Aficionado is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity. I am sure you know a few cigar aficionados, Scotch Whisky aficionados, food aficionados and yes, wine aficionados. One of the issues that aficionados have in common is that we can’t often readily find persons who are as enthusiastic as we are about the topics that we care about; this is the reason that associations and clubs are created.

Collecting Scotch and Wine

I have a number of friends who are avid Scotch Whisky fans and they all have collections, small and large, of what they consider to be the finest Scotch on the market. They only bring out these bottles on ‘special occasions’ and sometimes only to taste with a select group. It’s the same for the wine lovers; we usually don’t pull the best stuff out of storage for our dear friends who have absolutely no appreciation for wine at all. So when one of Jamaica’s award-winning chefs gave me a call to say that he was in the mood to cook and he had some new sauces to experiment with, there was no hesitation to head to the wine rack and ponder on the selection to match the exciting menu shared on the phone.

Limited Seating

There is usually limited seating at these impromptu Monday Night Gourmet Club settings; the call will go like this “I have space for three on Monday at 7:30. Are you busy?” You better answer quickly as the spaces go very quickly indeed; hesitate too long and you might be instantly un-invited; the waiting list is very long. Sometimes he only has space for one. This is the nature of the exclusive Monday Night Gourmet Club. This type of thing is usually for true food lovers, real “foodies” as some describe themselves. Don’t ask what is on the menu — just come prepared to enjoy a great four or five-course spread. If you do not eat certain types of food, then this might not be for you, and that’s OK.

Dinner Clubs

Truly chilling with friends and new acquaintances can be difficult in this increasingly fast-paced society; creating your own dinner club is a really great way to slow down and catch up over a glass of wine and a tasty meal. “Formal’ gourmet food societies do exist: I am a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs which is an international gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1950, but their underpinning history has been traced back to the year 1248. If you do think about creating your own dinner club, you need to consider a few things very carefully: who and how many you will invite as members for your club, rules for your club, themes for your club.

Don’t ever lose sight of the true goal, which is to spend quality time with family and friends, old and new.

Chris Reckord — Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. He and his wife Kerri-Anne are part-owners of Jamaica’s only Wine Bar — Bin26 Wine Bar in Devon House, Kingston. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com . Follow us on twitter.com/DeVineWines