Year 29 In The HMWS

Year 29 of the HMWS

The 29th “Academic Year” of the Harrogate Medical Wine Society commences on 1st September 2019. The Society will continue to maintain the established high standards of quality tastings, exciting wine tours and sourcing fine wine for members at bargain prices. But there are new challenges to be faced. Falling attendance at tastings is becoming a serious problem. Cost may be one determining factor. Some members have expressed the wish for more ‘technical’ tastings of new and rare top-end wines without meals.

Having considered members’ comments and suggestions, the following changes will be introduced from 1st September 2019:

Monthly interactive tutored tastings will continue with only 6 highest quality wines. Background reading will be essential to get the maximum from the events

There will be no ‘wine on arrival’ served routinely at HMWS tastings. Beverages can be purchased from the Masonic Lodge bar if necessary

The tasting will be followed by a two course supper, usually without wine. This reduces the cost of the event by £5 pp on average. Members who wish to have a glass or two of wine with their meal are free to BYO. Corkage will not be charged. Two ‘tasting only’ places will be available at each event for those who do not require a meal after the tasting

Small Group Technical Tastings without a presenter or food will continue to be held

Wine/culture tours will be arranged if requested by Members who should ensure that minimum group size requirements (20 for a coach tour) are met

Hedonist will continue to be published daily bringing members Society news as well as relevant publications from the wine world

The annual membership fee will remain unchanged at £15 pp.

‘Free first year membership for new members’ will be abolished

The Society’s wine offers and tours are for members only

Guests are welcome at tastings, lunch and dinners but a surcharge of £5 pp is payable

Reservations for HMWS events are accepted only with a non-refundable £15 deposit. Balance payment should be made 4 weeks before the event. A 10% discount is available for early purchase of tickets. Refunds are offered only if tickets are re-sold

September 2019

Membership: 72 including 18 Life Members. Entry to “Introduce A New Member” free raffle started
Tastings: “Wines Of The Way” presented by member Tony Lee
Tasting Discount: 10% discount for early purchase of events tickets introduced
Wine Offers: There were 3 wine offers and Members have ordered 13 cases

October 2019

At the Thymiopoulos tasting

Tastings: “Thymiopoulos – Godfather of Xin” was attended by 23 Members and a guest. A subsidy of £129.80 was required
Tours: Romania Tour in spring 2020 was finalized
Wine Offers: There were 4 offers. Members purchased 55 bottles through the Society

(Members’ Attendance (24, 30.76%): Renna Benson – Buckley, Rob – Buckley, Pauline – Dias, Bernard – Dias, Ramani – Goldsmith, Steven – Goldsmith, Julie – Greenwood, Jane – Guthrie, A – Hanney, I – Hanney, R – Joslin, Charles – Joslin, Ann – Kalmanovitch, Debo – Lee, Tony – Lees, David – McFarlane, D – McFarlane, G – Murphy, Peter – Murphy, Carol – Stewart, Alisdair – Stewart, Elma – Trewhella, Jane – Wilson, Les)

November 2019

Membership: remains at 78. No new members were introduced
Tastings: Two tastings – “Getting To Know Valpolicella” and the second small group tasting – Quinta da Fonte Souto were held
Attendance: (34, 43.58%)
Christmas Lunch & Raffle: 24 members (30.76% of the membership) and 3 guests have reservations for this December event. 7 members bought 5 tickets each for the Christmas Raffle
Wine Offers: 9 offers were made and the Society sourced 258 bottles for members from 5 of the offers. Samas Isola dei Nuraghi 2018 and Quinta da Fonte Souto Branco 2017 were the two outstanding buys
The Blog: There were 3070 views by 705 visitors. 3 Posts were published
Accounts: HMWS Current account closing balance is £56.64. This excludes payments received for tastings/lunches and tours. Members’ Credit Account holds £2498.05

(Members’ Attendance (34, 43.58%↑): Buckley, Rob – Greenwood, Jane – Trewhella, Jane – Stewart, Alisdair – Stewart, Elma, Ian & Elizabeth Botwright, – Pratt, Simon & Sue – Joslin, Charles & Ann – Alan Chapman, David & Pat Durrant, Ashley Guthrie, John & Pat Shore, Gail Bent, Steven & Julie Goldsmith, Ivan & Ros Hanney, Douglas & Gloria McFarlane, Peter & Carol Murphy, Les & Mandy Wilson, David Lees, Debo Kalmanovitch, Stephen & Ann Cameron, Bernard & Ramani Dias)

December 2019

Membership: 75
Wine Events: Christmas Lunch, attended by 25 members (↓33.3% of membership) and 2 guests
Wine: There was one wine offer. 4 cases were bought. 2 new wines were tasted
Blog: There were 2334 views by 542 visitors from 35 countries
Accounts: The Current Account balance is £8.48. Members’ Credit Account holds £2079.28

*Attendance (25, ↓33.3%): Gail Bent, Rob & Pauline Buckley, Ian & Elizabeth Botwright, Stephen & Ann Cameron, Tony Coral & Helen Kerr, Bernard & Ramani Dias, Jane Greenwood, Charles & Ann Joslin, Tony Lee & Renna Benson, Douglas & Gloria McFarlane, Iain Morle & Debo Kalmanovitch, John & Pat Shore, Alisdair & Elma Stewart, Jane Trewhella

January 2020

Membership: 78 including 2 new members
Wine Events: Chablis Masterclass
New Wines Tasted: 7
Wine Offers: 3
Wines Bought By Members: 12 cases
The Blog:
Accounts:

Attendance: (29, 38.6%) Bent, Gail, Ian & Carol Bexon, Ian & Elizabeth Botwright, I, Stephen & Ann Cameron, Bernard & Ramani Dias, David & Patricia Durrant, Peter Goulding, Steven Goldsmith, Ashley Guthrie, Charles & Ann Joslin, David Lees, Douglas & Gloria McFarlane, Ian Morle & Debo Kalmanovitch, Simon & Sue Pratt, John & Pat Shore, Alisdair & Elma Stewart, Les & Mandy Wilson

February 2020

Membership: 78
Wine Events: “German Pinot Noir” presented by Rob Buckley
New Wines Tasted: 6
Wine Offers: 2
Wines Bought By Members: 16 cases
The Blog: There were 1763 views. 3 posts were published

March 2020

March was the first month of Corvid-19 global calamity and Lockdown. HMWS cancelled all 2020 wine events, wine orders and tours and refunded members’ payments to the Society. Ian Botwright volunteered to handle wine deliveries from Ripon and the first order of 15 cases from Fells was completed successfully. The Blog registered 1944 views.

April 2020

Wine: 8 offers were made. Members purchased 4 cases. Delivery (which included March orders) was handled by Ian Botwright
Blog: There were 1577 views. One post was published

May 2020

Wine: The Society sourced 39 cases of wine for 9 members from 2 UK suppliers. Delivery & collection was handled by Ian Botwright
The Blog: There were 1775 views by 423 visitors

June 2020

There were no wine events due to the Pandemic. 12 wine offers (54 wines) were made but no purchases were effected because of insufficient orders. The Blog registered 1202 views by 398 visitors from 41 countries. It has 247 Followers worldwide. HMWS membership remained unchanged at 78 with 19 Life Members.

July 2020

Membership: 78 including 19 Life Members
Wine Events: No wine events were held because of the C-19 pandemic
Wine Offers: There were 5 wine offers
Wines Bought: The Society sourced 28 cases of wine for members
The Blog: There were 1265 views by 340 visitors from 41 countries. One post was published
Accounts:.Closing balance was (-)£43.90. Members’ Credit Account holds £2987.72 (38 members).

August 2020

Membership: 78 including 19 Life Members
Wine Events: No wine events were held because of the C-19 pandemic
Wine Offers: There were 10 wine offers
Wines Bought: The Society sourced 13 cases of wine for members
The Blog: There were 1891 (↑) views by 449 (↑) visitors from 40 countries. No posts was published
Accounts: Opening balance was ( – £81.06). Income was £416.28 (Wines £186.28, Donations £230). Expenses were £186.28 (Wines). Closing balance is £148.94. Members’ Credit Account holds £3066.44