Hitting the Bottle

[example22]

Georgina, Ping and I have hatched a plan to go on a wine tasting course, since we're both embarrassed by how little we know about the subject. There's no reason to keep this to ourselves, so: does anybody here fancy coming along?

After some searching, we've lighted on this one here. It's a full day, including lunch, and it's held in a pub in London near West Brompton tube, roughly every week or two. We were thinking of going on Sunday November 6th. The downside is that it costs a fairly eye-watering £99 per person, although that seems to be on the low end for these things. (Of the ones I found, only Vinopolis are cheaper, but they sound revolting -- for £20 they'll give you 10 wines, 4 "premium wines", 2 shots of absinthe and a gin cocktail. Bleargh.)

Anyway, if you're interested, drop me a line or leave a comment here.

[Edit: Changed Saturday to Sunday (doh!)]

Comments

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

I was tempted until I saw the prices... I've been going to wine tastings in Edmonton, Canada, for a while now and they are much cheaper - I think the most expensive was about 60-70 Canadian, and that was a port tasting.

You could charge that much, do it at home, and get a lot of good wine...

[example22.livejournal.com]

Yes, somebody else mentioned the "do it at home" approach (apparently there are wine groups, along the same lines as book groups). Thing is, I know less than bugger all about wine, so I suspect that trying to do it at home would just result in a bunch of "like that"/"don't like that" verdicts and not much else. So I'm prepared to fork out once, to have someone teach me the basics, and then take it from there...

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

Coo, I'm glad beer is my poison. Those one day courses sound horribly like balloon flights as birthday gift material, very pricey for what you get. I'd have thought a 6 week evening class would be more sociable, and useful, but no good for out-of-towners of course.

[brixtonbrood.livejournal.com]

You can get DIY tasting kits of a selection of bottles with tasting notes - no idea which of them are good though.

[pmcray.livejournal.com]

Michael Schuster Winewise courses are generally considered to be the best ones available in London (http://www.michaelschusterwine.com/). I've been on both the introductory (£175) and fine wine courses (£275) - unfortunately, I missed the session of Bordeaux 2: Claret because I had to be in Munich or somewhere equally God-awful for work :(

EVENING 3
Regions: Bordeaux 2: Claret
Tasting: Detailed anatomy of notemaking; tannin and texture.

1990 Château Magdelaine
1990 Château Gazin
1986 Pape Clément
1985 Pichon Lalande.

They take place in the basement of his house in Dalston Kingsland. My only criticism is that he is *very* keen on wine and does tend to rather go on during the lecture parts of the sessions when I'd rather be drinking... sorry, I mean *tasting* the wine.

He also does tastings, but it probably helps to be the kind of person who has a cellar and orders wine en primeur (http://www.thewinedoctor.com/author/enprimeur1.shtml) to get the most out of these!

Chianti, Brunello, Barolo, Young and Old: 2001 - 1970
£69
Sunday 16th October, 5.30pm
12 wines

1990 First Growth Clarets, plus 1990 Montrose
£165
Sunday 30th October, 5.30pm
9 wines

A Vertical Tasting of Château Climens, plus 1989 d’Yquem
£69
Thursday 17th November, 6.45pm
12 wines

Domaine Coche-Dury White Burgundy
£150
Thursday 24th November, 6.45pm
13 wines

Fine Red Burgundy from the Côte de Nuits
£59
Thursday 8th December, 6.45pm
8 wines

Quinta do Vesuvio Port Vertical
£49
Sunday 11th December, 5.30pm
12 wines

I've also been on the Christie's Wine Course, which was good, but the Michael Schuster courses are better because there are only about 20 people in the class and you get the same lecturer each week, so it's easier to get to know people and is more relaxed.

[waistcoatmark.livejournal.com]

sielis and I would be interested: is that Saturday the 5th or Sunday the 6th?

[example22.livejournal.com]

It's Sunday 6th (main entry is now fixed, too).

Dates and Times

[cloudhigh.livejournal.com]

Hi - as discussed last week, would love to join you but a Sunday will be impossible until next year as I have to drive to Swansea that day and alcohol of any type is right out. Any chance you can arrange this for a Saturday?? (Sorry it's taken so long to submit this post - I've had to arrange my new apartment in Swansea and do a hundred other things. Managing a team is NOT simple!). Do let me know the latest plan -please by email not LJ. I just don;t have the spare time to read the posts now. Sorry!