The learning hub

From ground to glass

Twelve short guides to everything that ends up in your glass, from chalk and clay to dosage, magnums and the right glass. Written for people who love bubbles, not for exams.

01Soil, slope and weather

Ground and growing

Chalk, clay and flint, plus why the weather in a single year changes acidity, flavour and price.

02Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Meunier

Grapes and blends

The three classic grapes, what each brings, and what Blanc de Blancs, Blanc de Noirs and blend percentages mean.

03From grape to bubble

How sparkling wine is made

Pressing, two fermentations, time on lees, riddling and disgorging, and who actually makes the wine.

04Lees, dosage and bottle age

Time, sweetness and ageing

Why time on lees adds toast and brioche, what dosage does, and when to drink or keep a bottle.

05Brut, Extra Brut, vintage and more

Read the label

Sweetness terms, vintage, Blanc de Blancs, producer codes and what 'English' really guarantees.

06Classifications

Grand Cru, Premier Cru and the English equivalent

What Champagne's village ranking means, why England has no Grand Cru, and what to look for instead.

07On the nose, on the tongue

Smell and taste

A simple four-step way to taste, and the flavours you can expect from each style.

08From quarter to Midas

Bottle sizes

75cl, magnums, Jeroboams and beyond, and why bigger bottles age more slowly.

09Ideal conditions

Storing and serving

Temperature, darkness, humidity and what light and heat do to your bottle, plus how to serve it.

10Flute, tulip or wine glass?

Glassware

Why the shape of the glass changes what you smell and taste, and why Nick uses Riedel Performance.

11English sparkling and Champagne

Across the Channel

The shared chalk, the shared grapes, what climate change is doing, and Taittinger's Domaine Evremond in Kent.

12Why one bottle costs £15 and another £150

What shapes the price

Land, yield, time, method and marketing, and where the genuine value is.