South Downs Cellars Wine School

The Autumn Tasting Series

This Autumn, we have three exceptional wine-tasting evenings exploring aspects of viticulture, winemaking, and wine tasting for all to enjoy.  Come and enjoy 6 wines curated from our shelves, showcasing the premise of each session’s theme.  The sessions are a great way to learn more about the fascinating world of wine and aim to enhance your enjoyment of wine, courtesy of our friendly expert team at South Downs Cellars.

Each evening can be attended as a fun, one-off session but we’ve also designed this series to form a short course.  Aimed at wine-lovers keen to understand more about why wines taste a certain way and what influences their style and flavour. 

Tickets cost £25 per person for each individual session but if you wish to book all three sessions, a 20% discount for the SDC Autumn Tasting Series is applicable, totalling £60 for the three sessions.

Both our shops in Hurstpierpoint and Lindfield will run the full series, the details and dates for which are indicated below.

Autumn Session 1: To Blend or Not to Blend..? 

Explore the artistry of winemaking. This tasting contrasts single-varietal expressions with multi-grape blends.  The aim of this session showcases how combining varieties alters structure, aromatics, and complexity.  The six wines we’ll be tasting will illustrate some of the considerations producers must decide upon.  To blend or not to blend?  That is the question we’ll attempt to answer.

• Ticket: £25 /person (or equivalent £20 if booking entire Autumn series)

Lindfield: Thursday 1st October, 19.30-21.30

Hurstpierpoint: Friday 9th October, 19.30-21.30

Autumn Session 2: Grapes of Obscurity

Stand aside Sauvignon Blanc, move over Malbec!  Let the underdogs take centre stage.  This session champions under-appreciated, rare grape varieties sourced globally by South Downs Cellars, revealing incredible hidden flavour profiles that deserve a spot in your glass.  Could this evening spark the next big thing and spark a wine revolution?  Perhaps not, but we do hope you’ll enjoy the six wines on show this evening.  Come and discover something new.

• Ticket: £25 /person (or equivalent £20 if booking entire Autumn series)

Lindfield shop - 19:30, Thursday 8th October (finishes 21:30)

Hurstpierpoint shop - 19:30, Friday 16th October (finishes 21:30)

Autumn 3. River Deep, Mountain High

Examine how elevation shapes character.  The tasting line-up will demonstrate one of the aspects of terroir - the French concept for a sense of place and people.  Taste your way up the mountainside to discover how intense sunlight, cooler alpine air, and dramatic diurnal temperature shifts influence acidity, body, and aroma.

• Ticket: £25 /person (or equivalent £20 if booking entire Autumn series)

Lindfield shop - 19:30, Thursday 15th October (finishes 21:30)

Hurstpierpoint shop - 19:30, Friday 30th October (finishes 21:30)

If you would like to attend all three sessions, then please book using the links below to receive 20% off