Cambridgeshire Local Wine School — Local services in Cambridge

I recently had the pleasure of hosting a private wine tasting at Cambridge University with Mark Anstead, and I can honestly say the entire experience was absolutely perfect from start to finish.

Mark’s knowledge of wine is truly exceptional. Even with a group that included wine enthusiasts who live in France and Spain, there wasn’t a single question Mark couldn’t answer. He struck the perfect balance between education and enjoyment, making the evening engaging for everyone, regardless of their prior knowledge.

What made the event even more special was how personal it felt. With Mark’s support, we selected wines from regions that are close to my heart — areas of Spain where I used to live, and parts of France where I have family. Mark went above and beyond by creating beautifully personalised booklets detailing each of the wines, including fascinating insights and tasting notes that enriched the entire experience.

Having this kind of immersive, tailored experience at Cambridge University felt incredibly meaningful. It provided a rare opportunity to blend academic curiosity with cultural exploration — the kind of interdisciplinary engagement the University thrives on.

As if the tasting itself weren’t enough, Mark surprised us by taking us out onto the grounds, where he taught me how to sabrage a bottle of sparkling wine. Thanks to his expert guidance, I managed it on my very first try — to the amazement of all the guests!

Throughout the entire process, Mark ensured that the experience reflected my personal story and preferences. It was clear that he had taken the time to understand what mattered to me, and that made all the difference.

I can’t recommend Mark Anstead highly enough. This was a flawless experience, and we will absolutely be booking him again for another tasting...

Mark Anstead promises “Wine Tasting for everyone! Fun, informal and informative Wine Tastings and Courses in Cambridge” and delivers with ease.

This is my first wine tasting course and I joined to crack the mysterious jargon of “ Lovely brambly nose and a hint of spice”, “Nuances of warm leather”, “Sweet black cherry notes“, “Vanilla oak”. Now I make furniture from oak but a brambly nose???

Mark is a very knowledgeable and friendly host who makes the evenings fun, relaxed and thoroughly informative. The “class” is a happy bunch keen to learn more about the different wine styles of the world, what to drink with what food and how the taste of wines change with different food – what would you serve with your hard cheeses? Nibbles are available so you pair up cheese and pepper steak with about 6 or 7 wines each evening. We do learn about grape varieties, appearance and those mysterious terms “nose” and “palate” but I am not sure I can find the brambly nose yet [it lives in a Rioja I hear].

A great way to spend an evening and I highly recommend Mark's 8 week courses to all who want to learn the basics about wine or extend their knowledge. The course is flexible and you can miss one evening and catch up later. There are also a supporting range of specials such food and wine,...

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Marks knowledgeable and amiable session as he guided us through 13 wines (most of which I would class as fantastic) with accompanying cheese, fruit, and a delicious two course meal. The grounds of Gonville & Caius are particularly beautiful, and provided the perfect setting.

The day itself took the format of na introduction, almost immediately followed by an exploration of champagne and its nuances. Then came five further white wines, roughly from dry to sweet, interspersed with useful knowledge and information about wine production and its impact on flavour.

We then broke for a two course meal, served buffet style but definitely sit down, and accompanied by orange juice and coffee (a nice respite from wine)! After, we had a brief tour of the grounds and a demonstration of sabrage (the ceremonial opening champagne with a sword).

Back to the table, and onto the reds. A similar format, traversing the spectrum of red wine, including an exploration of the impact of grape skin on the tannins. Finally, just before our journey home, we had a delicious dessert wine.

My only suggestion (and this is a minor thing) would have been to explain the benefit of the crackers and water on the table in terms of...