Testing 1,2,3…
TASTE TEST WORDS: DAISY MEAGER
1 Daiy Meag’s
wine school road test
WHERE: London Wine & Spirit School (wsetschool.com)
THE COURSE: WSET Level 1 Award in Wines, £150 (one day)
SNIFF, SWIRL, SIP, SPIT After the theory, tasting and tuition, there’s a test – so you need the spittoons
WHAT IT’S LIKE Before the course, I liked to think I could navigate a wine list fairly well (less so after a few glasses, perhaps), but as the tutor delved into the finer details of which grape varieties are used to make particular wines, and how regional characteristics affect the taste of the grapes, I realised how many gaps there were in my knowledge.
The London Wine & Spirit School in Bermondsey, London, is the flagship school of The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) founded in 1969. Courses were initially created for those working in the wine trade but the trust opened its doors to the wider public in 1991. In my class, the split was even between people in the wine or hospitality business and those taking part for their own enjoyment.
The one-day course was classroombased and as we started with a roll call, I felt like I was back at school. But with numerous grape-related topics to be covered, wines to be tasted and (eek!) an exam to pass, there was no time to reminisce. For me and my 20 or so fellow students, it was a headfirst dive into the world of wine.