A Wine Society with a sea view.

My parents joined The Stroud Wine Society just before punk rock started and remained members beyond the Oasis and Blur band rivalry. I have always been grateful for their vino interest because I found myself, soon after I had graduated from a world of urban deprivation and The Human League, filling a guest spot and attending a tutored tasting by Mark Savage MW on Chardonnays from around the world. This was enough to turn me away from the influence of my old university city Sheffield and contact The Wine and Spirit Education Trust in London.
In 2010, I returned to present to The Stroud Wine Society and I will be back there again later this year. The Stroud Wine Society has always had a waiting list and yet I hear of some wine groups who are struggling to get new members. Perhaps they should pick up some tips from The Bournemouth Wine Society, where Stan Pretty, Chairman, and his wife Jennifer have worked hard in creating an interesting programme of events which has seen the membership rise to 185 with a waiting list.
It is pleasure to present to such a fun and lively group where there are invariably 120 members attending each well organised tasting. Stan is always keen to have a diverse range of wines and prices across all events and this was demonstrated last night with our Wines of South Africa tasting focussing mainly on Stellenbosch. The star wines on show were:
First Cape Limited Release Pinot Grigio 2010 Western Cape £7.49. Stockist: Waitrose.
The subtle, ripe fruity finish gives away the New World label with this nicely integrated dry, crisp and appealing white.
Ken Forrester The FMC Chenin Blanc 2009 Stellenbosch £17.99. Stockist: Waitrose.
Low yielding Chenin Blanc, fermented and aged on the lees in oak. Outstanding, complex, dry, intense, buttery, beautifully balanced and ideal with fish or white meats.
Zalze Shiraz Mourvedre Viognier 2009 Western Cape £6.99. Stockist: Waitrose.
Popular, well priced medium bodied easy drinking red with spicy, herbaceous, earthy, raspberry tones and subtle oak.
Rustenberg John X Merriman 2008 Stellenbosch £11.99. Stockist: Waitrose.
This Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot is a structured, class act with smoky,cigar box notes, blackberry and damson flavours. Great value, drinkable now, however will loosen up over five years.
We also covered South African wine tourism, good restaurants and thanks to a great heckle two key ante post bets for The Cheltenham Festival in March! All this will be of interest on a wider scale.
Click on this link for Stellenbosch Wine Routes Maps ,the Wines of South Africa site for general information, plan your trip and book in advance for these restaurants in the Stellenbosch region: Terroir, Tokara, 96 Winery Road. Visit regions like Franschchoek and Constantia as well. A Pinotage wasn’t featured at the tasting, however I did recommend Diemersfontein from Wellington which can be ordered online.
Finally my ante post bets for The Cheltenham Festival are:
17th March, 3.20 Grands Cru win bet 3/1, Ladbrokes.
18th March 3.20 Weird Al each way 50/1, William Hill.
See you during the next season Bournemouth Wine Society.