WINE educator Henry Dawson-Damer had an explosive start to his winemaking career.

When he was 15, he blew up his mother's linen cupboard while trying to ferment wine.

He has since continued to pursue his fiery passion for winemaking and now delivers talks on the subject in various regions including Asia, the United States and Europe.

He will be here on March 12 to deliver a talk on how to pair wines with Asian cuisines, including Indian, Japanese, Chinese and Thai, at a wine event jointly held by The Sunday Times and Australia-based wine company Rosemount Estate.

Guests can expect to sample up to eight different premium Rosemount wines while listening to his tips on wine pairing.

Asked about the explosive start to his career, Dawson who is in his late 30s, said in an e-mail interview that he had placed the fermentation drum in the linen cupboard to warm up the wine and get the yeast working.

'That certainly worked as the drum blew up, covering my mother's sheets, clothes and shoes in fermenting wine and glass. I was not very popular as you can imagine. All her clothes had a nice aroma though.''

The senior manager of wine education in Rosemount said he eats at Asian restaurants in Australia and is familiar with the cuisine.

'I love the simplicity and purity of Japanese dishes, especially sushi and sashimi combinations with pickled ginger and soy sauce.''

He also enjoys satay - 'the combination of charcoal flavour and spicy peanut sauce. Flavour and texture all in one - perfect.''

After the talk, guests can test the wine pairing at four food stations.

The event, which is limited to 100 guests and costs $35 per head, will be conducted at the Riverfront Ballroom at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel on March 12 from 7 to 9pm.