Such is the thirst for knowledge among wine drinkers, shoals of ordinary consumers are choosing to propel themselves up through tiers of exams organised primarily for the trade. It's tough going, but they have a new hero to inspire them. Dermot Nolan - a down-to-earth Dublin wine lover - has recently become the first Irish-trained Master of Wine.
To describe this as the pinnacle of achievement is too limp. So rigorous are the examinations for the highest wine qualification of all that there are only 234 Masters of Wine in the world, with seven times that number dropping out along the way. Two who succeeded while based in England are now in Ireland, employed by major companies - Martin Moran with Gilbeys and Alan Crowley with Dillons. But Dermot Nolan is just an ordinary man who was bitten by the wine bug.
None of the various jobs Dermot has had (currently he does secretarial work for a steel galvanising firm) sounds remotely lucrative enough to fund a typical wine expert's cellar. And he's not above enthusing about wines at £3.99.
For Nolan, it began at a family dinner in January 1988. "I'd given a relative Michael Broadbent's Pocket Guide To Winetasting for Christmas," he explains. "I'd had a good look at it, thinking: this can't possibly work. I tried the bottle of Fleurie on the table to see if Broadbent's description matched it, and it did smell of flowers and meadows and the other things he mentioned. I suddenly thought, this is amazing."
More books followed, then enrolment in a wine appreciation course, delivered with vigour by Dublin wine merchant Richard Ecock, a teacher with legendary inspirational flair. "Even though I was getting up at 4 a.m. to work in a bakery at the time, I really looked forward to those Tuesday evening classes," Nolan recalls.
Ecock pointed Nolan on to the courses of the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, which he seems to have sailed through. A part-time job in the Magic Carpet off-licence in Cornelscourt helped - as did a kitty system with his three house-mates for a weekly blindtasting of two or three modest bottles. By 1993 the decision was taken to have a crack at becoming a Master of Wine.
Just 4 1/2 years later and £10,000 the poorer (far more money went on course fees and travel to London for tutorials and tastings than on wine), he has emerged triumphant.
When he returns to Dublin this weekend after a holiday in Jerez ("it's not a sherry trip - I'm actually going there to learn flamenco") Nolan will have time to consider the new opportunities his Master of Wine status is likely to bring, especially in wine education, the area that interests him most. Even before his exam results arrived, he had been signed up by the Wine Development Board to give lectures in their ever-widening network of classes. That's a reminder that the rush for places in evening classes is about to begin. This season, the Wine Development Board will be holding courses in six Dublin venues and 17 provincial centres. All levels are catered for, from beginners (there's a new Varietal Course as well as the standard Wine Appreciation Course), up through the various strata of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) exams. The Certificate Course is available for the first time in seven new venues: Carnew, Clonsilla, Lismore, Mallow, Mullingar, Portlaoise and Sligo. If you're higher up the ladder, it's worth noting that the Diploma course will be run in Cork for the first time, besides being taught in Dublin. All the WSET courses are also available in Northern Ireland - details right.
There are hundreds of other classes and clubs all over the country. The few mentioned in the panel (right) are only a fraction of the total; for more details of those in your area, consult your best local wine shop.
In the meantime, here's a neat little exercise recommended by Dermot Nolan to get the nose into gear. You'll need two bottles of same-coloured wine and three glasses. Don't look while someone else pours two samples from one bottle and one from the other, in any order - and see how long it takes you to sniff out the pair. Fun, but more difficult than it sounds.
The Master's choice
J.P. Branco, NV (Superquinn, Molloys, Roches Stores, SuperValus and many other outlets, usually £3.99). `My favourite inexpensive white wine for two reasons. It's gorgeous - fresh and fruity - and I can afford it!' says the master. See Bottle of the Week.
Dr Loosen Riesling 1995 (James Nicholson, Raheny Wine Cellar, Noble Rot Navan, Dublin Wine Company Malahide, usually £7.50-£8.50). Ernie Loosen is such a good winemaker that even his basic wines, such as this zesty number, are first rate. Chosen in honour of the fact that the first quality wines Dermot Nolan ever drank were Rieslings. "They're so versatile - fresh, crisp, good with or without food and they keep for ever."
Marques de Murrieta Rioja, Reserva 1991 (selected Superquinns and Dunnes Stores, McCabes, Verlings, Vintage shops, Mortons Ranelagh, Foleys, Kellys and other outlets, usually £9.99). "A gorgeous but misunderstood wine," is how our Master of Wine describes this traditional oak-matured white Rioja. You may think it smells almost oxidised but what a surprise to the tastebuds! Great richness but freshness too, in infinite layers of flavour. Needs food - chicken, pork, cheese or even a lamb stew.
Domaine Montmija Corbieres 1995 (McCabes, Sweeneys Dorset Street, Pettits supermarkets, Wine Centre Kilkenny, O'Donovans Cork, usually £5.99). A lively fruity red - "but with more body than you'd expect at the price". Very approachable, hugely popular.
Beyerskloof Pinotage 1996 (Findlaters, McCabes, SuperValu Deansgrange, usually £8.50-£8.99). Only bad winemaking gives Pinotage that medicinal character it's sometimes lumbered with, Dermot Nolan insists. There's none of it here - just juicily refreshing, intense black cherry and black chocolate flavours. Try it.
Bourgogne `Charmes au Chate- lain', Denis Mortet, 1994 (Burgundy Direct, 01 289 6615, £11.25 if you buy a case, which can be mixed). "I'm a Pinot Noir person, and I hope this wine may help other people to discover what all the Burgundy fuss is about," says Nolan. From Denis Mortet, one of the region's most acclaimed stars, this is actually declassified Gevrey-Chambertin (from a year judged not good enough for Gevrey). Precious few generic red Burgundies have as much finesse or depth of gamey flavour.
Missing ingredient
In last week's feature on cocktails, the caption for James Ryan, head barman at the Clarence, was omitted. He was pictured with a trio of tipples - a cosmopolitan, a martini and a margarita . . .