A local wine enthusiast is set to open Thames Valley’s newest wine school for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Alex Stevenson, who has spent the last 20 years in hospitality and beverages has recently moved from London where he completed a wine and spirit education trust (WSET) Diploma.

The WSET certified educator is looking forward to launching his first event in Reading and then branching further afield to Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead.

Thames Valley Wine School is part of the rapidly expanding Local Wine School family.

Alex said: “I have always been impressed with the Local Wine School as they were a competitor of mine and so I approached them with regards to setting up a school in the area.

“I’m delighted to be launching my first class in September and building the school, not only to offer wine classes and education but to also put on beer and spirit training as well.

“With Thames Valley Wine School I will be offering a fun, friendly, informal environment to help locals better understand their wine.”

The events happening throughout Berkshire are said to allow people to discover some fantastic wines.

This will improve confidence when buying from shops and restaurants and allow.

The sessions include food and wine matching experiences to new world discoveries.

So far there are 27 independent wine school franchises similar to this Thames Valley branch throughout the UK providing a wide range of events.

The different classes will include introductory evening sessions to eight-week courses aimed at both beginners and more experienced wine conisseurs. Alex plans to start bringing in more speciality courses.

Chris Powell, owner of the Local Wine School, said: “We are delighted to welcome Alex as the new franchisee for Thames Valley.

“His experience and knowledge make him an ideal candidate to run wine classes and courses and we’re looking forward to watching the business grow”.

The events will include the tasting of three whites and three reds where customers will be able to learn about some of the key grape varieties, the main wine-making techniques and which countries are perfectly suited to wine production.

The first event is planned to take place at The Corn Stores in Reading on Tuesday 6 September after which it will expand to Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead in subsequent months.