over, I think they\u2019ll need padded shorts and gloves!<\/span><\/p>\n In wine news GreenBottle, Merseyside producers of paper wine bottles, have gone into administration just 5 months after launching, after their major investor shredded plans to continue. Top Spanish producers Vega Sicilia have written off 500,000 bottles due to excessive sediment problems in their 2009 Pintia and 2010 Alion bottlings. You\u2019d have thought at those prices they could afford a filter!<\/span><\/p>\n Meanwhile back in Wimbledon Park<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n The kids are off, the sun is shining and it\u2019s nearly time for Wine School<\/b>.\u00a0 <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n That\u2019s right Wednesday 23rd<\/sup> April we\u2019ll kick off at 8pm<\/b>. We already have a selection of willing students keen to try the selection of wines and discover new wines, words and flavours.<\/span><\/p>\n We do, however, have a few places left. So throw caution to the wind, come and join them, some of you have been threatening to join in for months (you know who you are!).<\/span><\/p>\n Join up for our six week wine school<\/b>, starting on <\/i>Wednesday 23rd<\/sup> April<\/b>.\u00a0 <\/span>It costs \u00a3150 per person<\/b>, takes place on consecutive Wednesday evenings (skipping one for half term) and you will taste somewhere in the region of 60 wines<\/b> over the course.<\/span><\/p>\n Places are limited to 10 people, 5 have already been filled so drop us a line and book your place today. Don\u2019t you want to strike fear into a sommeliers heart by demanding to know \u2018which Riesling is drier the Marlborough or the Alsace?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n Full details attached, don\u2019t delay.<\/span><\/p>\n This Weekend<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n We thought we\u2019d give a bit of air time to a pair of tasty charmers from the French countryside. Cuv\u00e9e Jean Paul Sec (\u00a37.49)<\/b> is a deliciously crisp dry white from Gascony, whilst its partner, the imaginatively named Cuv\u00e9e Jean Paul Rouge (\u00a37. 49<\/b>) is a brambly glass of loveliness from the Vaucluse. <\/span><\/p>\n Also This Weekend<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n The day has finally arrived. Sunday is London Marathon day and we\u2019ll be chasing an enormously impressive field of World record holders, Olympic medallists, and celebrities, but are hoping to beat the rhinoceros. If you\u2019re running – good luck, have fun, and give us a wave if you see us. <\/span><\/p>\n