Wine Experience

My interest in wine, I suppose started when I went to University at Warwick in the early 70s. Along with a friend we cooked regularly, as it was cheaper and better value than cafeteria meals. At this time wine availability to the masses consisted of Hirondelle, Don Cortez, Blue Nun and Mateus Rose, and we noticed that if we spent an extra couple of pence in those days on a bottle, then no hangovers ensued. Wines that we started with really reflected a student menu and were usually red, Chianti, Valpolicella and the esoteric Banda Azul Rioja sourced from either Augustus Barnett or Peter Dominic.

For the last 17 years I have run wine-tasting evenings initially for local charities and good causes and now as Corporate Entertainment events. These are really aimed at novices with a three-fold objective. Firstly, to try and break down the mystique and snobbery associated with wine drinking. Wine and food together should be a pleasurable experience and I look to enhance this experience through tasting and links to specific foods and the seasons.

Secondly, I view the evening as an education session. If at the end of the evening, one guest is convinced that Argentinian Torrontes is a good match for her summer garden parties, or vinaigrette-based sauces are not a good partner to expensive Burgundies, then I’ve achieved something. Finally, but most importantly, the experience must be fun, and from the feedback I have had, there is no problem on that score. I now regularly run wine and food matching sessions at Lesley Waters’ Cookery School, where I have been the wine consultant since its inception

Purchasing wines from supermarkets, reputable merchants and auctions, my Presbyterian upbringing (agnostic since birth!) ensures that I never miss a bargain.

Specific Skills

My extensive knowledge of all things vinous combined with a good memory means that I can usually recommend a wine and supplier to most requests. Indeed one of my major strengths along with food-matching is people-matching to wines.
The true enjoyment of wine is affected by many factors including, the appropriateness of the food, the assembled company, the formality or otherwise of the occasion, the weather and the physical setting.
From informal chit-chat, I can usually match an appropriate wine or style to a person.

As a passionate cook I am constantly trying out combinations long before I let them loose on the public at tasting sessions or through personal recommendations. I have been an accomplished presenter for over 20 years through my sales background and this is also reflected in my style at wine events. An outgoing personality coupled with genuine knowledge and experience has been a successful trait of mine and continues to be so. People tend to like me.

Previous Life

After completing 26 years (nearly all of this time spent in a successful sales role), in IT with IBM and an IBM Business Partner, at the age of 50 I decided to go “full-time” with my passion for wine and food and set up my own Tasting with Kindness business.
As an Independent Wine Consultant I run Tastings, Master Classes and Presentations on wine for Corporate and Hospitality customers. I also have my own “on-trade” wholesale winelist aimed at offering wines that match the superb range of foodstuffs we have available in the West Country.