So, tomorrow is publishing day for the KMWC and my book will be in shops. My family pinched all the free ones I was sent (I’ve had to write ‘My Copy’ in my copy). I know some of you have already received pre-ordered copies. Last night we had a little party to celebrate the launch. I retired happy but knackered at a sensible hour. My sister, on a rare night out, went on with friends and a cardboard show-card of my book in tow. She left it on a chair in a club, and a Pussycat Doll sat on it. Then Gok Wan saw it and now wants a copy. I am extremely happy about all of this, as well as slightly wondering what on earth is going on. I think I need a cup of tea and a lie down.

Now, the lovely publishing people at Pan Macmillan have put some copies up to be given away. All you have to do is tweet @panmacmillan and me the dish you want a wine match for. It can be anything from leftover marmite sandwiches to the meal of your dreams. Pictures too, if you like. I’ll answer them all, and five tweets chosen at random will win a copy of the book. Thank you for all your a-mazing support. Happy P-day indeed.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Picpoul de Pinet 2011, £7.49, Tesco
Just love this wine. If you know you like Sauvignon Blanc, particularly from France, chances are you will like this lemon drop. Crisp, fresh, delicate but with real backbone (thanks to the acidity) this is a joyous pre-prandial as well as a great food wine (that acidity again). Think light savoury. The grape is Picpoul, from vineyards around the village of Pinet in the southern French Languedoc region. Like a spring-clean for the palate. 

Current red in the rack: CM Carmenere 2011, £7.99, M&S
Cor, this is marvellous stuff. Close your eyes and stick your nose into a glass of this: blackberries, spice and oak is what you get, with a real warmth to it. Made from the Carmenere grape grown in the Elqui Valley, in the far north of Chile. This region used to be all about the table grapes (the ones in your fruit bowl rather than your glass) but the combination of clear skies, pure light and vineyards planted at altitude are producing wines that demand to be put on the table. And we all need good Carme(nere) in our lives. 

Pip pip x

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23 Comments

  1. Dr Uncle Bunny

    I'm off to the shops!

  2. Enjoying my copy already and nearly finished.

  3. Enjoying my copy already and nearly finished.

  4. Hope to see you at the top of the bestseller lists very soon x

  5. Thank you so much for a lovely evening – hope that the book is a total success – you completely deserve it

  6. Muddling you were there and I didn't even meet you??!!! Gutted in W12.. And the book is BRILL.. Review soon on West London Mum xx

  7. Great stuff! Husband now has it on his list to buy me for (Knackered) Mother's Day from the kids 🙂 x

  8. Congratulations I will buy a copy soon

  9. You're fab! Off to order… 🙂 *Can't wait*

  10. Awesome, hope the launch goes well and they need to print some more soon 🙂

  11. Bought a copy this morning from my local tesco store and had finished it by the evening. Rarity for me to read a book in a day – a measure of how much I enjoyed it!
    Loved the balance of humour and information in the book.
    Certainly gave me a better perspective for when I next go buying wine (probably tomorrow). As a wine lover who knows a good wine when he tastes it (and a bad wine when tasted also!) it is refreshing to get a book that isn't up its own wot-not. When shopping for wine I am overawed by the sheer magnitude of different wines and with the poncy language often used by normal wine critics, this book gives me more confidence to attack that wine aisle. After reading this book I shall in future definately be looking for less but better quality rather than just focusing on the offers.
    I'm not even a knackered mother! More a knackered step-dad! Even so… thanks!!

  12. Oh Happy Day! (One of M's three favourite songs, as it happens).

    Off to demand a copy in our local bookshop asap.

    So many congratulations and looking forward to the Scottish launch party soon…?!

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