I'm a born worrier. I'm the eldest sibling, a Virgo and a mother. Triple whammy. But there is a huge difference in my BC (before childbirth) and AD (after delivery) worries. BC was mostly me: namely money, weight, clothes, job, social & love life. There was a dalliance with existentialism vs. rationalism during the university years, but it didn't last long. AD is mostly about my children. There are a few old items still on the agenda - shallow ones, obviously - but really, it is about the children. Am I a good mother to them? (Hope so). Do I shout too much? (Probably). Will they cope in the big, bad, beautiful world we live in? (No idea). All I can do is love, live and try not to drink bad wine. Life is far too short for that.
Current white in the fridge: Wolfhouse Chardonnay, £4.99 or 2 for £8, Co-op
When I think of Romania - which is not often, it has to be said - I don't immediately think of wine. Rather, I think vampires. Not a good-looking R-Patz-type but a proper Christopher Lee-like Dracula vampire. It's been a while since I've drunk a wine from Romania and this one was a real surprise, in a good way. Crisp, dry, lemon-scented with a slug of peach and pineapple fruit. It has been made using modern new-world winemaking techniques to keep the fruit in and the air out, so the wine is fresh, fruity and bright. Like me on eight hours sleep.
Current red on the side: Tesco Finest Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenere 2010, £4.75 on offer, Tesco.com
Oh, I do love Chilean wine. Years ago, it was described as the Volvo of the wine world; not the most exciting wines but always dependable. I think Chile can now reveal its go-faster stripes. Hell, it can wave fluffy dice in the faces of those who say its wines are boring. Chile is a natural fruit bowl, producing wonderfully ripe grapes that have been bathed in sunshine, cooled by sea-breezes and watered by rivers flowing from sources high in the Andes mountains. This one is a chocolate (from the Cab) and minty (from the Carmenere) mix with supple tannins and a good nudge from the oak. Not a shy wine, hence the go faster stripes.
No worries x Labels: 2010, cabernet sauvignon, Carmenere, Chardonnay, Chile, Co-op, red wine, Romania, Tesco, white wine