So I didn’t win the blogging award as mentioned last week but I did win a Wii at the same event, thereby making me the most popular parent in our house by quite some margin. The week’s other cheering news is that according to a new report, drinking wine (in moderation, of course) improves your quality of life, specifically two glasses a day for middle-aged drinkers. Every cloud, as they say.
Current rose in the fridge: Gran Feudo Rosado 2009, £6 on offer, Tesco.com
We might not be in the grip of a heatwave – apart from the one day last week that was summer, apparently – but I’m starting to feel summery nonetheless. The end of term is in sight, and so I turn to rose. One from the Navarra region, to be precise, an area that lies between Rioja and Bordeaux. This one is made by one of Spain’s oldest winemaking families, Chivite, from the garnacha grape and is a gorgeous mix of raspberry fruit and sunshine. Juicy and fun, like a good Jilly Cooper.
Current red in the rack: Alamos Bonarda 2010, £8.99, Majestic
So there I was last Friday night after BritMums, in a London pub with a couple of blogger mates and MY EDITOR (sorry about the caps, can’t help it), and they threw the wine list my way. I went for this Argentinian Bonarda, because a) Argentina is often a great punt when in a pub; b) it was good value and c) I thought it might be something they hadn’t tried before. Bonarda tends to produce red wines lighter in style than those made from the Malbec grape. Less boisterous, if you like. It was smooth, loaded with black cherry fruit and left us wanting more. So we obliged. It was obviously a bit more expensive in the pub but Majestic also stock it (clever them). Two glasses will improve your quality of life, apparently.
Peace out, winos x
Ahem *cough cough* didn't you also win the Amazon voucher…
Lovely to meet you in the flesh and sink a few beverages. xx
£150 of John Lewis vouchers! Thought it might look like a fix so left that out…LOVED meeting you, a real highlight x
Thanks for the Rose tip – love the idea of fruit and sunshine in a glass.
Ii believe you are officially Jammy on the prize winning front
Ha, I know! Very jammy, and a teeny bit embarrassed. Feeling the love from the kids, though 😉
For the record 2 glasses of that red did improve my quality of life -it was the impact of the 3rd glass you have to worry about!
My quality of life was greatly improved by a pain au chocolat the next morning. Loved that evening x
Well you're always the winning blog in my book, noone can pick wine to drink kids' plate scraps like you can (the highest accolade I can give)
Ah, thank you! x
I hope that's two LARGE glasses a day! xx
Life improvement glasses, I'm calling them x
LOVE rosé. My current fave is the one I tried at the English wine event: Welcome Hills 2010. I might be passing Majestic today *cough* so I'll give the other one a go too x
Not tried Welcome HIlls, I'm going to seek it out. Def worth getting the Bonarda in. Think you might even prefer it to last week's Malbec.
Gran Fuedo 2009?!?!?!??! 2 vintages ago! I'm not surprised it's on offer as the 2011 is available. What coulour is it? Hasn't the fruit disappeared? Am I wrong to think that Rose is not for keeping but for drinking the current vintage?
I know, I approached with caution and with exactly the same reservations, but happy to report it is still a gorgeous glass of wine. Great colour, lots of fruit, not at all knackered. Unlike me. Rose is often best drunk young but some of them have enough oomph in them to develop some lovely characters with a bit of age.
Luckily we both know that if you'd been entered into the right category (you are SO funny!) you'd have won. And ta for spreading word about wine being GOOD. I've had 2 nights off (shd have been more after Friday!) and now feel I deserve 6 glasses. Hurrah! Can't wait to get home!
Funny ha ha, obviously. Hurrah for your abstention!
Outrageous that you didn't win anything! Love your blog- format and writing style. Inspired me to start one, and to drink much more wine…
Ah, thank you. Love your blog! Mine are past the weaning stage, wish I'd known about it then…
It's stories like that that make me wish wish wish I'd been there.
Glad you had fun. And that you won all that stuff! (but not that you woz obviously robbed….)
I know, it started to look like a fix! Was fun. Wish you'd been there.
I just got it! I need a Wii. I just got it! Very good!
GREAT to meet you at Britmums and Loving your book cover – how fab…..also we must email as I need to give you details of my friend's vineyard!! I'm at lucycampbell88@gmail.com Lx
Hi Lucy, you too. The session you chaired was brilliant, we needed another hour at least! Will email you now.
Did they mention anything about pregnant ladies?
'Fraid not (but you've not got long to go)!
Only found your blog today and I have to say I love it! Keep up the good work!
wine.com