In 2017, I started a wine tasting society in Husbands Bosworth in South Leicestershire, where the only rule was that the bottles had to cost a minimum of £10. Over 35 evenings later, we’re still enjoying discovering more about wines that we’re familiar with, and regions that are new.
To expand my knowledge I have taken Levels 1-3 Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) exams, and have supplemented that with reading as varied as Hugh Johnson On Wine, Red and White by Oz Clarke and Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker.
My journey into wine began in my early 20s when I ordered a case of “Black Reds” from Laithwaite’s (Sunday Times) Wine Club. Full-bodied Riojas, powerful Australian Shiraz and full-throttle Italian Primitivo; these wines were so commanding that they shook my up-til-then very ordinary wine experience and elevated it to something that demanded more of my attention.
An early visit to St. Emilion further fuelled this interest and recent visits to Rioja (Haro, Logrono, Laguardia and Bodegas such as Muga, Lopez de Heredia and Baigorro) and Bordeaux (Chateau Pichon Baron and the fabulous Cite du Vin museum) have only served to highlight the passion I have for wine.
In the middle of the 2nd lockdown in 2020, a seed of an idea became reality and Taylor-Made Wine Tasting was born.
Why not join me in discovering more about this wonderful world of wine?
Richard Taylor
January 2021
