So wonderful to invite Will Lyons (H 89-94), Sunday Times Wine columnist, back to lead the final evening of La Confrerie this term, an evening of education about the wonderful world of wine.

Will set the scene for the evening by quoting Kermit Lynch from ‘Adventures on the Wine Route' when he said that 'wine is, above all, about pleasure.. if you keep an open mind and take each wine on its own terms, there is a world of magic to discover'.

Will guided attendees gently through the wine selection with a carefully curated selection of facts and anecdotes that educated and amused in equal measure. He provided guidance on how to impress the wine waiter by commenting on the texture of the wine, as well as encouraging us to imagine the pure joy of invention when Dom Perignon who set about discovering champagne and upon taking the first sip of his creation declared 'come quickly, for I am tasting the stars'.

For the pupils in the room, Will provided an insight into his journey into becoming a wine journalist, perhaps this was something that one of the 2025 La Confrerie cohort might consider?

If you would like to re-create the wine tasting experience from the evening, the wines selected were:

Sparkling;

• Pol Roiger Brut Reserve, Eperney

White

• 2024 Bacchus, Redbeard, England
• 2023 Chardonnary, Saw & Smith, Adelaide

Rose

• 2024 Whispering Angel, Cote de Provence

Red

• 2023 The Society's exhibition Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
• 2018 Chateau Cissac, Haut-Medoc

Sweet

• 2019 L'Epiphanie de Sauternes, Bordeaux

And the secret to being able to taste 300 wines a day starting at 8am in the morning? The spittoon!

All the best Will for your wine tasting day at Tesco's and many thanks for sharing your expertise with us.