 After graduating in Spanish and Italian from Exeter
University in 2003, I realised that the most exciting way to use my languages
would be to enter into the wine trade. After working in several Majestic stores,
I spent 3 years as an on trade sales manager in London for Freixenet and then
HBJ Wines. I soon realised that my strengths and passion lie in passing on my
knowledge to others, and in “de-mystifying” the world of wine to others.
Wine is such a pleasure to drink, and a fascinating
product. It never ceases to amaze me that the style of drink produced from these
grapes is dependent on so many different factors: topography, soil type,
climate, legal restrictions, grape varieties used, social and perhaps political
situations, consumer demands ... the list goes on.
In the UK we have the advantage of having easy
access to almost every style of wine produced in all parts of the world. This
also means that it is very tricky for the average consumer to know about even a
small percentage of these wines. This leads to a lack of confidence when
choosing a wine in a restaurant, or a wine shop, and the eventual resorting to
brands, or recognisable grape varieties.
Imparting even a little information and knowledge to
others gives them so much more confidence in social situations, when there is a
perceived expectation of choosing the correct wine to match with a certain type
of cuisine. It gives others the opportunity to experiment with other styles and
grape varieties without worrying unnecessarily about making a terrible mistake
in their choice of wine.
Drinking wine
should be all about pleasure and fun, not embarrassment or feeling
uncomfortable. |
Areas of speciality:
WSET
Intermediate
WSET Advanced
Corporate Entertainment
Lectures
Tastings
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