A Modern Introduction to Wine at Upstairs at Landrace

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Forge the foundations of your wine education with A Modern Introduction to Wine, Wild Wine School's signature consumer course for the curious wine enthusiast. Across eight weeks, we'll breathe life into wine's brilliant basics, while shining a special light on sustainable viticulture, and minimal intervention winemaking.

We are looking forward to brining A Modern Introduction to Wine to Upstairs at Landrace, in Bath this autumn; A Modern Introduction to Wine evolves with the seasons, bending with the elements to deliver varied content, wine types and special guests to reflect both the time of year, the host venue and the ever-changing world of wine.

The Low Down…

Delivered on Sunday evenings through the autumn (6pm-8pm ish) over eight weeks
Join all eight sessions for the full course or drop in for the sessions that pique your interest
Expert tuition from wine experts and WSET certified Wine Educators, Debbie Warner and Travis Riley
Taste a minimum of four wines each week
Includes a glass and nibbles on arrival
By the end of the course you'll feel confident tasting, describing and choosing wines!
Plenty of opportunities to geek out with further reading and drinking recommendations

Chardonnay and Friends

Busting myths, and arming you with the skills to be a discerning Chardonnay drinker, we'll discover just how chameleon-like this versatile grape can be. You'll also be introduced to some of the other main grape varieties important in winemaking - Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as well as pointing you in the direction of information on more weird and wonderful grapes.

Sparkling Wines with guest Hugo Stewart of Domaine Hugo

Move aside Prosecco, step back Grand Marcs of Champagne, in Sparkling Wine Week we'll talk Pet Nat, Corpinnat, Grower Champagnes, plus other fizzes that will get you popping corks every day of the week.

Organic, Biodynamic, and Regenerative Viticulture

Always wanted to know what happens in the vineyards of organic wineries? And what does a winemaker have to do to become certifiably organic? From lunar cycles to the special alchemy of plants and manure, discover how biodynamic, regenerative, and organic farmers navigate the ever changing world of sustainable viticulture.

What is Natural Wine?

The best winemakers will tell you that wine is made in the vineyard rather than the winery. They believe it's the job of the winemaker to guide grapes gently through to a wine, allowing them to express a sense of place. But what choices do winemakers have to make and how do these choices affect the finished wine? We explore these questions and more in Natural Wine Week.

Pairing Food with Wine

Debunk the ‘only drink white wine with fish’ rule, and other myths in our practical food pairing lesson where we’ll taste through snacks from the Landrace Upstairs kitchen with a range of wines. Prepping you with a set of pairing guidelines, we'll help you understand how food and wines interact, guiding you in the direction of combinations perfect for your personal taste.

Region in Focus - Loire Valley (changes seasonally)

Applying the knowledge you've gleaned so far, we delve into the Loire and arm you with the skills to uncover new wine regions yourself. This week, the vineyards of the Loire Valley. The people, the stories and the specifics of the terroir, you'll soon be raring to explore the Loire and other wine regions in-person, and probably have your ticket booked for the Roscoff ferry and a road trip planned!

UK Wines with Matt Gregory

We unveil the brave new world of English and Welsh winemaking, introducing you to some pioneering producers, as well as considering how climate change might affect what happens to the future of wine.

A Taste of the future

In our final session we’ll be exploring how climate change is transforming the taste of wine, reshaping traditional regions, and creating opportunities for new ones. Then we’ll imagine how these changes might influence what we might be drinking in the future.

Who is this course for?

A Modern Introduction to Wine has been designed for people who love to learn, those who are curious to know the stories behind the wines they drink and fascinated by the processes involved in how wine is made. No previous wine knowledge or certifications are required, but the stronger your thirst for learning, the more you'll gain from the course. There's also plenty of content for those with an intermediate level of wine knowledge to get their teeth stuck in to, and more advanced learners should find the course enjoyable, if not a challenge.

Autumn 2026

Eight consecutive Sundays,

27th September - Chardonnay and Friends

4th October- Sparkling Wine

11th October- Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture

18th October- What is Natural Wine?

25th October- Pairing Food and Wine

1st November- Region in Focus- The Loire Valley

8th November- UK Wines

15th November- A Taste of the Future

Accessibility - Due to the layout of LAndrade’s old building Upstairs at Landrace is unable to accommodate wheelchairs. Please email courses@wildwineschool.co.uk to discuss accessibility needs.

What our Students Say:

"The Modern Introduction to Wine is a thoroughly enjoyable, thought-provoking and fun wine course. Each session covered a new aspect of the winemaking process, including a focus on natural and biodynamic wines, which most wine courses don't cover in-depth. The quality of the wines and course material was second to none, and the teaching was fantastic. Debbie makes learning about wines refreshing, fun and accessible. There was no stuffiness or snobbery; it was a group of like-minded people getting together to enjoy wines each week. I will miss our sessions and look forward to experiencing more of what Wild Wine School offers in the future. I will also be purchasing a Modern Introduction to Wine as a gift for my father; it will be extremely well received. Thanks, Debbie, for opening up my eyes to a whole new world of wine." Anna Ireland

"I completed WSET L2 a few years ago and was perhaps initially a little wary that the course might just recap WSET L2 content, but it totally exceeded expectations and owing to the quality and diversity of both the content & delivery, etc, it introduced me to loads of sources to take ownership for my own learning. " Joel Friskney-Adams

"Debbie has produced a dynamic and relative course for the modern wine drinker. The course design focusses on a select group of topics which felt like an important foundation of wine knowledge. I feel as though any confusion I had on these topics has been clarified and I feel more confident conversing in the bottle shop about what I do and don't want. I recommend this course for anyone who would like to get more enjoyment out of their wine life."*

"I've learnt so much over the course of this training, from the science of the soil to the complexities of tasting wine with food. I really knew nothing before but now I feel inspired to be more engaged in the different varieties and already feel much more confident in approaching a wine menu. Thank you Debbie & Wild Wine School for creating such an exciting, accessible and inspiring course!"*

"I have been drinking wine for 50y. My pattern of consumption has varied over the years, largely reflecting places I've visited (I did once have a bottle of Afghan wine!) and opportunities for buying it. I confess that I had become lazy, buying mainly from supermarkets. Debbie's course has given me opportunity to development a better language in thinking and talking about wine, and has inspired me to take a more responsible and far more interesting approach to buying wine. I am now focusing on small producers in the less well known wine producing regions of Spain, and loving it!"*

"This course has been one of the most interesting and fulfilling things I have ever been part of. Firstly, it has given me the confidence to choose better wine. I find buying wine far more enjoyable as I am aware of which grape varieties and which regions I might most enjoy. I could confidently recommend a style of wine to a friend if they told me what kind of flavours they enjoy. My knowledge has vastly grown since the start of the course and I can happily talk about specific areas of wine and wine culture. It has prompted an interest in wine that I would never have realised. I have purchased books and I am researching vineyards to work on next summer. Being part of such a welcoming and interesting community over the last eight weeks has been extremely fulfilling. I have met some wonderful people on the zoom sessions who are more than happy to help me further my research and knowledge of wine. Debbie has been such a fantastic, accommodating host; I could not recommend this course more."*

*These testimonials are from students who enrolled in online pilot version of this course and gave anonymous feedback.

Course Dates