Who doesn't like a refreshing sauvignon blanc as a quaffing wine on a balmy evening (the chardonnnay lovers)? Or a meaty merlot to accompany a meaty dish? Or how about a trockenbeerenauslese to accompany a rich dessert? Does English sparkling wine (much produced locally) match champagne?
And what about gin? Once it was a Gordon's and Schweppes, but with the explosion of new boutique gin distilleries, the choice is wide and varied from Ableforth's Bathtub Gin (which you can get in Navy Strength) through Hoxton Gin to Yerburgh's Jam Jar Gin. So which is your favourite mix of botanicals?
Our first meeting was a blind tasting of four white and four red wines held in May 2018 folloowed by a gin tasting evening in June 2018, where the hardy members who attended sampled a total of 12 different gins. These have been followed up with a bring your own wine for tasting evening in September 2018; a bring your own gin for tasting in October; and a sampling of sparkling wines in December 2018, and more since.
The next events are wine tasting in The Dog House on 16th October, to which you are invited to bring a bottle under £7.00; and a gin tasting at Old Acre, where you are invited to bring a gin which you think others would find interesting.
Events will be placed in the calendar, and those who have signed up will be contacted in advance of each event. If you wish to be included in the tasting mailing list, or just wish to come to an event you have found on the calendar, please email hvstasting@gmail.com or drop a note at The Dog House, Hankham Street.
All tasters, no matter how inexeprienced or knowledgeable, are welcome. The aim is to have fun, find new wines and gins you would like to drink (or avoid) and to meet and chat with your neighbours.