WIMBORNE WINE SOCIETY

When my wife and I moved to Broadstone 38 years ago, there was just one Wine Circle in Dorset whose members made home made wine. Within 2 years, 2 new Circles were formed; one in Poole and the other in Wimborne. We joined the Wimborne Wine Circle whose aims were: (a) to hold meetings, lectures and competitions, to increase the interest in making wines at home, (b) discuss and exchange ideas for the mutual improvement of home made wine, (c) to assist and encourage beginners, (d) to promote social activities, visits to places of interest, (e) to promote the knowledge and appreciation of commercial wines.

Home made wines were made from fruit, flowers and vegetables from the garden, and berries, fruits, flowers and leaves from the countryside. In the 1960s commercial wine was in short supply, not of very good quality and quite expensive; whereas home made wine was cheap to make with plenty of ingredients available and good recipe books. But the ingredients with additives and yeast had to be fermented and matured for drinking.

In the 1980s home winemaking was very popular. There were almost 20 Wine Circles in Dorset; all in close touch with a Federation of Wine Circles. It proved to be a very successful and enjoyable hobby; good wines were made and enjoyed; friendships were developed; visits and holidays were very popular and we were “twinned” with a Dutch Wine Circle. It was probably due to members holidaying abroad, and drinking wines made from different varieties of grapes, that we became interested in learning about tasting and drinking wines produced from around the world. Also wine merchants proliferated in this area making wine easy to purchase at various price ranges and all we need is a corkscrew, a glass and friends.

We have found that younger people are not making home made wines and the balance shifted to commercial wines. So, we decided to change the name of our Circle to a Society, to represent the current position that we have found ourselves in, but our aims are still the same.

We are enthusiasts in our hobby but are not “wine snobs”, we are always willing to learn, appreciate and love discussing and tasting wines in the company of fellow members. Most of us keep a small wine cellar, but most wines are made by very modern methods and professional “knowhow” that they are ready to drink on or soon after purchase. We are told that drinking some wine most days is good for our health. Cheers!

(The Secretary of the Wine Society is Ken Wood, Wimborne 887322)

Claude White, Broadstone President

Archive Summer 2004 | next

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