Midweek drinking thread ( 4th - 7th January 2021 )

[Embee]

All the best to those of you having a dry January but that isn’t on the cards here. I’m having a bin end clearance this month. The first bottle of which was opened on Sunday and finished yesterday…

…a Slovenian Modra Frankinja ( aka Blaufrankisch ) 2012 from Dveri Pax. Very good it was too. Complex and savoury on both nose and palate and reminiscent of good quality Crozes-Hermitage with its medium weight, tarry, slightly feral, berry and plum fruit. Every bit as good on day two as it was on the first.

Anyone else indulging this week or am I the only lush here ?

[JayKay]

Not until Wednesday, now back in normal routine of AFDs on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays. Pros and cons. Con being less wine. Pros being a healthier routine (for us) and eager anticipation and appreciation of the days when we enjoy wine (oh, and spirits ).

[Embee]

@JayKay

AFDs on Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays.

Well done you ! I’ll be taking a break tonight but have a wine friendly roast dinner planned for Wednesday. A rescheduled Zoom meeting on Thursday with Xavi from Vina Zorzal will, no doubt, see a bottle opened too. On that basis I’ll give Friday a miss this week, boo !

[Andy999]

Glad someone started this!

Sunday night was day 1 of curry and day 2 of Framingham Riesling. A thoroughly excellent combination, with the sweet fruit of the riesling offering a delicious contrast to the heat of the spices.

Last night was day 2 of the curry and the first AFD of 2021 for me (have to admit I spent a stupidly long time puzzling out AFD!). Sorry to say it was simply not a comparable experience; missed the lovely riesling and even the curry didn’t seem as good. Oh well, virtue is it’s own reward! (One of the rather less credible sayings I think).

[Inbar]

Here’s a wine that manages to be everything that 2020 wasn’t: fun, light-hearted, life affirming and not too complicated:

We enjoyed the 2017 of this Juliénas from Lidl, and the 2018 is even more enjoyable in my opinion, with just the right amount of lively fruit to more mineral, smoky tones. The nose has notes of bramble, cherries and raspberries, but also something of the crushed gravel and iodine about it. On the palate it offers a balanced combination of ripe (though still quite tart) red fruit – cherries and forest berries mostly, with a lively mineral note and a savoury edge. It’s not the most complex Cru of them all, but gets 10/10 on the sheer pleasure scale.

Excellent value for £7.99 – this brought to mind parties in the garden with some nice grilled meat. Hope springs eternal…

[Andrew20]

@Embee

I’m having a bin end clearance this month

@Embee I love the idea of a home bin end clearance. Could be fun!

[Maj_Chris]

Having only recently joined TWS (primarily to prep for Christmas), and then signed up for WWF (first case arrived today) I have taken the (for me) barking mad step of commencing a healthy eating/ exercise regime for the next 90 days That has certainly curbed my mid-week drinking but, as pointed out above, I think it will make me appreciate weekend treats a lot more. That’s what I’m telling myself so far…

[Claret1961]

A delicious match to a chicken and mushroom risotto was this - one of our favourite houses in Alsace.

[Embee]

@Maj_Chris

I think it will make me appreciate weekend treats a lot more.

To paraphrase, abstinence makes the heart grow fonder.

[MidPalateTingle]

Bit mad for a Monday but under the circumstances, why not? Not a big punchy Cotton but very complex. Probably a bit young but worked well with pizza

[MidPalateTingle]

Thanks for this review. I’ve been tempted to buy this soooo many times and always demurred for something else. Will give it a try!

[NickFoster]

Once and Future 2017 Sodini Vineyard ZInfandel Russian River Valley

On Monday night we opened a bottle of this. Wears its nearly 15% alcohol very lightly, pretty elegant for a Zinfandel with almost Italianate acidity. Cranberry fruit with a hint of mocha.

Not much of a start to a dry Jan, but had a break last night

[winechief]

@Embee

Modra

Every time I read that name it reminds me of something completely different (very much a hero of mine from age 10-15)…

Tony Modra career highlights - AFL

[Embee]

His name rings a bell here. I used to watch Aussie Rules on Channel 4 back in the day ( the 90’s ? ) and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen him play.

Don’t shoot me down in flames for this but I used to root for the Geelong Cats, purely for cat related logo reasons !

[winechief]

Yes, Tony ‘Godra’ Modra - a very famous name in Australia, particularly in the 90’s.
Certainly a fan and commentator favourite… Many an afternoon spent in the school yard or backyard screaming Mmoodddra!!! Whilst trying to take ‘hangers’ like Mods.
I still watch AFL on a subscription but when I mention it to people they kind of look at me like I’ve just landed from Mars.

Geelong - always a good team. Made the Grand Final last year but fell well short on the big day. Will be around the mark again this year.
Unlike the Adelaide Crows who finished dead last… Will be bottom 4 again this year I think

Apologies for thread drift!!!

[strawpig]

We tried playing “rules” once as part of rugby training (I’m talking under 13s here, after that everyone else got massive while I stayed the same size), and I’m not sure I’ve ever been so muddy in my life. Was good fun though.

I had a housemate who was a big St Kilda fan, so almost followed it via osmosis for a while, but that was a decade ago now!

[DavidCB]

In the spirit of Rhone EP excitement… very enjoyable but I’m not sure it’s got a lot more age in it - pretty soft in the mouth already but tremendous nose.

[NickFoster]

Romate Fino Perdido, Bestsellers - Popular - Offers

Wet January continues with this… really rich and broad for a fino and a steal at £8.50.

[Prufrock]

Any chance you can talk me through the decanting funnel? It look glamorous!

This is good, but seems a bit flat, not corked but mute I think. Probably a bit shut down. A shame cos the last one was a peach.

[Oldandintheway]

2009 Gevrey tonight. Ripe fruit, some dusty tannins and enough acidity to stop the tannin outstaying on the finish. Probably still a little primary but enough secondary/savoury notes to promise an interesting future - which would be great news if it wasn’t my sole bottle.