The Fairmont Dubai kicked off its wine appreciation series this month at in-house wine bar Cin Cin.
Commenting on the hotel’s decision to launch the monthly classes, Fairmont Dubai director of communications Alka Patel said: “When dining out in the city, patrons can readily rely on a sommelier’s detailed knowledge on how food and wine work in harmony - but when left without the guidance of a wine steward, some may find it a challenge to strategically pair the two.
“Moreover, given the current economic situation, most residents are exploring home entertainment options,” she continued.
“The wine appreciation series at Cin Cin will offer the tools for hosts to impress their guests at the next dinner party and to match the perfect vintage with select cuisine.”
The ten-class series is hosted by Matthew Jones, a wine sales executive and educator from alcohol distributor African & Eastern Ltd (A&E), who believes consumers can gain a great deal by learning about wine.
“Wine tasting events feed people’s interest in wine; it encourages people to branch out and try different things, as well demystifying the whole subject, which makes people feel more comfortable around the product,” he asserted.
Jones explained that he also conducted training sessions for bar staff at outlets selling A&E wines.
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“In 90% of my accounts, I offer staff training to all levels including floor staff, waiters, barmen and wine stewards,” he said.
“This is usually based around their wines by the glass, but it is mainly about building the staff’s confidence, so they are able to speak about the wine and make recommendations to guests.”
Jones added that the feedback from participants in the first session had been “very positive”.
“We have lots of people who have already booked themselves onto all the evenings throughout the course, which is really promising,” he commented.
The timetable for the course is as follows:
[An introduction to the world of wines - Wednesday 4 March]
Wines from the Bordeaux region - Wednesday 1 April
Wines from the Burgundy region - Wednesday 6 May
Wines from Alsace - Wednesday 3 June
Champagne - Wednesday 1 July
Northern Italian wines - Wednesday 5 August
South Australian wines - Wednesday 2 September
North American wines - Wednesday 7 October
South American wines - Wednesday 4 November
Port wines and dessert wines - Wednesday 2 December
For more information, visit: www.fairmont.com/dubai
Vine value: Matthew Jones’ best buy tip
“In our retail stores I would recommend the Morgenhof Chenin Blanc: it tastes like dried apricots and honey blossom with peaches and limes mixed in too. It’s slightly oaked, so it has a lovely richness without being over the top. And it costs just AED 55 excluding tax - enjoy!”
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