New Shrewsbury wine school is the fruit of Gary’s labour

Gary Carter is launching Shropshire Wine School, offering a range of tastings and courses for those who are keen to learn more about wine.

The 54-year-old had worked as a marketing director for timber products company Richard Burbidge in Oswestry for more than 20 years, before becoming the UK manager for German firm Fermacell, which manufactures building materials.

Mr Carter, who completed a wine course in Birmingham and will study for a diploma in the subject next year, is now hoping to take his career in a whole new direction.

He will be running a wine school from the Lion Hotel in Shrewsbury and is also looking to set up bases in Ludlow, Oswestry and Newport.

Shropshire Wine School is the latest addition to the rapidly expanding localwineschool.com family – a UK-wide network of more than 25 independent wine schools established in 2000 in Newcastle upon Tyne.

The school will offer tastings at all levels from introductory evenings to eight-week courses, and Saturday wine experiences including Champagne and lunch.

Food and wine matching workshops as well as unique wine tasting experiences for corporate and private clients will also feature at the school.

Next year, Mr Carter, of The Mount in Shrewsbury, will also be bringing professional wine training to Shropshire as the region’s only provider of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses.

Demand for these courses, the world’s leading wine qualification, is growing internationally as bars and restaurants recognise the need to offer professional training to their staff.

The courses are also popular with wine enthusiasts wishing to attain a professional wine qualification.

Mr Carter said he was inspired to learn more about the world of wine by the late Robin Butler, a local wine personality who was the manager of Tanners Wines in Shrewsbury.

He said: “Opening the wine school will be a fitting tribute to Robin, my close friend and mentor, who sadly passed away recently.

"We aim to help customers navigate the sometimes confusing world of wine and encourage them to discover new wines.

"All of our events are designed to be fun and informative with a focus on enjoying wine with like-minded people in a relaxed, informal atmosphere.

“Shrewsbury is a beautiful town with a thriving local food and drink scene and Shropshire Wine School will be seeking to complement and support local businesses wherever possible.”

The school opens its doors in February next year, but places are available to book now at shropshirewineschool.com