Fellow Wine Lovers,
So that’s it, Winter done, time to get the shorts on and the garden chairs out – BST starts on Sunday and we fully expect wall to wall sunshine until late September, thank you very much. We can then have a month of autumnal colours and crisp mornings before the clocks change back and we hurtle towards Christmas and 2026 – any questions?
Whilst we’re enjoying the hottest summer since the last hot one, we can reflect on other things that have been going on. Thankfully, because the weather is so nice, we won’t need to get on a plane. This comes as a relief after the Heathrow debacle last week, which we think proved that, if there is a need for an extra runway anywhere, this west London transit hub is not the best location if we cite the ‘too many eggs in one basket’ theory.
Wayne observed the other day that the weather of late has been a bit reminiscent of that which we experienced in 2020, which could be a great omen, without the Covid bit. He also pointed out that this time 5 years ago he was under quarantine. Having been an early adopter of the worldwide pandemic and, as a keen observer of anniversaries, he then let me know that he intended to celebrate this milestone properly, so he’d see me in a fortnight!
And we celebrate other, lesser milestones. The Chancellor’s spring statement failed to lighten our step, whilst we can raise a glass of bubbly (because it’s significantly cheaper) to Thames Water for their 31% increase in charges, starting on Tuesday.
In amongst all this, we also have Mother’s Day on Sunday, another great opportunity to raise a glass of bubbles and have a nice lunch. Gentlemen, as we suggest every year, don’t imagine that your young children will have arranged anything for their mother and they certainly will not have bought champagne or booked a table, so you have been warned – the frosty reception when you attempt to nip out for a round of golf at 8.30 on Sunday morning is not worth risking. Don’t forget.
Sadly, we may also be coming to the end of an era. It seems likely that Bharat, the hardest working man in Wimbledon and the ruler of the newsagent at Wimbledon Park Station, will be closing at the end of the month. It’s not his choice, it doesn’t seem fair and if he does go, a very important part of the fabric of Arthur Road goes with him. ITV interviewed him the other day – here is the link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj2tM29zqqMAxXNWUEAHSUUBDcQtwJ6BAgMEAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DiStS3Br6fqA&usg=AOvVaw1r5gF0qbWheGLe9FuMzOCn&opi=89978449
The world of booze continues to spin, as you might imagine. The well-worn adage stating that the best way to make a small fortune in the drinks business is to start with a big one is still very true. There’s not a huge amount of splash to share once you’ve paid the taxman and his pals, so there is little likelihood of anyone getting rich quick. Equally, as with everything, if it seems too good to be true then it probably is. Once again we read of con artists fiddling punters out of thousands and thousands of pounds by selling them shares in casks of whisky, promising huge returns in years to come. The likelihood of the staggering rewards that were promised was low to nothing, particularly as it appears that the casks didn’t even exist and if they did, certainly didn’t belong to the man selling them. It’s truly horrible for the victims but as there’s no real regulation, there’s no real comeback. Would you buy a car on Gumtree? Use the same rules for your wine and spirit investments – deal with trusted entities. Or go to Bill Hill and put £1,000 on the 4.40 at Kempton, you’ll likely do just as well…
Sorry, rant over, the sun’s out right now; let’s be more positive shall we. There’s not much else to report – the only new listing this week is Hepple Wheat Vodka – £33 – here’s what they tell us about it:
Pure, Refined, Exceptional
At Hepple, we believe that simplicity can be extraordinary. Vodka, often likened to water for its clarity and purity, is the foundation of countless classic and modern cocktails. But not all vodkas are created equal.
We chose wheat as our base for its naturally high starch content, which yields a spirit that is smooth, subtly sweet, and effortlessly drinkable. Our Hepple Wheat Vodka is crafted through meticulous redistillation in our copper pot still, where impurities are removed, and delicate flavours are refined through our patented Aromat® system. The result? A creamy, clean vodka that elevates cocktails and stands beautifully on its own.
Originally developed for Kocktail, our vodka quickly proved its excellence—helping their Espresso Martini win two Taste Stars and top the Good Housekeeping RTD Drinks Awards. Now, we bring this award-worthy spirit to you.
Made with the finest English wheat grain spirit and the wild, pure water of Hepple, this is vodka, redefined.
As with all things Hepple, it is exquisitely packaged and tastes delicious – come and try a tot to double check!
If you don’t fancy hard liquor this weekend, we’ll also be opening these two delights:
Teliani Valley Kakhuri No 8 Amber Wine 2022 – £15.99 – a proper amber wine, Kakhuri No.8 is a blend of 4 Georgian indigenous grape varieties – Rkatsiteli, Kakhuri Mtsvane, Khikhvi and Kisi, harvested in Kakheti, east Georgia. It’s not just the grape names that are a mouthful, this is really rather a splendid wine. Fermented on the skins for 7 days, then aged on the skins for a further six months, it has a lovely dried fruit and nut character with a dry citrusy finish.
Château de Paraza ‘Cuvée Spéciale’ 2020 – £19.99 – hailing from Minervois, Syrah, Grenache Noir & Mourvèdre are the grapes here. They give us a deep red, garnet coloured wine with cherry and raspberry compote notes, red liquorice string in the background and a lovely juicy acidity. A great all-rounder of a wine, with red flowers and mineral notes entwining themselves with rich fruit into a great finish.
That’s it for now, apologies for the slightly sombre tone to this week’s epistle – imagine how jolly and uplifting it could have been if we’d looked across the Atlantic for our inspiration!