Prefer to hit the bottle over the books?

Yep, us too. But now there’s a way to combine a little learning with some very good wine and it’s all happening at University College Cork.

Adult Continuing Education (ACE) at UCC has announced a diverse and enriching line-up of programmes for Autumn/Winter 2023, one of which caught our attention immediately: Wine Studies: An Introduction to the Wonderful World of Wines kicks off on campus on September 27th, offering students an eight-week practical introduction to the world of wine.

From swirling and sipping to understanding terroirs and varietals, you’ll navigate the vineyards of knowledge under expert guidance of lecturer Tom McKernan each week from 7pm to 9pm.

“The course will focus on the ‘old world’ wine regions – principally France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal and Austria,” they told us.

“We will taste six wines each evening from the classic wine regions of Europe. The course is designed specifically for people who enjoy wine and would like to learn more about it. You do not need any previous experience.”

So how will it work?

Well; each class will be delivered over a two-hour period, with a tutored tasting included.

“During the class and tasting we will explore in detail the wines, the terroir, and areas they are from. It will be a fun, social, and interactive experience,” they added.

Whether you’re pursuing a passion or simply looking to impress your mates at your next dinner party, you can book yourself in for a semester of sipping, swirling, and savouring for €295 here.