Out of the Ordinary: Spain & Portugal

Hertfordshire Wine School is hosting Out of the Ordinary: Spain & Portugal at The White Rooms on Wednesday 18 November, starting at 7:00pm. It's a guided tasting of six wines from Spain and Portugal, and the whole point is that they aren't the ones you'll usually find on a supermarket shelf. Instead of the big-name classics, the line-up focuses on rare grape varieties, emerging regions and more innovative ways of making wine.

Over the course of the evening, the guide will walk you through how environmental factors, the way the grapes are grown and the choices made in the cellar all shape the style and quality of what's in the glass. It's designed for all levels, so you don't need any prior wine knowledge to get something out of it. A few nibbles are served alongside the wines, though they're meant as a light accompaniment rather than a full meal, so you might want to eat something beforehand.

The White Rooms is in Hart House, 6 London Road, St Albans, AL1 1NG. It's on the first floor and accessed by stairs, with no lift, so keep that in mind if you're planning your evening. The venue sits right in the heart of town, less than a 15-minute walk from St Albans City station, and there's pay-and-display parking at the London Road NCP nearby if you're driving in.

The session is run by Hertfordshire Wine School, an independent school that puts on guided tastings, food and wine evenings and masterclasses across the county, with a regular strand of events here in St Albans. It's part of the Local Wine School Network. Tickets are £40, and everyone attending must be at least 18.