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£99.00
PER PERSON
The finishing timing is approximate and subject to weather and tidal conditions. The Lady Diana must dock by sunset, so we will depart promptly at 7.00pm – guests who miss the departure will not be able to board anywhere on the route so please ensure you arrive on time.
AVAILABLE
MINIMUM 2 GUESTS PER BOOKING
MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE IS 4 GUESTS
FOR MORE INFORMATION REFER TO THE GROUPS TAB BELOW
We are proud to work exclusively in partnership with Riedel, the world’s finest wine glass manufacturer. Guests will enjoy wines at events on board The Lady Diana in Riedel Wine Wings crystal glasses. Find out more about Riedel here 
To deliver the best combination of service and balanced wine education our intimate wine school events are designed for a maximum of 20 guests on board The Lady Diana. Join us for an entertaining experience which is free of political opinions and full of flavours!
Every tasting includes food pairings too! Learn more about regional climates that influence a grape’s flavour and explore the ‘jargon’ from the world of wine and more! There’s no such thing as a silly question at wine school: never be afraid to ask away and let us help you unlock the secrets of what makes a great bottle of wine that doesn’t break the bank! We don’t sell any wine at our events so there’s no ‘hard sell’ at the end.
For our 2025 Chester Boat season finale it’s all about Champagne and sparkling!
There are six wines to enjoy in one entertaining evening on The River Dee! Look forward to two Champagnes, one vintage and one non-vintage, and four other quality ‘methode traditionelle’ wines from around the world. We’ll include an alternative to Champagne from France, a vintage Cava, a vintage ‘Methode Cap Classique’ from South Africa and more!
In partnership with the Chester Boat Company join us on board The Lady Diana for a two hour river cruise: from moorings on The Groves in Chester, we’ll head southwards, out of the city, passing some spectacular riverside homes and gardens, and make our way out of the city limits. Upstream of the city, the River Dee meanders through the Eaton Estate, the ancestral home of the Duke of Westminster. We make our turn at the picturesque Aldford Iron Bridge.
This is a very tranquil stretch of the Dee with opportunities to spot wildlife, including swans, herons, cormorants, moorhens and – if your eyes are sharp – a kingfisher or two, so keep your camera ready, if you can take your eyes off our wine selection! Is there a better way to spend a late summer Thursday evening in Chester? We look forward to welcoming you on board The Lady Diana for a truly enjoyable river cruise with wine and food pairing together with some balanced wine education. For most of our wine tasting river cruises our food pairings will be prepared and served by the amazing students at Academy West at The Cheshire College hospitality school. We are proud to support the college wherever possible as we have done since 2013.
Look forward to enjoying the views from the top deck of The Lady Diana – of course we have things covered in the event of rain however we do recommend having something warmer available to wear as the sun begins to set. You’ll try six fantastic wines and as all of our wine tasting events focus on food and wine matching, we’ll be pairing these with delicious canapés and/or small plates and you’ll pick up some fun wine facts along the way too!
You’ll enjoy a great selection of wines, all of which will be sourced from our favourite local retailers such as Tanners, Majestic, The Wine Society, DeFine Food and Wine, Laithwaites and Waitrose and occasionally specialist online retailers and all represent excellent value for money. Of course we don’t sell any wine at our tasting events so your bespoke wine tasting notes book is there for you to use during the event and take home with you: a handy reference should you wish to visit any of the wine retailers we’ve used at a later date.
CLICK ON THE DIFFERENT TABS BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS
Canapés and/or small plates will be matched with each of our chosen wines during the evening.
Chicken caesar amusette
Goat cheese mousse, pickled beetroot and walnut crispbread
Cheddar and ham croquette with sweet chilli
Brie and truffle honey cup
Roast beef and horseradish corolle
Spiced pork bon bons
Vegetarian and specialist dietary options are always available by prior arrangement - we require at least 7 days notice before the event date.
Board The Lady Diana at Chester Boat Company, The Groves, Chester, CH1 1SZ
View exactly where on What3Words: https://w3w.co/teeth.curl.flock
All of our events are hosted by our founder and Cheshire resident, Richard J. Smith. With over three decades of experience and training from some of the most prestigious hotels in the world, including the Lanesborough Hotel, the Savoy Group and Four Seasons-Regent hotels, Richard’s knowledge about all things wine is unmatched in Cheshire.
Richard’s impressive list of past and present clients includes several members of the British Royal Family, international heads of state, and a host of top celebrities, which speaks volumes about his expertise and professionalism.
He has also made significant contributions to the hospitality industry by assisting various organisations with training and development including The Cheshire College South and West at their Ellesmere Port Campus. Richard’s recent appearance at Three Wine Men in Manchester alongside TV wine legends Oz Clarke, Olly Smith, and Tim Atkin MW, and his presentations on English and Welsh wines in partnership with Wines of Great Britain at RHS Tatton Park since 2016, are a testament to his passion and commitment to the wine industry.
In March 2019 Richard was proud to be intronised into the Confrérie des Compagnons de Grandgousier at a ceremony in The Loire Valley in recognition for his support of the region, particularly Touriane and Touraine-Mesland. Richard hosts tastings and talks for Loire Valley wine around the UK. Richard and the Wine School of Cheshire were thrilled to be selected as one of the top 100 small businesses in Britain for 2020 by Small Business Saturday and have been featured in Cheshire Life and Cheshire Living Magazines, The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, Manchester Evening News, Metro, Elite Business Magazine and Delicious Magazine.
Richard was thrilled to be appointed to the professional judging panel for The Peoples Choice Wine Awards in March 2022, returning as a lead judge the following year, and he looks forward to the annual judging an subsequent awards ceremony where winners are announced for their consumer friendly wine and spirits awards. As a member of Wines of Great Britain, Richard also sits on panel of the WineGB Training and Education Working Group.
For all our guests’ enjoyment of our intimate tasting events which includes a perfect balance of wine education and food pairing we thank you for your kind understating that the maximum single group size permitted is 4 guests. A larger group looking to celebrate a special occasion may wish to consider one of Chester Boat's regular river cruises. Find out more here.
The maximum group size forms part of our terms and conditions of booking and any second booking received with an expectation to join another individual booking already at the maximum group size of 4 guests will be cancelled and our standard cancellations terms will apply which are detailed in our terms and conditions.
All of our wine tasting eTickets are sent to the purchaser's email address immediately upon the completion of your booking. For gifting, these can be sent on to the recipient or printed at home on an A4 page. If you'd prefer printed gift tickets, you can buy our wine school gift box for £4.80 + Royal Mail Tracked 48 fee and we'll send tickets with your box to your UK address. Find out more here.
It is essential that you ensure the recipient is available on the selected event date as tickets may not be transferrable and cancellation fees may apply - please refer to our booking terms and conditions for more detail.
A wine tasting gift voucher which is valid for 12 months can be purchased as an alternative. If you would prefer to buy a gift voucher for the recipient to select their own wine tasting, click here to find out more.
The Lady Diana has a direct ramp leading onto the landing stage and a portable ramp which can be positioned to enable wheelchair users access to the rear deck. Unfortunately due to size limitations the toilets do not accommodate wheelchairs but there are some located along the riverside a short distance from the landing stages. Please contact us at least 48 hours in advance of your booking us should you require assistance.
Spittoons will be available for any participants wishing to use them – this is of course optional! However we ask all attending to drink responsibly and strongly advise you do not drive after the event. Visit www.drinkaware.co.uk for the facts.
In accordance with the law, all persons attending our events must be over 18 years of age. Admission will be refused if suitable age verification photo ID cannot be provided upon our request and under these circumstances we regret that a refund will be not be possible.
We strongly advise that you do not drive on the day, however if it necessary to do so please use the Pepper Street NCP or Grosvenor Shopping centre car parks which are the closest - charges apply.
Food allergens: we understand that some guests may have specific food allergies and we are always able to provide alternative ingredients and, if required, alternative dishes to ensure your food and wine pairing experience is enjoyable. We do require a minimum of 7 days notice prior to the event start time to ensure our venues are able to access the appropriate ingredients and appreciate your understanding and kind assistance when this is necessary.
Please be aware as we are a wine school that wine is served at all our events and all wines produced do contain sulphites. We endeavour to feature wines where additional sulphites are not added by the winemaker or transporter, however UK legislation requires that all wines are correctly labeled as containing sulphites as these are produced in small quantities naturally during fermentation. If you suffer from a sulphite allergy we will be unable to offer any alternatives to wine and this must be considered before booking. We regret that a refund will not be available if we are informed of a sulphite allergy after your booking has been completed. Please refer to our full terms and conditions for further reference.
