WINE EDUCATION

As the popularization of wine increases, the demand for education is spreading. A wide range of books is available, dealing with anything from the history of wine to details about a single producer, from the art of tasting to how wine is produced, often at quite a technical level.

Another good way of finding out more about wine is to subscribe to magazines. Decanter and WINE in the United Kingdom and the Wine Spectator in the United States are the most internationally renowned in the English-speaking world, but most countries have their own publications. There is The Wine Magazine in Australia, Cuisine in New Zealand and, for those who speak French, Le Rev e des Vins de France is informative and wide-ranging. Most magazines offer articles about wine regions and other issues of interest, as well as tastings of current releases and quality older wines. However, it must be said that panel systems of tasting (like wine shows) do not always do justice to the higher quality but more subtle wines. Many newspapers also have regular columns about wine, although these vary in quality and are often not educative beyond telling you which are the fruitiest Chardonnay selling for less than $7 in the USA or £3.99 in the UK.

Wine infotainment has even spread to television, and some programs can be extremely informative. 'I'his version of wine education has a limited airtime, but videos allow the best of these series to remain accessible to the aficionado. Those by Jancis Robinson MW and Hugh Johnson are particularly recommended.

The Internet is another way to keep up with what is happening in the world of wine, although a general search against "wine" on the web will throw up over a million sites. While it is true that the Internet can provide a good general introduction to wine, it is of limited use to those seeking more detailed knowledge. Increasingly, owners of web sites are offering interactive options to subscribers. The Wine Spectator does this on a regular -basis. The Australian company Penfolds has offered real-time tastings online, by advising participants in advance which wines to buy, then having an expert taste and give comments at a specified time on a chat line.

The main handicap to both magazines and the web is that, despite Penfolds' attempts, you won't benefit from the experience unless you buy the complete selection of the wines being discussed, which can be expensive, especially if you discover that you don't like some of them. One solution is to attend a wine course. These are often run by adult education providers, or by companies involved in the wine business (who may have a vested interest in the wines being displayed.

These courses may be offered by anyone from an interested amateur to a Master of Wine. While the style and content can vary greatly, they provide the chance to taste a number of wines and to compare more wines of a specific variety or region than most individuals' budgets normally allow. More complex, often technical, courses may be available to the public, sometimes at universities or technical colleges. The Wine and Spirit Education Trust runs industry training in the United Kingdom, and its courses are now offered to the public in many countries in the English-speaking world.

For those who enjoy that process, it is often possible to find a local wine club. These tend to be run voluntarily for willing accomplices and may involve presenters who are either immensely knowledgeable or just sharing their ignorance. Critically, however, they also allow the chance to taste and compare a number of wines at one sitting-invaluable if one is to develop one's ability to distinguish and assess wines.

Most good wine stores will run occasional tastings, which could be just a couple of wines on the counter each Saturday, through to a tutored tasting run by a winemaker with a dinner attached. Sometimes more disinterested organizations, such as educational institutions or regional wine producers' federations, will arrange tastings that are open to the public. Often the most enjoyable way to learn more about your tastes in wine without spending too much is to get a group of like minded friends together at home and split the cost of tasting a number of wines. This also avoids the sometimes starchy atmosphere of a more organized tasting, and you may feel more secure about venturing your own opinions about a wine.

One of the most exciting and interactive ways to learn more about wine is to go to a festival or show. This may feature local wines, or showcase those from a particular region or country. Often, the wine makers are present to answer questions. Classic examples of these are the Decanter Fine Wine Encounter in the United Kingdom, or the California Wine Experience in the United States. Vinopolis, a permanent wine show on the south bank in London (which opened to mixed reviews in 1999) offers a guided tour of the whole world of wine with a chance to taste at the end. Other countries offer similar experiences.