Fellow Wine Lovers,
Let’s start with something that doesn’t involve war, rugby or Epstein – let’s start with something to celebrate or rather, someone.
This Sunday, 15th March, is Mothering Sunday, lasting for a full 24 hours and bringing with it a great opportunity to honour your Mum because, let’s face it, we’ve all got one and, without her, we’d not be here! So, we delved into Wikipedia and found out things we didn’t know. We knew already that Mothering Sunday to be a celebration of your mother church, the church where you were baptised, but hadn’t noticed that it always takes place on the 4th Sunday of Lent. We knew that in the 20th Century the celebration became more secular and Mothers themselves became more the focus but we didn’t know that it is also known as Rose Sunday, or Refreshment Sunday, a day on which fasting can be suspended and feasting can be enjoyed, kind of a Lenten half-time orange.
But, before we get to Sunday, today is also a special day, unless you happen to suffer from Paraskavedekatriaphobia. Yep, we’ve been worm-holing on Wikipedia again, which for us is far more fun than TikTok or Hay Day. Apparently, the world renowned (?) Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute of North Carolina, tells us that an estimated 17–21 million people in the United States suffer from this particular phobia – about 5% of the population – and as a consequence will avoid walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, spilling salt, opening umbrellas indoors and crossing paths with black cats more than ever today, Friday 13th.
Sometimes we marvel at how many people have their lives run by folklore!
Mind you, sports fans are having their beliefs tested of late. France didn’t believe Scotland could beat them; England believed their unbeaten run against Italy was enough ammunition to allow them to play terribly and still win; Wales believed they could beat Ireland and at times it looked like Ireland thought that too. All this brings us into a very weird final weekend of Six Nations Competition: England fans will be hoping Wales beat Italy (with neither team getting a bonus point) whilst whoever wins out of the Ireland-Scotland clash will be cheering their hearts out for England to beat France, in Paris. Incredible, in the truest sense of the word.
Meanwhile, the accolade ‘best football league in the world’ is apparently no longer believable since none of the English teams managed to win their Champions league games this week. Three teams lost by 3 goals, the overall final score was 16-6 in favour of Europe and Liverpool and Man City failed to even get on the score sheet – let’s pray that form continues into the weekend!
In more local news, as suggested last week, we are hosting another Wine & Cheese Tasting event on Thursday 16th April at 7.30pm. We only announced this last week and have sold almost half the seats at the table, so if you fancy fine wine and fancy cheese on a rainy evening in April, we’ve got you! Tickets cost £30 per person so if you fancy it drop us a line or pop in the shop to reserve your spot.
Recently one of us went to Italy and discovered, to his surprise, that they do rather good wine. Filled with this knowledge, he rushed back to London, like a modern-day Sir Walter Raleigh to share the news with his King. So impressed was King Wayne with the keen traveller’s tales that he decreed that examples of such wines be shown on tasting this weekend, for the delectation of others… and lo, an orange wine and a red wine from Sicily were chosen:
Sibiliana Vini Sensale Anfora Orange 2024 – £16.99. When we first listed this, it proved an enormous hit and then sold out. So, we bought more. Made from organic Catarratto Bianco, Sicily’s most planted grape, this is fermented on the skins and left for 5 months in amphorae. This process gives us lovely, ripe yellow fleshed fruit character (plums or nectarines) and a long, rich finish.
Collezione Beatrice Nero d’Avola 2024 – £13.49. Beginning in 1850 with an Osteria serving Southern Italian wines, the Pirovano family business has developed into an Italy-wide producer and bottler of wines. This is a juicy and approachable expression of Sicily’s signature red grape with a nose brimming with ripe blackberry, cherry and plum fruit, accented by hints of violet and sweet spice. A smooth and fruit-forward palate make this a real second-glasser!
Come and have a taste and perhaps get your mum a bottle of Champagne whilst you’re at it – I think we all need something to celebrate right now, don’t we?