The Best Places To Learn About Wine In London
THE PRO COURSE:
Humble Grape Wine School
Humble Grape founder James Dawson started selling wine from the back of his motorbike while holding a full-time job in the City. Fast forward 15 years and the group has six sites across the capital: Battersea, Islington, Canary Wharf, Fleet Street, Liverpool Street and Crouch End. It imports hundreds of high-quality boutique wines from small family-run vineyards around the world, with lots of niche options you probably won’t see elsewhere. As well as informal tastings at its bars, its wine school offers courses led by WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) accredited educators. Level 1 will give you the basics, while Level 2 is all about exploring the key wine regions, giving you a solid foundation for further learning.
Various sites; courses start from £250.
Visit HumbleGrape.co.uk
THE CURATED SERIES:
Shrine To The Vine
Shrine to the Vine is a wine shop and delivery service owned by Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, the duo behind Noble Rot and Keeling Andrew & Co. Just a few metres along from their Bloomsbury restaurant, it sells everything from under-the-radar natural cuvées to mature classics from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Barolo and beyond. The team hosts a few tasting events each month – either led by names in the industry or by Noble Rot’s wider team of experts and writers at its indie wine mag. Previous events have covered the best wines from Tenerife, an insider’s picks from Burgundy, and how to appreciate a vintage.
48 Lamb's Conduit Street, Bloomsbury, WC1N 3LH; events from £50.
Visit ShrineToTheVine.co.uk
THE DROP-IN CLASS:
South London Wine School
South London Wine School has a site in Streatham to help you learn about wine in a relaxed and friendly environment. Forget wordy jargon and any pretentiousness, it’s team of experts offer down-to-earth lessons and courses for beginners to pros. Choose an introductory lesson to learn about specific wine regions or varieties, or commit to longer evening courses which take place over the course of a few weeks. You can also gain a Level 1, 2 or 3 WSET qualification, and drop into classes on beer or spirits.
53A Streatham Hill, SW2 4TS; classes from £35.
Visit LocalWineSchool.com
THE NATURAL WINE STARTER:
Provisions Wine School
Provisions supplies wine to some of London’s leading restaurants, including Salon, Levan, Sager + Wilde, Casse-Croûte, and Chiltern Firehouse. It’s also a great place to try decent wine in a relaxed, friendly setting. Meanwhile, its wine school offers a one-day course for beginners wanting to learn about natural wines. Guests will try a selection of wine and food, so you can practise pairing bottles with dishes, before learning how to accurately describe its flavour and structure. There’s also a six-lesson course if you’re after something more comprehensive.
167 Holloway Road, N7 8LX; courses from £160.
THE LUXE EXPERIENCE:
Claridge’s Wine Cellar
Of course Claridge’s has a wine cellar. It actually only opened a few years ago, but it’s already a favourite among those in the know thanks to its bottles from some of the world’s best wine estates, like Bordeaux’s Château d’Yquem and Argentina’s Bodega Colomé. For a special occasion, book a six-person tasting experience when one of the sommeliers brings you a selection wines or champagnes. On Thursday 28th March, guests will be treated to a curated collection from Ruinart (£185pp).
Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 4HR; from £150.
Visit Claridges.co.uk
THE MEMBERS CLUB:
Planque
One of our favourite spots out east, Planque is a small restaurant and wine bar in Haggerston. It’s created a cool community for wine lovers – and you don’t have to be an insider to join. There’s a small members lounge where you can bring a bottle from your own collection, or choose one from Planque’s cellar to enjoy over small plates and sharing dishes from the kitchen. Members also get priority access to the restaurant as well as other benefits, like access to the private dining room, a wine concierge service, members events and masterclasses, and discounts in the store. Best of all, members are allowed to store a number of bottles in its huge wine cellar.
322-324 Acton Mews, Haggerston, E8 4EA; membership costs £95 a month plus a £300 joining fee.
Visit Planque.co.uk
THE DATE NIGHT OPTION:
Dalston Wine Club
Hannah Crosbie does a great job of bringing the world of wine to a younger audience. The podcast host and presenter runs regular events at Soho House and with Dalston Wine Club. A great date-night option, tickets are hard to come by, but if you manage to get your hands on some, you’ll see what the fuss is about. Hannah creates a fun atmosphere where guests can learn about wine varieties and regions in a relaxed setting. Up to 15 sit around a long table at a restaurant or bar to enjoy a flight of four or five glasses of wine she’s hand-picked. We recommend signing up to her newsletter to be the first to hear about events.
Various sites; tickets from £30.
Visit HannahCrosbie.com
THE MASTERCLASS:
Cordon Bleu
Marry Berry and Ottolenghi cut their teeth at this prestigious school, but Cordon Bleu isn’t just for budding chefs. It also offers wine masterclasses focusing on regions or varieties, including Rioja, sustainable wines and English sparklers. We like the sound of the two-hour Bordeaux masterclass (9th May, £85) which includes tastings of eight different styles of wine from the region.
15 Bloomsbury Square, Bloomsbury, WC1A 2LS; classes from £45
Visit CordonBleu.edu
ANTON ROUDRIGUEZ
THE ONLINE COURSE:
BBC Maestro Wine Course
BBC Maestro is a subscription-based streaming platform with online masterclasses led by experts in their field. Critic, journalist and Master of Wine Jancis Robinson has created a six-hour course so you can learn about wine from the comfort of your sofa. You’ll cover the history of wine making, before Jancis explores different regions and grapes, terminology, pairing wine with food, and how to read a wine bottle label. Jancis even advised the late Queen on the royal wine cellar, so rest assured you’ll be in good hands.
Visit BBCMaestro.com
THE WINE SERIES:
Ploussard
Ploussard is a neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar on Battersea Rise that takes its name from a French red wine grape varietal. It’s run by seasoned hospitality duo Matt Harris and Tommy Kempton, founders of cult chicken joint Other Side Fried. Ploussard Presents is its immersive series of wine and dinner events, showcasing the Ploussard grape and France's picturesque Jura region. Previous dinners have been hosted by leading sommeliers like Ania Smelskaya (ex-Silo) and Mountain’s Holly Willcocks. Keep your eyes peeled for the next series.
97 St John's Road, Battersea, SW11 1QY; tickets from £30.
Visit PloussardLondon.co.uk
THE CHEESE & WINE TASTING:
La Fromagerie
Cheese connoisseur Patricia Michelson is another one who started her business out of the back of a vehicle – after accidentally returning home from France with a 35kg wheel of Beaufort in the boot of her car, which she sold from her garden shed. Today, some of London’s best chefs are regulars at her award-winning cheesemongers – which host regular cheese and wine tastings led by Patricia and her team. Most events include a selection of cheeses with paired wines, beers or ciders. You’ll learn how to how pair, while finding out more about some of Europe’s famous wine regions. Tickets sell out quicky, so don’t delay getting involved.
Various sites; tickets start from £40.
Visit LaFromagerie.co.uk
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