Fellow Wine Lovers,
I was wondering whether to just start with hello ‘Out of Office’ reply but figured that, if we’re working, at least a couple of you may well be doing the same. To the rest of you, we’d like to say hello to Paris, Cardiff, Berlin, Salcombe, Totnes and Puerto Mogan – I’m sure there are some we’ve missed, so apologies. I will be visiting Earlsfield, Woolwich, Tooting and Streatham to catch up with a selection of chums, so safe travels to all!
We feel an honourable mention should go out to Tesco in Kirkwall, Orkney. Instead of ordering 380 kg of bananas they ordered 380 wholesale boxes, which is 38,000 bananas or about 7 tons! I guess if you pay peanuts you end up with bananas. To be fair to Tesco, all the excess has been shared out amongst the community’s schools on Orkney and neighbouring islands. It must be an Easter thing; two years ago, a shop on the nearby island of Sanday ordered 80 cases of Easter eggs instead of 80 eggs, an overstock of 640 chocolate treats! I can empathise since I’m not immune to pressing the wrong button myself and have been known to order the wrong wine before now.
Moving swiftly on, news reached us that NASA launched Artemis II last night. It is a manned test trip to the moon, doing just the one lap. I hope somebody has warned the Clangers, they’ll say they come in peace but it’ll turn out to be a quick in and out for the Soup Dragon’s resources. The last manned moon mission was in December 1972, much the same vintage as Wayne’s cultural reference.
On the booze news front, we hear that Pernod-Ricard and Brown-Forman are exploring the possibility of a merger. In a world shaken up by silly tariffs and a slower global market, the stock markets seemed to like the idea, with the prices of both companies rising on the news. Both companies still have large family shareholdings with the Ricard family on one hand and the Brown family on the other, which could seriously complicate matters. Would Jack Daniels and Jamieson make suitable stable fellows? We’ll keep you posted.
Easter Weekend
Today 02nd April – Noon – 7PM
Good Friday 03rd April – Noon – 5PM
Saturday 04th April – Noon – 5PM
Easter Sunday 05th April – CLOSED
Easter Monday 06th April – CLOSED
Tuesday 07th April – As you were – Noon – 7pm!
Tasting This Weekend
Given the time of year, we thought we’d select a red that might be quite tasty with a spot of roast lamb. We figured that the Greeks know a thing or two about roast lamb and, as luck would have it, we just happen to have a new Greek red arriving. We shall open a bottle of Voltes Red 2024 (£17.99) from our chums at Monemvasia Winery.
“The Voltes red is based on Agiorgitiko and Mavroudi – the same varieties George used to create Monemvasios, the winery’s flagship red, but rather than aiming for an ornate, oak-aged wine, Marialena and Anastasia wanted something young and fresh, opting for only a short maceration and vinification entirely in stainless steel.” JancisRobinson.com
Sporting the white bib and tucker will be Cave de Hunawihr Reserve Pinot Gris 2024 – £19.99
Grapes for this wine are from 30-year-old vines, grown on the south-facing slopes, at around 280m above sea level. The wine is quite full-bodied with enticing peach and pear aromas whilst the palate is packed with stone fruits, as the nose suggested, a touch of spice and a lovely viscosity before the long, fresh, fruit-driven finish. The perfect partner should curry be on the menu….
With that we’re off, a Happy Easter to all!