Dear Out of Office Reply,
We wondered if you might keep this handy in the Inbox for the person that normally sits in front of you.
I’m sure they’ll want to read this when they get back. I know they’ll have missed the delicious tasting at the weekend, but there is a chance that some of the other information will still be pertinent.
If you feel the need to share this email with covering desks please do go ahead, we’re always happy to be seen with new eyes.
News
We’ve been reading the news this week and have discovered that it can be read in many different ways.
“The new PM, Boris Johnson has been on a whistle stop tour of the United Kingdom and was greeted by boos wherever he went.” Could also be read as: “Whilst on a surprise visits around the United Kingdom this week, PM Boris Johnson was taken aback when many voters greeted him with a boo. It really made him jump!”
“The Bank of England had a meeting this week, left interest rates unchanged and predicted that Brexit would give a 1 in 3 chance of a recession. “ reads quite differently to “The Bank of England had a meeting this week, left interest rates unchanged and predicted that Brexit would give a 2 in 3 chance of no recession.”
News that really shook us though, was the discovery that somebody has stolen Hotel Chocolat’s Chocmobile. In a story reminiscent of the old ice-cream wars of the eighties, the vehicle went missing from their HQ in Royston. We wondered if it might be a “local shop for local people” scenario, till we realised it was the wrong Royston.
A reward has been offered, consisting of five years subscription to the Chocolate Tasting Club and a visit to the inventing room at the factory. Apparently three males were spotted in the vicinity so we’ve contacted Messrs. Green, Black and Wonka but are yet to hear back from any of them.
So do keep ‘em peeled folks and if you see an ice cream van with ‘more cocoa less sugar’ on the back Hotel Chocolat would like a word. Or it could just be a cheap publicity stunt.
Also, if anyone sees some breakfast show listeners please do return them to Radio 2, Zoe is missing about 780,000 of them.
Elsewhere, Google has organised a conference in Sicily discuss global warming. It’s known as The Camp, and the rich and famous have arrived in over 100 private jets and an armada of super yachts. Seems to me that the great and the good could have saved thousands of tonnes of emissions if they’d come in just the one plane, or even more if somebody only had the technology for a conference call. My dad might have described it as: “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Whilst on the subject of lunacy, in drinks related news, Los Angeles Zoo is to launch a beer brewed with the help of Charlie the sloth. He helped to choose a couple of extra ingredients for the brew from a range of fruits and flowers, plumping for pears and roses. The beer will be available at ‘Brew at The Zoo’ a music festival this weekend. So if you’re in the neighbourhood we look forward to a slow and considered tasting note. Sometimes you really can’t make these things up!
Tastings
Thursday 18th July at 8pm – WINE & CHEESE TASTING – £20
Thursday 12th September at 8pm – WINE & CHEESE TASTING – £20
Thursday 10th October at 8pm – WINE & CHEESE TASTING – £20
Thursday 17th October at 8pm –
DOMAINE TRELOAR WITH RACHEL TRELOAR – £20
Jonathan and Rachel Treloar own and run this small, highly-regarded vineyard and winery in the Roussillon, France’s most exciting wine region.
Thursday 7th November at 8pm – WINE & CHEESE TASTING – £20
Thursday 28th November at 8pm – WINE & CHEESE TASTING – £20
The greatest hits from all the tastings over 2019, just in time for Christmas!
Thursday 5th December at 8pm – CHRISTMAS
BUBBLES TASTING SOLD OUT
Summer Saturdays
As usual for this month, tomorrow and the remaining Saturdays in August we will close at 7pm.
Tasting This Weekend
The white corner will host Flametree Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2017 – £16.99, a cracking drop made by our chum Cliff Royle – it even won a gold medal at the Royal Sydney Wine show last year.
Sporting the bullfighters cape in the red corner will be Imperio Reserva 2011, Valdepeñas, Spain – £10.99 – made by Bodegas Navarro Lopez, it is absolutely classic old school style Tempranillo, aged and rounded, with a colour heading to brick at the rim, liquorice and balsamic aromas combining with vanilla and spiced rich fruit on the nose. Berry and cherry fruit flavours with spice and a smooth satisfying finish – great with some barbecued lamb and with the added incentive that Alex will be passing by in real-time as we taste the wine in London! ed0 Colorful Li