What we tasted in August 2025

In August, after our AGM, we have our annual Member's Tasting, for which we ask members to volunteer a presentation and tasting of one of their favourite wines. It's always a great evening, as it allows us to get to know each other a bit better, and it introduces us to what people are actually drinking. This month, as always, we had a very good range of wines, from English sparkling rosé through to a super-sweet sherry. Thanks to all the volunteers! They are in the picture below.

The wines tasted were:

1. Balflour 1503 Rosé, sparkling; Kent, England, NV. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay. (Majestic)

2. Domaine De La Furonnière; Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, France, 2023. Melon de Bourgogne. (Perfect Cellar)

3. The Society's Sicilian White; Italy, 2024. Grillo, Carricante. (The Wine Society)

4. Casa Silva, DO los Lingues; Valle de Colchagua, Chile, 2021. Carmenere. (Stachells)

5. Rustenburg, John X Merriman; Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2022. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Malbec. (Waitrose)

6. Vasse Felix, Filius; Margaret River, Australia, 2020. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot. (Majestic)

7. Williams & Humbert, Don Zoilo 15 year old Pedro Ximénez en rama; Jerez, Spain, NV. (The Wine Society)

   
   

   

   
   

The members presenting (L-R): Chris Lewis, Roland Moss, Margaret Connor, Linda Moss, Andrew Weatherby, Mark Payne, John Freeland, John Malpass.

Next tasting - Friday 8th August

Member's tasting and AGM

On August 8th we will have the annual member’s tasting after the AGM. 

The member’s tasting is always an interesting event, revealing where people’s interests lie and showing off the discoveries that they have made. It’s an event I look forward to a lot, and I hope you do too. Margaret Connor has collected 7 volunteers to present wines, I am sure it will be a good evening. 

The AGM will start the evening. Documents for this will be circulated later this week. The agenda for the AGM has been revised by the committee, thanks mostly to Bob McKinley. 

Please could I ask you to signal your attendance in the usual way, by paying the attendance fee before Monday 4th August. The unchanged details for this are given in the attached PDF.

I do hope you will be able to attend. The AGM is an important part of the management of our Society, and the members volunteering to present wines deserve your attention. 

What we tasted in July 2025

In July we welcomed back Dan Ruell from Mentzendorff. A few of us had been at the Mentzendorff Spring Tasting in London earlier in the year, and we selected a range of our favourites from that event to be shown here. It was a great tasting, with a very polished Sancerre, wonderful Pinots from the Willamette Valley, and a dry Oloroso which was extraordinary value. Our Mentzendorff tastings are always very interesting , allowing us to taste extraordinary wines.

For more information:

Web: https://mentzendorff.co.uk

The wines tasted were:

1. 2023 Hubert Brochard Sancerre Les 3 coteaux. Sauvingnon Blanc. France

2. 2019 Cartuxa branco, Vinho da Talha. Arinto, Roupeiro, Trincaderis, Fernao Pires, Malvasia. Portugal

3. 2020 Tapada do Chaves Vinhas Velhas branco. Arinto, Malvasia Fina, Fernão Pires, Tamarez, Roupeiro. Alentjo, Alentjo, Portugal

4. 2019 Ponzi Reserve Willamette Valley, OR. Pinot Noir. USA

5. 2021 Ponzi Paloma Willamette Valley, OR. Pinot Noir. USA

6. 2023 Cartuxa Tinto, Vinho da Talha. Alicante Bouschet. Alentjo, Portugal

7. 2012 Tapada do Chaves Reserva Tinto. Trincadeira; Grand Noir. Alentejo, Portugal

8. NV Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana Oloroso Faraon VORS. Palomino Fino. Jerez, Spain

   
   

   

   
   

L-R: Tim Edwards & Mark Payne from our pouring team, and Dan Ruell from Mentzendorff