Fellow Wine Lovers,
It’s been a week that many people won’t want to see repeated.
Ashley Cole won’t. Natwest won’t. Bob Diamond probably won’t, but it’s harder to tell with him. Barclays certainly won’t, though. Caroline Wozniacki won’t. Rafa Nadal won’t, or Venus, and that bloke on Saturday night, wearing a silver bikini, clogs and a very bemused expression, certainly won’t!
Finally, with the announcement of the musical Viva Forever, based on the songs of the Spice girls, you and I won’t either!
However there must be some positives to be grabbed from the week. The tennis has been on for four days now and the rain has thus far behaved itself. Strawberries are absolutely at their best right now, and in abundance. Even English Asparagus is still popping up, far later than normally expected.
So that’s sport, comment, musicals and food covered off, all that remains is the wine bit…
The Wine Bit
We mentioned last week that we have very special guest joining us for a tasting on Wednesday 11th July.
When I say joining us, I think I probably actually mean hosting.
His name is Giacomo Bindi, he is not the youth goalkeeper for Genoa (bless you Wiki), but is in fact the industry behind the Podere Il Cocco wines. His father is a Doctor, but rather than join the white jacket brigade, he decided to go and run the vineyard that the family have owned for the last three centuries – give or take.
Now, if we all had such choices to make, Harley Street would be full of wine shops…
And he is the real deal – he trains the vines, picks the grapes, makes the wine, does a bit of bottling, has even been known to stick a few labels on too… he gets involved in the process from start to finish and as such has great authority.
Let’s face it, last time we met him, he was confident enough to taste a flight of deep red wines whilst wearing a snow-white cashmere sweater – and it was still white at the end – legend!
So, what are the wines he’s going to show?
Being based in Montalcino he is clearly very red focused. His top wines are, of course, Brunello di Montalcino, he also produces a Rosso di Montalcino and his early drinking wine Brunato for while you’re waiting for your cellar full of Brunello to come of age.
Confirmed shows:
2004 and 2005 Brunello. Hopefully we might also see the 2006 and 2007, but this is subject to Giacomo getting them on the plane.
Rosso 2008. The 2009 vintage is also subject to flight regulations.
Brunato 2010. This only needs to be taken off the shelf here, so I foresee no difficulty!
So it should be a cracker, a great opportunity to meet the thinking behind the wine and ask those silly questions that seem so sensible when the wine is flowing… oh no, of course that would never happen.
Wednesday 11th July – 8pm – in the shop – £15 per person. Check the diary now.
This weekend
I fully suspect we’ll be opening some wine.
In the white hat, I rather fancy the Puzelat-Bonhomme Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2011 – £13.59 which is a lovely herby, cut grass Touraine character. For me this really puts many wines from more famous appellations to shame. Gorgeous.
In the red hat, a wine that we were both absolutely gobsmacked when we discovered we hadn’t shown it before – Domaine de Coyeux, Beaumes de Venise 2007 – £13.99. B de V is very famous for its sweet Muscat wines, but in fact their reds are very often far more exciting. A classic Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, we’ve got bagfuls of fruit, hints of spice, dashes of chocolate and the word ‘barbecue’ written all over it. Or stew, if the storms arrive…
So pop by and say g’day – the Tour de France starts this weekend, and I have Wayne studiously researching the route in order to botch together a T de F Wine Map, although thus far most research has involved him drinking wine whilst watching last year’s highlights…
Over and out.