Year 27 In The HMWS

2017/18

The 27th ‘academic’ year of the Harrogate Medical Wine Society commences on 1st September. Having taken on board the constructive comments on the future of the Society made by the membership, the following guidelines for the next twelve months were formulated:

Membership: Attempts should be made to attract more new, active members and it is hoped that all current members would do their best to achieve this

Membership Fees: Annual membership fee will be unchanged at £15 per person but the concession to couples is removed. Life Membership is £150 pp. It is assumed that all current members will renew their membership during the month of August

Wine Events: There will be at least one quality wine event every month – eight wine tastings, three seasonal tasting-lunches or dinners and an end of the year dinner dance, if there is enough interest

Wine Tastings: There will be a minimum of 8 tutored fine wine tastings held either at the Masonic Hall or Pannal Golf Club, subject to availability. St. Luke’s Hall and The Club are possible alternative venues. Tastings will be on the first Thursday of the month starting at 7 pm and will be followed by a two-course supper with a glass of wine. Whenever possible, places will be made available for the tasting only for those who do not require supper. Volunteers to conduct tastings in February and March will be needed

Tasting lunches/dinners: Lunches will be on the first Sunday of May and August and the Autumn Dinner with seasonal game will be in November at the Pannal Golf Club

Annual Dinner Dance: This will be a ‘Champagne Celebration’ on the Friday or Saturday after Christmas at the Pannal Golf Club or similar

Wine Tours: Quality wine tours will be arranged at members’ request

Sourcing wine for members: Despite the new ‘Alcohol Wholesale Regulation’ the Society will continue to source quality wines for members through Serendib Promotions – the wine buying arm of the Society, at trade prices on a weekly basis. The wine collection day and times are unchanged

HMWS Blog & Hedonist: These will be published as before and members’ contributions are welcome. Members are also urged to follow the Society of Twitter and Facebook

Cancellation Policy for Tasting Events: Cancellation up to a week before the event – Loss of deposit. A full refund will be made if the place is resold. No refund will be made if cancellation is in the final week

Cancellation of Tours: Loss of deposits paid

“Looking forward to another year of wonderful wine.” – Ian Bexon, Harrogate, 26 August 2017

September 2017

Michael Robins in Harrogate at HMWS lunch with Jane Hunter

Wine Events: There were two wine events – “Wines of Brazil,” a tasting tutored by Nicholas Corfe of Go Brazil at the Masonic Hall and attended by 29 members and “Lunch With Jane Hunter” at the Pannal Golf Club attended by 30 members and 5 guests
Wines Tasted: 16 new wines were tasted
Wines Bought: 64 cases were purchased – 38 Hunter’s, 2 Torres Spain, 12 Tedeschi, 8 Douro, 2 Hugel and 2 Temata
Membership: There are 79 members including 6 new. 14 so far, have failed to renew their membership

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/314033278″>Lunch With Jane Hunter</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user12340500″>Bernard Dias</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

October 2017

Tasting at Bouchard

Wine Events: 1. Wines Of Mac Forbes. 2. Wine Tour – Champagne, Burgundy & the Rhone (21 – 29 October, 14 members)
Wines Tasted: 44
Wines Bought: 8 cases with 48 Riedel glasses
Membership: There are 89 members including 17 Life Members. Anita Blow joined the Society in October
The Blog: 10 posts were published. There were 5167 views in October from 1097 visitors. Blog stats stand at 126,250 hits. There are 500 followers world wide
Accounts: Opening balance was £602.53. Inflows were £827.83 and outflows were £317.90. The closing balance is £1112.46. Members’ credit account has a balance of £3593.86

November 2017

Wine Events: Autumn Lunch attended by 34 members at Pannal Golf Club. 2018 Rheingau wine tour sold out
Wines Tasted: 6 new wines tasted at the Autumn Lunch
Wines Bought: 48 bottles of Rioja from Armit for 3 members. Two cases of top-end Trimbach 2007 bought for a tasting in June 2018.

December 2017

In the absence of Arturo Garcia, Chris Mooney of Fells presented “Torres Chile” at the Pannal Golf Club. 11 new wines were tasted and Laytons Champagne (2 cases), Torres Chile, Stonecroft Syrah (4 cases) and La Rioja Alta Gran Reserva 904 (10 cases) were purchased by members.

January 2018

The first tasting of the year – “High Grade Greeks” was held at the Masonic Hall on the 4th attended by 33 members. 7 wines were tasted. A selection of Boekenhoutskloof wines were purchased for a tasting in July. Two members attended the New Zealand Trade Tasting in London on 15th January. Wine offers included 2005 La Rioja Alta 890 en primeur, Warwick First Lady range, the new vintage of Torres Purgatori, Te Mata Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc 2013, and Symingtons’ Douro range. 19 cases of wine were ordered. Adam Vear of the Masonic Hall introduced corkage charges for all wine events from March and Dr. Stephen Cameron made a donation towards such expenses. The March Wine Tour of Argentina was cancelled.

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/313639431″>HMWS – January 2018</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user12340500″>Bernard Dias</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

February 2018

Tastings: One tasting was held where 6 Greywacke wines were tasted at the Masonic Hall by 27 members and 4 guests
Wine Offers: Greywacke range, Pesquera, Guigal Cotes du Rhone and Sassicaia 2015, Hunter’s Pinot Noir 2014, Gimonnet Cuis 1er Cru in half bottles
Wines Tasted: 9 new wines were tasted (Greywacke, Cloudy Bay)
Wines Bought: Laytons delivered the 4 cases of Burgundy bought en primeur in November 2017. Fells Easter Offers: 18×6. Greywacke: 60 bottles. Douro Reds: 12 bottles, Guigal 30 bottles. Total: 234 bottles (£2297.38)
Wine Tours: Dr. Abdullah Kraam joined the September “Autumn In The Rheingau” wine tour
New Members: Drs. John & Bron Robinson joined the Society
Accounts: Greywacke tasting had a deficit of £34.88. The closing balance is £602.47. Members’ Credit Account holds £4047.28

March 2018

Tastings: Severe wintry weather conditions with heavy snows and sub zero temperatures (Hurricane Emma & ‘Beast’ from Siberia) forced the Society to reschedule the “Redoma & Batuta – A Niepoort Vertical” to 15th of March. 28 members attended the tasting
Wine Offers: La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva 2009 en primeur. Four 12 bottle cases and six magnums were ordered
Wines Bought: 72 Gimonnet Cuis 1er Cru Half Bottles, 15 cases of 12 bottles each of Hunter’s wines, 12 cases of Torres Gran Coronas, 1 case of P+S Pazo de Roriz, 4 cases of Bouchard Chardonnay La Vigne
Wines Tasted: 9 wines were tasted at the Niepoort Vertical
HMWS Blog: 7 posts were published. There were 4089 views by 1100 visitors
Accounts: Opening balance was £602.47 and the closing, £169.37. Inflows were £140.82 and outflows £573.92. Members’ credit account has £3487.35

April 2018

Members: Dr. & Mrs. Ivan Hanney joined the Society this month and Carole Wood became a Life Member. Membership of the HMWS is 94 including 18 Life Members
Tastings: “Volcanic Wines of Pietradolce” was held at Harrogate Masonic Hall on Thursday 5th April, attended by 30 HMWS members and a guest
Wines Tasted: 9 new wines were tasted
Wines Bought: 4 cases from the April Armit Wines offer, 9 cases of Marimar Estate Chardonnay & Pinot Noir, 7 cases of Chakana Malbec, 2 cases of Barbadillo, 5 cases of Torres Purgatori, 2 cases of Warwick White Lady Chardonnay, 2 cases of Santa Digna Rosé, 3 cases of Hugel and a case of Janneay VSOP Armagnac. Total 35 cases
HMWS Blog: 2 posts was published. There were 3532 views from 1006 visitors in April. The Blog has 564 followers world wide
Accounts: The Closing Balance is £119.05. Inflows were £106.92 and expenses were £157.24. Members’ Credit Account balance is £3666.12

May 2018

Cameron

Members: David & Pat Morris who move to Surry in June were made Life Members of the Society. Membership remains at 94 including 20 Life Members
Wine Events: HMWS Spring Lunch was held on Sunday 6 May at the Pannal Golf Club attended by 24 members and 3 guests. 6 members attended the Planeta tasting dinner with Penny Murphy (supported by the HMWS) at Sasso in Harrogate
Wines Tasted: 6 new wines were tasted
Wines Bought: The Society sourced 39 cases for members
HMWS Blog: 3 posts were published

June 2018

Wine Events: “Trimbach 2007” was held at the Pannal Golf Club on Thursday 7 June attended by 31 members.
Wines Tasted: 8
Wines Bought: Total for the month is 240 bottles
HMWS Blog: The ‘hit count’ passes 150,000. Views in June were 3195 from 1040 visitors. 5 posts were published. The blog has 570 followers
Accounts: Expenses were £317.99 and inflows were £96.15. The Closing Balance is (- £27.81). Members’ Credit Account holds £3115.29