The Wine Circle Group is run by Zandra Candy.
Tenterden, Kent
Geoffrey is arranging a trip to Tenterden on the 7th May and I think he has a few empty seats on the coach. If anyone is interested please telephone 01621 858287.
Hintlesham Hall
As part of their activities the Wine Group visited Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich, on 3rd April 2008, to sample modern English Cuisine and to taste some special wines from their list of 350.
Hintlesham Hall, near Ipswich.
Photographs by Bryan Urry
The rear of Hintlesham Hall.
Before Dinner in the Salon.
They started with canapés accompanied by Kir Royal, which is cassis topped with champagne.
The starter of vegetable terrine was served with a choice of a white Sancerre or a full bodied Spanish red.
The desert of fruit and sorbet was served with a Loupiac.
After coffee with chocolates had a tour of the hall and learnt something of it history.
Walking in the grounds
Report by Clare Urry.
Joyce Cotterell organised a coach trip on the 2nd April to Hintlesham Hall near Ipswich.
We were greeted with Kir Royale and canapes in a very comfortable room and then taken to lunch (with wine) after which came coffee and chocolates. Those who wanted to then had a tour of the house. Lots of time to chat with friends in a comfortable room and then an easy ride home.
Thank you Joyce.
March Meeting
At our meeting on the 5th March, David Arnold, having done a great deal of research, gave a talk on the history of wine. He started with the Romans and took us through 1066 and the Normans to Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine and their vineyards in South West France. This brought a great deal of wine to England and for nearly three centuries when the south west of France belonged to England a fleet had to be built to protect the transport of wine from pirates.
With the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII many of the vineyards attached to them were abandoned. During the 14th century there was a dramatic cooling of the British climate and wine making suffered from this as well. There was widespread smuggling of wine in the 17th century until William Pitt the Younger transferred part of tax from Customs to Excise which meant that duty had to be paid and people who wished to drink French wine had to pay an exorbitant level of duty. It is only since the second world war that viticulture in England has been revived.