Fellow Wine Lovers,
So that was the week that was.
We had a gun, a real pop-pop automatic pistol designed to look like it was made of Lego but thankfully the real Lego pointed out to Culper Precision in Utah (USA in case you were wondering) the lunacy of such a thing error of their ways. As a side note, Everytown For Gun Safety tells us that there have been more than 165 accidental shootings by children in the US so far this year.
We had localised flooding that was awful and then we saw what was going on in Germany and Belgium and the rest and grieved for the climate.
We had Boris’s confirmation of the next phase, with the mask/no-mask debate taking centre stage. Unofficially there seems to be a definite feeling that a large proportion of the country think that mask use is still a sensible move – it’s almost as if we can self-govern and work out what’s best for us without outside help….
We had a football team in a final for the first time in 55 years – the first time in many of our lifetimes – and it was at Wembley too. We played, we lost and we’re hugely proud of the team and what they have achieved and the joy they have brought us. Thank you.
We had six gazillion people pinged on test and trace in the last week which is up infinity percent on the week before – it’s almost as if there is a rampant airborne virus out there, targeting humans! At what point do we reel in the testing a bit and start on the next phase please? Over 10% of employees at Nissan Sunderland are at home because of potential contact….
We had promise of sunshine, which soon proved itself to be empty, but it’s only 16th July, still plenty of time, yeah?
We had the publication of the National Food Strategy Independent Review – RECOMMENDATIONS IN FULL. By in full, they mean it is 73 pages long in tiny type and contains 14 recommendations. And no, I’ve not read it. However, I have to say that the first two recommendations made me realise immediately that Boris would not be a fan.
Recommendation 1. Introduce a sugar and salt reformulation tax. Use some of the revenue to help get fresh fruit and vegetables to low income families – seems totally reasonable and I think, if any of us have read the papers at any stage over the last 20+ years, sugar and salt have long been seen as the nemeses to good health and long life. Spot quiz: can anyone tell me whether British Sugar (part of Associated British Foods) or Tate & Lyle have ever donated sums of money to the Conservative Party? Jam doughnut to everyone that guessed yes…
Recommendation 2. Introduce mandatory reporting for large food companies. When I read this one liner, my first reaction was, whoa, wait a minute, don’t they have to do this already? It would seem not if it is being put forward as a recommendation. Not sure if it’s the sort of reporting they meant but very quickly a number of ‘big food producers’ told us that there is a risk that food prices will go up if they have to follow any of these regulations. Big business blackmail, that’s a new one, I wonder if it will catch on. Second spot quiz: basically the same as the first one – any money hit the tory coffers from large food producers do you think? Have another doughnut…
Boris’ response, when on the stump in Coventry – “I am not, I must say, attracted to the idea of extra taxes on hard-working people.” And there we have it.
We had lots of other things going on this week as well, I’m sure.
Wayne tells me the cycling is now a procession to Paris with Pogacar at the head, the biggest threat to his victory being the arrival of a supersized ‘Allez Opi-Omi’ placard directly in front of him but even then his bike handling is probably good enough to survive this.
The British Open golf is back on, another rescheduled event from 2020 and my regular bet on Ricky Fowler has been placed at 100/1 – there’s probably a good reason for these odds but I’ve bet on him so many times now I feel like a teenager in front of a fruit machine trusting that it’s bound to pay out eventually and I don’t want to miss it. I fear, however, that Einstein was closer with his observation that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!
We did do some work too, rather than just watch sport and eat doughnuts. One new wine was listed this week, a Merlot from Italy. Wayne has often been heard to mention his enjoyment of Italian versions of Merlot and so we thought we’d indulge him, just this once.
Mezzacorona Castel Firmian Merlot 2019, Trentino, Italy – £13.99 – which is from one of the most northerly regions in Italy. Hints of leafiness and damson on the nose, leading to a soft damson fruit filled palate, enriched by 4-6 months in oak. Fine tannins surround a long finish to give us a good, honest, juicy and very drinkable glass of wine. Buy some before he snaffles it all!
And that’s probably it from us. As a final note – we’re planning on carrying on with the mask thing in the shop for the time being and would be delighted if you joined us – of course we can’t insist but just thought it was worth mentioning!
Whatever else you do, stay well!