Feted

My, how time flies. It's School Fete time again and the 'call to arms' letter glares at me from beneath the fridge magnet, asking for cake & biscuit donations, scones for cream teas, unwanted toys for the toy stall, decorated jam jars filled with sweets and prizes for the tombola. Now, as some of you know, I have in the past resorted to the fake bake method, exploiting the known wine weaknesses enlisting the help of various family members who happen to be much better at baking than me. But this year I am going to make my own scones. I've never made them before so it is a somewhat high risk strategy, but I've checked the letter and we don't have to put our names to them. Unless they are frickin' awesome, in which case I'm naming my bag with a Sharpie.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Fiano 2012, £5.99 on offer, Tesco
If you like the ripe flavours of (mostly new world) Chardonnays, this is brilliant. Made from the Fiano grape, it's from one of Sicily's best of the big producers, Settesoli. And the island being kicked into the Med by the boot of Italy is really hot and steamy. Which means ripe grapes; which in turn means ripe flavours. Think peach with a pineapple twist. Put it with roast chicken that's had a lemon up its backside and the world will seem a better place. 

Current red in the rack: Waitrose St Hallett Barossa Shiraz 2010, £10.99, Waitrose
This is a real smoothie. Except not so innocent. Made from the Shiraz grape (same as the Syrah grape in France), it's from the Barossa Valley in South Australia, a region that does a great line in spicy, blackcurrant-loaded reds. St Hallett is a fantastic producer and if you really want to see just how intense Barossa Shiraz can be, try their Old Block Shiraz. It costs about £30, though. Which actually makes this one - made exclusively for Waitrose - really good value and a great way to see what all the fuss is about. Needs food. Lasagne especially good. 

Chin chin x

Festival Wear

This weekend is the Isle of Wight Festival. My mum went years ago, saw Jimi Hendrix in what turned out to be his last ever performance, apparently. I live a stone's throw from the Island (ok, big throw) but I'm not going to be there. In fact, I am yet to go to an actual proper muddy-field music festival. I did cry to Coldplay's Fix You at Glastonbury back in 2005 whilst watching it on the sofa with a glass of red in my hand, though I'm sure that doesn't count. But, as it happens, I am going to another festival this weekend. The Borders Book Festival in Melrose, where I'm speaking on the Saturday evening about wine, my book (did I mention the book?) and me, in the Brewery Marquee. Now, I might not do music festivals, but I can organise a wine tasting in a brewery. I might even wear my denim cut-offs.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Simply Garnacha Rose 2012, £4.59, Tesco
Last weekend's sun brought out the rose in this house, and this is one of my favourites when you need quantity as well as quality. There really is nothing complicated about it and the label says it all - simply. Made from the Garnacha grape in the Campo de Borja region in Spain, it's deliciously straightforward with bright, fresh fruit flavours. And it reeks of strawberries, in a wine-y way. Doesn't need food but putting it with some sliced salami really brings out the flavours. 

Current red in the rack: Domaine des Duc Saint Amour 2011, £13.30, Beaujolais & Beyond
Kindly sent to me by Clare, who runs this specialist Beaujolais online wine business with her parents. They fell in love with Beaujolais and its wines over 40 years ago, and they really do have one of the biggest ranges from this region (and its neighbour, Mâconnais) to be found online. The real beauty of the wines from here is that the reds are juicy, bright and not too heavy. Made from the Gamay grape - the red Beaujolais grape - this is from one of the ten Beaujolais Crus, or top-quality rated villages, called Saint-Amour. I know! So romantic. I loved its soft red fruit flavours. And in turn, it loved our roast lamb. Quite the love-in. 

Peace out, winos x

Independents' Day

Last night I did a wine tasting for about 40 knackered mothers, organised by the very brilliant Hungerford Bookshop. Emma, who runs the bookshop, got the local independent wine shop to bring some wines for us to taste together and all I had to do was talk about my specialist subjects. Namely wine, me and my book. Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Lots of people talking, tasting wine, laughing and not rushing back home on a rare week night out. Quite a few people said they wouldn't have gone to a wine shop before last night, thinking it too expensive or intimidating. But in fact, the wines we tasted last night ranged from £6.50 to £12, covering everything from something to perk up a baked potato to friends in for dinner. So, more expensive than some of the offers in the supermarket. Plus the fact that you've got to make a special trip to get there, rather than bung a bottle in the trolley as you fly round the aisles with a small child in tow. But the wines were delicious, great value and refreshingly different. Here are two of my favourites from last night.

Last night's rose of choice: Petit Arnau de Loxarel Rose 2012, £11.95, Caviste
This was more light red than pale rose, and some of last night's tasters definitely voiced a preference for the pale pinks of the Provence. But, once people got their nose stuck in the glass, there were plenty of sighs of delight. This is a blend of Merlot and Pinot Noir, made in the Penedes region in Spain (Cava country, near Barcelona). And it is a bio-dynamic wine, which sounds like it might give you superpowers but just means super-organic, really. Bright young thing with cherry fruit; it won hearts. 

Last night's red of choice: Ca di Ponti Nero d'Avola 2011, £6.50, Caviste
I loved this wine, and so did most of the rest of the room. One clever taster stuck her nose in the glass and pronounced it very ripe, which was spot on. It's made in Sicily, where it is bloody hot. Hence, very ripe Nero d'Avola grapes. It was a bit like a new world shiraz, but with more grrrrip. In a good way. Really juicy, loaded with plum fruit, this one rounded off the evening beautifully before we all headed home a bit later than we all intended. 

Chin chin x

Half (Term) Measures

So, in the words of Barry Manilow, looks like we made it. Our family half-term trip to Scotland, returning via Alnwick Castle and Ironbridge, that is. There was laughter, there were tears and there were loo stops. So. Many. Loo stops. But for all that, it was lovely. Admittedly, the children have not really had their five-a-day for at least five days, unless you count the onion in a packet of Cheese & Onion crisps. And I've definitely had a few more glasses of wine than usual, which is perhaps why this Pimm's - made by the Husband earlier this evening - tasted so very delicious. In fact, it tasted like summer.

Current white in the fridge: Fortnum's Alsace Pinot Blanc 2010, Domaine Bruno Sorg, £12.50, Fortnum & Mason
This came in a hamper sent to me by Fortnum & Mason after winning best Online Drinks Writer in their Food & Drink Awards this year. I think I may have already mentioned it. Anyway, this hamper was part of the prize and it was stuffed - stuffed! - with the kind of things I dream of having in my cupboard. Luxuries like marzipan fruits, ginger cake and an enormous box of turkish delight. And brilliantly, there was wine including this one, as well as a bottle of Champagne, a gorgeous looking red and a half-bottle of cream sherry. The Pinot Blanc, from Alsace, was opened this evening (post Pimm's) and was a real treat. It is refreshingly off dry, which sounds a bit odd but believe me, when sweetness is balanced with freshness, it is a beautiful thing. Loaded with apple and peach flavours, it made a perky partner for our chicken fajitas.  

Current red in the rack: Cuvée Chasseur 2011, £4.95, Waitrose
From the sublime to the ridiculously cheap. This has the lowliest of quality grades on the label - Vin de France - but inside is a slightly rustic but very honest (and very drinkable) red made from Grenache, Carignan and Merlot grapes grown in the South of France. It is brambly and bright, and properly good value. And a great match for slightly burnt sausages, as we found out. 

Chin chin x