Enthusiasts enjoy a world tour of wine ... without leaving Byers Road

Wine connoisseurs were taken on a whistlestop tour of the world without leaving the west end of Glasgow yesterday at the sell-out Herald Wine Event.

Joe Fattorini, The Herald Magazine's wine correspondent for almost 14 years, hosted the event at Oran Mor on Byres Road where he guided readers through an afternoon of wine appreciation featuring wines from Chile, South Africa and Australia.

Experts from the countries featured were on hand to answer readers' questions.

Guests sampled the New World wines under the stunning ceiling mural in the Auditorium painted by Alasdair Gray, the Glasgow author and artist.

Joe Fattorini spoke of the changes in the wine world since he started his Herald column in the early 1990s.

He said: "You just need to look around you - this is a sell-out event. Had we put on an event such as this 14 years ago it would have been unimaginable to have had this much interest.

"What we have witnessed is an increasing number of wine amateurs becoming more and more knowledgeable.

"My mailbag during my time at The Herald provided evidence of this. Over the years the questions I received became increasingly complex and detailed as people wanted to know all sorts of obscure things about wine production and even the ethics of winemaking.

"As a wine writer it has been so encouraging to witness interest soar in this way."

One guest, Claire Keggie, from Erskine, said: "I'm definitely a confirmed amateur, but an event like this is great, because it allows you to learn a little more about the wine you enjoy, where it comes from and how it is made.

"It's good to know these things, but enjoyment of the wine is my first pleasure."