BUY a bottle of supermarket wine at lunchtime and you can now drink it at its best in the evening, a Grafham businessman claims. The secret lies in a range of new hi-tech wine glasses discovered by chance on a tasting trip to France by wine-trainer Martin

BUY a bottle of supermarket wine at lunchtime and you can now drink it at its best in the evening, a Grafham businessman claims.

The secret lies in a range of new hi-tech wine glasses discovered by chance on a tasting trip to France by wine-trainer Martin Straus, when he visited the manufacturer's factory. But it has taken him another year to establish a source of supply from the company.

As a result of his perseverance, Mr Straus is now a "brand ambassador" for Arc's Chef and Sommelier range of Kwarx glasses, which, as well as being unusually resistant to damage from careless washers-up and dishwashers, are particularly good for "opening up" the flavour of young wines - from one to five years old.

"These are modern glasses for the modern age, and they go with the majority of wines," he told The Hunts Post. "It's a fact of life nowadays that 80 per cent of wine in this country is bought by women in the supermarket, and it's not unusual for it to be bought at lunchtime and consumed in the evening. This range of 'Open Up' glasses is designed to fit this modern age.

"The angled bowl enables an exceptional development of a wine's flavours, and the angle allows you to pour exactly the right amount of wine into your glass."

Mr Straus, a professional wine educator and trainer for the retail wine and hospitality sectors, has team up with Tony Burrin of Pineapple Wine Services Ltd, of Brampton, which distributes wine accessories nationally to the wine trade and hospitality industry. Together they are now supplying the Open Up range to both trade and consumer across the UK.

Mr Straus said: "The great benefit of this venture is that we can supply anything from one glass to a container, anywhere in the UK. We are totally flexible and are currently offering gift packs including two glasses, ready for a wine merchant or consumer to simply add a bottle of their choice."

The glasses retail at around £8 each or £45 for a box of six, depending on specification.

INFORMATION: Martin Straus's company, Wine Trainers Limited, is at 12 Westwood Lodge, Church Road, Grafham PE28 0BB: telephone 01480 819692; www.winetrainers.com. Pineapple Wine Services Ltd can be reached at Park View, Buckden Road, Brampton PE28 4NG: telephone 01480 819679; www.pineapplewineservices.com