SOUTH AFRICAN WINES WITH PREET SAHOTA – MATTHEW SWALLOW, SHEFFIELD SECTION CHAIR This tasting felt different from the outset, in a good way. It wasn’t overly formal, and it didn’t try too hard to impress. It was simply a room full of people genuinely curious about what was in the glass, guided by Preet Sahota…
WHITBY’S MAY 2026 MATCH REPORT BY JAMES R CARSON Our meeting was held once again in our usual venue, Sanders Yard Bistro on Church Street, Whitby. There were 33 attendees, which is probably not far from our average attendance. We were fortunate to once again welcome, as our presenters, Adam Sheldon and Chris Hadley from…
AN EVENING OF SOUTH AFRICA AND NEW ZEALAND WINES – KAY ROTHERY Preet Sahota paid his second visit to Caistor at Stallingborough Grange, this time bringing mainly South African wines interspersed with a few from New Zealand. He attracted a strong audience, giving us our biggest turnout for some time. We began with Truida MCC…
FROM POLE TO POLE WITH WINES ALONG THE WAY – JOANNE MAXWELL, SECTION CHAIR As an alternative to having presenters who are predominantly wine merchants, many Guild sections periodically schedule “members events” giving their section’s members the opportunity to talk about a favourite wine. At Hull, we are fortunate to have as a member Andrew…
NEW ZEALAND, NEW DIMENSION Our May tasting at The Cookery at York College brought a vibrant, high‑energy evening led by Preet Sahota, returning for his third visit to the York Section. Known for his hugely popular South African tastings, Preet shifted focus this month to New Zealand, exploring how bottle age can reveal new depth…
WHITBY’S APRIL 2026 MATCH REPORT BY NICK TILLEY As ever in the Whitby Section, we tasted the wines alongside a meal enjoyed in the convivial setting of Sanders Yard. Alfie Smith, grandson of the founders of Hazel End Vineyard, presented a suite of English wines — the whites from Hazel End’s own vines and the…
WINES i LOVE TODAY: A NIGHT WITH DAVID LAWSON OF CHEZ VIN – Matthew Swallow, Sheffield Section Chair There’s something quietly brilliant about a Chez Vin tasting. On paper, it’s a list of wines, a room, a few glasses. In reality, it’s David Lawson doing what he does best: sharing what excites him right now. And…
“BATTLE OF THE GIANTS.” AND THE WINNER IS… – JOANNE MAXWELL, SECTION CHAIR Well it was always bound to happen. Our presenter, Nigel Green, the current Guild President, offered up a tasting billed as the “Battle of the Giants.” And as Sommeliers, we know that two of the real giants are wines from Bordeaux and…
A VISIT TO NORTH BANK OF THE HUMBER – KAY ROTHERY A visit to the House of Townend made a very good outing for April. Crossing the Humber Bridge is now so easy with number‑plate recognition. We were treated to an excellent selection of South American wines by the HOT team, starting with a Mendoza…
A TWIST ON THE CLASSICS Our April tasting in The Courtyard at Hotel du Vin became a wonderfully spirited journey across Central and Eastern Europe, led by the infectious enthusiasm of Abbie Wafer from Jorvine and Alex Bassick from Betton Wines. Their theme, A Twist on the Classics, came alive through a line‑up they personally…