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When drinking in class is allowed

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WINE-drinking, according to Ernest Hemingway, is one of the most civilised things on earth. But wines are so new to these shores the subject still intimidates many people.

In the past 10 years, a growing number of wine enthusiasts have set out to dispel the mysterious aura.

Until a year ago, the pleasures of the humble crushed grape were disseminated through informal wine circles and associations, but now Hong Kong's novice wine-lovers can take a course at The Wine School and tread a more structured path to knowledge.

The man behind the venture is Chris Baker, a former lecturer and co-ordinator at the Baptist College Institute of Hotel Management.

Responding to inquiries from those seeking professional qualifications, Mr Baker started teaching a higher certificate course in association with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust of Great Britain.

''Then members of the public started calling me up,'' he said. ''There seemed to be a widespread desire to learn more about the subject, so I set up a wine appreciation course. It took off from the word go.'' Mr Baker is running eight programmes concurrently: four wine appreciation courses, two higher certificate courses, one certificate course and one wine and dine course. The number of students is 160.

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