Wine and Dine

The Wine and Dine group meet on the last Thursday of each month. The idea is to visit different wine estates in the area that have restaurants. Meeting time is 12.00 noon. We normally enjoy a wine tasting before a light lunch.

At some well-known wine estates they offer only wine tastings - no lunches. So, we started a further outing on every second Thursday of each month where we have a wine tasting with small cheese and/or meat platters. These outings are a cheaper alternative and therefore more affordable.

If you compare the prices to those in previous years you will find quite an increase including a compulsory tip on food of 12,5 %. But we always try to offer a cheaper alternative beside the more expensive options - also a vegetarian option.

Some wine estates offer special prices for their wines, or the tasting fee will be waived when you decide to buy wine. I have also noticed that the tasting fees now are quite high and the tasting is not always handled by the winemaker but sometimes by a less informed member of staff. In the end those wine estates harm themselves - members buy no wine at all because of their frustration.

Luckily, most of our outings are a big success. We enjoy the excellent food, the different wines and the company of the guys sitting next to you. In fact, half an hour after the wine tasting has started the atmosphere in the restaurant becomes very relaxed and much noisier!

In conclusion: If the wine and dine outings were not so enjoyable then our membership number would decline and not increase. Now I am sending out the newsletter to more than 100 email addresses! On average up to 60 members take part every month in one of the offered tastings.

For more information please contact group leader, Wulf Linder, on 021 855 2822/082 536 8163 or by email at wulflinder@gmail.com