dialogue Summer 2013 | Page 37

27 September
“ TOP GRAPE ” TASTING EVENT
Can you tell a Tokaj from a Recioto , Clare Valley from Uco Valley , or Russian River from Margaret River ? Old World or New World , Bordeaux or Burgundy - what ’ s your poison ?
At the heart of the Top Grape experience lie the wines . Good wines , quality wines , and wines that will broaden horizons and surprise . Top Grape offers the opportunity to sample and discover a great range of carefully selected , exciting wines in a highly entertaining , challenging way , with many wines sourced from small producers , and that truly reflect their origins and the passion that goes into the making of them .
Contestants will learn how to decipher the value of a wine just by tasting it , distinguish between a champagne and a Franciacorta , discover the ‘ Super Tuscans ” and the “ garagistes ”, all while pitting wits against their peers in a competition that ’ s as full of fun as fact . From Swan Hill to Salta , from Sauternes to Sonoma and Sussex , wines from all parts of the globe will play a role in Top Grape .
3 September
PIANO RECITAL BY PETER SEIVEWRIGHT
Peter has performed extensively as a recitalist and concerto soloist throughout Great Britain , Ireland , Norway , Austria , Germany , Italy , Belgium , Denmark , Latvia , Estonia , Vietnam , Kazakhstan , Australia , China , India , Kuwait , Trinidad and Tobago , the United States of America and Russia . Notable successes in Europe include his recital on the opening night of the Heilbronn International Piano Forum , a recital which was enthusiastically reviewed in papers and journals in Germany and Italy , and his 1994 recital in the International Masters of the Keyboard series in Bruges , Belgium . One of the few British pianists ever to be invited to perform in this major European piano recital series , his performances of Bach ’ s Goldberg Variations and Rachmaninov ’ s 2nd Piano Sonata were rapturously received with a prolonged standing ovation .
Wednesday 30 October , 7.30 pm
AROUND THE WORLD IN 6 WHISKIES
From peaty Islay malts and aromatic Japanese blends , to fruity Swedish newcomers and spicy American ryes , the world of whisky now boasts more dazzling variety than ever before . But which are the whisky-making countries to watch ? And what should you be looking for ? Find out in this special tasting of six award-winning drams from around the world , hosted by The Times andThe Sunday Times whisky columnist Alice Lascelles . Alice Lascelles is the whisky and cocktails columnist for The Times and The Sunday Times , as well as a founding editor of the leading trade magazine on drinks for bartenders and sommeliers , Imbibe . She has been writing about the hard stuff for more than a decade , during which time she ’ s also been a contributor to the Financial Times , The Telegraph , The Spectator , Prospect andTime Out on topics ranging from Japanese whiskey and New Orleans cocktail bars , to the science of wood ageing and the perfect G & T . As one of the UK ’ s leading young drink experts , she is also regularly a judge in international competitions including the World Whiskies Awards , Best in Glass Awards , Craft Gin Awards and World Class , the global competition for bartenders . When she ’ s not drinking for a living , she also has a second life as a musician which has included touring with the White Stripes .
16 July
SONGS OF CHANGE WITH TOM ROBINSON
The power of a song is undeniable - from the unity of the songs of the football terraces to the protests roared by generation after generation . No stranger to politics , Tom Robinson talks of his own journey through music from the unlikely alliances of gay rights protestors and miners in the 80s to the Rock Against Racism that united artists universally to a common cause . With a carefully chosen collection for the ESU , Tom will talk and sing through songs with a message and why we are now in a golden era for both the artist and listener . Don ’ t miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see Tom in the intimate setting of Dartmouth House .
Tom Robinson is a new music advocate who hosts three weekly programmes on BBC Radio . His first radio show was for the BBC World Service in 1987 and he has since hosted programmes on BBC Radios 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 Live and most recently 6 Music where he has worked full-time since 2002 .
ESU | 35