Jancis Robinson has recorded and launched a wine education course on the new BBC Maestro platform. As one of the world’s most esteemed wine experts, Robinson’s course offers lessons focused on debunking common wine myths, breaking down tasting techniques, and deciphering both labels and the language of wine. While choosing a bottle can, at least initially, feel like a daunting experience, Robinson’s expert advice will bolster viewers with the knowledge needed to select with confidence.
Rather than strict, unyielding instruction, An Understanding of Wine showcases Robinson’s much-lauded approach of demystifying the rules and affectations around wine, allowing viewers to discover their own palate preferences and, in turn, enhancing their future wine selection.
The course provides aficionados with a panoramic view of the world of wine, delving into different vintages, wine pricing, the natural wine movement, sustainability in winemaking, the impact of climate change, and expert advice on investing in wine. Robinson also addresses key factors shaping the modern wine market, including the backlash against the use of glass for inexpensive wines and how the plant-based movement has created a need to re-examine classic pairing approaches. Robinson peppers the course with fascinating prompts and learnings from across her four decades of wine writing, empowering viewers to heighten their tasting experience when next presented with a blue-chip or unicorn wine.
“By the end of this course, I hope I will have helped you find the wine that you like (because there are no rights and wrongs in wine appreciation) and get the most from every single sip”, says Robinson. “To me, wine is extraordinary because it is just the fermented juice of a single fruit – yet it appears in so many different colours, styles and flavours. There aren’t many products that tell you exactly when it was made, which little spot on the globe it came from and the name of the producer. Good wine doesn’t have to be expensive – while the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive wine has continued to widen, the quality has narrowed considerably. We should take advantage of the large array of mid-level wines produced today.”
An Understanding of Wine is available on www.bbcmaestro.com
The course costs £80 for lifetime access to Robinson’s 25 lessons and comprehensive downloadable notes