L'Ordre Hospitalier Curieux et Courtois des

Volume 4 Issue 1

WEALD NEWSLETTER

Spring 2006 Chevaliers de Saint Bacchus Springtime Greetings to all! This Newsletter comes to you as the dreadful Winter weather at last begins to fade away and the Spring Equinox has just taken place. Not much has happened in the Weald Connetable to justify producing a Newsletter prior to this, but the Magistral takes place in just over a couple of months, on June 10th, as you are all bound to know, having already kept the date clear!

from Malcolm Valentin - Commandeur (Weald) He and Jenny have been on a battle-bus tour ‘over there’ and a report on their amazing adventures is overleaf. As an aside to their continental trip, the Argentier has prepared the Weald accounts for 2005, a copy of which is enclosed (or not). Looking further ahead, as everyone will have read from the New Year letter from John Rudolph, your Grand Connetable, the principal Magistral of France will be held in Arras on October 21st, and the Really Big One - the First International Magistral of the Order - will be in Beaune in June 2007. This will mean a move of the 2007 UK Magistral to later in the year; rather aggravating after having tried to avoid any clashes in the International calendar, but it will be an event not to be missed.

This year sees a change in venue to Dorking; this coincides with the election of Phil Smith as Commandeur - not of Weald, but of the revived ‘Western’ section. Although historically Wessex extended almost to Dorking, ‘Atrebatia’ (around modern Surrey and Berkshire) may be an alternative to the proposal of ‘Wessex and Downland’, but any sugges- Finally, READ ALL ABOUT IT! Publicity for the Magistral herewith. tions will be welcome! We will alternate Magistrals in future (STOP PRESS! Slight hold up on the accounts - sorry) Malcolm and my ‘retirement’ has been delayed for a while following this decision. More on the Magistral elsewhere, as well as the Wine may help you stay long in the tooth briefing and the returns slip, which Phil insists must be sent Articles on this subject appeared in most papers. For those in to Jenny Smith before a deadline of April 30th. who are/were drinking dentists it proves everything we Things have not been entirely idle on the Wealden front. Having believe!! decided to delay the event until after Christmas, on Sunday “Yet more good news for people who like a glass or two of February 5th, Jack red wine: new research claims that it is good for your Muncer again ardental health. Compounds known as polyphenols, already ranged a splendid said to reduce cholesterol, are now alleged to stave off gum lunch - this time at disease by helping to reduce the inflammation from perioDeans Place, Alfrisdontitis which affects 65% of adults over 50. ton (not far from the English Wine CenRed wine has been found to have a multitude of other tre). Some twenty assets including reducing the incidence of cancer and members enjoyed the mortality, but dentists said that although it may help reduce meal and a chance to gum inflammation it would not prevent it in the first place”. mingle during a rather longish interregnum. Good to see Angela Muncer in much better form after having suffered agonies with knee trouble - and even better to see John WEALD at DORKING Rudolph all smiles after his heart problems.

2006 MAGISTRAL and WEEKEND

The Brighton and Hove Bailliage goes from strength to strength, with Basil Rushton having organised a series of wine tastings to follow the successful initial event ‘Eight Great Grapes’, followed by ‘A Journey Through France’ in February. The next meeting is arranged for May 19th and Basil writes: “to make the Bailliage more viable we are looking for another twenty members, so this will be a splendid opportunity to bring friends and potential members”. Note that membership is restricted to those living in a fifteen mile radius of Brighton and Hove. Now we need to do something similar in the mid-Sussex area. Any offers? On a sombre note, it is sad to announce the death of Peggy Stray at the age of 90; she and Sydney, who died just over a year ago, joined the Order in 2000 and were regular attendees of the Magistral. Following a fall, Peggy remained unwell and died in a care home on February 27th; the funeral then took place in Essex. Our condolences have been sent to her family. Looking ahead - as one must - it is essential to make sure that there is a maximum turn-out of UK members for the Magistral, to which Phil is sure many of our Continental friends are expected.

SATURDAY JUNE 10th Lunch at Denbies Vineyard, followed by a winery tour

Magistral and dinner in Dorking Hall

SUNDAY JUNE 11th Visit to the RHS Gardens at Wisley, followed by lunch in the Terrace Restaurant ~

PS says BE THERE!

The Smith’s Tour de France or ‘Going Beyond the Call of Duty’ ! In January and February, Phil and Jenny Smith visited northern France to enjoy the company of some Saint Bacchus friends and to promote the UK Magistral in June. The first advance booking came from Daniel and Joëlle Devaux, who joined us in January for dinner at the Hotel du Centre in Wimereux. Daniel and Joëlle, who live nearby, are also members of the Confrèrie des Harengs and they have promised to attend in their full regalia. In February we hosted a St Bacchus lunch at the same hotel with the Grand Connétable of France, André Lefèvre, and his wife Mirèze, and the Grand Chambellan, Hervé Rubat du Merac and his wife Raymonde. Unfortunately André and Mirèze, who have been regular supporters of the Weald Magistral, have a family commitment on 10th June. However Hervé and Raymonde will be coming, bringing the Commandeur de Haut de France Michel Budniok and his wife Denyse-Marie.

Les Chevaliers de Saint Bacchus ~ Brighton and Hove Bailliage Our second wine tasting event, ‘A journey through France’ was held at the Hove Club on February 24th and proved to be a very relaxed and convivial evening. There were twenty two participants including one Chevalier and two Chanoinesses, which shows who are the wine enthusiasts - certainly not members of the Order! Once again, our guide was Toby Peirce, of ‘Quaffs’ in Hove, who took us tip-toeing through the vineyards. Naturally we started with Champagne (Vilmart Grand Reserve NV) and finished with Sauternes (Clos Dady 2002), with tasters from the Alsace (Pinot Blanc), Loire (Pouilly Fume 2004), Burgundy (Pouilly Fuisse 2004 & St Aubin - 1er Cru), the Rhone (Crozes Hermitage) and Bordeaux (Haut Medoc). Complemented by an excellent cold buffet it was all very enjoyable. Unfortunately I have not had any applications for membership of the Order ... Our next tasting will be on May 19th with ‘A Comparison of Old and New World Wines’ - also at the Hove Club. Basil Rushton

The next day, on Phil’s birthday, we travelled to Reims to meet the Commandeur de Champagne, Hubert Dauvergne and his wife, Eliane. Hubert led the organisation of this year’s superb French Magistral and we were keen to buy more of his delicious champagne. Over tea (accompanied with champagne!) Hubert and Elaine presented Phil with a surprise birthday present of a huge champagne flute filled with chocolate champagne corks. Hubert then invited us to tour the cellars under the house, where he spends the first hour of every day riddling the bottles of champagne to move the sediment into the neck of the bottle before the “dégorgement”. After watching his practiced technique, Jenny tried her hand as “Assistante Remuese” under Hubert’s watchful eye. By the time we had loaded the car with Champagne, Hubert, riddling in his cellar! Bouzy Rouge and Blanc de Bouzy, it had started to snow and we wondered if we should have brought snow chains as we drove back across the Montagne de Reims to finish a marvellous weekend with dinner in Reims with Eliane and Hubert. We are hoping to build on the seventeen members from across the Channel that came to the Magistral last year. Space is not going to be a limiting factor in The Grand Hall in Dorking, so do invite as many of your friends as possible to enjoy the Magistral and join in the welcome for our French and Belgian guests.

Jenny Smith and then ... Over the weekend of March 11th and 12th, Phil and Jenny also visited Liège to promote the UK Magistral in Belgium. Blimey! (must check the accounts - Ed)

HAVE YOU PAID YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ? Please avoid Mary Kelly having to ‘chase’ you now that Spring is in the air. The cost remains the same, at £10.00 for single membership and £15.00 for a couple.

On a similarly oenophilic note, I was invited to the opening of the new winery at Bookers Vineyard in mid-January (remember Samantha - their winemaker?), but could not attend. The vineyard has expanded from 6 to 23 acres and production will eventually rise to around 80,000 bottles per year so, to cope with this increase, a new winery was essential, enabling them to produce even better quality wines. All very enterprising and perhaps worth a return visit sometime? Malcolm Valentin

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the wine I drink I feel shame. Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the vineyards and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this wine, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, "It is better that I drink this wine and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver." ~ Jack Handy Jack Muncer kindly organised a Sunday Lunch at Dean's Place in Alfriston. A beautiful setting on a bright sunny day overlooking the Cuckmere Valley. We met in the bar for pre-lunch drinks and were then taken through to a dining area reserved for our party of twenty. The food was excellent, with roast and vegetarian options served at a reasonable price. The service was also good with the only criticism being the shortage of bar staff on our arrival. Conversation was varied and convivial and such a good time was had by all that lunch carried on until nearly 4 o'clock. Yet again Jack had chosen well! I feel that it would be a good idea to hold these lunches several times a year with perhaps the venues being selected by members of the Order Mike Powell An update for your contact list:

Marie-Anne Besançon :

Par Saint Bacchus - aymons nous!