U3A Benalla and District Inc.
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'I wonder ...what have wine appreciation members been drinking while in social isolation?'

2/6/2020

 
Reading through the newsletter while adding reports to the website, I noticed Film as Literature and Let’s Talk Books class members have shared news of films they have been viewing and books they have been reading while in social isolation.  With no report of planned visits in the newsletter for Wine Appreciation, a somewhat quirky question sprang to mind… “I wonder what Wine Appreciation members have been drinking while in isolation?”!  I decided to make a few calls…

My first call was to Margaret Jenkins… “What do I have in the fridge?   Tarzali Reisling 2019… because I like it!   It’s good to have a bottle in the fridge in case friends call in.  Also, Tarzali is the first winery I visited when I joined Wine Appreciation”. 
 
My next call was to Wendy Sturgess, “What do I have in fridge?  Point Leo Estate Pinot Grigio.  I tasted, enjoyed and bought some when I took my sister there just before the lock up.  It’s a beautiful drop.  Hopefully, I can find someone to enjoy it with me”. 

Next, Marg Walshe… “What wine am I currently drinking…?” (…sounds of Margaret going to the fridge)… “Cofield Provincial Parcel, Beechworth Chardonnay, 2015. I was given it by lovely neighbours recently.  It’s rather a nice wine, very smooth, with ‘rich flavours of citrus and apple, a complex texture and a crisp palate’.”
 
Ray O’Shannessy responded, “I’ve been drinking Gapsted Pinot Grigio which I bought at a recent Wine Appreciation visit.  It’s very nice, I’m enjoying it very much.”  

My final call was to Keith and Heather Rodgers, convenors of the Wine Appreciation group.  “What are we drinking with our meal tonight?  Mudgee Creek 2018 Shiraz.  It’s a lovely red, we only drink nice red!  Life’s too short to drink cheap wine (Keith adds in the background ‘and white wine’).  The alcohol content is 14% which is good…that’s 8 standard drinks in bottle.  It’s fairly powerful.” 

I asked Heather about any plans for future group visits to wineries … “We don’t think it’s worth arranging visits until we can enjoy sitting at a restaurant together.  We’re not interested until the situation is back closer to normal.  It might be a couple of months.  We’re not interested in social distancing when we are meeting to have a social occasion.” 

In the meantime, other Wine Appreciation group members are, like Margaret, Wendy, Marg, Ray, Keith and Heather, highly likely to continue appreciating wine while ‘in isolation’.
​
Beverley Lee - with thanks to Margaret, Wendy, Marg, Ray, Keith and Heather for having a chuckle when asked the question!

    About the Wine 
    Appreciation group...

    ​This group meets monthly for a trip to explore the wineries of the North East and learn more about the varieties of wines and the people who make them.  
    We meet once a month, usually on the third Friday, gathering at the Seniors' Car Park for car-pooling between 10:00 and 10:30 am.  The time will be advised separately each month.  Lunch is part of the excursion at a suitable venue.

    Convenors 2025

    Picture
    Carolyn Smith
    ​0438 478 828
    Picture
    Garry Smith
    ​0428 765 591

    Retiring Convenor 

    Picture
    Nicole McFarlane
    Convenor 2022 - 2024 
    Thank you, Nicole!

    Meeting Times

    3rd Friday
    10 am to 4 pm.

    Various venues.

    ​We now meet
     at the Seniors Car Park for car -pooling. 

    ​See Newsletter and website calendar for monthly starting times. 

    Wineries visited
    (being updated)

    All
    2017
    Alpine Valley
    Amulet Winery
    Anderson Winery
    Andrew Buller Wines
    Avenel
    Baileys
    Beechworth
    Cafe Fez
    Campbells
    Chateau Tahbilk Photos
    Chrismont
    Corowa
    Dal Zotto
    Delatite Winery
    Ferraro Wines
    Fowles Winery
    Gapsted Winery
    Glenrowan
    Gracebrook Winery
    Indigo Winery
    John Gehrig
    Jones Winery
    Keith Rogers
    King River Cafe
    King Valley
    La Cantina Winery
    Lake Moodemere Estate
    Longleat Winery
    Mansfield
    March 22
    Maygar Hills
    Michelini Wines
    Milawa
    Morrisons Of Glenrowan
    Murchison
    Myrtleford
    Oxley
    Pennyweight Winery
    Pfeiffer Wines
    Piano Piano Vineyard
    Pizzini
    Pizzzini Winery
    Politini
    Red Feet Wines
    Remembering Keith Rogers
    Rutherglen
    Sam Miranda Winery
    Squires Winery
    Taminick
    The Other Place Cafe
    Valley View Hotel
    Warrabilla Winery
    Whitfield Hotel
    Willem Kurt Winery

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We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we meet and pay our respects to their elders - past, present and emerging.
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