Pushing the boat out with one of these over the weekend.. 
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Went out for a meal to a restaurant, the first in eight months .
Came home and fancied a glass of something red , I think a glass of Pedro Ximenez would have been better
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¡Salud!¡Salud querido Debs!
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Came across this cleaning out some space today. We bought a case of this for our wedding (2007) and this is the last bottle of dessert wine from Malaga we had that night. Even now, way past its drinking window, it has tons of fruit. Strong honeysuckle on the nose and balancing acidity making it really moreish. It was lighter on its feet in 07 but it’s a banger now. Smells sort of tokay-ish. Quite a lucky find.
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Another surprising find. A liqueur muscat from Australia’s Rutherglen. Name sakes for me but unfortunately no financial connection. Not sure how long ago they stopped selling in the older bottle. The newer one is only a few years old. The older bottle is more like a rich tawny port than an Aussie muscat but they are both delightful with a bit of Comte.
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Snap. Bought a bottle of the 2022 from the Malaga Wine Museum shop this week. For the price (€40 bottle equivalent) I think it is overpriced. Big and rich but no subtlety.
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Last night’s accompaniment to roast pork was delightful. Glad it wasn’t falling off a cliff as still got 9 bottles. When claret on form it is delicious! But I am still a sucker for Burg
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Ricossa 2020 Barolo - drunk with a mushroom risotto. Barolo and mushroom risotto are one of life’s alchemic pleasures
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My birthday treat (well it‘s for a couple of days)
The Rioja reminds of one of my all time favourite meals , and the Australian Dandelion Pedro Ximenez is to raise a glass to Pete.
I went out a celebrated my birthday two weeks ago, the restaurant was very quiet .
Four months ago I probably could not have done this
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Capellania is a great way to celebrate your birthday and must feel so much better after recent times.
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I am indeed, very lucky to be alive
The wine needed some time to breathe , but about a half bottle still remaining.
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The first bottle of wine I’ve opened since NYE, I thought I’d try something a bit different. A Thymiopoulos Atma Xinomavro. I thought it was really interesting and also rather delicious.but then I do rather like the combination of redcurrants, Rhubarb and raspberries with a bit of tomato and a sprinkle of herbs thrown in for good measure..
I might need to buy some more of this one…
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I think Xinomavro is one of the most interesting developments in red wine for many years. Delicious, dry, food-friendly wines that bear more than a passing resemblance to Barolo but considerably cheaper
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Yes the Greek wineries make very high quality wines but the quantity they produce is much smaller then countries like for example Spain so prices are higher but for example a good Xinomavro is still beter value then the big Italians. Also the white wines from Santorini although higher priced are world class Quality wines.
This comes from the Masters of Wine trip to Greece
The images from the recent Masters of Wine visit to Greece are still fresh in my mind as I sit down to record my first impressions. It lasted for seven days and was completed on the 6th of October. To begin with, I have to point out the importance of the visit. This was the second time that the Masters of Wine Institute visited Greece during the last decade, and the implications of visits of this sort are obvious.
Xinomavro
Although the visit focused on Athens, Crete, and Santorini, tastings of wines from all over Greece were also organised. It was the first time I tasted Xinomavro of such impressive quality. The MWs I happened to talk to showed great satisfaction. Great wines in a wonderful place like the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. Xinomavro wines, of world class, stood out in this impressive tasting, and I will mention a few like Alpha Estate 2015, Diamantis Magoutes, Karydas 2011, Kir Yianni Diaporos 2011, Vogiatzi Xinomavro 2016 and the new Aftorizo (Franc de Pieds) by Thymiopoulos.
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The Wine Society Greek wine offering is outstanding for both reds and whites. The quality has been so consistent.
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My wife and I met 11 years ago today and found out what we had been missing all those years (not just Bollinger Special Cuvée)
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I organized a 2008 Château Lynch-Bages for dinner. On opening it I found that the cork disintegrated. Not being at home with the necessary tools there was some emergency double decanting which the wine might probably have done better without. If there is a hint of Rooibos in the bouquet I will know why…
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Congratulations. I really hope you’re not using the Château Lynch-Bages for cooking, though!? 