Berkshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/1-4.jpg" alt="Thames Valley Wine School Reading wine tasting" class="wp-image-46516" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE LOWDOWN</h2>



<p>Back to school to learn your ABCs – that&#8217;s Aroma, Body and Colour. Alex Stevenson has recently launched the Thames Valley Wine School in the Reading area,  teaching everything you need to know about wine, beer and spirits.. Whether you&#8217;re a wino or oenophile, this is a fun, informal class that aims to inform and have a laugh at the same time. </p>



<p>Alex knows his stuff too. He has spent the last 20 years working in the hospitality and drinks sector in roles such as chef, buyer and beverage manager. He has a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma and is also a WSET Certified Educator. The tastings available range from an introductory evening class and food pairing events to courses covering a particular group of wines/ region or the formal WSET diploma. I reckon this is a class we can bag an A**. Raises your glasses, we&#8217;re going in.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3.jpg" alt="The Corn Stores Thames Valley Wine School Reading wine tasting" class="wp-image-46512" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/7-3-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE LOCATION</h2>



<p>My wine tasting took place at the chichi Corn Stores Reading – a seriously stylish steak, seafood and cocktail restaurant, within staggering distance of Reading Station. Trust me, you don&#8217;t want to be driving. The outside may say town pub, the inside tells a different story. The Corn Stores is a relaxed and elegant space, with interior goals on every floor. If&nbsp;<em>Mad Men</em>‘s Betty Draper and&nbsp;Joan Holloway were&nbsp;looking for a hangout, this would be it. Super-chic. Perfect for a fun night drinking wine. Other venues include Thames Lido and Novotel Reading.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3.jpg" alt="Alex Stevenson Thames Valley Wine School" class="wp-image-46510" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/4-3-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE VIBE</h2>



<p>Fun, friendly and unpretentious. Wine tastings can be intimidating. A room full of winos, wine lovers and oenophiles (wearing their knowledge like a decorated general). It&#8217;s a tricky balance, but Alex&#8217;s down to earth approach, encourages everyone to shout out what they can taste, reassuring everyone that if you haven&#8217;t tasted damsons or gooseberries then you won&#8217;t spot them in wine. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46508" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/9-2-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHAT TO EXPECT?</h2>



<p>For starters, six glasses of wine. Not a thimble full either, but six full measures. So have the paracetamol on standby, it could get messy. This was an Introduction to Wine Tasting, featuring three reds and three whites. Alex runs through the essentials – how to taste the wine, why you slurp, flavours to pick up from the first sip, and the ones that are late to the party. You discover the perfect temperature to serve wines. The parts of the world perfect for wine producing and why. </p>



<p>The tasting itself is really informative. I definitely learned a lot. I sat with two lovely men who loved their reds and, despite having more knowledge than me, they were great company for the evening, we had a real giggle. Next to no one was using the wine like mouthwash, rinsing and spitting into a bucket. Nope all six glasses were down the hatch. Most people had one half drunk glass, declaring the one that was not to their liking. The final task of the evening? Guess the price. Harder than you think, because Alex picked some superb price points. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://berkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46514" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/09/2-4-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>You also learn about vinonomics – and why the sweet spot for wine lovers is to buy a bottle in the £10-£20 bracket. Essentially more money goes into the wine at this price point than into government coffers. The perfect temperature to serve your whites, reds, rosés, bubbles and sweet wines and geographical hotspots for wine. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">THE VERDICT</h2>



<p><strong>Good for:</strong> The wine curious, obvs. But it&#8217;s great anyone stuck in a wine rut and helps you choose wines that pair brilliantly with food. They also offer beer tastings, and food pairing nights too. A fab alternative night out.</p>



<p><strong>Not for</strong>: Vegan and organic purists. It&#8217;s not to say a tasting won&#8217;t pop up, but you&#8217;d need to check the wines on the night are going to float your boat. </p>



<p><strong>What&#8217;s the damage</strong>? Incredibly good value. The Introduction to Wine Tasting is £30 – a bargain when you think you get six glasses and a heap of insider intel. The next tasting is on 6 Oct.</p>



<p><em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.localwineschool.com/thames-valley/" target="_blank">Thames Valley Wine School</a>&#8216;s upcoming events are: Wine v Beer with Steak (15 Sept, £65) Ridiculous Reds (20 Sept, £35), 8 Week World of Wine (6 Oct, £225)</em></p>


Back to school… wine school, that is (*hic)

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