Nativity Scene

I do love a nativity play. I was once Angel Gabriel to my husband’s Joseph. We were five years old at the time and I remember thinking that, even if I wasn’t Mary, at least I had a speaking part. Tomorrow, it’s our children’s turn. Apparently there’s a cowboy theme (me neither) and Middle Boy’s got one of the main parts. He ran through his lines the other day and shortly after, I heard Kenneth Branagh’s voice booming out of the study. Confused, I poked my head around the door to find Middle Boy perched on the Husband’s lap, watching a clip of Henry V. The St Crispin’s Day speech, to be precise. “It’s all about projection!” the Husband said, when I looked at him with my best WTF face. Middle Boy grinned. If he shouts his way through it tomorrow, at least I’ll know why.

Current white in the fridge: Fire Flower Chenin Blanc/Pinot Grigio 2014, £8.99, Waitrose
There’s a lot of Chenin Blanc made in South Africa but they’re not always as pretty as this one. Blended with some Pinot Grigio too, it’s golden, delicious and really does taste pleasingly apple-y. After sitting through a two hour ballet show on Sunday watching Youngest Girl, we had a late lunch with the in-laws and this was our pre-prandial. It was on point. 


Current red in the rack: Tulga Crianza 2011, £5.99, Lidl
If you fancy a cherry fruit and oak mash-up for under £6, then here it is. Think Rioja-lite. Made in the Toro region in northwest Spain, this is a little rough around the edges but lovely with it. Tempranillo is the main grape here (as it is in Rioja) but it’s not as weighty or serious as Rioja. Definitely better with food, as it helps to soften the wine. A decent bargain, though.  

Cheers, dears x

Ps. I’ll do a thing on Christmas wines next week.