Global Excellence Awards 2020

Page 40 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Global Excellence Awards Based in Winchester and Southampton, the Hampshire Wine School is an award-winning independent wine education company that runs events and workshops for people who enjoy wine and spirits, and want to learn more. From wine, Champagne, beer, port, gin, rum and whisky tastings, to food and wine pairing workshops, cocktail-making classes and eight-week long wine courses, Hampshire Wine School has something for every budding wine lover. The school was established in 2012 by published Champagne and Wine Educator, Cecile Bergart, who was born in the Champagne region of France and has spent her life surrounded by the world of fine wines. A regular contributor to publications, TV and radio shows, Cecile has spent her career as an educator for numerous institutions, including Claridge’s, The Dorchester, and Marks & Spencer’s. Her additional accolades go hand-in-hand with the myriad of international awards her school has also acquired since its inception, including the eight Certificates of Excellence awarded by TripAdvisor since 2015, earning the company a place in the TripAdvisor ‘Hall of Fame’. The multitude of awards and recognition proudly held by Cecile and the school are testament to the superior educative and enjoyable approach that she takes to the world of fine wine. Hampshire Wine School is an independent wine education company committed to giving impartial expert recommendations and advice on wines and spirits to hospitality staff, wine connoisseurs and novices alike. Providing workshops run by beverage aficionado, Cecile Bergart of the Champagne region of France, Hampshire Wine School seeks to arm its visitors with the knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm to browse and enjoy a world of wines and spirits, from favourite tipples of choice to lesser known libations. HampshireWine School Best Educational Wine School - South East England Fundamentally, the Hampshire Wine School was created to make its clients better shoppers by giving them the knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm to buy wines and spirits, whether they are a member of the general public or a staff member of the hospitality industry. The school hosts corporate events and training days, private parties, hen and stag-dos, team-building experiences and even four-day wine tours of the Southern Rhone, providing a relaxed and unforgettable environment in which to learn more about wine. Cecile leads her guests on a journey of exploration through evenings of tastings that start at just £25 to whole weeks of tasting and pairing gourmet foods and fine wines. Whether clients choose to sample their favoured tipples of choice or to discover a drink that they have never tasted before, they are sure to leave the experience with a new understanding and appreciation for the many realms of wine and drinks that can be found all around the world. Recently, Cecile has added a core element to her teachings about the wine industry, engaging her clients in discussions about sustainable agriculture, as well as natural, biodynamic, and organic wines that are becoming increasingly popular as consumers become more aware of eco-friendly purchasing habits. The school itself recycles every cardboard box and wine and spirit bottle it uses, which amounts to more than 2,000 bottles a year avoiding landfill sites. The school uses exclusively green products to wash their glasses and emails tasting notes to clients so as to avoid paper wastage. At the same time, Cecile leads informative sessions on all aspects of sustainability in sourcing and producing wine, enlightening them as to where their wines come from, how the industry is reacting to climate change, how sulphites are affecting us, and much, much more besides. Cecile has therefore struck the perfect balance between education and entertainment in her courses, allowing guests to gain profound insights into fine wines and to enjoy memories that will last a lifetime. During the ongoing pandemic, Cecile has sought to continue providing these experiences for her loyal clientele, making the shift like so many others to digital mediums to continue sharing the wonderful world of wines. Guests are able to join Cecile on a live Zoom wine or beverage tasting event, allowing them to continue sampling delicious drinks from the comfort of their own home. Tickets are available to be bought for whole households on the Hampshire Wine School website. Therefore, whether a lifetime connoisseur of fine wines or a newbie looking to develop a vague interest, Cecile is able to provide virtual or in-venue tastings and experiences for all. Regardless of whether a guest has come to a whisky tasting with a stag-do, or has participated in an eight-week-long intensive course on the wine industry, every guest is able to come away having learnt something new and with a genuine appreciation for the plethora of wines and spirits we are able to enjoy today. Company: Hampshire Wine School Contact: Ms Cecile Bergart Website: www.hampshirewineschool.com