Wine enthusiast raises a glass to the launch of Thames Valley Wine School

A passionate wine expert is pouring his knowledge into an exciting new venture for fans of the tipple.

Alex Stevenson is the owner and head tutor of the newly relaunched Thames Valley Wine School, the biggest independent wine education company in the area, offering a dedicated calendar of in-person wine tastings and courses to those keen to learn more about wine.

Thames Valley Wine School is part of the www.localwineschool.com family – a UK-wide network of 27 independent wine school franchisees, providing a wide range of wine events for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

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He said: “I have always been impressed with the Local Wine School as they were a competitor of mine and so I approached them with regards to setting up a school in the area. I’m delighted to be launching my first class in September and building the school, not only to offer wine classes and education but to also put on beer and spirit training as well.

“With Thames Valley Wine School I will be offering a fun, friendly, informal environment to help locals better understand their wine. No previous tasting experience is necessary, and my courses will allow people to discover some fantastic wines and improve their confidence when buying it in shops and restaurants. We’ll be covering a brilliant variety of topics, from food and wine matching experiences to New World discoveries, and I’m really looking forward to getting started.”

Alex has spent the last 20 years working in the hospitality and drinks sector in roles such as buyer and beverage manager, and he also founded TheDrinkSchool in London. He has a Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma and is also a WSET Certified Educator.

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After living in London for most of his career, he decided to relocate to Reading and enjoy a more rural setting as he loves the outdoors and contacted Local Wine School to discuss opportunities to join the franchisee network.

Alex will hold a range of events from introductory evening sessions to eight-week courses aimed at both beginners and more experienced wine drinkers then start to bring in more speciality courses, WSET Classes He will also stage food pairing events and themed and seasonal events.

The first event, an Introduction to Wine Tasting, will take place at The Corn Stores in Reading on Tuesday 6 September. The event will include the tasting of three whites and three reds and customers will be able to learn about some of the key grape varieties, the main wine-making techniques and which countries are perfectly suited to wine production.

They’ll also discover how to pair wine with food, why some wines are so much more expensive than others, and what some common labelling terms mean. Tickets cost £30 per person.

Alex is also planning to expand out to Maidenhead, Windsor and Slough in subsequent months and all events can be seen on the website www.localwineschool.com/thames-valley/events/

Chris Powell, owner of the Local Wine School, said: “We are delighted to welcome Alex as the new franchisee for Thames Valley. His experience and knowledge make him an ideal candidate to run wine classes and courses and we’re looking forward to watching the business grow.”

For further information about upcoming dates and prices for Thames Valley Wine School, visit www.localwineschool.com/thames-valley.