Introducing Lledoner Pelut, which we are told is related to Grenache and apparently has hairy leaves!

Fellow Wine Lovers,

Whew! What can we say?  The whispering Scot has been given the old heave-ho just before the end of the season and the gobby one from the class of ’92 steps up to the plate for the last few games.  Will he be any good or are all his skills in sniping.  We watch and wait!

Elsewhere the BBC has been fielding complaints about the mumbling in their recent Jamaica Inn, I have to say we gave up after 20 minutes on episode 1.

Whilst we’re shooting the breeze about Cornwall we notice the Cornish are over the moon at being granted “minority status for their culture, language, and identity” which puts them on a par with Wales, Scotland, and Ireland.  Ideal.  It’s only a question of time before Mr Clarkson upsets them I’m sure!

In wine news, an app has been developed that will help root out the growing problems of wine counterfeiting that is happening in China.  Talking of which, some of you may remember us reporting the sale of a 1787 bottle of Chateau d’Yquem as the world’s most expensive white wine some time back.  Well it seems the chap who paid the $100,000 is now suing the seller alleging the wine to be counterfeit.  We’ll keep you informed!  As Jancis Robinson wrote today in her Purple Pages email: ‘if I have one piece of advice from this unsavoury episode, and indeed in general, it is this: do not on any account pay a four-figure sum (much less the five-figure one asked for the Yquem) for a bottle of wine.  Why would you, when there are so many absolutely delicious bottles available for two-digit sums?’

Case closed.

Cheese and Wine

Thanks to all who attended our Cheese and Wine tasting last night, great fun was had by all. The next one is Thursday 22nd May at 8pm.

£20 per person as usual, give us a bell if you’d like to join the fun: 020 8944 5224.

A Certain Age?

If you’re having a 40th birthday (or know someone who is) we have just the thing for you.

Kopke 1974 Colheita Port – £90 

Colheita is an aged tawny style of port from a single year.  By law they must be aged for a minimum of 7 years but in practice often for much longer.  This beauty we tasted in February just a couple of weeks after it was bottled.  Talk about liquid loveliness…it had it all going on with subtle cherry fruits, caramel, a touch of almond and honey maybe even a gentle roast coffee bean thing… wowsers, a glass that really commanded our attention.

Anyway, we think it’d be a lovely way to celebrate being 40, it’s had a great life, hanging around in a barrel (known here as a pipe!) for 40 years, getting more complex and softer with age before bottling in January.

If you’d like a bottle let us know, otherwise we’re quite happy to keep it for ourselves!

Time to Exercise DemocracyTime & Leisure Food and Drink Awards

For the last two years you’ve all been kind enough to vote for us in the “Best Wine Retailer” Category which resulted in us winning.  We’d love to win for the 3rd year running so please vote for us on the link below and tell all your friends too.

http://www.timeandleisure.co.uk/food-and-drink-awards/2279-best-wine-retailer.html

There’s also the European elections coming up but we’re not running in those…

Tasting this Weekend

We’ll taste Domaine Treloar’s One Block Grenache 2011 (£11.99) as our red wine which, as the name suggests, is 70% Grenache with a large splash of Lledoner Pelut (30%) which we are told is related to Grenache and apparently has hairy leaves.  Pronunciation competition to follow.  Meanwhile, white wine wise, Alex is pulling corks on our Côtes du Rhône Blanc ‘La Fleur Solitaire’ 2012 (£10.79) which is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.  We think they’re both delicious, they think we’re fab, come and see what you think!

Yeghes da!

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