Confessions of a Wino

My jury has been deliberating on a verdict for the Costco wine buyers for some time now.  Do they market good wines and sell them at reasonable prices, or do they simply find cheap wines that look expensive?  For example, good names in bad years, second wines from average producers, albeit from good regions.  I mean, why would reputable domaines want to sell their best quality wine at a discount, on a regular basis, in large quantities?  This Puligny Montrachet was from Costco and was not that cheap being £12.75 plus VAT

The only other online price comparator I could find was at Fine Wine Online where it was £14.95 – so Costco is actually £0.03125 more expensive per bottle.

The wine was fine actually.  It had some nice zing from the quince flavour, balanced by the smoothness of butter shortbread.  A fairly long finish and quite enjoyable to quaff.

Not much of a discount though, guys!  Try again.

Last night I went to see a bit of Oscar Wilde.  Born in Dublin, educated and excelled at Trinity College, and Magdelen Colledge Oxford, he then observed in close quarter London Society with his acerbic wit, before being buried in Paris at the tender age of 46.

I didn’t see him in the flesh, even the rotting, grave-sodden sort.  I merely remembered him through one of his plays “An Ideal Husband”.  Amongst the many lessons, most extraordinary above all, was my realisation that political scandals have been around since even before my forefather’s forefather (Great Grandfather, then?) was chased from the office of Mayor of Wimbledon in the 1930s.  This play was written in 1895 when Wilde was about my age, and concerns the dilemma presented when a senior politician is confronted by his secret and corrupt past, in a black-mail attempt.  Does the evil Mrs Cheveley succeed in extorting her demands?  You will have to read/watch the play yourself.  Whilst doing so, you will not be able to resist a snigger or two at how Wilde’s observations are all too relevant to today’s society.

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Forget the preamble.  This Corbières is the most interesting and, frankly, gorgeous wine I have tried in ages.

I found it at Laithwaites (although it was sadly out of stock at time of writing).  I cannot remember the price, but it was definitely not expensive.  I fear that it is absolutely necessary to stick to the 2003 due to the freaky hot summer that year.  It killed several hundred French people so one can only imagine the effect it had on shrivelling (er….I mean concentrating) the grapes, and this wine is an amalgamation of several.

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Chicken or egg?  The long standing debate about which came first will never be resolved by a cartoon depicting one or the other enjoying a post-coital cigarette.  Let’s face it, smoking is banned almost everywhere these days.  So I had to find another way to establish the truth.

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Do you eat ready meals?  The UK is one of the world’s leading producers (and consumers) of ready meals, and I mean by volume, not necessarily quality.  Is that good or bad?  What does it say about our work addicted society that we no longer have time to enjoy a home cooked meal with friends/family at our own tables?

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I  feel sure it is too early for some purists.  Maybe I am the early bird breaking fast on the first worm.  I have been trying several 2005 Bordeaux early release red wines, for example here, here, here, and here with mixed, but mostly good results.

You may not think that January 2008 is all that early to release 2005 wines, but I recently received a letter from the importer, from whom I purchased my special 2005 en primeur wines, kindly informing me that Spring 2008 was likely to be the earliest I would receive my precious Château Lynch-Bages, Château Guiraud and others.

So whilst waiting, I have been obliged to drink from the dawn dew, to eat from the darling buds of May, to to sup from the honeypot of youth (something I have not done in years).

But from the moment I opened the fridge door to retrieve my bottle of Château Lacombe Cadiot, I felt there was something different, something new about this wine.  For a start there was some information on the bottle.  This was in French as well as English.  Secondly, it was a not-overpowering 12.5%.  Thirdly, it had a recommended drinking temperature of a perfect 16 degrees Celsius (you have heard me moan before about red wines served too warm).  Fourthly, on opening it was the first wine from the bordelais that I can remember having a plastic cork.  Four out of four so far then!

The wine tastes of rhubarb crumble with custard.  Although I am not the greatest fan of rhubarb, it is the best 2005 Bordeaux I have yet tasted.  Still a little tannic I am sure it will benefit from another 6 to 12 months in bottle.  If only I could remember where I got it from I would order some more.  A quick Google failed to find any UK suppliers.  Any help appreciated!

Just down the road from the entrance to the Ritz on Arlington St, just off Piccadilly, you will find Le Caprice, a favourite haunt of the stars for several decades.  This part of London is over-endowed with decent restaurants.  To quaint northerners like me this seems unfair.

The Wolseley is just round the corner, as is Langan’s Brasserie, Claridge’s, Scott’s of Mayfair, and Fortnum & Mason.  Meanwhile in the nearby West End, The Ivy, sister to Le Caprice, is undoubtedly one of the best restos in London despite the nouvellement célèbrés and the nouveaux riche who visit only to be seen rather than to enjoy food and wine.  So was Le Caprice, part of the group that owns The Ivy, as good as its sibling?

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Has Ian Simpson finally moved in?  From my bijou pad in Manchester I can see his penthouse apartment atop the Beetham tower, self appointed tallest residential building in Europe.  Recently I have noticed some lights on the top floor for the first time, so maybe it is finally fitted out?

The fact that I can see his penthouse is far from remarkable since most residents of Greater Manchester, the Outer Hebrides, and the caves of Afghanistan can see this proud member of a building.

So some of you may assume that I reside in the forgotten 1970’s part of town.  I beg to differ!  And so must the poor producers of Muscadet when challenged.  Muscadet is sooooooo 1970’s.  Sooooooo much so I wanted to remember it rather than forget it.  Is Sèvre et Maine really a second class citizen compared to the more fashionable and expensive Loire appellations like Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé?

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Of all the restaurants where I have sat beneath a canopy of Maple leaves, Le Perron in Geneva is undoubtedly the best, or come to think of it, actually the only one.  Having said that, I suppose I should be grateful to be sitting outside at all in October in Europe.

 

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This could well be one of the most expensive bottles of wine I have drunk.  I bought half a dozen Rousseaux from the Wine Society for nearly £300 which compared to my average bottle price of £5 to £10, was a breathtaking purchase decision.

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