Great Red Wines from Italy

Stanlake Park Wine Estate is hosting a tasting of great red wines from Italy on Thursday 12 November, starting at 6:00 pm. It's a dedicated evening for Italian reds, with six different wines to work through over the course of the night. The tasting is led by the estate's Director, Natalia, who's also a wine expert, so you'll have someone on hand to talk you through the bottles rather than just pouring and hoping for the best.

If you've never been, Stanlake Park is a family-owned Berkshire wine estate near Twyford, just outside Reading. It's been running since 2008, and they make their own wine in a grade II listed Reformation barn that dates back to the 17th century. The cellar shop and wine bar are in a converted Victorian greenhouse, so it's a bit more than just a tasting room. The land itself goes back even further — it was held by Patrick Earl of Salisbury in 1166, when it was called Hinton Pipard. The manor house was built in 1626, and there's a stained-glass window in a first-floor bedroom with the Stuart royal coat of arms. A clock tower on the estate is inscribed 'Revolution 1688'.

Alongside its own range of English wines, the estate runs tastings, tours and events in a picturesque setting, and this Italian red night is one of them. It's a good shout if you're into reds and fancy a proper look at what Italy's putting out. The tasting is £35.00, it kicks off at 6:00 pm on Thursday 12 November, and it's held at Stanlake Park Wine Estate in Twyford, near Reading.