Like most worthwhile pursuits, the enjoyment of wine is greatly enhanced with a deeper understanding of the subject. While you certainly don’t need a degree in oenology, just knowing the basic differences between, for example, Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti will help highlight the nuances of both, and what better way or time to pick up new knowledge, while enjoying a glass or two with the help of wine professionals.
Winemaker masterclasses with Grand Vin
Fine wine distributor Grand Vin will be holding a series of Zoom masterclasses with industry professionals and winemakers representing estates from their portfolio. They’re starting off with a session exploring Chardonnay, which will feature Jerome Flous, winemaker of Domaine Faiveley in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and technical director for Chablis’ Domaine Billaud Simon. He’ll be joined by International Wine Specialist Lim Hwee Peng in discussing one of the world’s most widely-planted grape. Upcoming sessions include getting up-close with Cabernet Sauvignon
; as well as the wines of Chateau Leoville Las Cases. Of course, there’ll be wines to taste during the sessions – Grand Vin’s offering bundles featuring wines that you can pour alongside the winemakers for a more fruitful session.
More info can be found here.
Guided tastings and introductory classes with Fine Wine SG
This wine distributor is offering themed, virtual wine appreciation classes hosted by a certified wine educator. Get wines delivered to your doorstep, which you can savour while being guided in real time. Each class offers a different experience, including learning about the representative wines of various regions, tasting the difference between international grape varietals, and comparing an entry-level label and a premium one. They’ve already started with introductory classes — which aren’t just great for wine neophytes, but also a fun way to refresh your knowledge and hang out with other wine oenophiles with a couple glasses of vino.
View the class schedule, and sign up here.
Dive deeper with Park90
While people are inevitably stuck inside during the Circuit Breaker, the brilliant young somms from Park90 at Regent Hotel will be conducting masterclasses that dive a little deeper into various wine commonalities, including sessions that compare the wines of northern and southern Rhone; as well as the various great Riesling producers around the world — complete with the occasional appearance by guest winemakers. ExpectSessions also come with guided tastings — where you’re encouraged to purchase wine bundles from Park90’s collection. Get ready a coravin or wine saver (or attend with the family) though, because these are full bottles.
Contact Park90 on their Instagram page for a link to register.
Master of Wine and Winemaker-led session with 67 Pall Mall
While we’re not sure whether London-based wine club 67 Pall Mall’s opening in Singapore has been delayed by the pandemic (the original plan was to open in Q3 of 2020), you can now engage with the club through a series of masterclasses or tasting sessions. These are hosted by the winemakers themselves, estate owners, or one of the Masters of Wine in 67 Pall Mall’s stable – three of which are based in Singapore. While the tasting portions of wine they offer aren’t yet available to be shipped here, it’s easy enough to get a hold of some of the wines featured since Singapore has a relatively mature wine scene — upcoming sessions feature wines like esteemed English sparkling Nyetimber; and Margaret River’s rabblerousing L.A.S Vino, both of which are available in Singapore.
Full schedule of upcoming events here.
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Featured image by Maksym Kaharlytskyi on Unsplash