MILNGAVIE WINE CIRCLE

 Members enjoy a summer barbecue

Makers and Appreciators

Milngavie Wine Circle is a small group of eight  wine enthusiasts. Due to cost and other restrictions, we now meet in ' private', taking turns to host our monthly meetings. We have seven meetings including the AGM, plus a Christmas lunch with the lassies.

Two years ago we introduced a new class - 'Kit Wine'. We agree on the type of wine so that we all produce the same wine but free to  choose from various kit makers. This class was introdued to, we hope, encourage the least involved or otherwise busy members to take part. Wine kits and concentrates are also an ideal way for novices to get started with this interesting hobby. For amateur gardeners, wine making is also a pleasant way to use up excess Roots n' Fruits. We also try to exhibit at local flower shows.

With the birth of this new website we would like to think, or hope, that we could, through it, enlist new members to make it possible, and viable, to get a more permanent meeting place in place. It would also help to keep costs down when hosting inter- circle meetings. I hope that we all, Circles, benefit from this website.

Happy fermenting

Bill  Hansen, Chairman                                                                  

For further information click HERE

Milngavie Social Evening  A most enjoyable evening was held at the Frazer Centre, in the company of Paisley and Stamperland Wine Circles. The main speaker of the evening was Ian Craig, Past President of Scottish Beekeepers, one of the most knowledgable beekeepers in Scotland. He started his talk by telling us how his interest in beekeeping started sixty years ago, and went on to show, by using slides, how the bee colony exists, from the queen laying the eggs in each cell to the bee emerging ready to take up its duties, either as a worker, drone or queen, all the time explaining in such a way that the layman could clearly understand the progress of a year in the life cycle of the colony. Truly, a remarkable feat, with all the facets surrounding it, to cover in forty five minutes.

Peter Sheppard continued by describing how to turn honey, the product of the bee, into mead and explaining that the process is slightly more demanding than winemaking, due to the more complex ingredients and the lack of some essential elements required by yeast. The sample bottles of mead that he produced for the evening seemed to be well received by the assembled company. He directed anyone interested in making mead to the West of Scotland Winemakers Website, where they will get all the information and help necessary to produce a very enjoyable beverage.

The results of the inter-club competition were given by Bruce Brown, a National Judge, and member of  Kilmarnock and Beith Wine Circles. Stamperland had most points in Show but Paisley had the Best Wine in Show.

The hospitality abounded, with a lovely buffet provided by the host circle, then it was onto the raffle where almost everyone in the room must have won a prize.

All in all, a night to be remembered. Click to see the  Video 

One sad note was that our Chairman, Bill Hansen, who had put a lot of effort into the organising of the evening was unable to be with us, due to illhealth.

TROPHY TIME AT MILNGAVIE WINE CIRCLE

Over the season the club runs five wine competitions - two for red wines, two for white wines and one for rosé - all for the celebrated Simpson Shield, the trophy donated by the late Bobby Simpson, one of the founder members of the club.

At the April meeting the results of the contest were tabled to reveal the 2010 winner - a proud Ralph Livingstone. Presenting him with the trophy, circle chairman Bill Hansen, briefly outlined the points system, which is designed to encourage all members to participate - five points for a win in each category, threepoints for second place and one point for being third

When the Milngavie Horticultural Society came to an end, the Scott Trophy, competed for annually in its wine contest, was donated to the Circle and for the last two years has been awarded to the winner of the kit wine contest. Winner this year is Circle member Jim Black who will receive the trophy at the forthcomming AGM