Burgundy produces some of the finest wines in the world, and 2015 is by all accounts a great vintage for Red Burgundy, with the wines showing an excellent balance of fruit, tannin and acidity.  The summer of 2015 was exceptionally dry and often very hot, although the water table in the soils had been replenished during the previous winter.  According to the well-known Burgundy critic, Allen Meadows (the ‘Burghound’), the 2015 red wines range from very good to genuinely great. Jasper Morris MW, writing in his Inside Burgundy website, said that “2015 is indeed a fabulous vintage for red Burgundy enthusiasts, in the richer style which is more common these days than a generation ago.”

In this tasting, we will focus on the producers and differences in producer styles rather than the specific terroirs from which the grapes were produced. We will taste Bourgogne Rouge and village wines from some of the best known and most well-regarded producers in the region, including Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat, Maison Leroy, Domaine de Montille, Domaine Denis Mortet and Domaine Mugneret-Giboug. Members and their guests will be able to determine whether or not they enjoy the richer style of the 2015 Red Burgundies and which producers they prefer.

The tasting presents a unique opportunity to taste a range of 2015 Red Burgundy from some of the most well-regarded producers in the entire region.

The nine wines to be tasted are:

Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Maison Roche de Bellene 2015

 Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Marchand-Tawse 2015

Nuits-Saint-Georges, Les Longecourts, Marchand-Tawse 2015

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat 2015

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine de Montille 2015

Bourgogne Rouge, Cuvee du Noble Souche, Domaine Denis Mortet 2015

Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Village, Domaine des Tilleuls (Philippe Livera) 2015

Bourgogne Rouge, Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg 2015

Bourgogne Rouge, Maison Leroy 2015

Many of the wines of Burgundy today are priced (even upon release) at levels that are increasingly beyond the reach of many consumers. These wines were purchased by the Committee upon release, and therefore present a fantastic opportunity to taste mature wines from an outstanding Burgundy vintage at a ticket price well below the current market value of the wines. Tickets for this tasting are priced at £55 for members and £60 for guests.  If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates an open seating policy at tastings, so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure you are able to sit together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Nigel Farr, on nigel.farr@hsf.com.

Sauternes and Barsac, where noble rot is king, have long offered some of the world’s finest premium wines, with characteristic complexity, longevity and food-matching versatility.  These two golden elixirs, hailing from the Bordeaux region of France, are often mentioned in the same breath. Yet they have distinct terroirs - Barsac generally comprises clay and limestone soils, while Sauternes features more gravel. The resulting wines tend to have very different personalities: fresher, brighter citrus flavors in Barsac, with richer, more tropical fruits in Sauternes.

This is a rare opportunity for members and their guests to compare mature Sauternes and Barsac from four leading producers across two exceptional vintages – 2001 and 2005.  There will also be a 2019 Rieussec as an aperitif!  Our expert guide for the evening will be Elizabeth Kelly MW who has a particular passion for Sauternes and Barsac.

We will taste the following nine wines:

Sauternes

Rieussec 2001, 2005 & 2019

De Fargues 2001 & 2005

Barsac

Coutet 2001 & 2005

Doisy-Daene 2001 & 2005

As a nod to classic food pairings, the wines will be served with two varieties of blue cheese, as well as with a traditional English favourite – Battenburg cake!

Member tickets are £80 and guest tickets are £85. Please note that only 72 tickets are available for this tasting so early purchase is recommended.

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.  The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure seats together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Duncan Holden, on duncanandliz@btinternet.com.

Last December, the Society enjoyed a tasting of Blanc de Blancs sparkling wines from around the world.  This year we are turning to the dark side and embarking on a showing of Blanc de Noirs sparkling wines all made from black-skinned grapes, predominantly Pinot Noir with some Meunier. In a departure from last year’s international format, all wines will either be from France (Champagne) or England and it will be up to all of us to see which nation emerges victorious!

The tasting will be ‘semi-blind’ - you will know which two wines are in a pair but not which wine is which. Voting per pair on your favourite wine and also where you think it was made is designed to spark debate and bring some festive fun to our Christmas tasting.

Long time friend of the Society, Anne Krebiehl MW, will be offering expert guidance as we taste eight wines from producers ranging from the well-known through to smaller growers. The wines we have selected for you are:

Rathfinny Blanc de Noirs 2018

Wiston Blanc de Noirs 2014

Harrow and Hope Blanc de Noirs Meunier 2019

Hundred Hills Blanc de Noirs 2019

Domaine La Borderie De Quoi Te Meles Tu Blanc de Noirs NV

Nicolas Maillart Mont Martin 2016

Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous No.5 Cinq Pinot Noir Extra Brut NV

Bollinger PN VZ16 Brut NV

Member tickets are £75 and guest tickets are £80. Please note that only 72 tickets are available for this tasting so early purchase is recommended.

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.  The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure seats together.

The Society would like to thank the Finest Bubble https://thefinestbubble.com/ for their support for this tasting.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Sarah Jeffery, on sarahlouisejeffery@gmail.com

“The sheer class of Austrian wines continues to amaze me” Jancis Robinson MW

We are delighted to welcome Anne Krebiehl MW to present this tasting of Austrian wines, with a focus on comparing and contrasting Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from Niederösterreich (Lower Austria). Austria is the home of Grüner Veltliner and Austrian Riesling is up there with the best in the world.  The tasting will include some of the top wines produced by Austria, from star producers such as FX Pichler, Bründlmayer, Schloss Gobelsburg and Emmerich Knoll.  The tasting will show how these grapes prefer different sites, with Grüner Veltliner performing better on deeper, richer soils and Riesling performing better on rocky, poor slopes, predominantly on granite, gneiss and schist. The wines will also demonstrate the ageing potential of both varieties, with the FX Pichler Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg 2005 and Knoll Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg 2008 and the FX Pichler Riesling Loibenberg 2007 showing that these wines can age beautifully, taking on nutty and smoky aromas.

We are very fortunate to have good friend of the Society, Anne Krebiehl MW, presenting to us on these wines, given her expertise in Austrian wines. She has reviewed Austrian wines for Wine Enthusiast and is the editor for Austria for Vinous Media.

The wines we will taste are set out below:

The Grüner Veltliners

Geyerhof Stockwerk Grüner Veltliner, Kremstal 2023

Franz Hirtzberger Rotes Tor Grüner Veltliner, Smaragd, Wachau 2021

FX Pichler Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg 2005

Weingut Emmerich Knoll Grüner Veltliner Vinothekfüllung 2008

The Rieslings

FX Pichler Riesling Loibenberg 2007

Weingut Emmerich Knoll Riesling Ried Loibenberg Federspiel, Wachau 2023

Schloss Gobelsburg Gaisberg Riesling, Kamptal 2021

Bründlmayer Ried Heiligenstein Riesling Kamptal 2020

Member tickets are £65 and guest tickets are £70. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register and make your future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure seats together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Megan Schellinger, at megan.schellinger@bakermckenzie.com or Duncan Holden, at duncanandliz@btinternet.com.

“Château Haut-Bailly is an insider wine which is usually kept to share with the happy few.”

We are delighted to welcome Veronique Sanders-van Beek to present this “vertical” tasting of Haut-Bailly wines, specially chosen for the SWS and all recently sourced direct from its striking modern cellars. The “hands-on” CEO since 1998 when Haut-Bailly was bought from her family by the late Robert Wilmers, Veronique is the fourth generation of her family to be associated with Haut-Bailly. She is uniquely placed to share with us the illustrious heritage of the Estate and her aspirations for its future stewardship under the Wilmers family. The Chateau boasts a unique terroir and an unusual century-old plus mix of six grape varieties in a single contiguous 10 acre plot at the heart of the Estate. These vines still form the base of the Grand Vin which has been viewed as being among the top wines of Pessac-Léognan since Robert Parker gave 100 pts to the 2009, which we shall taste, as well as the 2008, which Jancis Robinson MW described as “amazing” and “fantastic”. Our good friend Richard Bampfield MW will also share his impressions on the wines as we taste:

Chateau Le Pape 2019

Chateau Haut-Bailly II 2019

Chateau Haut-Bailly Grand Vin 2019

Chateau Haut-Bailly Grand Vin 2016

Chateau Haut-Bailly Grand Vin 2015

Chateau Haut-Bailly Grand Vin 2014

Chateau Haut-Bailly Grand Vin 2009 (RP – 100 pts)

Chateau Haut-Baily Grand Vin 2008

Member tickets are £100 and guest tickets are £120. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register and make your future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure seats together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser James McCaughey, at jamesmccaughey@btinternet.com or Duncan Holden, at duncanandliz@btinternet.com.

Piedmont, one of the great wine regions of the world, immediately brings to mind two of the best-known red wines of Italy - Barolo and Barbaresco – made from the noble grape variety, Nebbiolo.  Piedmont, as we will discover, also produces outstanding red and white wines from grape varieties other than Nebbiolo, including Arneis, Barbera, Cortese, Dolcetto, Ruché and Timorrasso.

Michael Palij MW, a long-standing friend and supporter of the Society, will present an outstanding range of wines from Piedmont, many of which he has personally sourced from producers he represents in the UK.  The tasting will conclude with a pair of Barolo from the outstanding 2016 vintage that are from the Society’s reserves.  The tasting presents a unique opportunity to explore the many vinous delights that Piedmont has to offer.

The nine wines to be tasted are:

Azienda Agricola Pecchenino, Dogliani DOCG “San Luigi” 2021

Azienda Agricola Mascarello Giuseppe, Langhe Freisa DOC “Toetto” 2020

Azienda Agricola Marco Porello Roero Arneis DOCG “Camestri” 2023

Azienda Agricola Vigneti Massa Colli Tortonesi Barbera DOC “Bigolla” 2010

Azienda Vitivinicola La Zerba Gavi di Tassarolo DOCG “Terrarossa” 2022

Azienda Vinicola Palladino, Barolo DOCG Parafada 2016

Azienda Agricola Bottazzi Lorenzo, Wine of Italy, “Derthona Italo” 2018

Societa Agricola Trediberri di Nicola Oberto, Barolo DOCG 2016

Azienda Agricola Ferraris Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG Riserva “Vigna del Parocco” 2022

The tasting provides great value for members with tickets priced at £60 for members and £65 for guests.  If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register in order to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings, so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Steve Thierbach, on thierbach@btinternet.com or Duncan Holden, on duncanandliz@btinternet.com

You may love it, you may hate it, but there is no getting round the fact that rosé has become a significant part of the wine scene.  Tax exile from Wolverhampton and old friend of the SWS, Jonathan Pedley MW, returns to guide us through the rise of pink wine in the UK.  A glass of Crémant de Limoux Rosé on the roof terrace should ease us into the evening, so please arrive early if the weather is looking good.  Jonathan will then set off on his story, starting with memories of sipping Mateus Rosé with his father in the 1970s and ending up today with him handing out medals in international competitions to the likes of Chateau Minuty 281 and Piper Rosé Sauvage.  Expect a range of styles as we taste our way from Portugal to Champagne via South Africa and several regions of France.

The wines we will be tasting are as follows:

Grand Cuvée 1531 Crémant de Limoux Rosé
Mateus Rosé
Tavel Rosé Domaine Maby
La Baume Languedoc Rosé
L'Exuberance Rosé du Clos Cantenac
Chateau Minuty 281 Cotes de Provence Rosé
Franschhoek Cellars Cinsault
Piper Heidsieck Rosé Sauvage 

Member tickets are £33 and guest tickets are £37. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Andrew Denny, on andrew.l.denny@icloud.com.

2009 is the sexiest, most opulent vintage I have tasted.” – Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider 

2009 benefitted from a very promising growing season, with plenty of sunshine and warmth throughout – a ripe vintage allowed the winemakers to focus all their efforts making the wines a genuine expression of the terroir.  The concentrated wines and plethora of high scores given out by the critics gave the Bordelais every encouragement to sell the en primeur campaign as the vintage of the decade.  It was released at record prices for the time and eagerly bought up by the market.  Its "legendary" status was cemented when Robert Parker went on to award a record 19 wines the full 100 pts when he released his in bottle tasting notes and ratings for the vintage in 2012 – the Smith Haut Lafitte we will be tasting is one of Parker’s 100 pointers. 

The Society is fortunate that their Committee invested in the promise of powerful wines and sumptuous fruit, and curated a fantastic selection of wines.  The consensus seems to be that the 2009s are now very approachable and therefore fifteen years on looks like an excellent juncture to test how this much-heralded this vintage is faring. 

We are thrilled to be joined once again by Richard Bampfield MW – who has pronounced the prospect of this tasting to be “mouth-watering”.  We hope you will join Richard and the Committee at Salters’ Hall to find out what all the hype was about back in 2009 and enjoy what promises to be an epic tasting of some sumptuous wines.

The Grand Cru wines from the 2009 vintage that we will be tasting are as follows: 

Branaire-Ducru
Haut Batailley
Calon Segur
Leoville-Poyferre
Gazin
Rauzan Segla
Grand Puy Lacoste
Smith Haut Lafitte 

The wines for this tasting come from the Society’s stocks, providing amazing value for members with tickets priced at considerably less than an equivalent commercial tasting.   Member tickets are £110 and guest tickets are £130.

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Will Robertson on will.robertson@realestate.bnpparibas or Duncan Holden on duncanandliz@btinternet.com

“It’s the spiritual home of sauvignon blanc and refreshing white wines, but the light and distinctive reds… are equally superb" (David Williams) 

Loire wines have long been praised for their light and fresh characteristics, with some wine lovers not looking beyond the region’s light, white wines for quaffing on a terrace after a hard-day's sightseeing around the chateaux along the river. Decanter notes “Famed for its Chenin Blancs, the Middle Loire also produces world-class Cabernet Franc and is home to one of the largest sparkling wine appellations in France.”

 This evening's tasting will delve beyond what might be regarded as the "typical" white wines of the region, to encompass not only the region's whites, but also its sparkling, red and sweet wines.  This promises to be an exciting evening discovering the lesser-known wines of the area, led by Jimmy Smith of the West London Wine School, a long-standing fan of Loire wines.  The wines we will be tasting are as follows:  

Domaine du Clos Naudin, Méthode Traditionnelle Brut 2014 

Domaine François Chidaine, Montlouis Les Choisilles 2022

Domaine Aux Moines, Savennieres-Roche Aux Moines 2021

Domaine Henri Bourgeois, Sancerre Blanc “Les Marnes Kimmeridgiennes 2021

Herve Villemade, Touraine, Cour-Cheverny "Les Acacias" 2020

Domaine Serol Eclat de granite, AOP Cote Roannaise

Domaine Catherine & Pierre Breton, Bourgueil, Bourgueil Perrieres 2018

Domaine François Chidaine, Montlouis Moelleux 2016 

Member tickets are £55 and guest tickets are £65. 

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings, so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Katie Cameron, at katiecameron4@hotmail.com.

Since the 1960s, when Oregon started down the road to commercial wine production, it has developed an international reputation.  The region has become synonymous with high quality Pinot Noir, the leading grape variety accounting for 60% of production, followed by Pinot Gris and Chardonnay which also produce world-class wine.  Most of the wineries, which tend to be small family owned affairs, are located in the Willamette Valley where the climate can be cool and cloudy with less sunshine so usefully lengthening the growing season.  American Viticultural Areas in Oregon now number over 20 – with many “nested” AVAs within the Willamette Valley itself - and can reflect significant geological differences amongst the region’s volcanic, loess, silky loam and sedimentary soils.  Robert Parker Wine Advocate wine critic, Erin Brooks, says: “The best examples of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Oregon have the ability to express many different layers in the same glass: fruit, earth, spice and minerality. Most wines can easily be classified as either earthy or fruity. Oregon wines strike a beautiful balance between both.”  It will be fascinating to see whether the often-made comparison with Burgundy holds up.

This tasting will showcase leading wines from the Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, Yamhill Carlton, Ribbon Ridge and Willamette Valley AVAs. The wines to be presented are:

The Eyrie Vineyard, Pinot Gris, Original Vines 2017 (Dundee Hills)

Domaine Drouhin, Cuvée Arthur Chardonnay 2016 (Dundee Hills)

Walter Scott, Seven Springs Chardonnay 2017 (Eola-Amity Hills)

Domaine Drouhin, Pinot Noir, 2016 (Dundee Hills)

Roco, Gravel Road Pinot Noir 2015 (Willamette Valley)

Shea Wine Cellars, Estate Pinot Noir 2016 (Yamhill Carlton)

Brick House, Evelyn’s Pinot Noir 2015  (Ribbon Ridge)

Walter Scott, Seven Springs Pinot Noir 2017 (Eola-Amity Hills)

We are delighted to welcome Linda Jotham MW, a leading educator, wine consultant and judge, with a specialisation in wines from Oregon, and who selected all the wines we will taste, to present these wines.

Tickets for this tasting are priced at £65 for members and £75 for guests.  If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Mervyn Parry on mervyn@theparrys.eclipse.co.uk.

South Africa, with its amazing range of climates and soils and some of the world’s most dynamic and talented winemakers, is arguably the most exciting wine-producing country on the planet.

The quality of South Africa’s fine wines has been recognised by wine critics and awards panels as reaching new heights. This is being driven by a new and younger generation of winemakers which has travelled the world, understands what it takes to compete in international markets and is far less constrained by tradition.  Whereas historically the most important wine regions in South Africa, dating back centuries, were Stellenbosch and Constantia, many of the most ground-breaking wines in recent years have been crafted by this next generation in previously unheralded regions, such as Swartland (to the north of Cape Town) and Elgin (to the south-east).

This wine revolution has been underpinned by a greater understanding of terroir and the importance of specific regionality in the cultivation of key grape varietals, such as Rhone varietals in the Swartland and cooler climate cultivars in Elgin.  This compares with planting “anything and everything everywhere” as South African winemakers may sometimes have been guilty of in the past. Many of the wines produced as part of this revolution have received outstanding critical reviews. South Africa’s authoritative Platters Wine Guide awarded 5 Stars (its highest rating) to two of the wines in this tasting, and Tim Atkin MW ranked the Spioenkop Riesling 2017 as the “best Riesling in South Africa”.

We are delighted to welcome back to the Society Greg Sherwood MW, one of only five South Africans ever to achieve MW status and a recognised authority on the wines of South Africa.   Greg has drawn on his extensive specialist knowledge of the wines and wine-makers to personally select a stellar line-up comprising the following eight wines:

·       JC Wickens Swerwer Tiernes Single Vineyard Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2021, Swartland

·       Brookdale Estate Sixteen Field Blend White 2022, Paarl

·       Draaiboek Wines Kinkel Chardonnay 2022, Elgin

·       Spioenkop Riesling 2017, Elgin

·       Spioenkop Pinot Noir 2017, Elgin

·       Naude Werfdans Old Vine Cinsault 2017, Darling

·       JC Wickens Swerwer Shiraz 2021, Swartland

·       Andre Bruyns City on a Hill Exodus Red Rhone Blend 2022, Paardeberg, Swartland 

Member tickets are £55 and guest tickets are £65.

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.  The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group, please arrive early to ensure seats together.  

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Duncan Holden, on duncanandliz@btinternet.com.

Our first tasting of 2024 promises a rare chance to sample beautifully aged Riesling of the highest quality at an incredibly good price.

Surely no true wine lover could ever commit to dry January and face a whole month without wine but how about a lower alcohol option to start the year?  Germany’s Mosel Valley provides the perfect conditions to create wines of great purity with racing acidity contrasted by varying levels of sweetness all whilst keeping alcohol levels low.  Riesling is arguably king amongst white grapes for its ageing potential; maintaining balance well over a decade after its birth.

The wines we will be tasting are being drawn from the Society’s cellar and were purchased en primeur over a decade ago by the Society’s committee with a great deal of foresight, offering the current membership access to aged wines now rarely accessible on the open market.  2011 is considered to be amongst the best Mosel vintages of the last 15 years, described by Wine Spectator as having “Ideal harvest conditions (that) delivered fruit-forward, open-knit and balanced wines with opulent flavours and textures”.

We are lucky to be joined again by Anne Krebiehl MW who, as author of the most comprehensive English language guide to German wine, is one of the UK’s foremost authorities on the wines of the Mosel.

We will be tasting eight 2011 vintage wines sourced from four renowned producers with a goal of contrasting two differing levels of sweetness per producer:

·       Zilliken – Rausch Riesling Kabinett

·       Zilliken – Rausch Riesling Spätlese

·       Maximin Grünhäuser-  Abtsberg Riesling Kabinett, von Schubert 

·       Maximin Grünhäuser- Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese, von Schubert 

·       Schloss Lieser- Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese

·       Schloss Lieser- Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese

·       JJ Prüm- Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese

·       JJ Prüm- Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese 

Member tickets are £45 and guest tickets are £55. Note that only 72 tickets are available for this tasting so early purchase is recommended. 

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.  The Society operates a free seating policy at tastings so if you are coming as a group please arrive early to ensure seats together. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Sarah Jeffery, on sarahlouisejeffery@gmail.com.

Blanc de Blancs – or traditional method sparkling wine made purely from white grapes  – promises deliciousness, pleasure and elegance all at once. And while the region of Champagne made this style famous – especially with the wines from the deep chalk soils of the Côte des Blancs – this expressive style of sparkling wine is now made around the world – so what better way of comparing different origins than with a tasting dedicated to Chardonnay-based fine fizz? We will of course compare Champagne’s own blanc de blancs with wines made in England, not too far away and sometimes even on similar soil, but we will then stack these wines up against masterful examples from Italy, South Africa, California and New Zealand. I am sure we are in for some delicious comparing and contrasting.

We will be tasting two champagnes, followed by two sparkling wines from England, where the blanc de blancs style is becoming increasingly popular. Then we will traverse the globe, tasting blanc de blancs wines from South Africa, California, New Zealand and Italy.

The wines we will be tasting are as follows:

Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2014 Champagne

Pieter Ferreira Blanc de Blancs 2016 (South Africa)

Pierre Péters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs Champagne

Ferrari Perlé, Trento 2017 (Italy)

Sugrue Cuvée Boz Blanc de Blancs 2015 (England)

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Brut 2019 (California)

Gusbourne Estate Blanc de Blancs 2018 (England)

No. 1 Family Estate Cuvée Blanc de Blancs (New Zealand) 

Member tickets are £60 and guest tickets are £65. Note that only 72 tickets are available for this tasting so you are advised to act quickly. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Megan Schellinger, on megan.schellinger@bakermckenzie.com.

Burgundy produces some of the finest wines in the world and 2010 is by all accounts a great vintage for Red Burgundy, with the wines showing an excellent balance of fruit, tannin and acidity.  The respected wine critic for The New York Times, Eric Asimov, wrote “The best wines are precise, graceful and subtly but firmly structured, while transparently showing the characteristics of their particular terroirs. They are not as rich and powerful as the 2009s, but they emphasize finesse and balance.”  Neal Martin of Vinous wrote in 2020 “In my experience, the 2010 Burgundy vintage did not put a foot wrong, and it is fast becoming my favorite of the last 20 years.” 

This tasting will showcase Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines from three of the most prestigious appellations in Burgundy - Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Vosne-Romanée – and from leading producers, including Domaine François Bertheau, Albert Bichot (Domaine du Clos Frantin) and Domaine Rossignol-Trapet. The wines to be presented are: 

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes, Domaine François Bertheau

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Suchots, Pascal Marchand

Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Feusselottes, Pascal Marchand

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Malconsorts, Albert Bichot Domaine du Clos Frantin

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers, Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot

Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet

Mazis Chambertin Grand Cru, Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot

Increasingly, many of the wines of Burgundy command prices (even upon release) that are beyond the reach of most consumers. These wines were purchased by the Committee upon release, and present a fantastic opportunity to taste mature wines from an outstanding Burgundy vintage at a price well below their current market value. Tickets for this tasting are priced at £100 for members and £120 for guests.  If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.  

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Steve Thierbach, on thierbach@btinternet.com

We are delighted to showcase a remarkable array of wines from the high-achieving Chateau Palmer, which will be presented by Sebastien Menut, the Chateau's export director. Ranked as a 3eme grand cru classe in the 1855 classification and located in the Margaux commune the wines from this Chateau are now considered to be amongst the very finest in Bordeaux. This tasting has been made possible by the kindness and generosity of the Chateau, as was the case with our equally remarkable tasting held in 2011.

Legend has it that the Chateau was sold to General Charles Palmer on a stagecoach journey from Lyon to Paris by the recently widowed, and very persuasive, Madame Le Gasq who claimed it was a wine surpassed only by Lafite.  Two centuries after Palmer's energetic, conscientious and costly improvements, and his “hustling” to promote the Chateau's wines in British high society, Neal Martin describes this jewel of Margaux as one of the very few properties capable of outflanking the first growths in its finest vintages.

Chateau Palmer's reputation was firmly established as one of the Medoc's most revered estates by the turn of the twentieth century but a severe decline followed before the estate was rescued in 1937 by a group of families, from whom the Sichels and the Mahler-Besses still retain joint ownership. The great improvements in the winemaking were established beyond doubt when Palmer surpassed Chateau Margaux with its legendary 1961 and then repeated the feat with the 1983.

Palmer was typically thought of historically as having a larger than usual proportion of Merlot in the blend, as compared with its peers, but the reality is that the wine is more evenly balanced, with the trend having been towards an increasing proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon (53% in 2018 and in 1983 as compared with 30% in 1961).

The wines we will taste are:

Alter Ego 2019

Alter Ego 2017 

Palmer 2012 

Palmer 2010 

Palmer 2009 

Palmer 2008 

Palmer 2005 

Palmer 2000

Member tickets are £120 and guest tickets are £140. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Nigel Farr, on nigel.farr@hsf.com.

“Kumeu River somehow manages to make some of not just New Zealand’s but the world’s finest Chardonnay from vineyards in the Auckland suburbs.” – Jancis Robinson MW 

Members will know the wines of Kumeu River by their stellar reputation and the occasional bottle included in a tasting, but this is the first time the Society has had a tasting hosted by the Brajkovich family.  These are wines that not only represent fantastic value for money compared with white burgundy, but also frequently surpass the finest Chassagnes and Pulignys in blind tastings, and age beautifully and consistently.  At a blind tasting in 2015, a panel composed of wine luminaries awarded Kumeu River wines first place across three of four flights against top white burgundies, despite costing between half to a quarter of their French counterparts.  A subsequent vertical tasting in 2017 of twelve vintages of Kumeu River wines with an equally illustrious panel caused Jancis Robinson to begin her report on the tasting with the question, “Do we need white burgundy?”.  In 2021, critic James Suckling awarded a perfect 100 point score to the 2020 Maté's Vineyard Chardonnay, which is only the second New Zealand wine to achieve that accolade.

At this tasting, we will be given a unique first sampling of Kumeu River’s 2022 vintage.  Winemaker Michael Brajkovich MW is very excited by this vintage: “the excellent 2022 vintage came on the heels of three others, in a magnificent chain of four superb quality harvests.”  We will also have the opportunity to taste older vintages, to see just how well these wines age.  Kumeu River does not just produce chardonnay: we will begin the evening by sampling their NV Cremant Rose and two of their excellent Pinot Noirs.

Kumeu River is very much a family business, and we are delighted to be joined by Kumeu River’s Marketing Director, Paul Brajkovich, who will lead the tasting. 

The wines we will be tasting are as follows:

Kumeu River Cremant Rose 

2020 Hunting Hill Pinot Noir

2019 Rays Road Pinot Noir

2022 Rays Road Chardonnay

2022 Coddington Chardonnay

2022 Hunting Hill Chardonnay

2014 Hunting Hill Chardonnay

2022 Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay

2014 Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay

Member tickets are £60 and guest tickets are £70. If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Andrew Denny, on andrew.l.denny@icloud.com or Duncan Holden on duncanandliz@btinternet.com

Following two previous Chairman’s Tastings, the Society has again asked those who have had the honour and privilege of serving as Chairman to reach into their cellars for the benefit of the Society.  For this tasting, the Society is exploring the cellars of not only the Society's longest serving Chairman and cellar master, Steve Thierbach, but also four other former Chairmen - Simon Cohen, Iain Connor, Mervyn Parry and Robert Nelson - to taste a few of their favourite wines.  The tasting will include a pair of Rieslings from two of the leading producers in Alsace, two premiers crus Red Burgundy from the 2002 vintage, two Bordeaux from a single producer and from the heralded 2009 vintage and port from one of the best port vintages of the 20^th century. 

The event will take the form of a "Call my wine bluff’, with members and guests asked to pick their favourites between wines served in pairs and try to determine who provided the wines.  In order to make the challenge a bit more difficult, two of the wines will be presented blind.  This will be an irreverent evening where the only serious thing will be the quality of the wines:

Hugel, Riesling Jubilee 2010

Zind-Humbrecht, Riesling Grand Cru Brand 2005

White Wine # 1

White Wine # 2

Domaine David Duband, Nuits St Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers 2002

Hospices de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru Cuvée Général  Muteau 2002

Ségla 2009

Rauzan-Ségla 2009

Dow 1994

As the wines for this tasting come from the cellars of the Society's former Chairmen, it provides amazing value for members and their guests as the wines are being provided at a significant discount to their market value. Tickets are priced at £55 for members and £65 for guests. 

If you are using the Society's website to purchase tickets for the first time, you are encouraged to register so as to make future ticket purchases even easier.

Please direct any questions about this tasting to Iain.Connor@Michelmores.com.

Representing a majestic sweep through the final decade of the Charmolue family's 110 year ownership, this vertical tasting offers our members an emphatic confirmation of the quality and consistency of Chateau Montrose's wines, nuanced across a variety of growing conditions. Richard Bampfield MW will guide us through eight vintages of the grand vin between 1996 and 2005 complemented by a ninth wine, the 2008 vintage of the second wine, La Dame de Montrose. 

Positioned on a very well-drained gravelly outcrop in St.Estephe close to the temperature regulating river Gironde, Montrose produces majestic long-lived clarets year after year: structured, powerful, fruit-packed, intense and deep, elegant and refined, with complexity drawn from Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot clearly distinguishable in the predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Originally that outcrop was clad in pink heather leading to the Chateau adopting sailors' nickname for the hill – Mont Rose. 

Few would dispute that Montrose has long been a super-second amongst its peers in that tier of the 1855 classification and making some of the very best wines in Bordeaux. But that is all the more remarkable given that its wines were commanding the requisite level of 1855 auction prices after only forty years under vine. This was the shortest track record within the Classification and a glowing tribute to its first owner Etienne Dumoulin. By the time of his death in 1861 Etienne had expanded the forgotten, uncleared patch of heathland he inherited into the prestigious 95 hectare estate that we recognise today. The Dollfuss, Charmolue and finally the Bouygues families have continued the tradition of tremendous winemaking. 

Our tasting represents twenty-five years of curation on the part of your Committee, building on the outstanding 1996 purchased by the Committee in 1998. It promises to be a memorable event which we hope you will find hugely enjoyable. Members will reap the benefit in terms of pricing flowing from our acquisition of the wines on release at prices far below where they trade today. 

The evening will be hosted by an old friend of the Society, Richard Bampfield MW and we will taste the Grand Cru from 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 together with the 2008 Le Dame de Montrose; a line-up which includes two wines widely considered amongst the finest wines of the first decade of the new millennium, the 2003 and 2005.

The wines for this tasting come from the Society’s stocks, providing amazing value for members with tickets priced at considerably less than a commercial tasting of this stature. Member tickets are £100 and guest tickets are £120.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Nigel Farr, on 020 7466 2360 or at nigel.farr@hsf.com.

The Riesling grape variety needs no introduction.  Jancis Robinson: says: “…Riesling is the greatest white wine grape in the world… and German dry Riesling is one of the wine world’s undervalued treasures”. 

The Riesling grape is also one of the most versatile varieties.  It can produce wines that range from those that are steely and very dry, through wines with some residual sugar adding complexity and texture as much as sweetness, to wines with higher levels of residual sugar with noticeable sweetness and complex aromas and flavours resulting from noble rot (botrytis cinerea).  The wines it produces express precisely where they were grown (like Pinot Noir).  They continue to evolve with ever increasing interest at least as long as Cabernet Sauvignon, if not longer. In their youth they are extremely refreshing and, as they age, their complexity and richness shines through while all the time being relatively low in alcohol. And they go superbly with food, generally better than white burgundy and other Chardonnays.  The Riesling grape has proved adept at producing great wines in many parts of the world.  This tasting aims to show how well the grape variety has adapted to regions outside its original home, as well as Germany, with leading examples from excellent producers. 

The Society is very pleased to welcome Anne Krebiehl MW for the first time to guide us through these fine wines.  Anne is a widely published freelance wine writer, editor, speaker and award winning author.  She has a particular speciality in German wines and published her book, The Wines of Germany, in 2019.  This tasting is attractively priced and is not to be missed.  It will appeal to lovers of white wines of different styles, from dry to sweet, and from many parts of the world and provide a wonderful opportunity to decide whether the Riesling grape produces one of the wine world’s undervalued treasures. 

The wines to be tasted are: 

2016 Framingham, F-Series Old Vine Riesling (Marlborough, New Zealand)

2017 F X Pichler, Steinertal, Riesling Smaragd (Wachau, Austria)

2016 Grosset, Springvale Riesling (Clare Valley, South Australia)

2011 Domaine Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile (Alsace)

2018 Bürklin Wolf, Wachenheimer Riesling (Pfalz, Germany)

1999 J J Prüm, Wehlen Sonnenuhr Auslese (Mosel)

2020 Château Ste. Michelle Eroica Riesling (Washington State, USA)

2016 Schäfer-Fröhlich, Stromberg GG (Nahe, Germany) 

Member tickets are £50 and guest tickets are £60.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Mervyn Parry, on 07747 470017 or at mervyn@theparrys.eclipse.co.uk.

The 2005 vintage for Red Burgundy is widely regarded as a truly great vintage.  Jasper Morris, the influential Burgundy critic, wrote on his Inside Burgundy website that he thinks of 2005 as “probably the best Red Burgundy vintage of my working lifetime”.  The late Clive Coates wrote in The World of Fine Wine -- "The 2005 vintage in Burgundy is one of those rare occasions when nature and human skill combine to create something sublime. The red wines are stunning, with a rare combination of intensity, elegance and harmony. They have a seductive perfume of red and black fruits, flowers, spices and minerals, a silky texture and a firm backbone of acidity and tannin. They are wines of great character and longevity, but also of immense pleasure and charm." 

Excellent wines were produced in both the Côte de Beaune and the Côte de Nuits. The wines are characterised by rich and ripe fruit flavours, firm tannins and balancing acidity, a near perfect combination for red wines that will age gracefully.  In this tasting we present a range of premier cru and Grand Cru wines, including wines from the well-known appellations of Pommard, Nuits-St-Georges, Vosne-Romanée, Gevrey-Chambertin and Clos-St-Denis, and from well-regarded producers, including Marquis d’Angerville, Henri Gouges, Faiveley and de Montille.  The tasting provides a comprehensive look at wines across the Côte-d'Or. 

The wines presented in this tasting were purchased by the Society when first offered to the market en primeur. The prices for wines from Burgundy (red and white) have appreciated dramatically in the past decade, and the market value of the wines in this tasting is significantly in excess of the prices paid. The ticket prices for the tasting are £100 for Members and £120 for guests, and these prices represent a substantial discount to the market value of the wines, providing the Society’s Members and their guests the benefit of tasting mature wines from the Society’s reserves at prices well below market prices, while at the same time allowing the Society to invest in wine reserves to be presented at future tastings. 

The Society is very pleased to welcome back Lance Foyster MW, of Clark Foyster Wines, and an importer of and enthusiast for Burgundy and its wines, to guide us through these fine wines.  The tasting will appeal to experienced Burgundy connoisseurs as well as to those that are not yet familiar with the region, and attendees can decide for themselves whether all the ‘hype’ around Burgundy and the 2005 vintage is warranted.  This tasting is not to be missed, and we expect tickets to sell quickly. 

The wines to be tasted are: 

Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses, Domaine Simon Bize

Volnay 1er Cru Champans, Domaine Marquis d'Angerville

Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Epenots, Domaine de Courcel

Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots, Domaine Henri Gouges

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot

Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “Clos des Issarts” (Monopole), Domaine Faiveley

Corton Les Pougets Grand Cru, Domaine de Montille

Clos-St-Denis Grand Cru, Maison Nicholas Potel 

Member tickets are £100 and guest tickets are £120. 

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Will Robertson, on 020 7318 5002 or at will.robertson@realestate.bnpparibas.

I could not live without Champagne. In victory I deserve it. In defeat I need it.

Winston Churchill, 1946

We are delighted to welcome back to the Society one of our (and certainly Winston Churchill’s) favourite champagne houses, Pol Roger, who once again have shown us their strong support by providing some truly wonderful wines for tasting. The evening will culminate with the cuvee named after Winston himself, who became a devotee of the great champagne house after meeting Odette Pol Roger at a dinner in Paris.

In this Platinum Jubilee year, what better wine to drink than champagne from a house holding a Royal Warrant from the Queen. The house itself released its first wine in 1853; exactly 100 years before the Queen’s coronation in June 1953 and so it seems even more fitting to continue the celebrations with Pol Roger.

As Churchill also said “My tastes are simple, I am easily satisfied with the best" and we are certain that this tasting will honour that tradition.

The evening will be hosted by James Simpson MW, Managing Director of Pol Roger Portfolio. We are indebted both to James and the house for their generosity in curating the wines for the tasting which show the full breadth of the wine making talent.

The wines are:

Pol Roger Brut Reserve
Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 2013
Pol Roger Rich
Pol Roger Brut Vintage 2008
Pol Roger Pure
Pol Roger Winston Churchill 2012
Pol Roger Rosé 2015

Due to the generosity of Pol Roger, this tasting offers fantastic value. Member tickets are £65 and guest tickets are £70.

Widely regarded as one of the best vintages for white Burgundy in the last 20 years, commentators far and wide have praised the 2014 wines for being everything that great white Burgundy can be. “From the outset, most winemakers on the Côte de Beaune placed the 2014 vintage in the same style category as 2012, 2010 and 2008 — fresh, mineral-driven wines with the density and backbone to reward aging. If producers have changed their opinions on this crop of wines now that they are in the bottle, it’s only for the better” so said Stephen Tanzer of Vinous Media in September 2016. The wines today show a remarkable intensity of fruit flavours but no overripe character, firm acidity and minerality and transparency to their terroirs.

We will show a range of excellent wines from the Society’s reserves, starting with two Bourgogne Blanc from well-known producers and including wines from the world-renowned appellations of Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet. We also will present a white wine from Marsannay, an appellation that is increasingly becoming known for producing excellent white wines as well as reds.

The Society is very fortunate to have Lance Foyster MW, of Clark Foyster Wines, and an importer of and enthusiast for Burgundy and its wines, return to the Society to guide us through these fine wines. A tasting of fine white Burgundies such as these is not to be missed, and we are expecting tickets to sell quickly. The wines are:

Bourgogne Blanc ‘La Trufera’, Domaine Etienne Sauzet

Bourgogne Blanc ‘Cuvee Oligocene’, Domaine Patrick Javillier

Marsannay Blanc, Au Champs Salomon, Domaine Charles Audoin

Meursault Les Grands Charrons, Domaine Michel Bouzereau

Meursault Clos de la Velle, Domaine Darviot-Perrin

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers, Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets, Domaine Blain-Gagnard

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Hameau de Blagny, Domaine Comtesse de Cherisey

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère, Domaine Henri Boillot

The tasting offers excellent value for such fine wines and members and guests benefit from tasting wines from the Society’s reserves. Member tickets are £65 and guest tickets are £70.

If you have any questions, please contact the organiser, Will Robertson, on 020 7318 5002 or at will.robertson@realestate.bnpparibas.