Richard is the original YWS wanderlust... having spent a year travelling around Australasia, South America and South Africa he was bitten by the wine bug. He nurtured his interest on return to the UK by dabbling in wine clubs like Laithwaites, until he decided the time was right to jump ship from his button-pushing telecoms job, and commit to wine full time. This led him to complete his WSET Level 3 under Laura's tutorship. Up next was another break to explore the wine regions of Europe; heading off to Tuscany via Chablis, Alsace and Austria. On his return Richard completed his WSET L4 Diploma and started to work with the International Wine Challenge where he acts as a logistics guru and occasional erstwhile judge. These days he can be mostly be found teaching at YWS, importing wine through his own business VinoPronto, and peddling wares to the wine-curious customers of Once Upon A Vine over in Horsforth.
What's your favourite midweek wine? "GSM blends as they are really easy-going, and versatile when it comes to food matching. Gabriel Meffre produce a range called La Chasse available at Asda and the Vacqueyras is pretty good for around a tenner. French and Australian GSM blends feature heavily in my cellar."
Most memorable wine drinking moment? "Sipping Hugel Vendage Tardive Pinot Gris from plastic beakers on the side of a canal in Venice with my fiancée Sarah and Big Dave."
What's your favourite 'non-wine' drink? "Beer? no, whisk(e)y! or rum? maybe coffee? no wait… Yorkshire tea, medium strong with milk, life doesn’t get any better!
If you were a grape variety what would you be? "Syrah; late to rise, thick skinned, capable of great poise and class, but equally at home at a BBQ in shorts. Definitely prefers warmer climates."
What's your favourite course or tasting to teach at the Wine School? "I prefer the longer courses such as the 8-week world of wine, or the 7-week WSET level 3. You get to know the students and see them develop a greater understanding of wine, but also get to introduce unusual wines which become talking points."
