53 Commanders, partners and their guests attended this eagerly awaited summer event and whilst the sun was in short supply everything else from the food, wine and camaraderie was in abundance.

Following the champagne reception our Maître announced that following on from last November’s very successful dinner a single Château dinner was to be repeated on the 15th November at the Midland Hotel featuring the wines of Malartic-Lagravière a Cru Classé from Pessac-Léognan, and to be attended by one of the owners, the charismatic Jean-Jacque Bonnie.

There then followed a short ‘Grace’ -

We pray to Bacchus, the Greek God of wine

We give you thanks for a wonderful time

We give thanks for the red wine

We give thanks for the white

We give thanks that England might do it tonight

Sadly, Bacchus was not an England supporter!

The first course of Smoked Red Pepper Pollock was well matched with a 2020 Château d’Arche A.O.C. Bordeaux Blanc and provided a perfect entrée to the main course of Fillet Steak with Crispy hen-of -the woods, baby carrots, crispy potato and pepper jus. For those who like their steak medium rare the chef did not disappoint.

The first red wine was a Château Belgrave 2009 5 ième Cru Classé AOC Haut-Medoc which complemented the steak to perfection.

The second red wine, which was served with the cheese, was a Château Branaire-Ducru 2004 4 ième Cru Classé A.O.C..  Whilst some may have felt that this wine was in need of drinking now the rest of us did just that.

The meal was concluded with a Vanilla Crème Brûlée with shortbread and berries accompanied by les Carmes de Rieussec 2017 A.O.C. Sauternes. As always, this dessert wine did not disappoint those of us who had stayed the course.

This report would be incomplete were it not to mention the delightful setting this venue offers and the attentive way the staff look after us. Nothing is too much trouble including the provision of a ‘doggy bag’ for one lucky animal who probably does not get fillet steak every day of the week.

 Regent John Appleby