It’s Bank Holiday Monday and we have just had some roast chicken with the obligatory potatoes and veg. We are not eating outside but the doors are still open as we try to hang on to the last few days of Summer! To help the chicken cook, I have opened a bottle of Verdejo from the Spanish region of Rueda and added a little. I am not sure if it is the right type of wine to cook chicken but everyone seems to be enjoying the food and it gives me a very tame excuse to have a glass whilst cooking!
I am the only one in my house who drinks wine, so often I need to justify “an occasion” to open a bottle. That is not a challenge, as I can find many an occasion. However, it has made me wonder “why wine?” For me, it is great that I can play around trying to match wine with the right food but even more than that, I find it nearly always enhances many a memorable occasion.
For example, at the Upton Picnic in the Park this year, I joined 120 other villagers and friends for a great evening. I will remember the welly whanging, egg throwing and pizza cooking for a long time but to help it along, I was introduced to a South African, Newton Johnson Southend Chardonnay, which for me, has been the outstanding wine of this Summer!
At a Summer BBQ earlier this year, by chance I bought “The Waxed Bat”, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec blend from Argentina, mainly because I liked the name (marketing is far from dead!) I remember sitting in a hastily erected gazebo as the rain clouds threatened and being as shocked as my friend, whose glass I had just filled, at how exceptional it was! The “one night of rain” we had this Summer was less of an issue as we enjoyed this fine wine with our burgers.
Yes, wine is a very versatile commodity and has a little something for everyone. For those who want to explore the granular depths of what makes one wine “better” than another, those chasing the “perfect” wine to enhance a starter / main course / dessert or quite frankly for those (myself included) who just find it fun and a great aide-memoir to some great evenings!
The Upton Wine Appreciation Club starts it’s 14th season this year on the 19th September at the Upton Village Hall, where we will be tasting some classic single grape varieties and reminding ourselves which wine tastes best for us. If you are remotely interested in wine and would like to know a little bit more in a very relaxed friendly environment, then please come along and create some more enjoyable memories! No knowledge of wine necessary. You should have already received an application form but if not please email ian.langley@yahoo.co.uk (chairman).
Here’s to another memorable year!
Ian
(Chairman)