Fellow Wine Lovers,
Diversify they say. To survive against the forces of e-commerce and supermarkets the smaller independent needs to diversify from the norm and concentrate on a point of difference. Or so they say. Mind you when cameras first appeared on phones and hot dogs were first paired with champagne we all laughed and raised our eyebrows. Nowadays no mobile is complete without a capture option and the success of Bubbledogs is plain to see.
But what’s all this got to do with Park Vintners? Well, after 5 years of trading as a specialist wine merchant we think it’s time to shake things up a bit. In the past we have dabbled with the idea of selling cheese but instead ended up with biltong – less smelly and a longer shelf life. Otherwise we haven’t really diversified from the norm – I think the craziest thing we did recently was list an Irish Whiskey for the first time…
That all changes now. Those of you better acquainted with the layout of our shop will be aware that we have a couple of office rooms downstairs that are currently just used for storage but will now be put to better use (but not in a Thai Spa way). For many, many years Wayne has harboured a desire to sing professionally. Having passed a significant milestone just recently, he decided to carpe diem. Conveniently, in one of the upstairs flats we have a professional string player who has been keen to back him for a while. Wayne’s favoured genre is nineties country and western – Billy Ray Cyrus and Shania Twain are regulars on his spotify – and his interpretations are really innovative and unusual!
He first performance ‘Downstairs at 126’ will be this evening from 6pm – come and see what you think, there’ll be wine too!
Not to be outdone, Alex has long bemoaned the fact that whilst there are plenty of places to get your barnet tidied up on Arthur Road, no one is helping out those of us sporting facial furniture. Having trained as a barber whilst at University to make extra cash when he lived in Italy, he now feels it is time to offer a full shaving and styling experience on Arthur Road, Wimbledon’s haircare strip.
His first bookings at ‘Uncut @ 126’ are today, appointments available from 2pm – come and get a trim today, there’ll be wine too!
Eventually we hope to somehow merge the two alternate revenue streams and create some sort of bespoke barber shop a cappella group currently called A Poor Silly Fad – if that’s not enough diversification for them, I really don’t know what to say to them, on today of all days!
And now in other news
Not a lot to report really – yesterdays end of year stockcount revealed to us how many bottles of wine we opened for tasting over the preceding 12 months and that someone stole a half bottle of champagne in the same period. Actually not a bad result all in all, so we opened another bottle…
Cricket seems to be in an up phase for now, we are preparing for a downward hurtle anytime now. Football is back on this weekend and the Pig & Whistle is having a refurb. That, I believe, is the main topics covered, apart from what we are tasting this weekend.
Tasting this weekend
Representing white wine and Argentina will be Michel Torino Coleccion Torrontes 2015 (£10.49) a wine we have enjoyed for absolutely ages but haven’t shared with you since July 2011! Sadly the importer has ditched it so we bought all we could but it’s a case of when it’s gone it’s gone. Fragrant, crisp and dry and grown at 1700m altitude in Salta not far from the Atacama Desert, we believe it an ideal partner to some South Asian cooking.
Our red tipple Domaine de L’Agly ‘Les Impressions’ 2010 (£17.99) is from gnarly old vines on the edge of the Pyrenees. Rich on the nose with dark fruit and spice aromas, the palate doesn’t disappoint either, with black cherry and spice and a long velvety finish. Smoother than a drive in a roller this is the perfect partner to some lamb!
And it’s goodnight from me and it’s goodnight from him – Goodnight!