Fellow Wine Lovers,
So, it appears that the email we sent last Friday might have caused a bit of a kafuffle.
By completely failing to read the room, we wrote a sad note about a couple of very successful small businesses that were having to close down (which was at no point meant to be a warning about our own situation) and then to follow this up we were then closed on Friday evening which apparently sent out all the wrong sorts of messages regarding our imminent demise, which was not at all the message we were trying to send. However, in an unwittingly masterful stroke of marketing, I then saw a number of customers in the farmers market on Saturday morning who, having forgiven me for being closed the previous evening, promised to come in and give us a hug and buy a bottle of wine. There you go Mary Portas, that’s how to boost sales!
To quell other rumours circulating, Wayne has not left the building to ‘spend more time with his family’; he has just gone on holiday for a couple of weeks, with his wife. So yes, he is actually spending more time with his family right now but not in the euphemistic way. God, how did I make such a simple explanation so complicated?!
Anyway, what’s been going on since we last spoke? Not a lot, if I continue to avoid Trump rants and ignore the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Europe, China, Mexico & Canada. The sun has been shining most of the week and, by all accounts, this weekend could be the opening of the barbecue season as the mercury threatens to hit 16 degrees at 3pm on Sunday, all of which puts a smile on my face. Another thing that made me smile wryly was a quick trawl through the archives – today in 2020 we were in the midst of an international loo roll crisis, little did we know what was to come next, which from memory was a long, hot summer and not much else. And in the same week in 2019, Wayne had banned me from reading the news because ‘by all accounts it makes me ranty’. That ban should probably still be in place.
I am still allowed to read news about the drinks business and one piece that caught my eye this week was the new crime against beer being committed by Molson Coors. They have a long history of dulling our tastebuds via Carling, Coors and Pravha but perhaps one of their biggest sins has been the creation of Madrí – El Alma de Madrid, a lager that doesn’t exist in Spain, has no connection to Madrid and is brewed in Yorkshire, alongside the superstars mentioned above. But now it gets worse. They announced this week that they were launching a 0% ABV version – so we can now enjoy a ‘Spanish’ beer, not from Spain and now without any booze in it – not sure I can see the point!
To be honest, as often discussed in the shop, there are some decent alcohol free beers out there and probably the most popular is Guinness version. Perhaps it’s because Guinness has such a unique flavour, perhaps it’s because the full fat version is only 4.2%, perhaps it’s to do with texture, who knows; I’m sure many of you will have a glass of the black stuff in your hands this weekend, so you can let me know. Because, yes, the men’s 6 nations rolls back into town this weekend with England hosting the Italians on Sunday in a match that they need to win, in the French style, to stand any chance in the final weekend. Of course, what happens in Dublin on Saturday has huge significance – given the inconsistent nature of French rugby at the moment, it should be amazing for the neutrals. Meanwhile, Marcus Smith has been benched, something that would never have been considered 6 months ago – if his Cipriani-esque descent down the pecking order continues, at what point does he look at a couple of years playing in France to fill his coffers? Generational talent, who needs it.
Enough of all that though, what about wine? I went to a couple of tastings on Tuesday and have another to go to next Tuesday too – lots of interesting wines out there, lots of price increases, lots of alcohol reductions. Some funky stuff from Austria raised my spirits and hopefully I can get some on the shelf soon.
More immediately, what shall I open this weekend? Looking at recent and not so recent emails I notice that the two wines I have chosen haven’t been opened for far too long – that changes today.
Domaine Jouan Menetou Salon 2023 – £19.99. Menetou-Salon is a small appellation of around 300 hectares right next to Sancerre to the south-west. Here, the Sauvignon Blanc vines are planted on Kimmeridgian limestone soils, very similar to those of Chablis, and similar minerally notes can be detected in the wines. It has always been the case you can find real gems that rival it’s more famous neighbour in the quality stakes. This is a fine example of that: fresh and floral with aromas of citrus and blackcurrant leaves and elegant mineral tones with a long finish.
Glencairn Pinotage 2021 – £15.99 – This is made by Bruce Jack, one of South Africa wines larger than life characters. My tasting note says Pinot Noir-like fruits, red cherry and strawberry on the nose, a fresh palate with ripe tannin and vanillin notes followed by strawberry all the through to the finish. We’re having it with some barbecue, if the weather forecast holds firm!
Ok, that’s it from us for now – enjoy your weekend, enjoy the sunshine, ignore the news and see how much that makes you smile!