. NORTHERN NIGHTS: Direct Wine Shipments in Belfast has a tantalising autumn programme of tutored tastings. Among the highlights are Sandro Boscaini of Masi, introducing his company's superb Valpolicellas and Amarones on October 7th; Tony Jordan presenting Moet & Chandon's stylish Australian Green Point on October 14th; a range of Fonseca ports on November 4th and a wine dinner at Roscoff on November 28th to complement the delicate wines from Canada's Inniskillen winery.
£50 for the dinner, £20 for each of the tutored tastings. Booking essential: tel 08 01232 243906.
. MORE WINE COURSES TO SNIFF OUT: The two eight week introductory courses led by Redmond O'Hanlon at Le Vigneron in Temple Bar in Dublin are apparently the only ones in Ireland to use the Nez du Vin method. Twenty four small phials, each containing the essence of a particular aroma, help participants develop their noses - not to mention their descriptive powers. The Grape Varieties of France runs on Mondays from September 30th. The Wine Regions of France on Tuesdays from October 1st. Tel 01 671 5900.