B&H Handbook, Chapter 1: Champagne & Sparkling Wines

The way forward in life isn’t necessarily fuelled by what you know. Scientific evidence reveals that what you appear to know is the prize winner.

And so, where some people settle for Karaoke or a Tuesday night sports quiz, at Bourne & Hollingsworth we know that you’re more interested in testing, socialising and perhaps learning a little on a summery Tuesday evening.

Ever committed to the intellectual progress of ourselves and our guests, we are now holding a series of fortnightly lessons. Informal, interactive and irreverent, these tasting sessions embrace a different spirit, drink and theme each time and aim to fill a chapter in the discerning drinker’s handbook.

As always, this is not critical academia, and exam or even a quiz. An expert, authority or in the worst case scenario a member of the team who happens to know more than most about the subject than most, will conduct a tasting and walk participants through a potted history of the chosen subject. Guests are, of course, encouraged to relax and ease into the evening with a welcome taster cocktail and then pick four other relevant drinks to taste test throughout the rest of the evening.

Each chapter is vaguely relevant to worldwide events, allowing guests to leave feeling much more confident (if a little fuzzy). It may even instil within them the confidence to join in the next dinner party conversation about said subject with a little more fervour. Now, if only all education had been this way!