Written by Julia Lambeth PHOTOGRAPHS BY GETTY IMAGES & SOUTH LONDON WINE SCHOOL

Based in Greenwich, South London Wine School is an independent wine tasting company with a passion for the finest vino varieties. Boasting an excellent selection of samples – which are available to local wine enthusiasts – here at Word of Mouth, we’re proud to feature this specialist wine school in our spring issue.
Originally founded by wine expert Julia Lambeth in 2014, Julia spent a number of years in wine retail before achieving a scholarship on her WSET Diploma qualification. Committed to developing a role in wine education where she could host regular events and discuss wine with like-minded people, South London Wine School was born.

 

 

Where does your passion for wine come from?

I’m a massive wine geek and love to help people understand more about their favourite (and least favourite) wines. My classes and courses teach people how to navigate wine lists and introduce them to new flavours. I’ve also been lucky enough to travel to many wine regions and meet talented winemakers, which has all added to my sharable knowledge. Now tastings are run by myself and other equally passionate wine professionals who I’ve met along the way. It’s still a small company with 2 of us doing most of the work, but we hope to expand in the near future.

Can you describe the atmosphere at your tasting sessions?

The tasting sessions are all designed to be informative yet fun and friendly at the same time. We’ve got a few wine jokes up our sleeve to throw in every now and then – we like to see everyone laugh! We want people to experience wine tasting in a casual environment, to relax and enjoy themselves, and take away some useful information as a result. For too long wine tasting has been a mysterious art, and this is something we want to change.

Can beginners attend your classes and courses?

Most of the people who attend our classes are ‘beginners’. Some have never been to a wine tasting session before, while others have been to a few but are keen to learn more. After a few glasses, normally everyone is happy to share their opinions on taste, aroma and preference.

We understand that it can be easy to stick with familiar wines, and with good reason. Nobody wants to risk buying a wine they don’t like! So a tasting environment is the perfect way to try new flavours, with teachers who can offer guidance and expertise. What can people take away from their time at South London Wine School? Each person takes away something different: it could be a new favourite wine, a better understanding of a particular region, or a new discovery of their excellent palate for tasting! Some people will come for a single evening to learn more about a style they’re most interested in, some will stay on for a 4 or 8 week course, or even sign up to one of the WSET certified courses to get a qualification in wine! You can learn as much or as little as you want with us.

What’s next for South London Wine School?

We’re planning exciting tasting sessions all the time. Whether the focus is on emerging regions like China or Croatia, great events like the upcoming Riesling tasting, or my recent tasting trip in sunny Australia, the world of wine never stops changing – and neither will we. We’re also looking to expand to new venues around South London, so watch this space!