As the sun set and the air cooled after another gloriously sunny (although rather hot and humid) day at this year’s Rendezvous – at which some serious business discussions mixed with the lighter undertones of social networking had been concluded for the day - the evening began.

In traditional style, the annual AirSP Dinner followed the Principality Cocktail Party. The Quai des Artistes Restaurant, as always, not only lived up to, but surpassed expectations. Members and their guests were treated to fine cuisine, impeccable service and, of course, a glass or two!

The Dinner was again well attended, the company excellent and the atmosphere convivial. A very good time was had by all.

Tracy Bailey

Secretariat

On a warm summer’s evening at The Broker in Leadenhall Market, members and their guests were instructed in the mysteries of the sommelier. "Smell the fragrance of the wine and ask yourself what type of minerals it reminds you of", he said. The wine reminded him of the first drops of rain on hot, dusty earth. Hmmm, possibly.

"Then", he said, "smell again. Ask yourself what type of vegetable it reminds you of". Easy, grilled mushrooms. "Then", he said, "ask yourself what event it reminds you of". He was relaxing now.　 He gave the example of his granny’s slippers.　 I took a whiff and had it straight away: servicing the lawnmower.

Best of all, though, was the test for acidity. Take a mouthful of the stuff and, without swallowing, breathe in through the mouth. This was best not attempted in a white shirt. On this basis, all the wines tasted pretty acidic.

But, of course our convivial host, Luis Lucas of the Portuguese Wine Society, could afford to be frivolous. The wines he produced were structured, full of flavour and beautifully made, produced by the best vineyards in Portugal. The wines would grace, and be a point of interest on, any dinner table. Assisted by the Broker’s marvellous selection of canapés and then superb Paella, we became enthusiastic supporters of the Portuguese wine industry.

The wines were tasted in order of latitude, starting in the north of the country and working south, as follows.

Alvarinho (Vino verde)

Caladessa Decalada (white)

Muralhas de Monçao (rose)

St Joao (sparking rose)

St Joao (sparking red)

Caladessa (powerful red 14.5%)

Luis’s contact details appear below. Ask for the Association’s usual 10% discount on a case.

Luis Lucas, Portuguese Wine Evangelist, The Portuguese Wine Club

+44 (0) 7778118321 - www.portuguesewineclub.co.uk - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

It was a pleasure to have Anna Bender, Fitch Ratings, present to our members giving an insight into cyber risks and how these are viewed in the market. For a full report from a Member's perspective, CLICK HERE to see Mark Wood's article.

One of AirSP’s objectives is to keep its members up-to-date with developments in the law and the market as they happen. We were therefore delighted to have Charlotte Waters, of Fisher Scoggins Waters, talk to AirSP on 12 May about the Insurance Act 2015.

Members can access the Insurance Act summary, featured in the News Articles, by logging into the site.