Petrol,
Petrol,

farmyard,
farmyard,

grassy,
grassy,

floral,
floral,

herbaceous…
herbaceous…

there are some characteristics of certain
there are some characteristics of certain

wines that don't always sound
wines that don't always sound

that appealing, but when you put your
that appealing, but when you put your

nose in the glass you
nose in the glass you

can actually "Ooh, yeah,
can actually "Ooh, yeah,

I can kind of see what that means."
I can kind of see what that means."

I've always had a strong interest in
I've always had a strong interest in

wine because you're always learning
wine because you're always learning

about new wines, new, new areas
about new wines, new, new areas

that they come from.
that they come from.

I work in wine retail
I work in wine retail

and I've done that for the past 17 years.
and I've done that for the past 17 years.

Wine can be quite a confusing
Wine can be quite a confusing

or intimidating thing
or intimidating thing

for some people,
for some people,

so I just like to,
so I just like to,

to try and break down the
to try and break down the

pretence a bit.
pretence a bit.

I enjoy building up a
I enjoy building up a

relationship with customers.
relationship with customers.

On the days
On the days

that I'm off work
that I'm off work

they are – my purely devoted to my study days.
they are – my purely devoted to my study days.

I chose distance
I chose distance

learning because it
learning because it

obviously gave me the
obviously gave me the

flexibility to work and study at the same time.
flexibility to work and study at the same time.

I have an office in the garden
I have an office in the garden

where I can study
where I can study

so I'm completely separate from
so I'm completely separate from

the house, so
the house, so

there's no distractions there.
there's no distractions there.

The types of assessment I've had
The types of assessment I've had

to do have varied from –
to do have varied from –

I'd say mainly written assignments,
I'd say mainly written assignments,

but there have also been
but there have also been

a few oral recordings to do
a few oral recordings to do

along the way as well.
along the way as well.

I think the main
I think the main

benefit of doing a written assignment
benefit of doing a written assignment

is to be able to consolidate
is to be able to consolidate

what you've been learning
what you've been learning

over the past unit
over the past unit

that that assignment's testing.
that that assignment's testing.

You have to get over 40 per cent
You have to get over 40 per cent

to pass.
to pass.

One assignment I was really worried
One assignment I was really worried

about was a recent one
about was a recent one

where I, I doubted
where I, I doubted

the knowledge that I had acquired
the knowledge that I had acquired

through that unit.
through that unit.

I thought I might just scrape a
I thought I might just scrape a

grade two, but I ended up
grade two, but I ended up

getting a grade one, it was one of those
getting a grade one, it was one of those

– I got it back, I think
– I got it back, I think

"How did that happen?" you know.
"How did that happen?" you know.

The best tip for assignments
The best tip for assignments

really is to start as soon as possible,
really is to start as soon as possible,

it really is and
it really is and

to be well prepared, you know,
to be well prepared, you know,

prepare yourself for doing it and
prepare yourself for doing it and

allow yourself plenty of time.
allow yourself plenty of time.

I've had a couple of exams
I've had a couple of exams

over the course of the past few years.
over the course of the past few years.

Exam stress
Exam stress

for me has always been a problem:
for me has always been a problem:

I always think I'm never
I always think I'm never

going to remember anything,
going to remember anything,

but once I'm in there, after
but once I'm in there, after

10 or 15 minutes
10 or 15 minutes

I find my focus and generally get on with it.
I find my focus and generally get on with it.

In terms of being prepared for exams,
In terms of being prepared for exams,

it's setting a realistic revision timetable
it's setting a realistic revision timetable

in advance.
in advance.

My next assignment is my final assignment
My next assignment is my final assignment

for the course I'm doing.
for the course I'm doing.

Ideally I'd like to get a grade one
Ideally I'd like to get a grade one

but if I get a grade two –
but if I get a grade two –

that's super.
that's super.

Between sort of bouts of study, or
Between sort of bouts of study, or

at the end of the day, I try
at the end of the day, I try

and go for a wee walk locally.
and go for a wee walk locally.

I'm a bit of an amateur birdwatcher
I'm a bit of an amateur birdwatcher

and I quite like going
and I quite like going

out to see what I can spot.
out to see what I can spot.

My wife was a distance learning student
My wife was a distance learning student

to start with, and seeing her
to start with, and seeing her

achieve made me
achieve made me

believe that
believe that

"Yes, I can do this too."
"Yes, I can do this too."

I've had her to
I've had her to

support me along the way.
support me along the way.

I think support
I think support

is really important when you're
is really important when you're

doing a distance learning course.
doing a distance learning course.

I've gained a real sense of achievement
I've gained a real sense of achievement

on my course
on my course

and I'm really looking forward to
and I'm really looking forward to

the opportunities that it will give me
the opportunities that it will give me

in the future.
in the future.

Go the distance.
Go the distance.