Dear SPWC Members
I hope you all had a great Easter and are able to enjoy some of this lovely, sunny weather we are currently experiencing. Let’s hope this is the start of a long, warm summer. It’s certainly about time we had one of those. The downside to this weather though is the high pollen count. Apparently, this year is going to be a bad one for hay fever sufferers so keep your medicines handy.
Last Month’s Meeting
Carrie never disappoints, does she? As usual, she was entertaining and informative and the wines that she presented to us were all very good. I think she did pretty well on the sales front too – her wines are not only good but the prices are all very reasonable. I’m particularly partial to wines bearing the Paul Mas label so was pleased to see she had some on the evening.
This Month’s Meeting
This month we are going to be entertained and educated by one of our own, Tony Cavey. Tony’s theme for the evening is “Shall I compare thee……….?” in which he will be comparing terroir with blended wines. That quote, as I am sure the literati amongst you will have recognised, comes from Shakespeare’s well known sonnet number 18 – “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” Given the time of year, the next line of the sonnet is entirely appropriate – “Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May.” I rather hope the fourth line of the sonnet doesn’t materialise this year – “And summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”
Wine of the Month - April 25 – Louis Couturier Cremant de Bordeaux Rose, France
With the lovely weather that we are currently enjoying, why not sit back and enjoy a nice glass of something fizzy. As an alternative to the Proseccos and Cavas of this world, I’ve selected this rather juicy Cremant do Bordeaux from the south west of France’s renowned wine region. A mixture of cabernet franc and merlot grapes, this wine has delicate bubbles and gives off aromas of red fruit. It’s fermented twice to preserve the flavours, firstly in tanks and then for twelve months in the bottle. It’s perfect on its own as an aperitif and is also an ideal accompaniment for desserts. At 11.5% ABV, this wine is available for £10 from Tesco but, until May 5th, if you buy six bottles and have a Tesco Clubcard, you can save 25%.
Pub of the Month – The New Inn, 59 Station Approach, Hayes, BR2 7EB
I’m sure many of you will have visited the New Inn - some of you will probably also remember when the pub was part of the Harvester chain in a previous incarnation. Now it’s run by Regan’s, a company that owns several hostelries across the country. Located almost directly opposite Hayes railway station, the pub has a restaurant with a good selection of food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s light and airy indoors with plenty of space and there is also an outdoor area for those lovely summer evenings we’re going to have this year! The pub has a fine selection of beer, lagers and wines so is well worth a visit, either to eat or for a swift drink before heading elsewhere.
Other Events 2025
Details of our upcoming events can be found elsewhere on the website. Suffice to say that there is still availability for all those events so, if you are interested, please sign up.
Did You Know?
There are around 10,000 varieties of grapes that are used to make wine. We’ve probably only heard of a handful that we recognise. How many of you have heard of any of the following – Rkatsiteli, Aidani, Xynomavro, Malagousia, Plavec Mali or Godello?
Very best wishes,
Goff
1st May 2025