It is a truth universally acknowledged, that wine tasting classes will be comprised of middle-class white couples, dressed in well-cut natural fibres. The group will also contain several chaps with lots of fake knowledge about what a good wine is, what wine is not acceptable to like, and the names of prominent old world wine growing regions. It is a given they will harbour fantasies of one day owning a villa in a prominent old world growing region. They will also possess Olympic levels of boringness. Best to avoid.
Its safe to say I had some reservations about our wine tasting class on Saturday; luckily we had Team Wise along for reinforcements. And thankfully the West London Wine School has the fabulously well-hatted Jimmy Smith running the show. His passion and knowledge about wine, its history and politics is infectious. He is one of those lucky folks who has turned what he loves into a business and all he wants you to do is love it too.
We kicked off with champagne and after 11 wines finished with a port that tasted like Christmas mince pies. Encouraged to comment and judge for ourselves, nothing was off limits. This is shown literally in the slow disintegration of maturity displayed in my scribbled tasting notes. A pretty average New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was like ‘gooseberry and cat wee’ and got 1.5/5 while a young Chablis just has ‘shite’ written next to it. The South African Cabernet Sauvignon apparently had ‘aromas of apartheid’ (a fellow classmate thought he could smell smoky rubber from that fruity little number which sent us into hysterics, though of course racist wine is not big or clever). The Barossa Valley Shiraz received my highest rating of 4.5 with flavours of rich, black cherries and orphans tears. It was unexpected to hear something from Australia described as ‘complex’. Also: turns out I quite like port. Especially with stilton and chocolate cake.
I have a £20 voucher for anyone who fancies a fun day out. Just leave a message in the comments.
For those not in this part of the world, I recommend buying your favourite bottle, some stinky cheese and watching Sideways.
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Meant to be working = easily distracted by new twitter updates and so I smiled my way through the wine tasting post but the photograph … it’s stunning.
It sounds like you had fun, discovered some wines you love and don’t love, and then you got a very interesting post out of it, too.
It was unexpected to hear something from Australia described as ‘complex’.
Requires a LMFAO – because it made me do just that. Snigger… :D
I love wine. I love wine tastings. I love cheese and chocolate. Alas, I’m not in that part of the world. But I frequently do as you suggested and have “wine and cheese” night with my son. He will be a non-boring wine drinker when I get done with him. Some lucky girl is gonna looovvvveee me!
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I like Malbec because it tastes like the black Rowntree’s fruit gums I had as a child.
oh how I love wine. For as much as I consume it, I really should know more about it. I use the “shite” “not shite” rating system currently myself.
But did you drink any fucking merlot??
(And I am sticking my fingers in my ears and singing “La, La, La!” very loudly at the Australian dig. A very mature and complex way to deal with slights on my nation’s character.)
I’ve wanted to do a wine tasting course for ages. Apparently my local Majestic offers one…but the one you did sounds great! Mince pie port especially – I love port :D xx
How do you know what cat wee tastes like?
@green ink – you want to voucher love? will email you :)
@lulu – assumption purely based on smell i can assure you!
I love your disparaging yet comical wine reviews! It would be great if someone published a book of them, well, except for the whole getting sued in court by all of the vintners part.
Note to self: do muscat wines taste like cat wee?
I would love it darling! Thank you!! xx