Fellow Wine Lovers,
Wow, are we here already, I seem to be a bit discombobulated with the days this week. It feels like Wednesday but seems to be Friday! So, welcome to the weekend folks, if you’re sitting comfortably, then we’ll begin.
It looks like it could be all over for Trumpolina. Much as he might like to run again in 2024 I suspect it’ll be difficult to campaign from Rikers Island. It seems a three year long investigation by the office of New York’s Attorney General has discovered why Trumpolina was so shy in publishing his tax returns. Apparently, years of lying to tax collectors, banks and insurance companies form the basis of the charges levelled against the Don and three of his adult children. I’ll confess to rather enjoying the Attorney General’s line: ‘Less the Art of the Deal more the Art of the Steal’. Let’s not forget about the FBI raid a few weeks ago too, eh? Wasn’t it poor attention to income tax details that did for Al Capone in the end?
Whilst we’re on the subject of the USA it seems we’ve no imminent trade deal, all those apparently non-existent trade negotiations were really non-existent. I suspect it’s probably for the best really, surely it’s better to get your antibiotics in tablet form from the doctor than the chicken in your lunch! Our new PM, Pork Markets, conducted her first interview from the top of the Empire State Building before heading off to decide who was friend or foe at the UN a bit later. Never miss an Insta moment, eh?
On Wednesday, we read an article by the founder of Cuadrilla, a gas exploration company specialising in fracking. In it he stated that fracking in the UK was unlikely to reach any meaningful scale in the near term because the complex geology and the densely populated countryside make it economically unviable. On Thursday, Business Minister Jacob Rees-Mogg formally lifted the ban on drilling for shale gas in England, stating that opposition to fracking was based on ‘hysteria’. Funny, I thought it was the inability to extract it economically; it will be interesting to see who put’s the money in as I think he’s gaslighting us, if I’m honest. As an aside, sunshine and wind are providing energy at round nine times cheaper according to www.carbonbrief.org
We have been abroad in that there big smoke this week: Tuesday found us in Camden chatting with colleagues from around the country and tasting a selection of new wines and vintages; Wednesday found us in the plush surroundings of the RAF club in Piccadilly, a few more wines and lots of paintings of Spitfires. Thursday was more wine, lots of stained glass and a lovely view over the river from Glaziers Hall. We’ve hardly been slumming it I grant you, but we have been working hard to find some new wines for the longer nights that lie ahead. We’ve found a few beauties so do watch this space. I’m sure to be in trouble with the dentist on Monday though!
We’ve been chatting with a few of you about music lately. Spotify has kept us properly on our toes this week, delivering us Frank Zappa, Paul McCartney and Horace Andy all in the space of just one playlist. We’ve also enjoyed some cracking early 1970’s laid back jazz courtesy of Azymuth radio, the new album by Kokoroko and an early Rory Gallagher album called Deuce.
On the football front, England continue their march towards the World Cup (two months away) with a visit to Milan tonight before returning and hosting Germany on Monday. Given our position in the group I think they might need to step it up a bit. I’m all for peaking come competition time but sitting at the bottom of any table is uncomfortable.
At this point we should probably suggest tasting some wine with you, after all it’s not just about us!
We’re heading for the Kamptal region of Austria to sample Martin & Anna Arndorfer’s Handcrafted Grüner Veltliner 2021 (£16.99) a delicious white lavished with care and attention, unfiltered and in a very tall bottle.
For the red we figured we’d head inland from Alicante (Hi Steve) to Jumilla. We’ll be sampling a drop Sierra De Enmedio Monastrell 2021 (£9.99). It’s from a family winery founded in 1870 and has all the richness of dark fruit you’d expect from this grape variety.
I think that’ll do from us this week, do drop in for a taster.