Fellow Wine Lovers,
Oop – Hapur – Oтворено – Obert – Otvoreno – Otevřeno – Åben – Open – Avoinna – Ouvert – Iepen – Geöffnet – Aνοικτό – Illuliat siamasissut – Nyitva – Opið – Buka – Oscailte – Aperto – 営業中 – Minogiwang – Oтворено – Miftuh – Foshlit – Åpen – Otwarte – Aberto – Deschis – Открыто – Fosgailte – Oтворено – Otvorené – Odprto – Abierto – Imefunguliwa – Öppet – เปิด – Açık – ‘Tala – Вхід – Ar Agor…..
Hopefully, I’ve managed to get the message across in as many different languages as possible but if it needs further clarification, we are OPEN.
As an essential business (!) we are allowed to keep the doors unlocked and welcome in sensibly socially distanced customers, two at a time or two bubbles at a time. We were allowed to stay open last time we got locked in but refrained as we really weren’t sure what to do/how to do it/who would get ill and when, or indeed if it was sensible to encourage lots of people out of their lairs. In this iteration however, we are far more confident about where we all stand; confident that we all now clearly understand the do’s and don’ts, the social etiquettes, the mask wearing and the hand sanitising, the need to stay at home if you feel ill and frankly the serious nature of what we have endured for the last 7 months.
So, yes, we’re open but should you not want to venture out because it’s cold, then we are still delivering – 6 bottle minimum order – should that be of interest.
Our slightly revised opening hours are:
MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY – 4pm – 7pm
THURSDAY & FRIDAY – 2pm – 8pm
SATURDAY – 12pm – 7pm
SUNDAY – CLOSED
Anyway, that’s our news, what’s been going on in the wider world, anything fun? To be honest, as more of us get sent home there really shouldn’t be any news. Last night was the quietest Guy Fawkes night I have ever known, it felt like an early January evening; mind you, it seems that many of us have been out every night so far this week so perhaps an evening in is just what is needed – here you go, have 28…
Saying that though, Guy Fawkes’ is the day of the annual Million Mask March. Usually, the focus of this march is to address corruption in politics and civil liberty and the protestors tend to wear Guy Fawkes mask (or is it Salvador Dali?). This year however the march was more focused on the current pandemic and the lockdown of course but hopefully the irony of the protester holding the banner saying ‘NO MORE LOCKDOWN NO MORE COVER-UPS NO MORE MASKS! NO MORE LIES!’ Whilst wearing a mask has not been missed!
Meanwhile in Asian news, last week we passed the anniversary of the Military World Games that took place in Wuhan in late October 2019. China won 239 medals, the USA just 8. Home advantage clearly was well used here and the sports included Aeronautical Pentathlon, Naval Pentathlon, Orienteering, Wrestling and, of course, Golf! Alex reckons that the golf is all something to do with spy training, courtesy of his intense study of James Bond films (RIP 007 #1!) and, as a point of no relevance whatsoever, Brazil won all four of the available gold medals. You have been warned he said, as he tapped the side of his nose. I think he’s talking rot but you should hear some of his other conspiracy theories about Wuhan 2019 whilst I pop down to the RMR unit on Durnsford Road to discuss handicaps.
Back here, Mr Sunak has extended furlough until the end of March 2021, which will mean over a year of the government funded scheme, which is good news for a lot of people but still begs the question that if he can find money for this, how was it so hard to find cash for Manchester, Wales or half term school meals?
And so, finally, to the US of A, the world’s largest economy, home to Mickey Mouse and Donald Trump. Who is now in charge we ask ourselves? Well actually, Donald still is, until January 20th next year at least, which gives him plenty of time to cause mischief and mayhem in the interim. I wonder, when he looks at the news reports and sees boarded up shops across the country and hears of arms and ammunition being taken off display in stores, all due to fears of election induced social unrest, does he think to himself ‘my, what a great job I have done!’?
WINE NEWS
Because, yes, that’s really the purpose of this email. Whilst tastings have been few and far between, we have manged to list a couple of new wines and welcome back a couple of old favourites this week.
New in, we have two champagnes from the marvellous Joseph Perrier. We’ve been keen on these wines for years but have never quite been able to reel them into the shop but now they’re hooked. As their website states: Founded in 1825, Joseph Perrier has been owned and run by the same family since 1888. They own 21 hectares of vineyards, that are mostly planted with Pinot Noir but include 2 hectares of Chardonnay. All the wines are made with a keen focus on freshness and purity, a theme which runs right through the range and really shows its worth in the vintage cuvées which show impressive energy and poise and remarkable ageing potential.
Joseph Perrier ‘Cuvée Royale’ Brut NV – £36.99
35% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier, with three years of ageing, this vivacious champagne has a delicate nose of green apples and stone fruits. A lively freshness balances the round and elegant citrus fruit on the palate. Cuvée Royale’ alludes to the historic relationship between Joseph Perrier and Queen Victoria and King Edward VII, as their Champagne of choice!
Joseph Perrier 2008 – £70.00
A superb blend of 50% Chardonnay, 41% Pinot Noir and 9% Pinot Meunier with 6 years of ageing and from an excellent vintage, this champagne has a bouquet of pure white stone fruit and honeysuckle leading to a richly textured palate with exotic citrus flavours and a hint of brioche.
Also new in, a wine from SA that we used to sell before we opened here and have always hoped to get back on the shelf. Ataraxia was founded in 2004 by husband and wife team Kevin and Hanli Grant. Kevin spent years getting to know the intricacies of Hemel-en-Aarde’s terroir as head winemaker of Hamilton Russell where he was very key in their upward trajectory. We have currently listed the Sauvignon Blanc, which is the wine we know of old but will taste their Chardonnay once the new vintage arrives – it is meant to be world class!
Ataraxia Sauvignon Blanc 2019 – £17.99
This has minerality and grassiness ahead of pure, pungent fruit but still shows hints of passionfruit and citrus as well as green melon aromas – a lovely bridge between the New and Old world style of Savvy B.
We also welcome the return of the two wine from the our chaps in the Veneto, Monte del Fra:
Bardolino DOC 2019 – £13.99
Ripasso Classico DOC 2017 – £19.99
That should probably be it from me as it’s 1.45pm and I need to open the doors now and let you all in!
We’ll leave the last words to Sean (with a little help from Elizabeth Barrett Browning):
Love may not make the world go round, but I must admit that it makes the ride worthwhile!