Event Details
Note: this is the event on Tuesday 5 November. Please click here for the alternative session on Thursday 7 November. Please only book for one of the 2 sessions.
The 2025 Varsity match between Cambridge and Oxford will be held in London on 25 February 2025 (proposed date). Six team members plus a reserve will compete in a match similar in structure to our Sunday tastings: a flight of six white wines for 40 mins, followed after a short break by a flight of six red wines for 40 mins.
We are holding trials to select a wider extension team of approximately 15 individuals, who will be attending regular coached training sessions. The Varsity team will eventually be selected from the extension team.
This term, we will likely be holding one extension team tasting each week, in addition to the regular Sunday sessions. In Lent Term, the extension team will train three times per week (including the Sunday sessions) until the Varsity match – usually one weekday evening, one weekday or Saturday morning, and the regular Sunday evening. In addition to Varsity, you will also be able to sign up for many other international wine tasting competitions!
Trials to select the extension team will take place on two days (please only sign up for one session!):
- Tuesday 5 November, 7:30 PM, at Little St. Mary’s Church (Trumpington Street, CB2 1QG)
- Thursday 7 November, 7:30 PM, at Seminar Room 2, Churchill College
You will be given a Varsity style flight of six white wines (40 minutes) followed by six red wines (40 minutes) to evaluate. We ask that you try your best to fill in the tasting sheet – like the ones you’ve seen at the Sunday sessions. The trials are closed-book. Please aim to arrive slightly before 7:30PM to get settled, as we will start pouring immediately and the trials are conducted in an exam format.
We will be re-tasting and reviewing the wines from the trial on Thursday 14 November at 7:30PM, 7:30 PM, at Little St. Mary’s Church. It is highly recommended you also attend this session if you are trialling! The review tasting will be led by this year’s coach, Chai Hao Chiu, who will teach us how to taste more effectively and efficiently, pick apart some easy confusions, and make better decisions. Tickets will be available here from 7 PM on Friday 8 November.
Please bring your own water, pen, and set of 6 ISO tasting glasses (available to buy here). We will be providing the wines, tasting sheets, spittoons, and crackers. Please also bring evidence that you are a current student (e.g. student card) – this is required for entry!