Real Life: Grape expectations
"Back in my twenties, I put red wine in the fridge," says Simon Ward. "I didn't know any different.
"And when I worked at Patshull Park, I felt unable to discuss wine with some of the guests who came in with a bit of money to spend on nice bottles. I didn't know a great deal and, to be honest, I was intimidated.
"There's an element of elitism around wine, people are scared of it: the names are strange, there's all the different varieties, there's this sense of you either 'get it' or you don't.
"I get so many people coming up to me saying 'I just automatically go for the second cheapest bottle on the wine list or the house red or white because I don't know any different'."
Wine is a baffling business.
All this talk of "bodies, aromas and noses" has got most of us tied up in knots - and that's before we get to "bouquets of raspberries" and "hints of cinnamon".
Jilly Goolden, you have a lot to answer for.
Are screwtops evil? Can we spend less than a fiver? Will the waiter laugh if I order this?
With all these questions and a thousand more, it's little wonder most of us stick to what we know: whether that's a bottle of Chardonnay on a girls' night out or a £5.99 bottle of red in front of three hours of Netflix.
But 41-year-old Simon wants to put an end to this nonsense once and for all. His Wombourne-based business, The Glory of Wine wants everyone to discover and enjoy the beauty within the bottles, whether they've got £5 to spend or £500.
"I think the stigma is starting to go, thanks to the rise of the foodie generation and wine celebs like Olly Smith, but more still needs to be done," says Simon, who's been in the hospitality business for more than 22 years and has a Level 3 Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
But how do we do that? How do we broaden our boozy horizons?
"Ask questions!" laughs Simon. "Just ask away. There's no need to be embarrassed. Asking questions and asking to try things before you buy is the only way to demystify things.
"Go into wine merchants like Majestic or Tanners, which have branches across Shropshire, and just talk to the staff – they will be more than happy to advise you and share their passion. Be honest about your budget and your tastes. If you've got a budget of £7, just tell them that and they will find you a cracking wine. The average bottle of wine in the UK last year cost £5.03 so do not be ashamed of what you've got to spend."
Simon's own passion for wine started after he was sent on a course by his hotel bosses 15 years ago. His interest was immediately piqued and has grown every year since.
In 2012, he started a blog and, last year, started his own wine-tasting business, catering to everything and everyone from corporate events to stag and hen dos – intent on bring wine to the masses.
"Not everyone wants to wear bunny ears or go to Blackpool for their stag or hen do," he explains. "I suppose you could say this is a little more upmarket.
"The women seem to really enjoy it – it's an afternoon of bubbles and nibbles and they get to learn a little while having fun too. The blokes are always a little more cynical though! But if wine-tasting stag and hen dos are not proof that people want to embrace and learn more about wine, then I don't know what is."
