Dear SPWC Members
It’s well-known that it is our prerogative to complain about the weather. It’s never the right temperature, is it? I suppose we should be getting used to these heatwaves which are occurring on an ever-increasing level but it’s difficult to adjust when it reaches 35 degrees as it did last week. I hope you managed to keep cool. Anyway, it’s bound to rain this week because the Lord’s test cricket match starts on Thursday.
Last Month’s Meeting
Heather and I missed last month’s presentation because we were enjoying the sights of the Peak District but I understand that Teresa and John delivered a polished talk – relaxed, entertaining and funny – with some excellent wines.
This Month’s MeetingOur own Tracy will be the presenter this month with an intriguingly entitled presentation, exploring AI and wine – “Illusion – Sweet Spot”. I’m sure we are in for another super evening so look forward to seeing you all there on Thursday, June 11th.
Wine of the month – Costellore Primitivo Rose, Italy, 12.5% ABV
If you’re looking to try something a little different as a rose wine aficionado, why not give this rosato primitivo a try? Costellore Primitivo is a captivating wine that embodies the rustic charm and sun-drenched landscapes of Puglia in southern Italy. Costellore is a vineyard that goes back generations and they have produced a rose wine that is a beautiful salmon pink colour and has flavours of red berries and ripe cherries with a delicate floral aroma. The palate is bursting with tropical flavours of watermelon and pomegranate with a twist of citrus. The long finish has just a hint of pepper. At 12.5% ABV it also packs a punch. It’s available from Aldi for a bargain £5.49 a bottle and is great on its own or as an accompaniment to summer salads and fish dishes.
Coming Up
Those of us who signed up to the Lingfield event, after some debate, decided to give it a miss this year due to the heatwave. However, there are still several events coming up during the summer so there is ample opportunity to sign up if you haven’t already done so.
The first of these will be a trip to Meopham’s Vineyard in Kent on Sunday, July 26th. We will have our own personalised tour round the vineyard followed by a tasting consisting of 8 different wines from their own vines. Charcuterie boards will be available. We will travel by train - Meopham is just a 20-minute train journey from Bromley South so easily accessible. Please sign up if you haven’t done so already.
On Saturday August 1st we have our annual summer walk. This year Paul Breslin will be our leader and the walk will focus on Hampstead Heath and village and end as always with a meal in a local pub. Some of you will be familiar with this beautiful and historic area of London and others will not. Either way, a treat awaits you as we explore together. Sign up now and look out for more details soon.
Our annual summer garden party takes place on Sunday August 23rd at 2pm. This time we revisit Sue and Dennis Gigney’s lovely garden at 36 Bennetts Way. The format will be the same as before. We will ask you to buy a ticket and then we’ll provide welcome drinks, a salad bar, bread board, condiments, ice cream etc. Our experienced chefs will light up the BBQ and it will be for you to bring whatever you would like them to cook for you. Please sign up today and we’ll let you have further details soon.
It’s probably a bit early to start thinking about Christmas but please make a note of this date for your diary – Friday, December 4th. We will be making a welcome return to The George in Hayes for our Christmas meal this year. The George has proved to be a popular venue with members in the past. It will offer a traditional Christmas menu, with plenty of choice for everyone and, the good news is, that their bar stays open until 11 pm on a Friday, so we can enjoy a more leisurely evening.
As a footnote to the last item above, those of you who joined us for our Christmas night out at Agra last year will recall what a great night out it was. We have decided that our Christmas meal this year should be along more traditional lines, but we are planning on a return to Agra on Tuesday 13th October for those of you who wish to make another visit. As before entertainment will follow the meal and you will all get a chance to strut your stuff until late. Tracy will be arranging this and sign-up sheets will follow. It will not be a set menu as before, but food is chosen off the normal menu and there is a charge of £10 on top for the entertainment.
Did You Know?
English vineyards are experiencing a big growth in the number of foreign visitors wishing to get a taste of locally produced wine. Wine tourism has long been an established business in places like the Loire Valley and Bordeaux in France and Chianti in Italy but there is growing evidence that English vineyards are attracting increasing numbers of overseas visitors, most notably from Scandinavia, the USA and Italy. One of these vineyards, Chapel Down in Kent, recently hit a significant milestone – 1 million bottles of sparkling wine sold in a year, a remarkable achievement. However, that still only constitutes 0.4% of the global market. Food for thought.
Very best wishes,
Goff
1st June 2026