They say that your School years are the best years of your life. If it’s a wine School then I’m inclined to agree.
We grabbed our satchel and headed to a class run by the Notts Derby Wine School held at the Jury’s Inn in Nottingham. Our desk was laid out in anticipation of the lesson ahead. Six glasses waiting to be filled with a selection of red and white wines from six great regions and a mystery seventh we were to be tested on at the end of the class.
Our teacher, Debbie Ault (pictured above) led us right through from holding the glass, looking at the colour to taste and origin. The Notts Derby Wine School is a local independent wine education company which specialises in hosting wine tastings and wine courses in Nottingham and Derbyshire. The class gives those, with or without experience, a relaxed and social, fun atmosphere to taste and learn about a wide range of wines.
The school holds various different classes including New World VS Old World, 8 Week World of Wine Tour. We attended a simple introduction to wine evening. Debbie showed us how to taste the wine properly and fortunately we were allowed to swallow.
We began our tasting session with a Villa Maria, my personal favourite of the whites we tasted. ‘Villa Maria is an acclaimed family owned producer with an unwavering dedication to excellence’ the tasting notes describe it as ‘A medley of intense, ripe herbaceous characters on the nose, followed by rich gooseberry, lime and tropical fruit characteristics on the palate’
The second bottle is called Macon Villages, a Chardonnay, but I wasn’t keen. ‘An excellent example of modern, unoaked white Burgundy’, we were taught to appreciate the scent and the taste of peach on the finish but it’s not one I’d buy.
The third and final white is Escondido. I liked this slightly better than the previous one but I still only scored it a 5. ‘Highly aromatic with a strong floral character on the nose. Stone fruit characteristics come to the fore on the palate, with some more floral notes present on a crisp finish.
A short break followed, with nibbles to soak up the wine. Fresh baguette and selection cheeses and chorizo. The School offers food and wine pairing tasting, another class which I’m tempted to try. Why don’t people have cheese and wine evenings anymore? I need them in my life.
Second half saw us testing the Reds. First up was a Domaine Romy from Majestic which proved to be my least favourite of the reds. The tasting notes describe ‘Plenty of lipsmaking redcurrent and strawberry flavour.. carried by lithe, smooth tannins and bright acidity.
The next red was a Glorioso, a Spansih Rioja, a little better than the previous red from Tesco. My personal favourite however was the third red, the Willy Willy, an Australian Shiraz , ‘Deep purple with spiced plum and blackcurrant and hints of Vanilla. Available from Laithwaites, this is definitely a bottle I could finish.
No class is complete without a test at the end and so a final mystery wine was poured for us. Using the knowledge we had gained throughout the evening, it was time to put what we’d learnt into practic and guess whether it was old world or new and the price, along with our thoughts on the taste and aroma. It was a deep old world red which didn’t knock the Shiraz off the top spot for me.
The classes are a great introduction to wine and the appreciation of it if you want to learn more about tasting, origins and what to look for in a good wine. My only complaint? No homework.
For more information visit:www.nottsderbywineschools.com or email info@nottsderbywineschool
You can also catch Notts Derby Wine School at the Food & Drink Festival at Wollaton Park on 15th & 16th August.
