Bacchus - Greek god of wine and giver of ecstasy (14/9/11)

Many thanks to all for coming along and making Wine on Wednesday a hugely enjoyable evening. It was great to see so many new faces.

Despite the negative comments regarding the venue's location in proximity to my office, Vivat Bacchus worked very well, offering a number of share platters (including a South African platter) as well as a full a la carte menu complimenting the substantial wine list. As our confirmed numbers grew throughout the preceding weeks, we ended up being seated in the downstairs dining room rather than the wine bar at ground level. I was initally concerned that this would dampen the mood and limit us to seated formality, however, it may have actually aided us to feel more comfortable in what seemed like our own private area and everyone seemed to have good time.

The size of the wine list, coupled with our group size worked well and allowed a great deal of tasting and experimentation to take place and it was gratifying to see everyone taking advantage of the opportunity.

All of the comments on the wines were positive, and there was a lot of mixing and socialising the key elements to any WoW. Personally, I stuck to the reds, starting with a standard Argentinian malbec, before trying a South African syrah and a couple of Italian varietals. I finished with a half bottle of dessert wine and a cheese plate. There was the option to go into the 'cheese room' to choose, although the standard french tasting plate was excellent.

I look forward to the next event and seeing all of you again. The sun's back, so enjoy and I'll keep you posted (photos to follow).