Fellow Wine Lovers,<\/p>\n
\u00a0So, now that we\u2019re two, we want to make a couple of things very clear before the press start sniffing around:<\/p>\n
\u00a01.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We are not pregnant, never have been, have no realistic prospect of becoming so, and thus a global media frenzy is somewhat excessive<\/p>\n
\u00a02.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have never worked for the BBC<\/p>\n
\u00a03.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We would happily manage Chelsea (and be paid accordingly) even for just a few weeks, especially if we could also watch them lose so regularly direct from the dugout<\/p>\n
\u00a04.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We, somewhat foolhardily it would seem, pay all the tax we are due to pay in the UK and do not have a \u2018one desk office\u2019 in Luxembourg<\/p>\n
\u00a05.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We didn\u2019t believe England would beat the AB\u2019s last weekend, and were delighted to be proven wrong, but we don\u2019t necessarily believe the hype<\/p>\n
\u00a06.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We have no comment on England\u2019s cricket progress in the subcontinent (we have too much experience of giving the kiss of death to seemingly unbreachable positions) but are sure it\u2019s warmer there<\/p>\n
\u00a07.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We do not think it a travesty that Justin Beiber has failed to get any Grammy nominations – how down with the kids are we?\u00a0 Not at all, really \u2013 may I refer you to point 2 in the list….<\/p>\n
\u00a0Thank you<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0Huge thanks to everyone that popped by to see us last weekend, wine was drunk, nuts, olives, chorizo and cheese were eaten and generally a thoroughly festive atmosphere prevailed.\u00a0 Having chatted to many of you over the weekend a number of you were asking the same questions (and not just where had Wayne\u2019s moustache gone) so we thought we would address the most common ones here.<\/p>\n \u00a0Deliveries<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0Yes sir, absolutely, where to?\u00a0 We deliver locally for free in SW19 (but we have a reasonably fluid idea of local, let\u2019s say close enough for Wayne to cycle to without having to do too much training \u2013 panniers full of bottles can be quite heavy \u2013 ask us).\u00a0 You\u2019ve probably seen us wandering around the grid with our noisy trolley and we do have a vehicle too so can deliver the four dozen Champagne safely and securely.<\/p>\n Further afield it\u2019s a courier job \u2013 we do quite a lot of mail order so have suitable packaging available for transporting single bottles, 6 bottles or 12 bottles properly.\u00a0 We also use a courier who is sensitive to the fragile nature of our deliveries and is used by a number of wine companies in London.\u00a0 We feel that for a couple of quid extra it\u2019s worth getting the wine delivered intact and ready to be savoured rather than delivered in the style of an American paperboy, smashed, unusable and frankly disappointing.<\/p>\n \u00a0So if you want to send a gift to your Dad in Bristol or all your staff in Doncaster then give Wayne a call and he\u2019ll strap on his cycling cleats \u2013 020 8944 5224 is his direct cycle courier line.<\/p>\n \u00a0Large, medium, small<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0Yes, we do have different sizes.\u00a0 We have 5 different reds and two Champagnes in magnum format, obviously we have loads in bottles, but we also have half bottles of Champagne, sweet wines and fortifieds, and a couple of wines in this size too \u2013 handbag\/pocket size we call them.<\/p>\n \u00a0Wine School<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0Last night saw our last formal tasting of the year \u2013 the Champagne and Sparkling Wine evening, which, as you would hope, went off with a pop \u2013 goodness me doesn\u2019t fizz make you feel festive!<\/p>\n \u00a0We\u2019ll have wine open on weekends as usual over the next few weeks, but our next organised tasting run will be our 6 Week Wine School that starts again on Wednesday 30th January and, as you can no doubt guess, goes on for 7 weeks.\u00a0 What?\u00a0 Oh yes, we have a week off over half term (around 21st February) and it all completes on 13th March.<\/p>\n \u00a0Last year this course was massively oversubscribed, a combination of thoughtful Christmas Gifts from loved ones and people wanting to take the edge off the new year with a glass of wine and some educashun.<\/p>\n \u00a0In short, the course is 6 weeks long (normally), costs \u00a3150 and covers whites, reds, rose, fizz, sweeties, corked\/oxidised\/faulty wines, food matching suggestions and a lot of belly laughs courtesy of Wayne\u2019s seemingly limitless supply of one-liners.\u00a0<\/p>\n If nothing else you\u2019ll taste 60-odd wines over the course and, as we always say, the best way to learn about wine is to taste it.<\/p>\n Call us, call in, email us \u2013 places are limited – first come, first served as ever.<\/p>\n \u00a0More details attached.<\/p>\n \u00a0Opening hours<\/strong><\/p>\n We are open as usual up to the 22nd December (11-8 Monday to Friday, 10-8 Saturday) then it all goes a bit ding-dong merrily on high:<\/p>\n \u00a0SUNDAY 23RD DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11AM-3PM<\/p>\n \u00a0MONDAY 24TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10AM-6PM<\/p>\n \u00a0TUESDAY 25TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0CLOSED<\/p>\n \u00a0WEDNESDAY 26TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CERRADO<\/p>\n \u00a0THURSDAY 27TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CHIUSO<\/p>\n \u00a0FRIDAY 28TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11AM-8PM<\/p>\n \u00a0SATURDAY 29TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 10AM-8PM<\/p>\n \u00a0SUNDAY 30TH DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11AM-3PM<\/p>\n \u00a0MONDAY 31ST DECEMBER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11AM-6PM<\/p>\n \u00a0TUESDAY 1ST JANUARY\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 LYING-IN<\/p>\n \u00a0WEDNESDAY 2ND JANUARY\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 STILL IN DENIAL…<\/p>\n \u00a0THURSDAY 3RD JANUARY\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 WARMING TO THE IDEA…<\/p>\n \u00a0FRIDAY 4TH JANUARY\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 11AM-8PM<\/p>\n \u00a0And then back to normal, happy New Year!<\/p>\n