Vin de Plume

Hmm.. in a past life, I was the ‘Cement Drivers Mate’ in film of Ian McEwan’s acclaimed novel The Cement Garden.

BUT the Dad in the film looked at the wrong of the tape when measuring his garden.

Continuity lady was quite good but not quite good enough.

Mind you, film won Berlin Silver Bear.

The ridiculous cost is vaguely justifiable as the ‘wine’ producers have to first make a bang average wine then de-alcoholise it. It all adds cost.

I much prefer mineral water or at a pinch sparkling water to no lows.

Deeply delicious.

Had the great pleasure of meeting Liam Steevenson MW at Catherine’s at Pigeon Beach, Antigua for his Maïa rosé fest.

It’s a fabulous, foody, superyacht friendly rosé which will complement his other v merry vinous wares.

Turns out, there’s even the odd flying winemaker in the Lesser Antilles! 👊🏼💪🏼🏝️

Looks very interesting to me. Do I see some sparkling Lebanese wine on a shelf? Where is this wine bar located?

Hotter climes fortunately abound for the Vin de Plume tasting bus.

This not ‘the bestest’ aged Carricante is a little caramel toasted but in beautifully liquid volcanic smoke and citrus way. Oof! 💋♥️🇮🇹

Bloody paywall! Sorry about that. Here you go.

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Sobering. And yet English/Welsh winemakers throw themselves into the wine throng.

Why? Because some of them know that to make a million from wine you have to start with a bit of a billion.

French wine industry is withering on the vine as drinkers go dry

www.thetimes.com/article/5778...

Is water white? Probably depends how icy it is.

And there we have it. The life of a philosophical academic.

As a pink man, I’m back to the mince pies and Advocaaaaaat. 😉

Is a well aged (or not even a well aged) Sauternes a ‘white’ wine? Non! But the again it’s def not an ‘orange’ or ‘red’ wine.

However the lightest most watery high volume Pinot Grigio is def a white wine.

Generic is as it does.

Why is red wine called red wine when it’s made from black grapes? 🤷🏼‍♂️

The nuance of language eh?!

Slava Ukraini! Героям слава! Glory to the hero’s!

An interesting Cab Sauv from the invaded country. Apparently the producer was a famous tennis player then went hung ho on wine.

A simple cab sauv here but pleasant enough without a great deal in the mid palate.

Too many wines and not nearly enough time. But I’m extremely thankful for our motley crew doing the wine do.

Spoon is one of my guilty pleasures. You see all walks of life through your beer glass!

Slough ‘West London’ is pushing it Tom..

Why on earth were you in a spoons?! 🤷🏼‍♂️

Tomorrow night I’m pitching up at my lovely wine educator’s paulée with a jerry of Chateau Sainte-Eulalie ‘La Cantilène’ 2015 - aka ‘The Sensible Decision Eliminator.’

At 14.5%, this monolith isn’t so much a wine as a liquid referendum on dignity.

#PrayForMe #VinDePlume #PauléePerils

Two new v memorable experiences yesterday evening - my first Thanksgiving Dinner at my lovely American neighbours & a new Italian grape - at least for me.

Anybody know Vespaiola? A taut, citrus-laced white whose volcanic Breganze soils give it a lean mineral edge. Bright & nervy. Deeelish! 👍🏼♥️

Popcork never fails me. Superb with old ropey Musar corks!

A tale of two Italian reds, two styles that I can’t appreciate:

The first - a brash, youthful 2023 Primitivo - a dark chocolate jam sandwich: loud, sticky and v resistible.

The second, a weary 2018 Bosco del Grillo from Tuscany. Draped in faded fruit and wrapped in milk chocolate melancholy.

🤨

a soccer player blowing a kiss with a play sports logo in the background ALT: a soccer player blowing a kiss with a play sports logo in the background

Isn’t it a bit late in the day for devine papal intervention?!

I’m going 3-2 Spurs. COYS! #TheMightySpurs

Many thanks Andy. Will check ‘em out. The wines I’m proposing are not in question. 😅. It’s just finding the right table.

Other highlights.

The white wines were the most successful sips of Destination Pacific Northwest at Frameless. Travel writer and somewhat celeb Simon Calder as good as ever. Such a pro. 👍🏼🤩

What are Alpine wines?

Silly answer.. heroic grapes that grow on mountain slopes so steep they need crampons and oxygen masks.

These wines are raised at altitudes where winemakers have to fight off altitude sickness, rogue chamois and the occasional yodeler. 😉

Bit of a stretch but I like your style! 💪🏼

Duck butcher’s address please! £1.50 a leg? Wowzer! I’m not v far from Kilburn and I’m IN. 👍🏼🦆🍷