A DAY without wine is like a day without sunshine – and the old French proverb rings as true as ever in Marlow with a committed club dedicated to the drink.

Like minded wine lovers at the Marlow Wine Society meet every month at Pugin Rooms in St Peter Street to learn about the world of wine, socialise and have fun.

With a different theme every month, members look to broaden their horizons while tasting different varieties from all over the globe.

Chairman Roy Cadman said: “It usually involves a tasting of ten wines on a particular theme. The theme could be a particular wine producing region or a country or a variety of grape.

“Presentations are made either by wine shippers, wine retailers or occasionally every now and then one of the members of the society who has a good knowledge of the topic."

Around 35 members get together for the monthly meetings, with last month’s theme serving up Hungarian wines and a range of nibbles from the emerging winemaking nation.

Roy added: “The meetings are great fun. It's a happy atmosphere and the wine helps to make the atmosphere jollier as the evening progresses.

“There's usually a broad spectrum of opinions on the wines. For instance some people may enjoy tannin in their wine while others really don't like it."

Like any growing club, the Marlow Wine Society is always looking for enthusiastic new members to help drive the club forward to bigger and better things.

Though some members may be experts in particular fields, new recruits do not need to have a vast knowledge of wine in order to get involved.

And while wine has the reputation of being prohibitively expensive at the highest level, the meetings are a chance to taste varieties that many cannot afford to put on the dinner table.

Member Ali Goldstein said: “We are always looking for new members to join, and would be happy to welcome anyone - they do not need to have a huge wine knowledge - just an interest in drinking wine and having a good time.

“It is a great opportunity to learn more about wine in a relaxed and informal way. Also, there is a great bunch of people who are very friendly, witty, fun and welcoming.

“It allows you to build on your understanding for the world's best drink, and taste wines that for most of us, would be excluded except for very special occasions, due to the high price tag.”

Recent meeting themes include a South American wine theme last month which was presented by Majestic Wine Warehouse, which saw discounts for members on wines purchased on the night.

Members took part in a game of wine man's bluff, where drinkers have to guess the right wine from three possible descriptions.

And the social wine lovers also throw a Christmas party at the end of the year to round off another 12 months of boozy fun.

Organisers are also always on the lookout for wines from the Buckinghamshire area, so those of interest should tune into the social media sites - Marlow Wine Society on Facebook, or #marlowwinescty on Twitter.

And to take wine tasting to the next level, some members are tasting, learning and studying for their Intermediate WSET wine qualification.

Anyone interested in joining can call Roy on 01628 482 299 or visit the society’s website www.marlowwinesociety.com which is updated regularly and features a blog.