The Female of the Species

The Knackered Mother (knackeredus maternius) is most commonly seen in her natural habitat, the kitchen. Here, she slaves away putting food on the table for her children to flick all over the floor, occasionally falling silent to actually eat some of it. She exists on a diet of sandwich crusts, leftover fish fingers and mint kitkats with the odd half-cup of lukewarm tea if she's lucky. In daylight hours, when not with her cubs, she can be found manically trying to squeeze a week's work into three days whilst trying not to let the noise of under-fives, a needy dog and a wierd cat be heard through the study door. At night, she can be found lying on the sofa, glass of (usually very good) wine in reach trying to summon up the energy to cook/speak. Not to be confused with the lesser-spotted Shattered Father (bearded grumpius paternius). There have been reported sightings of these creatures in the same habitat, but one of them was asleep.

Current white in the fridge:
Tero Pinot Grigio 2009, £6, Tesco
I know there are more exciting grapes out there but sometimes, just sometimes, you want to pour, swish, inhale, imbibe and put your feet up. A bit like taking Grazia over of a chapter of your book. This is made for doing just that, untaxing but very delicious, with scents of orange and citrus flavours. Made by a very good Italian co-operative, this is one to have in the fridge door at the start of the week. Definitely doesn't need food, just #wineoclock.  

Current red on the side:
Stork's Tower Tempranillo/Shiraz 2007 £4.83, Tesco
Again, this is more Pratchett than Proust; a bit funky but definitely not too heavy. It is made by a Kiwi winemaker - Sam Harrop MW - but in Spain, in the up-and-coming Castilla Y Leon region. It's an inventive blend of Spain's mainstay red grape Tempranillo (of Rioja fame), matched with the more promiscuous Shiraz grape. A gorgeous mix, with unmistakable cherry fruit from the Tempranillo, together with a firm black fruit flavour from the Shiraz. This one is just perfect for now, easily autumnal but not too wintery. We don't want to peak too early.   

Chinus chinus x

Plane Truths

My 6yo boy's favourite current pastime is writing secret agent-type notes, folding them into paper aeroplanes and pinging them round the door of the kitchen. They land softly at my feet and he scampers back up the stairs, shrieking with laughter. Recent notes include baddies are poo heads and  - my personal favourite - i love you big bum that is arll. This gave me an idea. What would my planes say? i was only 5 minits over you stinkker (to traffic warden). i hope you get cawt not the fishes you robber (to person who nicked my mother's little fishing boat last week). The possibilities are endless. Best plane truth left here wins a bottle of wine.

Current white in the fridge:
Cefiro Chardonnay, 2008, £8/bottle, Source
For some, the thought of Chardonnay leads them to screw up their eyes and stick their tongue out. I take this to mean they are not a fan. Upsetting really, as Chardonnay is such a chameleon. It depends on where it is grown and - crucially - what the winemaker does with it. You can get skinny ones, curvy ones, shy ones and show-offs. This one is a curvy one, with show-off tendancies. It is made from grapes grown in the relatively cool Casablanca Valley in Chile and is ripe and round with gorgeous tropical fruit flavours. It has been aged in French oak for 6 months giving it a sort-of cream soda character. I heart, especially good with crispy duck salad but really happy on its own too. 

Current red on the side:
Cosme Palacio Rioja 2006, £6.75/bottle, currently 25% off, Tesco
Left over from the baby's Christening party (an old fashioned notion, I know) at the weekend, where we served Prosecco, Bloody Mary and this. There were few takers for red but seeing as it was 11 o'clock in the morning, I'm not surprised. We ordered it in just in case, safe in the knowledge that it would probably fall to us to finish it off. Glad we did: heavenly Rioja. Shiny, juicy, full of red fruits and with that definite lick of oak that you'd expect, only softer. Made with 100% Tempranillo and aged in French oak barrels, this is gloriously smooth. Clooney, bottled.

Raise your glasses x

Festival Hype

I don't get big festivals. There was a massive festival on the Isle of Wight at the weekend and a friend came back complaining of feeling old. That's because you are twice as old as most people there! I said. To myself. Of course, we go to Glastonbury every year and watch all the bands' best bits without getting so much as a Hunter muddied. That's because we watch it on telly, with wine, on the sofa. No queues for the loo, no overpriced food and booze and I can fall asleep before the end of the set if I so choose. There is another type of Festival that's far more me: a wine festival. Quite a few running currently, Waitrose and Tesco included. Go forage.

Current white in the fridge:
Cave de Turckheim Gewürztraminer 2009 Alsace, France, £6.16, 25% off, Waitrose
Think turkish delight, especially that smell when you lift the paper on the box before you've even picked up a square and taken a bite. That's what I smell here. Floral, rose-water, somehow delicate and spicy all at the same time. Gewurztraminer is the grape (Gewurz for short) and in this case it is grown in vineyards in the fairly northerly Alsace region in France.  It is made by a very good wine co-operative and is dry on the palate, even though the aromas have a sweetness to them. Delicious, and quite a mouthful. It is often recommended as the perfect partner to Thai food but too much heat will cover the flavours: match it with baby spice rather than scary spice and it'll still sing.

Current red on the side:
Tesco Finest Argentinian Malbec 2009, £4.97, 25% off, Tesco
So, for the white we had our noses shoved in a box of turkish delight. This time, think of the whiff you got when unwrapping a small tube of parma violets when you were little. That's what Malbec from Argentina often reminds me of. However, this is no shrinking violet of a wine. Rather, it hogs the dancefloor. Big, bold, spicy, smooth, rich and groovy is what it is. Malbec is the grape and although its homeland is France - Cahors, mainly - it seems to have aquired a holiday house in Argentina. Here, it is more relaxed, riper and just a bit more friendly. Give this wine food and it will love you for it, steak especially.  

Peace out, winos x

Press For Change

Three brave fellow British Mummy Bloggers have just returned from a visit to Bangladesh with Save The Children to raise awareness for the Press For Change campaign, one that aims to help prevent the deaths of children. 9 million a year, to be precise. I've been following their trip here and whooping (to myself) when reading about their appearances on radio and tv all this week. I've signed the petition here. I've also counted my blessings, especially my 6yo, 2yo and 1yo ones.

Current white in the fridge:
Tesco Finest Fiano 2008, £4.26/bottle, 25% off until next week, Tesco
Sorry, sorry, it's this one again but it is on offer and I do love it so and I've already told you how I go shopping for milk, bread and bananas and  - oops - the Fiano is in my basket again. I'm over Rose (temporarily, you understand) and wanted something with a bit more flavour, more September-ish. This is it. Warm, full and yet fresh with peach flavours. Fiano is the name of the grape, grown here in vineyards in Sicily. Slurped whilst scoffing salmon fishcakes, I thoroughly recommend doing the same. 

Current red on the side:  
Nimbus Merlot 2007, Colchagua Valley, Chile, £9.99, Source
This is a very seductive red wine made from Merlot grapes grown in the Colchagua Valley, an area that has a great track record for producing smooth, supple, sometimes chocolate-like red wines. This particular one has got a splash of the Carmenere grape in it too and is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, giving the wine added complexity and depth. Or oomph, as I prefer to call it. I drank a glass of this at lunchtime today. At lunchtime! I don't often drink during the day but this was a working day and a working lunch so I had to. Poor me.
 
Chin chin x

The Naked Truth

Half-watching How To Look Good Naked whilst slowly sewing name tapes to school uniform sweatshirts/trousers/polo shirts before eldest boy goes back next week, I started thinking about my own failsafe rules. So here it is, the KMWC guide to how to look good naked:

1. Dim lighting

Er, that's it. Perhaps not enough mileage for a TV show, granted.

Current white in the fridge:
Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio, 2009, £5.70/bottle, normally £8.99, Tesco
Could. Not. Resist. Villa Maria have long produced textbook New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines (and many others besides) but Pinot Grigio? With flavour? Made with grapes grown in the Awatere and Wairau Valley in the Marlborough region, this is actually a really refreshing change to Sauvignon Blanc. Truth is, I'm a little NZ SB-fatigued, too many too similar too often. Now, Pinot Grigio can sometimes be very forgettable but this is delicious, refreshing and full of flavour. Lemons, mostly. Pears too. Made by one of the nicest winemakers I know, and he's a Master of Wine to boot. Alastair, well done you. 

Current red on the side:
Château Calage 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc, 2008, 25% Off, £7.99 - £5.99, Waitrose
Waitrose are holding a French Wine Showcase from now until the end of September, with exclusive limited volume wines available including this one. Made from 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre, this is a biodynamic wine made from gnarly 30 year old vines, with each grape vinified separately before being blended and aged in French oak barrels for 8 months. A further 10 months in bottle ensures the wine softens, integrates and just, well, gets it together. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, but especially suitable for knackered mothers.

Cheers, girlfriend (head wiggles) xx