Michael Schuster | Tasting School

Tasting School

“Over the years I have had more positive feedback about Michael Schuster’s wine courses than any others. He seems to be the perfect teacher.” Joanna Simon, The Sunday Times

  • Beginners Course
  • The Fine Wine Course
  • Barolo and Barbaresco, with tasty bites
  • 1998 Claret – an exploration of Bordeaux


    • PROGRAMME: 2010

    *** WINE COURSES ***

    For full details see www.michaelschusterwine.com

    "Over the years I have had more positive feedback about Michael Schuster's wine courses than any others. He seems to be the perfect teacher." Joanna Simon, The Sunday Times

    SIX EVENING BEGINNERS COURSE ..... £279
    Tuesdays: June: 8, 15, 22, 29; July: 6, 13; 2010. Time: 6.30 – 8.30 / 9.00pm
    THE BEGINNERS COURSE is an introduction to basic tasting technique, covering the world’s major grape varieties and their varying styles from the principal wine producing countries. It illustrates what to expect from different types of wine, which qualities to look for, how to describe them, & combining wine with food. It aims, in particular, to help you describe and appreciate different styles of wine, to perceive and articulate differences in quality, and to make up your own mind what you like. 40 wines are tasted, with prices ranging £5 to £30; the average being £7-10 a bottle.


    SIX EVENING FINE WINE COURSE ..... £399
    Mondays: Sept: 13, 20, 27; Oct: 4, 11, 18; 2010. Time: 6.30 – 8.30 / 9.00pm
    THE FINE WINE COURSE covers more advanced tasting technique, quality assessment and notemaking, based on the classic wines and wine regions of France. It differs from the Beginners Course in that its subject matter is narrower and can be explored at much greater depth; and because its best wines are much more expensive. The average price-range across the course is £10 to £80+ a bottle. A fact sheet & map are provided for each region, & 8-10 wines are tasted on each occasion, illustrating a range of styles, a quality cross section, and France's terroir concept.
    The course is unusual in that, along with young examples, we show fully mature wines. These wines are increasingly rare and sought after in today's market place. Seeing what they have to offer, how they develop with bottle age, and why one bothers to keep them, are fundamental to the appreciation and enjoyment of fine wine.

    Some of the fine, mature bottles that have figured in the Fine Wine Course recently:

    Evening 1: 90 Dom Perignon, 96 Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque; 90 Riesling Fréd. Emile (Trimbach).
    Evening 2: 02 Pouilly Fumé Silex (Dageneau); 83 Dom. de Chevalier Blanc; 88 and 64 Climens.
    Evening 3: 98 La Tour Figeac; 90 Clos du Marquis, 90 Pape Clément, 88 Pichon Baron.
    Evening 4: 89 Ch-neuf du Pape Beaucastel; 90 Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert (Jaboulet),
    1990 Cornas (Clape), 1991 Côte Rôtie Blonde (Rostaing), 1997 Hermitage (Chave).
    Evening 5: 86 Chablis Preuses (Dauvissat), 06 Puligny-Perrières (Sauzet), 1993 Meursault Perrières (Roulot), 1995 Bâtard-Montrachet (Jean-Noël Gagnard).
    Evening 6: 1999 Ruchottes -Chambertin (Rousseau), 1992 Charmes-Chambertin (Dom. Bachelet).


    *** INDIVIDUAL TASTINGS 2010 ***

    "Schuster is a genuinely thoughtful taster and observer of the wine scene. As a teacher he is fluent and lucid, and his choice of wines is exemplary." Andrew Jefford, The Evening Standard

    Barolo and Barbaresco, with tasty bites. Wed. 10th February, 6.30pm
    Barolo and Barbaresco going back 20 years, from 2004 to 1989, via 1999, 1996, 1995, 1990. Half a dozen of the region’s top producers here, in varying styles, from fine vintages, plus a top Chianti Classico Riserva by way of a comparison, to see if it is easy to distinguish Nebbiolo from Sangiovese – blind! Numerous rare delights.

    2004 Barolo - Pio Cesare
    1999 Barolo La Serra - Voerzio
    1999 Barbaresco Sto. Stefano - Giacosa
    1999 Barbaresco - Gaja
    1996 Barolo Bric del Fiasc - Paolo Scavino
    1995 Barolo Cannubi - Paolo Scavino
    1990 Barolo Vigna Cicala - Aldo Conterno
    1989 Barbaresco - Gaja
    1989 Barolo Ornato - Pio Cesare
    +1999 Chianti Classico Riserva Felsina or Fontodi, or similar
    10 wines, with nibbles... £95.00



    1998 Claret – an exploration of Bordeaux. Wed. 10th March, 6.30pm
    We will look at differences in styles and quality of claret by tasting wines from round the region, benchmarks from right and left banks, from each major commune; and by tasting across the hierarchy, from Cru Bourgeois to First Growth level. 1998 was an outstanding vintage on the right bank, and a fine, classic and increasingly highly regarded one on the left bank. Lafite and Carruades have become so absurdly expensive recently that the opportunity to taste them is increasingly rare. Lafite was my favourite First Growth en primeur in 1999.

    Right Bank:
    La Croix-Canon - Fronsac
    La Tour-Figeac - St Emilion
    La Grave à Pomerol - Pomerol

    Left Bank
    Haut-Bailly - Graves Pessac-Léognan
    Rauzan-Ségla - Margaux
    Léoville-Barton - St Julien
    Pichon-Baron - Pauillac
    Calon-Ségur - St Estèphe
    Carruades de Lafite - Pauillac
    Lafite - Pauillac
    10 wines, cheeses,... £95.00