Suddenly

Next week, after 16 years of continuous employment (bar three maternity leaves), I am going freelance. It is either going to be the best thing I ever did, or a really, really silly thing to do. Let's see, shall we?

With huge thanks and a bear hug to Hugh MacLeod.

Current white in the fridge: Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
Another bottle bought as part of Waitrose' current Wine Showcase, with selected wines at 25% off for another few weeks. This is a South African Sauvignon Blanc, made by a producer with an unfeasibly long name, Boekenhoutskloof. The fact that the wine has a picture of a porcupine on the label was lost on a friend of mine:  she gets very excited when her favourite 'spiky pig' wine is on offer. Have a look and you'll see what she means. Or not, more likely. Anyhoo, this is a gorgeous, fresh, lemony Sauvignon. Uncomplicated, uplifting and delicious, which is what you want from a glass of wine at 7pm. 

Current red on the side: Piccini Chianti Riserva 2008, £4.83, Tesco
Another one with 25% off, this time from the current Tesco Wine Festival, this brings it to under a fiver. Normally, Chianti under a fiver would be given a wide berth - I've kissed too many frogs here - but this one is a gem. It has got all the things I would hope to find in a good glass of Chianti (grip and a kick of cherry-stone fruit, since you ask) and feels like pretty good value for money. Made from the Sangiovese grape, this is more Connie Corleone  than Don Vito. Enjoyed with sausages, enormously. 


Hold tight x

Hungry?

When I was six I stepped on Mickey Mouse's tail accidentally (on purpose) to increase my fancy dress chances at the local village fete, only to come second. From that day, I resigned myself to the fact that I am just not one of those competition-winning type people. Until now, that is. Since I started blogging there's been the YSL lipstick and D&G mascara from Mrs Trefusis, a lego pirate ship from Tara and most recently a recipe book from the Crumbs sisters. Last night, I read the book - Hungry? from the innocent fruit smoothies people - cover to cover. Basically, after years of feeling that I am just not trying hard enough when feeding my children (when pureeing and salt-free stock = how much you really love them), this book is a guilt-free mash up of recipes, lots of which were created by Lucy & Claire from Crumbs (they didn't tell me that, I read it at the back. I wasn't joking when I said cover to cover). In other birthday news, I got the wheelbarrow and the roasting dish, slippers too. Redressed the balance by buying this.

Current white in the fridge: Catena Chardonnay 2010, £8.54, currently 25% off, Waitrose
Waitrose is running a Wine Showcase with lots of wines selling for 25% less than their usual price until 11th October. This is one of the wines I normally make myself walk past. Yes, it is delicious but it is a) usually over a tenner and b) quite an oaky new world chardonnay. Full-bodied, rich and tropical fruit-like, I picked it up after deciding I wanted a white with warmth. Must be the turn in the weather. Made from grapes grown in Argentina's Luyan de Cuyo region and cooler-climate Tupungato region, it is aged in French oak barrels giving it that added weight and warmth I mentioned. Gorgeous with those rather excellent smoky barbecue-flavoured Red Sky crisps. 

Current red on the side: Chateau La Rose Videau 2006, £6 if bought by the case, Tesco.com
I thought Festival season was over. Not for Tesco, it seems. They're running a Wine Festival with a smorgasbord of wines on offer. This one is a cheap Bordeaux, but not as we know it. Most cheap Bordeaux leaves a bitter taste, literally. This one doesn't: it is a little redcurrant fruit-bomb but with that slight savoury aloofness, the vinous equivalent of a gallic shrug. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this is a classic Claret blend at a very non-classic price. It loved slow-roasted lamb. Long time. 


Pip pip x

My Birthday List

I am 39 years old on Sunday. Totally fine with that. What I am not fine with is my birthday wish list. I wrote it down earlier this week. It looked like this:

1. A wheelbarrow
2. A new roasting dish

That was it. Pathetic. I am sharing it with you now in the hope that I might shake myself into action. In years gone by, the lists started months before the birthday. It was full of desirable, mostly shallow stuff with a few books thrown in to make me look clever. And now? My life is not complete until I get that wheelbarrow.

Although some Creme de la Mer would be nice.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Gavi, 2010, £5.69, Tesco.com
Last week Tesco won the award for the best own label range of wines at the vinous equivalent of the Oscars, the International Wine Challenge. The awards dinner is ever so slightly less star-studded than the actual Oscars but we do get Oz Clarke and he's much more amusing than a blubbing Gwyneth, so we're happy. Anyhoo, no idea if this wine won an award this year but I am giving it a gold star for deliciousness. If you like fruity, not-too-oaky Chardonnay you'll probably like this. Peaches and apricots, that's all I need to tell you. Made from the Cortese grape, this is a hidden Italian gem of a wine desperate to be enjoyed with a simple bowl of pasta and pesto. As I did.  


Current red on the side: Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
Oh this is good, this is very good indeed. It so happens it is national Buy Chilean Wine Month (I think it has a catchier title but go with it) and if you haven't tried Chilean wine before, you have to come out from under that rock. It is brilliant value, brilliantly made (mostly) and this one is brilliantly lovely. Now, producers are starting to really explore and vineyards are being planted in cooler climates resulting in more interesting wines. This one is from one the country's oldest and best producers, so you are in safe hands. 


Peace out, winos x

Hipster

Shortly after 12am this morning, at the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner in London (click here for results), I was on the dance floor in high heels and Westwood. And I was actually Shakira. In bed by 2am, awake by 6am, back home from town by 8am ready for the school run. For just a little while, I felt invincible. Then it started to fall apart. Turns out the hips do, in fact, lie (and yes, I'm talking to you, Shakira). The hips I'd had on the dance floor i.e. those of a twenty year old in my head had been replaced with my own, slightly worn out ones. I still ache down both sides and my feet hurt. Now I don't feel like dancing, no sir, no dancing today...

Current rose in the fridge: Tesco Finest Navarra Rose 2010, £6.64, Tesco.com
This wine was named as the IWC Great Value Champion Rose at last night's Awards Dinner, and it is a real gem of a wine. Made from the Grenache grape grown in vineyards in the Navarra region in northern Spain, this wine is brilliant in colour, flavour and price. Having just had a weeks' holiday where I was never more than a few feet away from a glass of Spanish Rose, I can honestly say none were as lovely as this one. Strawberries, cranberries and, I think, a slight twist of orange. Pretty label too. Doesn't need food but has enough flavour and body to cope with fairly robust dishes, including those with a bit of spice. 

Current red on the side: Familia Zuccardi FuZion Shiraz/Malbec 2009, £5.21, Waitrose.com
In an effort to put off that back to school feeling, I made a huge spaghetti bolognese on Sunday night, and we drank this with it. It worked. In fact, the wine has a definite Autumnal feel, with bramble fruit flavours and lovely smooth spice. Made from a blend of Shiraz (70%) and Malbec (30%), this is a clever  blend that does what it should; that is pick up the taste buds, shake them awake and make you want to eat huge bowl of spag bol in front of good Sunday Night telly. 


Now, I was getting a bit saggy so I've had a bit of work done. On the blog, that is. Looking forward to unveiling the results in a few weeks.

Pip pip x