'Beyond Port and Stilton - an alternative Christmas cheese and wine tasting'

Friday the 24th November, from 7pm to 9:30pm. It's going to be a spectacular evening!

The evening will be hosted by Patrick McGuigan and Victoria Wilken.

Patrick McGuigan is a UK-based cheese writer and teacher, who has travelled from the Swiss Alps to the pastures of Vermont to interview the world's best cheesemakers, maturers and cheesemongers.

He writes extensively on the subject for national newspapers and magazines, such as The Telegraph and delicious, and has appeared on BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme. His first book, The Philosophy of Cheese, was published by The British Library in 2020. His second book, The Cheese Life, co-authored with Mathew Carver, was published by Kyle Books in October 2023.

Patrick hosts regular cheese talks and tastings and is a senior judge at the World Cheese Awards. A member of the Guild des Fromagers, he runs retail training courses at the Guild of Fine Food and also teaches the Academy of Cheese Level 1 and 2 accreditations in person and online to delegates around the world via e-learning.

Patrick has co-founded several festivals, including the Big Cheese Weekender, the London Cheese Project and Brighton’s OctoberBEST restaurant festival. He is also a co-founder of Brighton’s Best Restaurant awards.

He achieved the WSET Level 3 wine qualification with Merit in 2021 and the French Wine Scholar accreditation (highest honours) in 2023.

Victoria is the new owner of The Bottle of Hastings. She has a background in hosting wine tastings on The Gold Coast in a satellite cellar door; giving wine tours at Sedlescombe organic/ Biodynamic Vineyard and Ridgeview in Ditchling where she met Patrick. She is qualified in WSET Level 3 and is currently studying for her WSET Diploma. 

Victoria's background is Business Psychology and Coaching. She loves to combine the psychology with the wine tasting to challenge pre conceptions and encourage people to be curious about what they think they already know.