Their cup runneth over-26 years on
By Tim O?Connell
The Western Hills Wine Society continues to educate and appreciate the fruits of the vineyard with a committed core group meeting monthly in Maungaraki. The Society was established in August 1983 with the prime objective of furthering the appreciation and enjoyment of wine. Since then, the neighbourhood?s wine connoisseurs have met in Maungaraki to further their education, as well as indulge some fine wine and company. Secretary Jennifer Flynn said the Society has kept a solid number of people over the 26 years it has existed, with some members there from day one. ?New people come and go, mainly because their circumstances change,? she muses. ?We have some members who live on the Hutt floor and some who have been members for a long time who have moved to the city, but most of us live here in the Western Hills.? The committee organises a range of wine makers and speakers involved in the industry and ensures there is a good range of wine to taste. The emphasis is on taste, wine appreciation and matching wines and food, she says. Every August or September the society organises an anniversary dinner in lieu of the monthly meeting, usually held in a restaurant within the greater Wellington area. One meeting is reserved for the club championship, an ?options evening?, where wines tasted during the year are presented blind for members to guess. The club has a wine cellar, allowing wines to mature to their optimum potential. At present the cellar has approximately 400 bottles, many highly priced and otherwise unobtainable. Those curious about the society or simply wanting to broaden their wine knowledge are more than welcome to attend the meetings which are held on the first Wednesday of the month. For further details, email Jennifer Flynn at .
