World of Wine: South Africa and the USA

Join us for an evening of spectacular New World showstoppers. South Africa has a long and distinguished history of wine production going back over 400 years. Since the end of apartheid, the quality of its wine has risen to showcase the talent that its long history deserves. It's an amazing time for South African winemakers, they are making stunning wines in a broad range of styles. This country's small band of winemakers, many of whom don't own their own vineyards, are crafting fruit-driven reds, complex oak-aged reds, full-bodied ripe whites, and clean, fresh whites from grape varieties like Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, the classic white Rhone grape varieties, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah amongst many others. Join us as we explore the USA. Most people only think of California when it comes to American wine but every State in the US makes wine to one degree or another. The USA and its wine-making monster, California, offer two seemingly contradictory wine images. Firstly there is the world of cheap, sweet, soft, pink wines, served by the glass down the pub and sold by the boatload in the supermarket. Secondly, there is the super-premium, super-exclusive, super-expensive world of boutique Napa Valley wineries, as shown in films like Sideways. Which is the 'real' Californian wine? Tonight we will explore everything in the middle: discover strawberry-scented Zinfandel (the red one, not the pink!), earthy Pinot Noir, and creamy soft Chardonnay. Californian wines are elusive and often expensive, but they are ranked as some of the best in the world, for good reason - come along and taste for yourself to see why. You'll also taste wines from some of the other states, such as Riesling from New Yorks's Finger Lakes, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir from Oregon, and many others. We might even sneak in a wine from Canada. This evening is part of our core 6-week course - book all 6 evenings and save £25. It's flexible, so if you have to skip an evening you can pick it up the next time it runs. This event will include tasting samples of six carefully selected wines, wine notes & handouts, and a 2-hour interactive presentation, with Q&A, led by our wine tutor. This evening is suitable for all levels of wine knowledge.