Fellow Wine Lovers,
Welcome to July, hottest month of the year apparently?!
It’s a month full of celebrations – today Canadians around the world are blowing the froth off a cold Labatt’ Blue in celebration of 155 years of Confederation and political autonomy. Then, on Monday, the Americans have their turn whilst they de-ice a Coors Light and revel in 246 years of Independence from British Rule. Ten days later it’s the turn of the French to decapitate a chilled Desperado as they celebrate the storming of the Bastille, the symbolic start of the French Revolution.
In fact, after further research, it looks like July is quite a busy month for Independence days: alongside those mentioned above we have Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, Belarus, Algeria, Cape Verde, Venezuela, Comoros, Malawi, Solomon Islands, Argentina, South Sudan, The Bahamas, Kiribati, São Tomé and Príncipe, Slovakia, Colombia, Belgium, Egypt, Liberia, Maldives, Netherlands, Peru and Vanuatu. Quite a few of these gained their freedom from the Spanish Empire, a couple from Belgium, however the majority were escaping the grips of the United Kingdom – god bless our imperial past and all its many injustices!
When do we add Scotland to this list I wonder?
As you can no doubt tell from the aimless meanderings above, we’ve not been given much support by world news once again this week. The news is filled with awful people going to prison for 30 years; it’s filled with reports of the demise of modern, free society in the USA; it’s filled with articles about the Met police being not fit for purpose whilst they are simultaneously given more powers to stop and search anyone they want and arrest peaceful protesters outside parliament.
Not many jokes to be made there.
Sport has given us a bit of succour though. The cricket produced a thriller once again as England triumphed over New Zealand. Ireland’s best cricketer retired, having realised his work here is done. Tennis is getting a bit more exciting too, now that we don’t have to slavishly watch every grimace Mr Murray makes and Ms Raducanu can take some time out of the spotlight and regroup. We can now just watch it for fun and support the others, like local Putney lad Cameron Norrie (born in South Africa, parents Scottish and Welsh, grew up in New Zealand before going to Uni in Texas….)
Elsewhere, Wayne nearly spat his Cheerios across the kitchen when he discovered that Mark Cavendish hadn’t been picked for the Tour de France. Even to me it seems a bit bonkers that someone who is in the form of their life and who won the Green jersey last year hasn’t been given the nod. Almost, feels a bit disrespectful to the Tour itself that he hasn’t been given the opportunity to defend his title – however we won’t be boycotting this epic adventure and will watch it on TV of course – it starts today in Copenhagen (obviously!)
In the world of wine where we choose to spend many of our waking hours not much is going on – grapes are growing, fears of thunderstorms are increasing as always happens at this time of year and prices are going up, again.
Sadly, nothing new there really.
We did discover, via a recently revised report on Alcohol Consumption in different countries by Our World In Data, that we don’t even make the Top Ten. The Seychelles top the table with average alcohol consumption per person, whilst we come 20th in the list, after Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Portugal and Switzerland. Of course, this isn’t a reason to up our levels but it is quite nice to know that we’re not as bad as we are often painted by the media!
So, let’s have a drink to celebrate. We don’t have anything Canadian, sorry Francis. How about we open something from the US of A and then something from Argentina who will also be celebrating their Independence on 9th July? I know that’s next Saturday but, according to Paula, it’s never too early to start the party….
For the white we’ll go with a massively underrated white from Argentina: Manos Negras Torrontés 2019 – £14.99. Alejandro Sejanovich is probably Argentina’s most knowledgeable viticulturist. As vineyard director for Bodega Catena Zapata for 16 years, he pioneered high altitude vineyard planting which is where this wine comes in. Torrontés is Argentina’s signature white grape, and this one is from the vineyards of the Calchaquí Valleys at altitudes ranging between 1700 and 3100 meters above sea level. The large diurnal temperature range the altitude brings is key to the freshness as we are on the same latitude as the Kalahari Desert (26˚). Torrontés grown at these extremes gives us a wine of light yellow colour, with explosive floral aromas, citrus fruit flavours and a crisp, clean finish.
For the red, I think the Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – £24.99 will be just the ticket. Growers and makers of expressive, approachable estate wines from Paso Robles, California, this offering is a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot matured for 20 months in oak barrels. Cassis, blueberries, cedar and anise dominate with hints of black olives and juniper berry. The palate is full-bodied with the same cassis and blueberries, spicy notes and a rich structured finish.
That’s all from us for this week; we’re off on our skidoos to the Maple Leaf in Maiden Lane followed by a swim on Trafalgar Square, who’s with us? Oh year, probably about 18 policemen….
Cheers!