Dear SPWC Members
I apologise for the early upload of the March Grapevine but the chairlady and I are off in search of some winter sun (any sort of sun would be welcome) for a week and I was anxious to ensure the newsletter was completed before our departure. Apparently, Bognor Regis is very nice this time of the year so I’m sure we’ll have some fun.
Last Month’s Meeting
Heather and Tracy are claiming to have beaten Sue Charnley’s and my record for the shortest ever AGM but there is some dispute as to whether that was true. Nonetheless, Heather and Tracy must be thanked for getting through the business part of the evening so quickly so that we could all enjoy the Valentine’s themed presentation given by Heather and Barbara. Wasn’t it good? I know that Heather did an awful lot of research for the evening and I am sure we all came away having learned something new about The Power of Love. The wines were pretty good too and complemented the love stories perfectly. And wasn’t it good of Cupid to turn up especially for the evening? (Thanks, Kevin). Thanks too to all those (24 already) who paid their subscriptions for 2026 on the night and this is just a gentle reminder to those who haven’t yet paid that they can do so by card, cheque or bank transfer and that the fees remain unchanged at a bargain £84 per person. Fantastic value for money.
This Month’s Meeting
March’s presentation promises to be one of the highlights of the year because our guest speaker is SPWC favourite Carrie Winton from Sparkle and Spirit. Carrie’s evenings are always entertaining and instructional and the wines she brings, both to taste and sell, are always excellent, as well as being really affordable. Kevin tells me that the theme for the cellar is Spanish wines so don’t miss it - Thursday, 12th March, usual time and place.
WINE OF THE MONTH – Calvet Prestige, Bordeaux, France, 14% ABV
I mentioned in last month’s Grapevine that the city of Bordeaux has its own museum dedicated to wine so we are going back to that part of the world for this month’s featured wine. The Calvet label is one of France’s best known and has been producing quality wines right across France for over 200 years. This red, a mix of merlot and cabernet sauvignon, (with a dash of cabernet franc), comes from the Bordeaux region where the grapes are grown in a clay and limestone terroir. The grapes are fermented and macerated under controlled conditions and the wine is first aged in vats and then for one year in traditional Bordeaux bottles in cellars where the temperature is set at 15 degrees. Named in honour of the very select "Diplôme du Prestige de la France" received by Calvet in 1958, this full-bodied red pairs very well with Bordeaux specialities such as duck confit but is also a great accompaniment to a traditional Sunday roast. Calvet Prestige is available from Sainsbury’s for £8.25 if you have a Nectar card (£9.25 otherwise) or £9 from Tesco.