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Kicking this off as I’m 7 hours ahead in Perth. Arrived last night to surprise my twin brother after not seeing him for 9 years ! He was suitably surprised 
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Tonight this Chardonnay, Buttery with caramel apples … good acidty, well balanced and not particularly overly complicated.
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Wow! Enjoy - lovely city, and WA likewise. My dad’s identical twin landed up in Perth in 1971, and it’s a big part of our lives is Perth & WA; they moved down to Denmark, right down at the bottom of WA, some years ago now - an amazing area to live in. I sometimes wish dad had moved out with him at the same time. Do post more Perth & WA pics :~}
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Glad he was in!
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This evening: Posh Chenin Blanc (very posh now I’ve checked the price) with bacon wrapped chicken breast & creamy white wine sauce. Marinading already, plenty of garlic & Dijon.
Thistle & Weed ‘Brandnetel’ Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2018
But more importantly: Please heed the safety warning on the back of the bottle.
Stay safe out there people.
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And will Sir be enjoying a glass of wine with that?
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Have a fantastic trip @Leah . We have friends who moved out to Perth a year before Covid. Really want to get out there to see them.
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I think this came up once before. In South Africa they have about 5000 pedestrian road deaths a year (UK 400 odd). Of course that’s not to say that they’re all drunk, and almost certainly haven’t been drinking fine wine, but it’s a genuine problem.
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Fab @Leah and as per everyone who has posted previously, have a great time !
Meanwhile, in drizzly SW Herts, a Friday night favourite food and wine-wise here…
…a Tavel ‘Prima Donna’ 2021 from Domaine Maby.
A lovely pale watermelon red in the glass. Red fruits, raspberry, redcurrant, pomegranate and a touch of spice on the fragrant nose. Similar flavours on tasting with a deliciously astringent, food friendly, bitterness on the refreshing finish. In a word, smashable 
Very good it was too with my meal of not-a-paella*…
…for once, chorizo free but the crust on the base of the pan provided some compensation.
- the benchmark still remains a rabbit and snail take on the dish enjoyed, some twenty years ago now, for next to nowt at a lively truck-stop out in the sticks in Yecla !
All the best for the weekend everyone.
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Sadly not drinking this on location like @Leah but also on Australian wine tonight, in the form of the Society’s Exhibition Margaret River Chardonnay. You couldn’t really mistake this for anything other than an Aussie Chardonnay - but if it had all been this well made back in the 90s it might not have gone so horridly out of fashion 
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Ridge Geyserville 2016.
Bought from Henry in Brighton, the name of the shop escapes me, the one on Queen Street.
Anyhoo… this is gorgeous, I got upset about the price increases for this wine which now hovers the wrong side of forty quid but I feel I am just being querulous to bring up such a petty matter. These Zinfandels are unique, I have wandered around other producers but none can lay a glove on Ridge. I particularly like the touch of age on this, still fruity but slightly less pumped and Napa than how it is in the early years. Mind you it is still delicious then. I haven’t had one for a long while and it is still instantly recognisable. I think TWS still has some of their Zins listed so the card may be getting a thrashing tonight.
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Sushi and champagne. Always a winner
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Felt like red wine tonight so went with a Saint-Joseph. Nothing special. Tertiary to the fore- game, leather, liquorice, spice. Red and black fruits. No length and lacks intensity. So perfectly drinkable but not going to blow you away.
Happy weekend all.
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I don’t drink enough Jurançon wines. This wine might change this. It’s got a beautiful nose and packs a lot of flavour with its blend of Gros Manseng and Camaralet harvested at the end of September.
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Zin/Primitivo here tonight too. This Archidamo used to be a regular favourite, but we haven’t had it for some time and it’s just a bit disappointing. All the flavour you’d expect but some bitterness on the finish.
Could it be something to do with the jalfrezi I had for lunch?
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I know it’s bad manners to reply to ones own post - however the “Thistle & Weed ‘Brandnetel’ Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch 2018” turned out to be superb … as it should be for £28. But it really is that good !
I had a bottle of TWS exhibition chenin open at the same time, so a comparison is inevitable. The Thistle had so much more breadth and depth, much more complexity. Is it worth paying double? well… if you can afford it then yes it is.
So against my financial rules… I’m going to buy another couple of bottles for when we have special guests for tea.
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@leah - Have a great trip!
@lapin_rouge - Great to hear your comments about this, as I recently bought a bottle, having previously enjoyed their Duweltje in 2019. Doubly looking forward to it now!
This evening I adapted a Tom Kerridge recipe a bit, and cooked pan-fried fillets of turbot with a parsley and cream sauce, capers, croutons and Little Gem (a sort of poshed-up Grenobloise). We drank Mélanie Pfister Riesling Berg, 2019.
Very pure, lifted and fine - a Bas-Rhin wine par excellence. Lots of citrus zest and a flinty spine and finish, but a real sense of airiness despite the intensity of the flavours.
Have a good weekend!
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Dom Cady Coteaux du Layon St Aubin Les Varennes.
Now this is delightful; quite a lemony, fresh nose, a little floral too. It’s sweet but not very, which hits straightaway and through to the finish, it is rather lovely. Good acidity to balance; it’s very fresh; a little restrained, some lemon citrus, nectarine fruit. Light on its feet, unimposing, a delight. Finish is a little short however.
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