Appreciating wine-beginners & enthusiasts levels 1 & 2

Learner and Entry Requirements:No previous knowledge or wine-tasting skills required. Must be eighteen years or over. Reasonably good sense of smell and taste. Please refrain from wearing strong perfume or aftershave. If you have any health concerns please consult your doctor before enrolling on the course.

General & First Session:
The cost of the wine is shared equally amongst learners each week, depending on the number of people attending, and is additional to the enrolment fee. This is payable termly in advance at sessions 1 and 5. Please bring with you six glasses for your own use. These should be plain, tulip-shaped and of the same design. ISO tasting glasses are preferred. Spittoon (Tupperware is fine), drinking water, pen or pencil, money/chequebook to pay for the wine (and glasses, if bought from the tutor). KAE is unable to offer refunds for any equipment, materials or books if the course is subsequently closed.

Course Aim & Objective:This course introduces learners to the many wine styles produced by the major wine-producing regions of the world. Learn "how to taste", and then, by tasting wines and by exploring grape varieties (their characteristics and what influences the way wines taste), learners should be able to use this knowledge to evaluate wine. Learners will use their developing tasting skills to assess the relative quality of a wine and identify some common wine faults.

Assessment:Each session includes a short talk and a tasting of six or so wines from the wine regions or countries being explored. This course is not examinable but the learner is encouraged to write tasting notes and share their impressions of the wines. Learning is assessed by discussion and group work based on the previous weeks learning. Learners are asked to write a tasting note on a wine.

Course Syllabus:

We will recognise and record your progress and achievement through attainment of the following goals.

1. Name the main wine-producing countries of the world.
2. Name a number of major grape varieties.
3. Briefly describe some of the main characteristics of two major grape varieties.
4. Describe the appearance, nose and palate of a wine in a short tasting note.
5. Developing tasting skills to assess the relative quality of a wine.
6. Understand and apply the appropriate visual risk assessments and the Health & Safety skills and knowledge required to carry out activities related to this course.
7. Your own negotiated aims.