Event Reports

On Tuesday 2 December 2016 we were treated to a fascinating tasting of Tawny Ports presented by our Chairman, Jeffrey Benson at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel, Victoria. Unlike Vintage Port, which spends years developing in bottle and then needs to be decanted, Tawny Ports with an indication of age spend their time developing in oak casts, throwing their sediment, and …

Jeffrey Benson recently held and tutored a course for IWFS London Branch members leading to the Advanced Level 3 certificate award of the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust).  This is an internationally recognised professional qualification, involving both a written examination and a blind tasting.   Those who participated found it most demanding; very much more so than Level 2, which …

 Vintage gems from the London International Wine and Food Society summer events programme • Garage or garbage? Rare wines from the winemaking rebels from Bordeaux – 3 April • Fine and rare white Burgundies dating back to 1955 – 8 April • Dinner by Heston – 1 May • A tutored tasting of fine red Burgundies from the 1950s – …

It’s all Greek, Sparkles and Garage for Spring 2014 with the London Branch of the International Wine and Food Society ·         Jeffrey Benson looks back at the ‘Ultimate Tasting’ of a 1795 Madeira ·         Fine and mature Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese ·         Exclusive evening at 10 Greek Street Restaurant with owner Luke Wilson ·         Celebrate local with English sparkling wines ·         Garage …

Farewell but Not Goodbye! Dear London Branch Friends After 11 years of managing your Programme of Events, I have decided that the time has come for me to retire. I know it doesn’t seem like it but it was in November 2002 that the new Committee offered me the role jointly with another new Committee member. My first ever programme …

The Wines Cremant de Bourgogne AOC Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin  Mercurey Blanc AOC, 2009 Jean Michel & Laurent Pillot  Beaune Premier Cru AOC Les Avaux, 2009 Domaine Lucien Jacob  Seduction d’Automne Roussette de Savoie (Altesse) Les Rocailles, 2006   The Menu Warm Pea soup with raspberries _____________________ Gravallax cured with dill and vodka, served with potato pancakes _______________________ Seven …

IWFS London Branch has adopted an Olympic theme for its summer programme, so what better way to launch it than with a superb dinner at The Leander Club in Henley, just before the Olympic Torch passed through? Members enjoyed a sparkling wine reception with canapés, followed by a first class three course dinner with excellent wines, including a 1985 Chateau Larmande St …

A Savoie Lunch for London Branch            Alan and Stephanie Shepherd have been regular visitors to the Savoie region of France for some years, and have hosted Savoie food and wine events for IWFS on a number of occasions.   This time it was a lunch for the London Branch, at their home in Camberley. Whilst previous …

The Krug Room at the Dorchester is the original ‘chef’s table’ – one of the first to offer diners the opportunity to watch their meal being prepared at first hand. It was first opened in the 1940s, but completely remodelled in 2003, and is now a sleek, stylish and contemporary space with a wall of glass overlooking the kitchen, which …

Tucked away just behind Chancery Lane tube station, The Chancery is starting to make its mark, judging by the full tables that we have observed on recent visits. London Branch enjoyed a memorable visit there in this January, resulting in an EAC award, and a follow-up dinner was arranged at the beginning of July for the formal presentation. It was …