Unfortunately, both Covid and the return of the cold weather, along with snow flurries during the day, meant a much-reduced attendance at this month’s meeting. However, those absent missed a treat.
We started the evening with our speaker, Tor Reynolds from Wild about Wine. Tor gave us some background of her career, explaining that whilst she was studying French & Business at University, it was a chance meeting that led her to the world of wine. Home for the weekend, she was introduced to someone who worked for a wine company, where she did some work experience. She realised that she was drawn to the wine industry and obtained various experience, including travelling, and working in Australia. She then lived in Yorkshire and Germany, courtesy of her husband’s military career. Having run her own business from a cellar in her home in Germany, when she returned to the U.K. she set up Wild about Wine.
Then it was time for the wine tasting to commence, but first we were all given a basil leaf to eat. We were instructed to chew half as usual. The second half we ate whilst holding our noses! The taste of the basil was now rather bitter and not the same as before. We next sucked on a lemon to identify the acidity on our tongues. A blind tasting of a white wine came first, which proved to be very popular. Then it was time for the red wine, less popular amongst our members. Both bottles cost less than £10 from local supermarkets which proved, Tor said, that good wine did not need to be expensive, but it was probably best not to spend less than £5 on a bottle. Both these tastings were accompanied by delicious canapés prepared by our President Julia. All very enjoyable and informative and Tor encouraged us to be more adventurous when next choosing a bottle of wine. We learnt that we taste as much with our noses as our tongues!
Our President Julia then gave us reminders of up-and-coming events, including our next coffee morning on 14th April, and the outing to the Arundel Tulip Festival on 21st April. Friends and family are welcome to both. There was a plea for more volunteers to join our committee and to take on the important roles of President, Secretary and Treasurer from May this year. There was a discussion on the future of the Anton Danebury Group of Institutes, reminders that annual fees are now due from 1st April 2022 – £44 and our Treasurer will accept payment by cheque or Bank Transfer.
Earlier in the month our inaugural Coffee Morning in the Sports Pavilion had been very successful, and our walking group had ambled around Amport.
Our next meeting is on 28th April and John Barlow has been invited to tell us about Andover Crisis Centre. As usual this will be in the Village Hall with a 7.30 p.m. start.
