Wine Society
Encyclopedia
The Wine Society is the world's oldest wine
club having been founded at the Royal Albert Hall
in London
on 4 August 1874. The Wine Society was created and still operates as a co-operative with each member owning one share. The Wine Society continues to be owned solely by its members and trades only with them.
The foundation of The Wine Society followed the last of the great Annual International Exhibitions
. Various countries had sent large quantities of wine in cask to the exhibition to be stored in the cellars of the Royal Albert Hall, but visitors to the exhibition were unaware of its presence. With no return to show for their investment, the growers from Portugal
appealed to the British Government for assistance. In response to this, a series of lunches was held to publicise the wines. The organisers of this publicity drive were the "Committee of Gentlemen" that would become the founding fathers of The Wine Society:
Major-General Henry Young Darracott Scott
was one of the architects of the Royal Albert Hall and Secretary to the Great Exhibition Commissioners. After many of the lunch guests expressed an interest in purchasing wine, Major-General Scott proposed the setting up of "a co-operative company" to buy good quality wines on a regular basis to sell to members. He served as The Wine Society's first Treasurer until his death in 1883.
R. Brudenell Carter FRCS was a Fellow of the Medical Society of London
and worked as an ophthalmic surgeon at St George's Hospital
. He had previously served as a staff surgeon during the Crimean War
. Carter replaced Major-General Scott as Treasurer and in 1895 became The Wine Society's second Chairman. He remained a member of the Committee until his death at the age of 90. More than anyone else, Carter was responsible for the supervision and conduct of The Wine Society during its first forty years.
George E. Scrivenor, a senior Customs and Excise
official, became the first Honorary General Manager and did much of the early day-to-day work of The Wine Society until another appointment forced his resignation in 1876.
Although there is no evidence explaining why Major-General Scott suggested following the example of the Rochdale Pioneers
to form a co-operative society rather than a joint stock company, the founding members' aim was to buy wines direct from growers to ensure their authenticity and quality and to offer them to members at fair prices.
The "Objects of the Society" were originally published as follows:
The first Chairman of The Wine Society was Norman MacLeod, the 25th Chief of the Clan MacLeod
. The first Trustee was Earl Spencer
KG, the Liberal statesman, who had also been one of the Great Exhibition Commissioners.
Other famous members during The Wine Society's early years included Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle
, the Rt Hon Earl Russell
, Sir Henry Wood
and Alexander Fleming
.
The Wine Society grew gradually and, without any external shareholders to consider, surplus trading profits were used to provide better services to members and to increase the value of its wines.
By 1965, The Wine Society was operating out of three separate cellars in London: one under the London Palladium
, one at Joiner Street under London Bridge
Station and one at St James's Bond in Rotherhithe
(which flooded at high tide).
In 1965, thanks to the foresight of the then chairman Edmund Penning-Rowsell
, The Wine Society moved to more suitable premises in Stevenage
to the north of London, where all its operations have since been concentrated.
The freehold of the Stevenage site was eventually acquired, adjacent land purchased, a fleet of own delivery vans built up, and 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) of temperature-controlled warehouses built to contain some four million bottles of wine.
The Wine Society has over 90,000 active members who together spend more than 1 million GBP per week, and a list made up of 1,000 wines from 20 countries.
The team includes two Masters of Wine: Sebastian Payne MW, the Chief Wine Buyer, and Joanne Locke MW, the current chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine.
According to Charles Metcalfe of the International Wine Challenge
, "much of The Society's success is down to the buyers — truffle-snufflers, experts at finding interesting parcels from smaller producers and not buying for the sake of fashion."
The Committee has responsibility to the members for the direction of the business, with day to day management in the hands of an executive team led by the Chief Executive.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
club having been founded at the Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on 4 August 1874. The Wine Society was created and still operates as a co-operative with each member owning one share. The Wine Society continues to be owned solely by its members and trades only with them.
History
The International Exhibition Co-operative Wine Society Limited, which is more commonly referred to simply as The Wine Society, was established in London in 1874.The foundation of The Wine Society followed the last of the great Annual International Exhibitions
Annual International Exhibitions (London 1871-74)
Each year from 1871 to 1874 an Annual International Exhibition was held in London, England. These exhibitions followed on from the 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations and the 1862 International Exhibition in London, and the many international exhibitions which had been...
. Various countries had sent large quantities of wine in cask to the exhibition to be stored in the cellars of the Royal Albert Hall, but visitors to the exhibition were unaware of its presence. With no return to show for their investment, the growers from Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
appealed to the British Government for assistance. In response to this, a series of lunches was held to publicise the wines. The organisers of this publicity drive were the "Committee of Gentlemen" that would become the founding fathers of The Wine Society:
Major-General Henry Young Darracott Scott
Henry Young Darracott Scott
Henry Young Darracott Scott RE was an English Major-General in the Corps of Royal Engineers, best known for the construction of London's Royal Albert Hall.-Life:...
was one of the architects of the Royal Albert Hall and Secretary to the Great Exhibition Commissioners. After many of the lunch guests expressed an interest in purchasing wine, Major-General Scott proposed the setting up of "a co-operative company" to buy good quality wines on a regular basis to sell to members. He served as The Wine Society's first Treasurer until his death in 1883.
R. Brudenell Carter FRCS was a Fellow of the Medical Society of London
Medical Society of London
The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies in the United Kingdom ....
and worked as an ophthalmic surgeon at St George's Hospital
St George's Hospital
Founded in 1733, St George’s Hospital is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals. It shares its main hospital site in Tooting, England with the St George's, University of London which trains NHS staff and carries out advanced medical research....
. He had previously served as a staff surgeon during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. Carter replaced Major-General Scott as Treasurer and in 1895 became The Wine Society's second Chairman. He remained a member of the Committee until his death at the age of 90. More than anyone else, Carter was responsible for the supervision and conduct of The Wine Society during its first forty years.
George E. Scrivenor, a senior Customs and Excise
Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
HM Customs and Excise was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government in the UK. It was responsible for the collection of Value added tax , Customs Duties, Excise Duties, and other indirect taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, Climate Change Levy, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill Tax and...
official, became the first Honorary General Manager and did much of the early day-to-day work of The Wine Society until another appointment forced his resignation in 1876.
Although there is no evidence explaining why Major-General Scott suggested following the example of the Rochdale Pioneers
Rochdale Pioneers
The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, founded in 1844, was an early consumer co-operative, and the first to pay a patronage dividend, forming the basis for the modern co-operative movement....
to form a co-operative society rather than a joint stock company, the founding members' aim was to buy wines direct from growers to ensure their authenticity and quality and to offer them to members at fair prices.
The "Objects of the Society" were originally published as follows:
- To purchase and import Foreign Wines, and to sell them at cheap rates to Members of the Society.
- To introduce, in addition to the Wines in general domestic use, other Foreign Wines hitherto unknown or but little known in this country.
- To endeavour to obtain Wines direct from the growers, in a pure, unadulterated condition, and, as far as possible, free from added spirit.
- The Society is enrolled under the Industrial and Provident Societies' Act, 1876.
- The Interest of a Member is limited to One Share.
- No Dividend will at any time be payable on the Shares, which will form the Working Capital of the Society.
- Wines will be sold at the lowest possible price, and for ready money only.
The first Chairman of The Wine Society was Norman MacLeod, the 25th Chief of the Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod
Clan MacLeod is a Highland Scottish clan associated with the Isle of Skye. There are two main branches of the clan: the Macleods of Harris and Dunvegan, whose chief is Macleod of Macleod, are known in Gaelic as Sìol Tormoid ; the Macleods of Lewis, whose chief is Macleod of The Lewes, are known in...
. The first Trustee was Earl Spencer
Charles Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer
Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer KG, GCVO, PC, VRD , styled The Honourable Charles Spencer until 1905 and known as The Viscount Althorp between 1905 and 1910, was a British courtier and Liberal politician. An MP from 1880 to 1895 and again from 1900 to 1905, he served as Vice-Chamberlain of...
KG, the Liberal statesman, who had also been one of the Great Exhibition Commissioners.
Other famous members during The Wine Society's early years included Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
, the Rt Hon Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century....
, Sir Henry Wood
Henry Wood (conductor)
Sir Henry Joseph Wood, CH was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introducing hundreds of new works to British audiences...
and Alexander Fleming
Alexander Fleming
Sir Alexander Fleming was a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist. He wrote many articles on bacteriology, immunology, and chemotherapy...
.
The Wine Society grew gradually and, without any external shareholders to consider, surplus trading profits were used to provide better services to members and to increase the value of its wines.
By 1965, The Wine Society was operating out of three separate cellars in London: one under the London Palladium
London Palladium
The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. From the roster of stars who have played there and many televised performances, it is arguably the most famous theatre in London and the United Kingdom, especially for musical variety...
, one at Joiner Street under London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
Station and one at St James's Bond in Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
(which flooded at high tide).
In 1965, thanks to the foresight of the then chairman Edmund Penning-Rowsell
Edmund Penning-Rowsell
For the geographer, click Edmund Lionel Penning-Rowsell was a British journalist considered the doyen of Britain's writers on wine, and possibly the world's longest-serving wine correspondent.-Biography:...
, The Wine Society moved to more suitable premises in Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
to the north of London, where all its operations have since been concentrated.
The freehold of the Stevenage site was eventually acquired, adjacent land purchased, a fleet of own delivery vans built up, and 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) of temperature-controlled warehouses built to contain some four million bottles of wine.
The Wine Society has over 90,000 active members who together spend more than 1 million GBP per week, and a list made up of 1,000 wines from 20 countries.
Membership
Only members of The Wine Society are able to purchase its wines. The Wine Society still elects new members. People may be proposed either by other existing members or by The Wine Society's Company Secretary by filling out an online form; formal election to membership will follow within a short time. The cost of buying a share in The Wine Society is currently 40 GBP. This provides lifetime membership and a share can be bequeathed to a friend or family member.Wine buyers
The Wine Society's six buyers, who have been referred to as "some of the best noses in the business", are briefed to buy only wines that they are enthusiastic about from producers who share their passion for quality at all price levels.The team includes two Masters of Wine: Sebastian Payne MW, the Chief Wine Buyer, and Joanne Locke MW, the current chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine.
According to Charles Metcalfe of the International Wine Challenge
International Wine Challenge
The International Wine Challenge is an annual wine competition. The International Wine Challenge assesses every wine blind and judges each for its faithfulness to variety, region and vintage. Every wine is assessed independently of its price...
, "much of The Society's success is down to the buyers — truffle-snufflers, experts at finding interesting parcels from smaller producers and not buying for the sake of fashion."
Management
The board of The Wine Society is known as the Committee and it consists of up to 13 members. Eight are elected by the membership; one is the Chief Executive; and up to another four may be co-opted for limited periods by the eight elected members. The elected members appoint from their number the Chairman and Deputy Chairman (known as the Officers).The Committee has responsibility to the members for the direction of the business, with day to day management in the hands of an executive team led by the Chief Executive.
See also
- Glossary of wine termsGlossary of wine termsThe glossary of wine terms lists the definitions of many general terms used within the wine industry. For terms specific to viticulture, winemaking, grape varieties, and wine tasting, see the topic specific list in the "See also" section below.-A:...
- History of wineHistory of wineThe history of wine spans thousands of years and is closely intertwined with the history of agriculture, cuisine, civilization and humanity itself...
- List of grape varieties
- Classification of wineClassification of wineThe classification of wine can be done according to various methods including, but not limited to, place of origin or appellation, vinification methods and style, sweetness and vintage, or varietal used. Practices vary in different countries and regions of origin, and many practices have varied...
- Wine tastingWine tastingWine tasting is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards...
- Opimian SocietyOpimian SocietyThe Opimian Society is a Canadian nonprofit wine purchasing cooperative based in Montreal, Quebec. Established in 1973, the wine club was created by a quartet of British-born Canadians who felt that the selection of wines available in Canada was a poor representation of the quality of wines...