Master of Wine and advisor of the royal wine cellars leads BBC Studios partner BBC Maestro’s latest course.

Available now on bbcmaestro.com

Voted one of the world’s most influential wine critics, Jancis Robinson OBE imparts 45 years of wine knowledge and expertise in this exclusive course.

What makes a good wine? An Understanding of Wine welcomes amateurs and aficionados alike into Robinson’s world to find the answer. Tasting more than 10,000 wines annually, Robinson has distilled her expert knowledge to help anyone who wants to get the most from wine, whether it’s experimenting with orange wines, discovering new food pairings, or choosing a different sparkling wine option this Valentine’s Day. Develop vital wine appreciation skills from the first person outside the wine trade to pass the rigorous Master of Wine exams. Jancis Robinson was awarded an OBE, advises on the Queen’s cellar, and is the only wine writer to make the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame. She writes daily for JancisRobinson.com and weekly for the Financial Times.

Robinson’s course offers lessons focused on debunking common wine myths, breaking down tasting techniques, and deciphering both labels and the language of wine. While choosing a bottle can, at least initially, feel like a daunting experience, Robinson’s expert advice will bolster viewers with the knowledge needed to select with confidence. Rather than strict, unyielding instruction, An Understanding of Wine showcases Robinson’s much-lauded approach of demystifying the rules and affectations around wine, allowing viewers to discover their own palate preferences and, in turn, enhance their future wine selection.

The course provides aficionados with a panoramic view of the world of wine, delving into different vintages, wine pricing, the natural wine movement, sustainability in winemaking, the impact of climate change, and expert advice on investing in wine. Robinson also addresses key factors shaping the modern wine market, including the backlash against the use of glass for inexpensive wines and how the plant-based movement has created a need to re-examine classic pairing approaches. Robinson peppers the course with fascinating prompts and learnings from across her four decades of wine writing, empowering viewers to heighten their tasting experience when next presented with a blue-chip or unicorn wine.

“By the end of this course, I hope I will have helped you find the wine that you like (because there are no rights and wrongs in wine appreciation) and get the most from every single sip. To me, wine is extraordinary because it is just the fermented juice of a single fruit – yet it appears in so many different colours, styles and flavours. There aren’t many products that tell you exactly when it was made, which little spot on the globe it came from and the name of the producer. Good wine doesn’t have to be expensive – while the gap between the cheapest and the most expensive wine has continued to widen, the quality has narrowed considerably. We should take advantage of the large array of mid-level wines produced today.” 

A passion for wine can develop at any stage, and all those interested in learning more about the wine they already enjoy can benefit from these lessons. The full course consists of 25 lessons over 5 hours and has been designed for viewers to learn at their own pace.  Along the way, Robinson will explain wine terminology, broaden technical knowledge, clarify common misconceptions, and expand understanding of grape varieties – enhancing all future bottle selections, food and wine pairings, and case investments.

Previous praise for Jancis Robinson

“Over the past three decades the place of wine in British society has been transformed. Robinson not only witnessed the revolution, but crucially shaped it.”  – The Guardian

“Robinson’s holistic approach to wine appreciation has provided all of us with a necessary voice that serves a range of audiences. Her clear and concise writing has broadened our understanding of a complex industry and delighted us with stories of the characters behind grapes and wines. Most of all, she reminds us that it’s just wine and it’s meant to be enjoyed.” – James Beard Foundation

“Robinson is one of the wine world’s greatest achievers...the Jancis effect – inspiring generations of readers to embrace the joy of wine – is unique.” – Noble Rot

– END –

For interview requests or further information please contact: 

Siobhan.McDermott@maestro-media.com

NOTES TO EDITORS 

• An Understanding of Wine is available from 10 February 2022
• Full lesson list available to view at com
• The course costs £80 for lifetime access to Robinson’s 25 lessons and comprehensive downloadable notes  
• 25 lessons including Top 10 Ways to Pick the Right Bottle, Organic and Biodynamic Wines, The Language and Price of Wine and How to Taste

About Jancis Robinson

Voted the world's most influential wine critic in polls in the US, France and internationally in 2018, Jancis views herself as a wine writer rather than a wine critic. She writes daily for JancisRobinson.com and weekly for the Financial Times. She is founder-editor of The Oxford Companion to Wine, co-author with Hugh Johnson of The World Atlas of Wine (4.7 million copies sold just before the 8th edition was published in October 2019) and co-author of Wine Grapes, each of these books recognised as a standard reference worldwide. The 24-Hour Wine Expert (2017) is a slim paperback guide to the practical essentials of wine.

She travels all over the world to conduct wine events – often for the global literacy initiative Room to Read – and in 2018 launched her own hand-made, dishwasher-friendly, ideal wine glass. In 1984 she was the first person outside the wine trade to pass the rigorous Master of Wine exams and in 2003 she was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen, on whose cellar she now advises. In one week in April 2016, she was presented with France's Officier du Mérite Agricole, the German VDP's highest honour and, in the US, her fourth James Beard Award. She now has six, including being the only wine writer elevated to the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame.

She loves and lives for wine in all its glorious diversity, generally favouring balance and subtlety over sheer mass.

About BBC Maestro 

BBC Maestro launched in October 2020 to phenomenal success. The first four courses attracted more than one million people to the service, with thousands signing up to learn from their favourite Maestro. Whether you are a novice or an amateur enthusiast, BBC Maestro allows you to indulge in your area of passion from the comfort of your own home and learn from the experts. Each course is beautifully filmed in 4K and offers several hours of content, broken down into 20 to 40 easily digested lessons accompanied by downloadable course notes filled with hints, tips and a breakdown of each course. Jancis Robinson is the latest Maestro, joining Malorie Blackman, Julia Donaldson, Peter Jones, David Walliams, Gary Barlow, Marco Pierre White, Vineet Bhatia Pierre Koffmann, Richard Bertinet and Line of Duty creator, Jed Mercurio. And coming soon are Alan Moore, Mark Ronson, Doreen Lawrence, Sir Tim Rice and more – all imparting wisdom, expertise and industry secrets. 

BBC Maestro taps into the fast-growing space of e-learning – because of the way technology has revolutionised teaching and learning, lessons no longer must be confined to the classroom. In 2020, the number of people using online learning videos rose dramatically, with an estimated 200 million users worldwide. The global ‘Mass Open Online Courses’ market size is expected to increase from $3.9 billion in 2018 to $20.8 billion by 2023. 

BBC Maestro is a commercial platform developed and operated by Maestro Media Ltd under licence from BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used under license.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with bold British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across both its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear and Doctor Who. BBC.com, BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, provides up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features to more than 139 million unique browsers each month. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further seven countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world.  It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.

BBC Studios | Website | Press Office | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram |