Guy Smith

We've just one of these lovely shiny things for our 2023 Natural Ferment Chardonnay.
Which is nice.

Earliest ever Chardonnay flowering in the vineyard. Are we the first in the UK for this variety??

My wife recommends taking a deep breath in and, as you slowly breathe out, think to yourself....I wonder what my next thought will be.
And repeat.

My heart used to sink whenever I visited a producer as soon as I heard the words - Icon Wine.

I'm always suspicious when people describe novels as well written. If it's good you're going to be too wrapped up in it to notice, or care.

It's a rare thing nowadays to find any new food/drink (delete as appropriate) entrepreneurs that didn't "give up" a career in finance to follow their dream.

The Pontet 14 is gorgeous. Possibly the wine of the vintage?

UK inflation is 2.8% and you can get interest rates around 4.5% , contrary to what the article says, I really think you're better off keeping it in the bank given what's going on.

And sweet white wine for that matter.

Controversial but I think Bordeaux might just be the best value source of red wine anywhere at the moment. This 2019 from Chateau Beaumont is ridiculously good at £12.95 from the Wine Society.

As Herbert Hoover said
"America's business is business".

Smoot–Hawley Tariff Act - Wikipedia

Of course this has all happened before. Back then Global Trade was a fraction of what it is today and it made a dire situation worse rather than creating its own crash.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot%E...

It's not just Americas future he's ransacking buddy. He's full on global.

I know things are quite tense but losing? Surely that should be has lost?

Things will change when States like Alabama, Wisconsin,West Virginia or Tennessee start marching against Trump.

Is this right, the world economy is tanking and Trump has gone to play golf?
I bet he cheats.

Given that The USA doesn't want immigrants, can you just assume that other countries will want you as emmigrants?

I think for Trump
"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning"

I think I might be putting off retirement for a bit.

It seems American Exceptionalism might be somewhat misplaced.

The decline of Britain as a world power started in earnest in 1945, was confirmed eleven years later by Suez.
The USA is beating that timescale by quite some margin.

The one thing more dangerous than a politician who believes in nothing is a politician who believes in something stupid.

It's also a blanket admission that US business is uncompetitive. Tariff protection of it will only make this worse.

Given that the extra cost of tariffs get passed onto consumers, aren't they just a huge sales tax ?

There is an argument that appeasement bought us time to re-arm. I don't subscribe to that then or now.
We do have similar malignant forces here AFD, National Rally, Reform.... it's early days but I think that Trump's actions are actually cristalising opposition to them. I pray I'm right.

Tragically comparisons with the rise of fascism in the 1930s are unavoidable. I still can't quite believe our conversation is even happening Mark
Every country has a potential for bullying authoritarianism and he's tapped into yours. It seems to have provoked unity elsewhere but I fear for you guys.

I did my thesis on Huey Long and the premise was partly whether he could have become a populist dictator. Forty years on I'm getting the answer.
As you say, there will be elections but the fear must be that they will be more like Turkish and Russian ones than American
The midterms will be crucial.

I believe the phrase elected dictatorship was coined for British PM's and yet, even with a big majority they can be toppled if like Truss, they are plain awful

I guess core support, however fanatical, becomes irrelevant if/when the economy collapses. You're certainly in uncharted waters

Will Trump's tariff day be his Truss moment?

Fallen angels?