A grand day out

My 4th visit to the London  International Wine Fair proved to be the best to date.  And the last. No 'International' next year and a shorter journey.  So that's good. More importantly I hope to be registering as something other than 'student' next year.

The Spanish gig appears to be going ahead and I am looking forward to that.

The revision is going in the right direction,  but is there enough time?  I find out in 12 days. Stay with me; I need the support.

A day in Tuscany

Have just returned from another very enjoyable day at the IWSC. I have to admit that after 54 fairly high acid and tannic reds, the stunning Prosecco (which one very experienced judge awarded 98 points) was very welcome indeed.

All good stuff, but the final wine of the day was a gold medal winning, Sangiovese-based Vin Santo.

Vermentino may feature on my shopping list soon, too.

If all goes well on 5th June, I Am not sure l will continue to qualify as an associate on the basis of my studies. l hope to get on the list on a more permanent basis.

l have drawn up a revision plan for the remaining five weeks. l May have to avoid the day job.

Next stop LIWF.

Chin chin.

French Fancy

Tomorrow I am popping down to where Jezza and the boys play like overgrown kids by driving badly, so that I can once again pretend to know enough to judge wine.

France will provide the candidates, which is nice, but the real attraction for me will be the real judges. A very good and welcoming bunch last year, so I am looking forward to the day.

I also like the pens.

I hope I can avoid looking too foolish and would love to get an invitation, or two, to absolutely anything.

I will let you know.

First Gigs?

I have been asked to run a couple of tastings.

One for a friend and some mutual chums, and one for the University of the Third Age (U3A). All I need to do now is try to work out what I do, and do not, know.

The U3A tasting will be in the autumn,  as one of a series of three covering the wines of Spain. The other is most likely to cover whatever the Wine Society had on offer.

I seem

Why do I still not know anything?

I am having a shaky moment. I just looked at some past papers and, despite all the reading, don't feel any better equipped for this June than I was for the last.

I have 16 weeks (slightly less) left to go and am in danger of planning as efficiently as Beaker from the Muppets.

Meep.

So. I will move from reading to writing. I will only read when I cannot write. There is a strong possibility that I will be reading again before bedtime.

Stay with me. I need the support.

Back to school

Just home from a very enjoyable tasting on seven sparkling wines.

Moving through Martini Asti through Prosecco, rose Cava, through Aussie fizz to Lanson black and Nyetimber.

Finished on red sparkler from Cornwall. Stick to the pasties, boys.

Seven down, One left

So, dear friend, I have reached the home straight.

The closed-book case study on wine tourism rated a merit, and I am keen to see whether it was a good enough merit to provide a distinction for the whole of unit 1. The assignment was very well received and I would like to see that reflected in the final mark.

The spirits retake was just good enough. On the first attempt my tasting let me down. This time I floundered on Guyanan Rum, but was granted a pass, on balance. I am grateful for that.

I am reading fairly widely, but I need more structure if enough of it is to stick and be retrievable in June.

I was very pleased to see some familiar names in the WSET Yearbook; well done all. There were other names missing and I hope that means we may be able to share a celebration at the Guildhall next January.

I have decided to rejoin the school where it all started, if they will have me, as a way of keeping me on my toes. I need all the help I can get, to keep focussed.

I have two dates at the IWSC; one for France, the other Italy, and this will be my third year as an associate judge. Will I ever be good enough to warrant an invitation? Probably not, but let's keep trying.

Bottoms up.