Review: Wine & Cheese

Given Wine & Cheese’s colourful history and reputation with its’ ups and downs, some were apprehensive as to the year’s debut of the famously liquid society. 2014 is a new slate, with serious thought given to the vintages, countering the accusation that the Society gives weight purelyto quantity rather than quality. A pre-tasting introduced the evening, where the more dignified regions of Bordeaux where explored alongside the most exuberant cheeses.

It was the general ‘tasting’, however, where the Society was in its element – already ten minutes before the gates opened a strong queue had formed. As the clock struck 8 the crowds, smartly attired in blazer, ties, and chic cocktail dresses, charged in to be greeted by a rather drinkable prosecco aperitif, a veritable step beyond last year’s Tesco Value Cava.

Despite the size of the Garden Suite at the Scores Hotel, with capacity for 200, the crowd peaked with a total of 300. By nine, the committee was forced to unfortunately turn some away. The crowd was a mix of all St Andrews’ Tribes – a strong foundation of freshers who proceeded to lunge at the wine, a bloc of postgrads, and as the night advanced, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years streamed in.

Entering to lounge music, and leaving to strong house music very aptly followed the progression from civilised fête to serious party, which the good music and the powerful sound system were able to do. Some vigorous dancing was seen, with much rock and roll-ing and swing dancing (a touch of fistpumping as well).

A point of high praise regards cheese – W&C has famously placed more emphasis on wine, but for the first time in its history, the cheese survived for longer than did the wine. In preparation for the onslaught, 20,000 g of cheese were purchased. They stuck to their promise – the wine only ran out in the last five minutes, particularly impressive given the quantity of people (and their unquenchable thirst). Both the bottles and undoubtedly the cheese had their effect, too. A waiter informed me that one girl had polished off so much wine that she managed to lose her knickers, which were later found on the dance floor. The offending item was quickly swept away.

The unanimous feelings were that ‘Introitus Boozus’ was an overwhelming success – bursting with a lively crowd, a melting pot for all generations, with enough drinkable wine on offer to flood a country, as well as having put the cheese back into Wine and Cheese, had everyone thoroughly merry. It is very clear that Wine and Cheese is back, and with a vengeance.

The rumblings of rumours suggest that the next event will be termed ‘The Battle of the Magnum’.

All Photos Courtesy of Callum Hyland Photography