Vintners Dinner
27th February 2025Vintners Hall
Along with some fellow Masters, I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Vintners' Company Livery Dinner, at Vintners Hall, for a fabulous evenings dinner, good company and entertainment. It was not surprising that the meal started off with a representative of the Wine Slection committee giving an explanation of the wines being offered with the menu - all very delicious (see a copy of the menu opposite). Perhaps we should be trying the Cognac at our next social event!
Speeches then followed from the Master and guest speaker Professor Barry Smith, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses, and wine buff, both centring on the potential impact of AI on wine tasting and analysis. The Master thought that tasting would not be affected, but it would be the wine critics and writers who would be replaced. However, Professor Smith begged to differ, having carried out experiments using AI to analyse and identify Bordeaux wines. Having trained the system on a several different wines, it successfully identified the "unknown" wines, which implies it is much more of a threat than expected by the wine trade.
Professor Smith's very interesting speech covered all aspects of taste, smell and flavour in relation wine, but it seemed very clear that his comments could equally be applied to tobacco blending and cigar smoking. I wonder if the tobacco multinationals have cottoned on to using AI for their product blending and design?
We were then treated to some fine singing by Soprano Daniella Sicari and Baritone Theo Perry, accompanied by pianist Mark Rogers, finishing off with a very enthusiastic rendition of the "Song to the Vintners" by all those present.