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I have been a bit of a Beaujolais sceptic, but no more… This is very good now. Bought at the time of Burgundy 2016 EP, glad I did not rush through the six.
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A midweek Chilean Cabernet Franc this evening:
In the glass, it is a very deep violet hue and we were a little scared by the 14.5% ABV. But nothing to fear! This is a well-balanced, delicious, and easy to enjoy wine. On the nose, there are notes of plum, dark hedgerow fruit, a gentle leafy note and menthol; there is some development already showing (this is the 2017 vintage) with a whiff of damp earth and potpourri.
On the palate, it certainly has more body and heft than a Loire example, but it still dances on the palate with its mellow tannins and bright acidity. There are notes of blackberries, mint, cedar and then something quite savoury/herby as well as a bit of Mirto liqueur note. It seems to straddle Old and New World in terms of style and flavour profile - a truly lovely find! 
Tuesdays are long working days for me, so the other half is making dinner. I’m curled up on the sofa, raising a glass of this lovely wine to two dear colleagues who recently, and suddenly, passed away. I’m reminded of Philip Larkin’s lines from his poem ‘The Mower’:
The first day after a death, the new absence
Is always the same; we should be careful
Of each other, we should be kind
While there is still time
Hope everyone is having a calm evening 
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Calm evening here @Inbar, early dinner…wife on long Zoom call, son out gym training.
I had the final glass of a bottle of the Maison Alexandrins Crozes Hermitage 2016 with roast beetroot tarte tatin topped with “Greek style salad cheese”…ahem…with a tomato salad (last of home grown baby toms) . Supposed to be baby beets, but these were definite teenagers…mix of golden and purple.
What a super match! The dark, smoky Syrah, almost ash like on the nose, went beautifully with the sweet, roast beets. Only slight disappointment was that my wife couldn’t get feta in the supermarket, and a rather ordinary substitute in the form of the above, which was more like a slightly drier, saltier cottage cheese. Meh…hope this is not a sign of things to come post Brexit.
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Better stock up on cheese and wine just to be on the safe side!
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Indeed…though I think my wife would contend that the wine has already been stocked up.
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When it isn’t, clearly. I feel your pain.
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My pain will only start if (when?) I surreptitiously order more wine…
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2016 Sylvian Gaudron Vouvray Sec. Lovel creamy finish on this fresh tasting chenin. All about the texture…
Also enjoyed the 2015 Demi-Sec, but this edged it for me. Really getting into Chenin, looking forward to the Exhibition South African one on my next order…
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Appropriate hectic (almost) midweek winddown with this lovely fresh Rioja. Beautifully clear fruit, long finish and very ‘refreshing’, the oak is hardly noticeable and allows the tempranillo and 10% mazuelo to really shine. Nice midweek quaffer, washed down the chilli-prawn pizza a treat. And relax…hope you’re all having a lovely evening.! Did I mention I was enjoying this? rioja-marques-de-zearra-crianza-2014_zoom_1_7|500x500
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Impromptu dinner at a friend’s last night. Amazing food and drinks to match.
Gougeres, Nuts, Olives, Charcuterie
Baked figs, Prosciutto, Goats cheese/Gorgonzola
I struggled to match the wine tbh. A lovely pinot, but maybe not with cheese and figs and salty ham
https://www.thewinesociety.com/shop/HistoricProductDetail.aspx?pd=US8071
Chicken & morels, cream sauce, Rice, Roast radicchio, Carrot
Two whites - a Premier Cru Chablis. Afraid I didn’t manage to catch (?remember?) either the climat or vintage. It was really nice, but my attention and tastebuds were occupied with the 2006 vintage of this, which was delicious
Lemon meringue pie
The riesling was the better wine, but wasn’t sweet enough. The Sauvignon blanc worked very nicely indeed
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This is rather good, isn’t it? Lovely sour cherry flavours, woody background notes, very nimble over the palate. Really loving these Austrian producers at the moment, serious wine for reasonable prices.
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I normally try not to drink during the week. However I’m off for half term this week to help keep the children entertained - where’s the whisky:weary:
?!!
Opened this at 11am to go with veal escalopes tonight.
Beautiful red fruit, lavender and a floral note when I sniffed it, but slightly “thin” on tasting it - despite being opened at 11am and spending 30 min in the fridge. One of the better burgundies I’ve had recently.
Still doesn’t beat the Family Vineyards PN from Newton Johnson which is my go to PN.
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CALM!!! - It’s half term and bloody wet in Cheshire !!!
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Ouch!.. sorry
If it helps, we had flood-like downpours in Brighton today too… 
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yes but you have beaches and I presume very good independent coffee shops 
!!
Just starting a two week alcohol free period🙄 so will have to get vicarious pleasure from these pages. Nanny State on the shopping list.Keep up the good work.
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Is this some new variant on self isolating?
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Had some Cyprian Halloumi my son fetched bk from an archaeological foray other week… Salty goaty… Best cheese I’ve had in ages… Sorry to interrupt
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I hope you don’t mean that literally! 
I first read that as self loathing (not sure what that says about my inner life!), but yes, a period of self isolation from the vino sums it up nicely. We try to do a couple of small two week breaks each year. We didn’t quite manage one during lockdown (though did cut down) so this is the one and only for 2020.
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