“For wines that can truly surprise and excite in the glass, Greece really is the place to look.” Decanter wine magazine, July 2024. The 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards highlighted the ongoing ascendency of Greek wines, which were awarded a large number of medals. In a cold January we got together for a tasting from a warmer climate of some …
Christmas Dinner at the Bakers’ Hall
London Branch Members happily gathered at Bakers’ Hall near the Tower of London, for our Christmas celebration. The Worshipful Company of Bakers has owned the site of Bakers’ Hall since 1505 and has lost three previous Halls to fire, the first during the Great Fire of London which allegedly started in a bakery in nearby Pudding Lane. Despite its now …
Our AGM and Dinner
Our AGM and Dinner was held at the Army and Navy Club in Pall Mall, London, starting with a glass of champagne. The formal business was concluded satisfactorily, followed by an enjoyable three-course meal and accompanying wines: Prawn, Salmon and Spring Onion Tian with soused cucumber and relish, dill and caper crème fraîche Jean-Luc Colombo, La Redonne, Côtes du Rhône …
AN ECLECTIC SELECTION OF FINE WINES
The third tasting of wines from the cellar of the late Carole Goldberg, for London Branch members at the Army and Navy Club in Mayfair, was led by Rachel Burnett, with grateful thanks to Roger Ellis who had inherited much of her extensive, but somewhat eccentric, wine collection, and who supplied the wines. We were aware that until we opened …
London Branch at Forman’s
Friday 5th July saw the London Branch make a return visit to H. Forman & Son following the success of the previous visit in 2018 as part of the Triennial Festival. Founded in 1905, H. Forman & Son is a family business, and one of the last, if not the last, traditional Smoked Salmon producers in London. Located next door …
Fine Wines from Oregon
This tasting of Oregon wines, mainly Pinot Noirs from 2018, was presented by Ian Shane. Willamette Valley in Oregon where the wines are from, is renowned for its Pinot Noir wines, thanks to unique climatic conditions and to talented and determined winemakers. It is the drainage basin of the Willamette River, which flows for 150 miles from north to south. …
Lunch at Mielo, Marylebone
A large group of us gathered to enjoy delicious Mediterranean cuisine at Mielo restaurant, near Baker Street. “Mediterranean” encompassed a variety of seasonal dishes from Sicily, Athens, San Sebastian, amongst others. Meat, fish, seafood and vegetarian options were all catered for. We had a free choice from the excellent set three-course lunch menu: six first courses, seven mains and three …
Is Dom Pérignon the best?
On 30th January at the Army and Navy Club, we tasted 10 Champagnes and English sparkling wines of different ages and styles. People scored each wine out of 20, so average scores could be worked out later. Approximate current prices are given for the younger wines but are not available (NA) for the older ones. 17 out of 18 who …
Christmas Lunch at The Swan Hyde Park
Join us for IWFS London’s first Christmas lunch, which is being held at The Swan, Hyde Park London. Enjoying a stunning position with views of Hyde Park from the upper and lower terraces, the Swan’s dining room on the first floor is a perfect venue at this time of the year. Lovingly refurbished and re-opened in 2018, The Swan is …
Wine-tasting Dinner
A Tribute to our late Chairman, Andrew Brodie Many of you will remember the wonderful wine dinners that Andrew Brodie used to organise in London with Jack Rubyn, chairman of the Marin County Branch in California. Following Andrew’s untimely death in 2016, Jack sponsored a special dinner in his memory at Pied a Terre led by Mathieu Germond, who was …