Stick to the plan.

I have invested in the book on distilling that I should have received two years ago, bought the fabulous 'concise world wine atlas' and am rereading the excellent ' understanding wine technology'.

So far, so good.

Real life is still persistently tapping on my shoulder, but I'm determined to keep the balance.

I need to start drinking spirits and, happily, will be passing through duty free on the way to Berlin tomorrow, so some stock can be procured.

Stay with me. I need your support.

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The show goes on

I think we may see a change in style from this point.

A summary. The WSET diploma has six units. Two of the units each have two halves. That makes eight hoops through which the initiate must jump if s/he is to qualify. To date I have negotiated seven hoops. Three passes, two passes with distinction, two fails. I also had a no show, which I regret.

That means I must sit one, and resit two. The sit and one resit will happen on 7th November. These are a closed book case study and the combined tasting and theory exam concerning spirits.

The remaining resit is the still light wines theory paper. And it's the big one.With that in mind I suppressed my inadvisable urge to book in for January 2013 and have sent off the form for June 2013. That gives me around forty weeks, which sounds a lot. However, the November exams need to be passed and they will take some preparation. The closed book case study is based on a topic announced 20 working days before the paper. This leaves the remainder of the period before the exam available for: planning the necessary studies; tasting an inordinate amount of spirits.

My studies started with a Christmas gift in 2010 and, even having taken a six month break from July 2011 to January 2012 and failing to study sufficiently on my return, I could still get from complete novice to diploma graduate in three and a half years. I'd be very happy with that.

I have allowed real life to take my attention too far from my interests and a bit of realignment is about to occur. Real life is important, but without the frivolous, enjoyable and completely pointless, what real value has the effort that goes into providing the ability to pay for them?

I shall keep you posted, both on the progress I make in planning the final assault and also on my attempted execution of the output.






  

More Ignorance

I forgot to mention. I have been given the chance to play at judging again, this time in September. It's the turn of New Zealand to come under the untutored scrutiny of yours truly. Very much looking forward to it but this time I may go by train!

I am fortified

So, a pass grade in each section of the fortified wines exam. Good enough. On now to the sparkling wine and the spirits exams in June.

Not sure how I feel, but I will put in the nearly too late revision. I think I have to aim for getting the diploma rather than worrying about the grades.

Have heard, recently, from two fellow students from the last course. I hope to catch up soon.

Spent a day at the LIWF and tasted the produce of more countries than was sensible. Brazil was an interesting find. Very new world. Bags, no sackfuls, of fruit and tannin. Argentina offered an unfortified wine that weighed in at 16%!

All good fun.

I have been ignored

And jolly good fun it was, too. Sadly, I had to drop out of the French judging, but was able to take part in the assessment of German wines.

It took me a couple of flights to find my wings, but the chair judge (an MW, no less) was kind enough to say I 'held my own' with those more experienced. I was pleased with that, even if she was just being polite.

The exam in fortified wines has come and gone, but the wait for the results is expected to last another month. By this time both the sparkling and spirits exams will be due.

My good friend hosted his 60th birthday party at Berry Bros, which was both splendid and generous (made my gift seem foolish) and it was my second visit there, the first having been in his company a little earlier in the year for a tutored tasting through Gevrey Chambertin; another generous gift from The One.

Much homework to be done throughout May, with a bit of early work planned undercover of loyally supporting the Royal nuptials.

London International Wine Fair to look forward to on 18th.

Bottoms up.

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My chance to be ignored

Frank, I have good news. I am very pleased to have been accepted as an associate judge at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. 'Associate' actually means 'Pretend' as all my efforts will be, quite rightly, ignored. I do, however, relish the opportunity as I think I will learn much.

I have also registered to attend the London International Wine Fair again, which was great fun if a little lonely last year. I may attempt to recruit support.

More later.

Looking forward to 'A New Vintage'

I think I should explain my lack of activity in the bloggersphere, if that is how it is spelled.

My most recent-but-one post was at the start of October since when a great deal of building work has been done at O'File Towers. This has been a major drain on mental capacity and I have unfortunately allowed this to constrain my output. Mdme O'File has borne the brunt of decision making, for which I am grateful, but it is she who has the most exacting requirements. My aesthetic judgement isn't up to the task of designing the thing that will make her happy, so I am probably viewed as being less than useful in one more capacity. Caveat emptor, Love.

The other focus has been on Unit 2 of the WSET Diploma. This is the first unit in which candidates are examined, by means of a 100 question multiple choice paper, and I was keen to pass. Truthfully, I was keen to maintain my record of gaining 'pass with distinction' in all exams but did not feel I would manage to do so. I left the exam thinking I had probably picked the second best answer on too many occasions and so I was delighted to get a letter just before Christmas advising me that my record is still intact. This gives me the encouragement to learn about fortified wines well in advance of the next paper, which is a combination of theory and tasting, to be sat in March.

I have also applied to the International Wine and Spirit Competition in the hope that I may be allowed to take the part of an 'Associate Judge'. As I understand it this could be a great learning opportunity for me and I hope I can take part. My votes will not be counted towards the allocation of awards and so I can cause no damage,  but it would both help my education and also, I admit a little too honestly, give me a bit of kudos amongst my more easily impressed acquaintances.

I hope you are all well, and I look forward to sharing my tasting notes alongside thoughts on my educational development.

If I do win the lottery, keep your eyes open for a new wine / chocolate / coffee / jewellery and art shop-cum-gallery-cum-tasting centre near the High Street soon.

pip pip.