Nothing to do with wine, this post. Just thought I’d record the fact that I won two tickets in a raffle at Co-op Bank (one of our customers) for two tickets to the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final. The first at Wembley for several years.
Turns out the prize was kindly donated by one of my former employers, Tieto Enator, so thanks to them!
Is the UK banking system about to collapse? The current credit crunch has resulted in Northern Rock taking an “emergency” loan from the Bank of England.  Banks normally lend to each other but when times are tight, the BoE is there to ensure that confidence in the banking system is retained by being a lender of last resort (albeit at premium rates). The Old Lady, and most financial commentators keep emphasising that Northern Rock is fully solvent and there is no crisis.  And yet Northern Rock customers are queuing round the block to withdraw their savings.
We all know, from bitter personal experience, that building confidence in anything takes an age, whilst successful attempts to undermine confidence are normally sub-second torpedo strikes.
After building my confidence in several New Zealand Sauvignons I realised that Pinot Noirs from the land of kiwi were gaining in reputation, and promised to try one or two. I didn’t have to queue round the block for this Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2004, which I simply ordered online.
One of the aims of this blog, when I started it, was to keep my own personal record of tastings. I set out to write this post having tasted a bottle of Susana Balbo 2005 Malbec and just realised that I have tried it before. However, I didn’t really capture any proper notes so I thought I better do so this time.
Jeff and I were in London for the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. Those of you not from Perpignan, Australia or the north of England will not understand Rugby League so let’s move on. In any case RL was not the only sporting occasion of interest that day.
August Bank Holiday weekend in the UK and Chelsea FC (lucky home win against Portsmouth – David “Calamity” James to thank) knocks the glorious Man City (unlucky defeat away at the Arse) off the top spot of the English Premier League. So we thought we better nip down to Chelsea and see what all the fuss was about.
In line with most reality TV shows where the presenters go back after 12 months to see how the subjects are coping with their new Russian blind dog, I always like to taste a wine more than once. It’s like going back to the scene of a crime to see if Gil Grissom has worked out that you were the perpetrator – exciting.
I have just re-tried Hunters Sauvignon Blanc 2006. I liked it last time but I claimed there was too much gooseberry . Well, this time I still got the gooseberry but so many more complex flavours like peaches, passion and other exotic fruits. A bit like dipping into a coconut but finding ice cream with the awful milk, or prising open an oyster to find a pearl necklace already assembled.
I much preferred Hunters this time. Just goes to show that you should give everything in life a second chance.
What a great sporting weekend. The English winning at cricket (handsomely defeating India), and promptly, but not all that convincingly, despatching the USA at rugby in the World Cup.  Even the hapless Steve McClaren had his moment in the sun sending the Israeli football team packing having thrice, without reply, rubbed their noses in the excrement of their sloppy defence.
But the résultat du jour was on Friday. The French were humbled by Argentina in the opening game of the Rugby Union World Cup - a triumph of gritty Malbec over refined claret? So in my own personal campaign to cheer up the old wine nation I nipped down to a British supermarket (Tesco) and bought some French produce – a can o’ wine to be precise.
I have never been to the Ritz. This maybe because I can’t afford it, or it could equally be because, to enjoy the Ritz fayre, I would have to bypass The Wolseley, right next door at 160 Piccadilly. This is something I have not yet achieved.
Although not of the Catholic faith, I feel the need to confess. To you. I have sinned. I am guilty as charged. What is my heinous crime so dark and mysterious? I am a beginner. No, really! At everything? Truly, everything!
Maybe it’s an age thing. I love my job and pretend that I know lots about enterprise software but the truth is that every year that passes I double my knowledge on that subject. At that rate of acceleration, it makes me realise how little I actually know. For example, if my knowledge keeps doubling every year, then in ten years time I will know 1024 times more than I know right now. That proves that I know virtually nothing. And so it is with wine, my other “specialist” subject.
Castlefield is a very trendy part of Manchester that (according to estate agents) has now encompassed formerly ropey areas like Hulme and will probably soon extend to Rusholme and Moss Side.  Location, Location, Location, as they say.
I grew up in Manchester so I am proud to have a flat in Hulme and I refuse to call it Castlefield, (until I decide to sell, of course). But whatever the address, it is only a short walk to “real” Castlefield and on a sunny August day, where better to take our mates Tony, Jeanette and son Charlie, than to sit outside by the Canal. Dukes 92 is the obvious choice because it is so popular but it was very exposed and at least two of us appreciated a bit of shade from the midday sun so we chose another place. We made the choice to choose Choice. Now if you clicked on the hyperlink you will have reached the most annoying site on the world wide web. Fortunately, despite this, if you go the restaurant you will find one of the best Sunday lunches in Manchester.
Just time for a quick review of a very funky little Albanian owned place in London’s West end. Hidden behind Wyndham’s Theatre on an alley opposite famous fish resto, J Sheekey, it is a wine focussed place with a short but interesting and not over expensive wine list. It also has a decent looking bistro menu. We stopped for a quick glass on the way to buy show tickets.
Stumble It!