Welcome To The Horspath Wine .Club
The HWC is fast becoming one of the most popular groups in the Horspath village area. With around 50 members, the club meets most months at ‘The Hub’ in Horspath between 7.30pm-9.30pm to taste 6-7 different wines and/or spirits, hosted by a member or an external expert. (See Tasting Dates)
The wines are chosen by that evening's host and the themes are chosen by the full group. We also enjoy cheese & biscuits or other nibbles at each tasting.
To understand how the tastings work each month, see the FAQ page
For more information, please CONTACT US.
We look forward to seeing you.
The HWC is fast becoming one of the most popular groups in the Horspath village area. With around 50 members, the club meets most months at ‘The Hub’ in Horspath between 7.30pm-9.30pm to taste 6-7 different wines and/or spirits, hosted by a member or an external expert. (See Tasting Dates)
The wines are chosen by that evening's host and the themes are chosen by the full group. We also enjoy cheese & biscuits or other nibbles at each tasting.
To understand how the tastings work each month, see the FAQ page
For more information, please CONTACT US.
We look forward to seeing you.
Upcoming Tastings![]() FRIDAY, 7th February 2025 - SOUTH AFRICA Our new year begins with a great tasting evening, following our traditional January break. Edgmond Wines was established in 2013 and provides expert advice and great wines to its customers. Edgmond specialises in South African wine and for our tasting, Preet, the founder and managing director of the company, has agreed to host our tasting evening and introduce us to some of the best, but possibly not well known, South African wines. ![]() FRIDAY, 21st March 2025 -
A Ramble In Rioja Little needs to be said about this tasting. By definition it will be a great evening, when Rioja wine is involved. Matt and friends will talk us through this historic wine region and serve up some great wines to taste. Another date not to miss! ![]() FRIDAY, 25th April 2025 - Banging Bordeaux
Regardless of your political persuasion between Left & Right Bank, Bordeaux has an important place in the history of wine drinking in the UK. When Henry Plantagenet became King Henry II of England in 1154, and within his so-called Angevin Empire, Bordeaux developed a long-lived export market for its wine in England. But it wasn't much like the wines we enjoy today. Most of the wine grown around Bordeaux at the time was light coloured and light bodied - almost like a rosé. On UK side of the channel, possibly derived from 'liquet,' the latin for clear, these light coloured wines became known as clairet. By 1547, the name Claret was derived to represent the 'average' dark red-coloured Bordeaux that most people would recognise. ![]() FRIDAY, 16th May 2025 New Zealand's Best With Kiwi Cru
This evening will surely be a highlight of our tasting year. Kiwi Cru loves sharing what makes New Zealand wine extraordinary. From the vibrant, aromatic whites coming out of Marlborough to the sophisticated reds from the world's most southerly wine region - Central Otago, Kiwi Cru has found a whole new world of flavours to bring to the table. Founder, Pippa, fell in love with winemaking while helping plant a new English vineyard in the picturesque High Weald of Sussex. Following roles at the prestigious Bolney Wine Estate and Berry Brothers & Rudd, it was her travels across New Zealand that truly ignited the vision behind Kiwi Cru. Each glass tells a story of stunning New Zealand landscapes, clever winemaking, and the endeavour and skill of its winemakers. Kiwi Cru officially launches online on 11th March. In the meantime, if you want to sign up to hear more, click the photo above. ![]() FRIDAY, 27th June 2025 - Bat & Bottle's Tour Italia
Our tasting this month is hosted by a great Independent Wine Merchant, Ben Robson from Bat & Bottle. Ben and his wife, Emma, have spent the last 30 years specialising in importing Italian artisan wines and also run a very personal and informative Wine Club. Having begun trading in 1994, Ben and Emma caught the Italian bug thanks to a chance meeting with a Benedictine monk at a kissing gate! He introduced them to the late Felicita Pask-Hughes, a charming Italian lady who came to Britain after the war. She had a remarkable eye for quality and was fearless in the wines she imported. In a time of straw-wrapped bottles of Chianti, she was importing Isole e Olena and Sassicaia. In 1998 Ben was told (by Felicita) that he must buy her business because she was (then) 82. Ben and Emma did, and the die was cast. Bat & Bottle’s emphasis is mostly, but not completely, on Italian wine. They also ship directly from Matthieu Faniel, a small grower-producer in Champagne, and carry a small selection of artisan gins and other spirits. Whether from Italy or anywhere else, however, they have developed a taste for wines made by men and women who cherish the history and traditions of their hills and valleys. Such individuals make wines with a sense of place and unique character. Come and enjoy a little Adriatic sun at this great tasting. ROUND-UP OF 2024![]() Our December 2024 tasting was a Christmas special, a blind tasting of some amazing Champagne's and Sparkling Wines with 36 attendees. And what fun it was. Few members were able to discover the actual Champagnes amongst the list, such was the quality of all the wines. And the Port to finish was pleasantly warming ahead of the walk home.
![]() Overall, 2024 was a bumper year for the club. We tasted 49 wines over 9 tastings from many different countries. We were lucky to have some expert guidance from many external speakers and also gained many new members over the year.
|
You Can Get The No.46 Bus?
The timing of each tasting is set so that those from outside Horspath village can get the No.46 bus, which stops just a few yards from the Hub.
![]() We have an increasing number of members regularly travelling from either direction in order to enjoy our tasting evenings.
|