Local chef, Noel Corston, is opening a pop-up restaurant for four weeks this summer.

Our Dinner in April with Bob Berton, CEO of Berton Vineyards, was a huge success.

Well bless em. No changes in duty on alcohol, should have sounded more like were going to rip you off even more again but not tell you about it. Yesterdays budget saw the Con-Dem government pay no regard at all to the drinks industry by keeping in place the duty escalator that was put in place by the last government.

Interested in wine and food? Why not join us for an eight week introductory course in wine and the art of matching wine with food?  This is a unique opportunity to learn how to taste and analyse wines, understand the basics of viticulture and vinification and taste an impressive selection of wines from around the world.

Your tutor is Brett Stephens of the Fabulous Wine Company and the course is held on midweek evenings over eight consecutive weeks in the private dining room of the Old Custom House in Barnstaple.  For each meeting chef James Duckett prepares and serves four dishes which he and Brett have agreed are ideally accompanied by the wines being tasted on that evening and which enable participants to experience the art and joy of matching wine with food.

Over the eight evenings the course is structured to cover:-

• Grapes and wine production; and how to taste a wine.
• Wines of France
• Wines of Germany & Italy
• Wines of Spain & Portugal
• Wines of Australia & New Zealand
• Wines of South Africa & the USA
• Wines of Chile & Argentina
• Sparkling, Champagne & fortified wines

This fabulous opportunity costs just £300 per person for the full 8 evenings which includes wine, food and tasting guides.  For couples we offer a 15% discount, i.e. joint membership of £510.  If you cannot commit to the full course you may select individual modules at £45.00 each.  Club members , i.e. those signing up for the full course will receive a set of six tasting glasses and will be entitled to a 10% discount*  both at the Old Custom House and with The Fabulous Wine Company for the duration of the course.

Following successful introduction and running of the Course in the autumn of 2009, and further courses in 2010, we are planning still further courses for 2011. 

Next course

The date of our next course has yet to be decided upon and depends upon interest.  Telephone the Old Custom House on 01271 370123 to reserve your place.  Or, if you'd like to discuss the content in more details call  Brett Stephens on 0330 440 182 or 07743 752518 or email him with your questions: mail@fabulous-wine.co.uk

* not redeemable in addition to any other offer

As many of you will know, we have worked closely with James Duckett at The Old Custom House in Barnstaple and we are now adding some new wines to their wine list.

To launch these wines, we are hosting a tasting at the restaurant on Thursday 9^th December from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. James will be providing some of his excellent canapés and Brett Stephens of The Fabulous Wine Company will guide you through the wines.

The cost is just £15 per head and bookings should be made through Ellie at The Old Custom House on 01271 370123.