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Blue skies and 16c outside. There was no other option than bbq
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âŚmow the lawnâš
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Fire it up!
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Early kick-off for me too, my excuse is my last main meal before heading off to Peru for 4 weeks as from this weekend. (stand by for smug selfiesâŚ)
I posted a red Rias Baixas in the week - predominantly mencia - and whilst it was OK I couldnât see the point of it, but this Bierzo, 100% mencia is the real deal, and a fiver cheaper too Valtuille Vino de Villa, Mencia 2018
It has a Parker 94 points sticker on the neck. I do believe that the slightly warmer and drier climate in Bierzo makes all the difference to this variety / varietal (delete which you find inapplicable ). It has that lovely throat warming pepperiness and brambly fruit but not heavy duty and light enough to go with the last of the seasonâs local mussels (gathered from Blakeney harbour by my mate Jonny yesterday) which I like lightly grilled with a gratin of garlic, olive oil, chopped walnuts, breadcrumbs and parsley. YUM !!
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Never had a Mouchao and would need to I think. Where did you get it ?
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Same here. Still waiting to open the first - sounds like they go on for decades, so no rush I guessâŚ
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I did before I started grilling 
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Me too.
Bon voyage. Looking forward to the pictures already. Why do they eat and drink over there in general?
This is Mouchao 2nd wine Ponte. I got it from Caviste and itâs wonderful .
TWS did stock the 2013 Mouchao which I got 2 cases. No rush to drink those
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They do!
I had 2 bottles of the 2013 in the last 2 years and they are not open for business yet
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Late bbq lunch this arvo just some burgers with a tomato salad and fries but this to accompanyâŚ
Only one but looking forward to the â18âs. Lots of dark fruit and subtle herby end to the finish. Very enjoyable.
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âwhyâ ?, I guess nutrition is an essential element of a healthy life even for South Americans.
I jest. There is a small wine scene in Peru and in fact the oldest vineyard in South America belongs to Bodega Tacama near Ica. We have a visit and tasting booked there next Wednesday. The biggest winemaker is nearby - Vinas Queirolo - and we are staying at their lodge for 4 days. In fact we were there in 2020 but our trip was curtailed dramatically mid-March due to a certain global pandemic and we cut and ran back to the UK on the last day they were flying out of Lima.
Anyway they grow the usual suspects - majoring in Cab Sauv, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Tannat et al, but there is an interesting âproperâ vinifera cross called Quebranta,(listan prieto - nowadays confined to the Canary Is - X negramoll) unique to Peru, which is the main variety they use to distill into pisco. But they do make a rosĂŠ table wine too from it which is quite nice.
Other than that, and mainly in the next largest region the Lunahuana valley, closer to Lima, they grow lot of hybrids, generally called âBorgongnaâ, both white and red (the latter is the infamous Isabella - the bringer of phylloxera to France back in the day) and these wines are universally pretty unpleasant and sweet.
I will not dare initiate a debate over the relative claims of Peru and Chile as to which country is the true home of Pisco. (But the fact that there is a town called Pisco where they make a lot of it does suggest one point of viewâŚ)
Hereâs a picture of Tacama and its vineyard, we snapped from over the boundary wall in 2020, their quebranta vines and of Queiroloâs vineyards at sunset. Stand by for more of the same in the next few weeks !
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Doom Bar in Yorkshire?
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Ah predictive text strikes again 
. How come it doesnât realise that What comes before Why?
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Managed to open this Ch Poujeaux, Moulis 2005 one handed
And it is just sublime! The tannins just give a soft gentle caress to the inside of the mouth, livened up by the most elegant gentle acidity. Some fruit still there but lots lovely leather, smoky forest floor and cigar box. Almost makes me forget the arm in the sling!
As mentioned before I picked this up from a new cave opened in Chamonix for a not unreasonable âŹ55 (ÂŁ46) considering its age. He did have another half dozen bottles and I think Iâll pick up another couple to bring home if he still has them.
Edited to add: itâs sop frustrating, Iâm completely incapable of swirling my glass left handed!
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The weekend has come early, sun is out, my boss isnât on the community so finished early. Master @Winestwit was picked up early from nursery too so I can enjoy one of my favourites.
Always enjoy Luis Canas wines, this one has lots of ripe dark fruit, some vanilla and spice. Every smell takes me straight back to Haro. A great way to start a sunny weekend
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Sunshine has been blissful in Brighton too today, and if work stresses didnât kill my mood I would have jumped for joy. In the absence of jumps or joy â Chardonnay will have to provide
Sainsburyâs Taste the Difference CĂ´tes du Jura Chardonnay, 2018
Didnât have huge expectations, but for ÂŁ11 bought canât-remember-when itâs surprisingly good!
Pale straw in the glass, the nose has inviting notes of lemon verbena, white peach, pears and a touch of gunflint smokiness.
On the palate it is very fresh and focused, with vivid citrus and stone fruit notes, even a touch of mellow honey as things warmed up a bit, but also that lovely Jura minerality and a savoury lees-y edge. Good acidity, though finish doesnât linger much â but itâs not a million miles from a good Chablis, actually! 
Just me and the nearly-19-year-old in this evening â a rather unusual treat. So making us a nice creamy pasta bake, and though she wonât watch Gardeners World with me, weâll probably giggle over something like Spaced.
Happy weekend, all! 
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