In deference to the members'  privacy, I'm not listing names and phone numbers. However,  if an upcoming host would like a list of the membership particulars, send mail to Fred Balfour or Peter Damon. We can supply it in two ways:

Member Guidelines

On Oct. 6, 1998, the Club broke precedent and held a second business meeting in this decade.  The following items report the decisions made there.  Flying in the face of a long standing tradition of "oral rules" we have decided to write down the decisions. Our goal is to more rapid dissemination of these rules and practices in the ranks of new members.

WINE CELLAR  The Wine Committee is charged with improving and then maintaining the quality of our cellar by resuming the purchase of first growth Bordeaux futures, equivalent quality dinner wines from California and other geographies, and top dessert wines.  Accordingly, the annual cellar budget is increased from $3,000 to $6,000 per year.

CLUB DUES  To pay for this increase in the cellar budget, the annual dues are increased from $280 to $400 per year.  The dues are split into two parts, a prepaid subsidy of $20 per dinner for eight dinners ($160) and $240 for the annual cellar budget.

NEW MEMBER FEES  New members pay a one-time fee equal to the annual dues, currently $400, to "buy into" the club cellar.  In addition, first year's dues are pro-rated based on the number of dinners remaining when the person is invited into membership.  E.G. If the invitation is extended in February and there are 3 dinners remaining, the new member will pay $400 (one-time cellar fee) and 3/8 of $400 or $150 (pro-rated annual dues) for a total of $550 in the first year.

DINNER FEES: MEMBERS, RETIRED MEMBERS, AND GUESTS  A worksheet is available to allow easy calculation of the dinner fees for members and guests.  The basic guidelines are:

1)      Hosts will receive a Dinner Subsidy of $20 times the number of regular members, attending or not. With a membership of 25, the Dinner Subsidy would be $500.

2)      The member dinner fee is the actual cost, less Dinner Subsidy less $20 per guest, divided by the total present.

3)      Guest dinner fee is the member dinner fee plus $60.  The $60 is made up of:

a)      $20 to equal the amount that each member pre-paid with the annual dues.

b)      $40 for the wine cellar.

4)      Retired members pay the same as guests.

5)      No-shows are expected to pay full cost as member or guest, if the restaurant charges for the empty seat.  Host(s) are obligated to alert the restaurant as quickly as possible when members call to say that they (or a guest) are unable to attend.  Some restaurants will adjust the charge at the last minute, some will hold to a total cost agreed to one or two days previous to the dinner.

6)      The Treasurer owes the host(s) $20 per member, the Dinner Subsidy.

7)      The host(s) owe the treasurer $40 for each guest and retired member present.

8)      The treasurer writes a check to the host(s) for the net of items 6 and 7.

STEWARDSHIP  Members are expected to practice careful stewardship of the cellar:

ä     Consider a rule of thumb of one bottle per person, including reception, whites and dessert wines.

ä     Serving a pair of reds has the advantage of allowing members and guests to compare a 1^st and 2^nd growth or a French claret with a California, etc.  Such practice will husband our 1^st growths and balance consumption of our outstanding 2^nd growths.

ä     Brief the wait staff on how you want the wine poured.  Left on their own, they are likely to pour until the cows come home.  It is better to pour four ounces twice than one eight ounce pour.

ä     Use appropriate size glasses.  If pouring an expensive  wine such as Ch. Y’quem or similar, a three or four ounce glass is appropriate.

ä     Do not use wines from the Category 3 list.  Use Category 2 wines sparingly.

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