EXAM!

So I did my first Exam since university yesterday, which was a bit odd. It was for the wine course I've been doing. It's been great fun, I've learnt loads and think I did ok on the exam. Didn't do amazingly (probably would have needed to work a bit harder!) and I think some of the exam questions were a bit against the spirit of what we'd learnt. 3 questions on Fino Sherry, really? Of course if I'd got them all right I'd have thought that was fine.

Don't get the results for ages, but if I pass (if I don't you won't hear about it that's for sure) I'll have an NVQ level 2 in wine. Oooooh. That's the vocational equivalent of a GCSE! I definitely didn't get a distinction (boo) but I hopefully got a merit.

What have I learnt? Loads about what wine is made where, especially in France. That trip to the French supermarket wine aisle might be a bit less daunting now. It also turns out I do actually like quite a lot of white wines. Sweet wines, which I definitely thought I would hate, can be absolutely amazing. I had previously enjoyed Tokaji in Hungary but turns out there are loads of sweet wines I like, and not just with desserts. Sweet wine and cheese works well. Like the classic Port and Stilton. Sweet German Auslese Riesling with cream cheese, was really good or even PX Sherry with Roquefort!

For Christmas dinner I can recommend an Australian fortified Muscat. eg. this Rutherglen from Oddbins, or this De Bortolli from Majestic. We've got the De Bortolli.