My mother drank (and smoked) while she was carrying me. In today's world with all the toxins, carcinogens and generally bad things that we are exposed to why is it so bad to enjoy a glass of wine or two when pregnant?
I am sure for every 'expert' that says it is bad for the mother and baby, there will be another that has the opposing view. I feel sorry for all those women who look longingly at a glass in a restaurant when others are having fun and enjoying a drop or two.
I wish I could recommend the ideal wine for expecting mothers but the best I can do is say that I am sure a little bit of something you fancy won't do anyone any harm!
Showing posts with label french wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label french wine. Show all posts
Monday, 22 February 2010
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Supermarkets vs Independents
I was in a real dilemma this week regarding my wine purchases. Do I support the local independent wine retailer or buy my wine from the supermarket?
I had to buy some food so I was in the supermarket. In fact it was Waitrose who had an excellent wine selection and made it very tempting to buy something at some very reasonable prices. The only comment I would make about their selection which is common to most supermarkets with high turnover was that many of the vintages were 2007 and 2008 which is fine for wine designed to be drunk young. For those of us who like a drop or two of more mature wine the selection was tiny and suddenly went from a few pounds a bottle to in excess of £15.
So I left it and a few doors away popped into a new independent retailer who seemed to focus on obscure wines from France. There were two advantages to this decision. Firstly they did have a bigger selection of top wines than Waitrose so I could look longingly at the Chateau D’Yquems, Pommards and Grand Cru Bordeaux’s, all at prices that only bankers with large pension funds oblivious to the credit crunch could afford.
The rest of the stock was encouraging, mostly in the £8 to £20 a bottle range but with lots of 2004’s, 2005’s and 2006’s which are all drinking well now. I purchased a Southern French wine from an obscure Appellation ( Madiran ) which I was told was just south of Bordeaux and somewhere near Cahors. It was delicious and at 13.5% was full of fruit, alcohol with a hint of acid.
My conclusion is that it is horses for courses. If you want convenience, like your wine young or want to splash out a bit more with limited choice then shop at the supermarkets. If you want a broader selection in one location with more interesting vintages and arguably better value for money then go to your local independent. Either way, enjoy and keep drinking.
I had to buy some food so I was in the supermarket. In fact it was Waitrose who had an excellent wine selection and made it very tempting to buy something at some very reasonable prices. The only comment I would make about their selection which is common to most supermarkets with high turnover was that many of the vintages were 2007 and 2008 which is fine for wine designed to be drunk young. For those of us who like a drop or two of more mature wine the selection was tiny and suddenly went from a few pounds a bottle to in excess of £15.
So I left it and a few doors away popped into a new independent retailer who seemed to focus on obscure wines from France. There were two advantages to this decision. Firstly they did have a bigger selection of top wines than Waitrose so I could look longingly at the Chateau D’Yquems, Pommards and Grand Cru Bordeaux’s, all at prices that only bankers with large pension funds oblivious to the credit crunch could afford.
The rest of the stock was encouraging, mostly in the £8 to £20 a bottle range but with lots of 2004’s, 2005’s and 2006’s which are all drinking well now. I purchased a Southern French wine from an obscure Appellation ( Madiran ) which I was told was just south of Bordeaux and somewhere near Cahors. It was delicious and at 13.5% was full of fruit, alcohol with a hint of acid.
My conclusion is that it is horses for courses. If you want convenience, like your wine young or want to splash out a bit more with limited choice then shop at the supermarkets. If you want a broader selection in one location with more interesting vintages and arguably better value for money then go to your local independent. Either way, enjoy and keep drinking.
Friday, 4 July 2008
The French are selling out!
Has anyone else noticed the increase in varietal labelling from the french recently. I first noticed it in a bar in Spalding of all places. Louis Jadot no less! Their bog standard Bourgogne Rouge was clearly labelled Pinot Noir. I was mortified, how could such a well known shipper stoop to such levels and follow New World. What ever happened to people using their brains, and learning about this fine subject. But then I thought, no let's give the on trade the benefit of the doubt, maybe it is just to make life easier for the bar tenders who get constant request from customers along the lines of grape variety rather than a request for their finest red burgundy.
Yesterday I was in an off licence in London and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild had done the same, Oh My God! Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon etc etc. Clearly the world is going mad. Why are the french dumbing down, surely it is up to the New World to up skill their customers and differentiate their products by producer?
Not only am I disappointed at this turn of events but I for one will NOT be buying any french wine that cheapens itself by putting the grape variety on the label. Am I alone and out of touch???
BTW a for a great website that is well informed and really useful the click here.
Yesterday I was in an off licence in London and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild had done the same, Oh My God! Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon etc etc. Clearly the world is going mad. Why are the french dumbing down, surely it is up to the New World to up skill their customers and differentiate their products by producer?
Not only am I disappointed at this turn of events but I for one will NOT be buying any french wine that cheapens itself by putting the grape variety on the label. Am I alone and out of touch???
BTW a for a great website that is well informed and really useful the click here.
Friday, 20 June 2008
Medal Winners or Price?
How much are we influenced by awards as opposed to price when it comes to buying wine? Take a look at any supermarket shelf and which areas are emptied first? It always strikes me that small percentages off the price or 'sales' seem to clear the shelves, irrespective of the quality of the wine, its country of origin or grape variety. People love a bargain and seem totally influenced by this over an award winning bottle standing next to the bottle on sale. So why do growers bother? Is this a valid secondary consideration when it comes to choice? Should it really be secondary?
My own personal view is that a great deal of effort goes into these awards and competitions. I am sure the growers and shippers are massively interested in the outcome because they can probably charge a bit more for the wine to the wholesalers and retailers. But as far as the end consumer is concerned it upsets me that this flies out the window if a major retailer decides to simply run a promotion on a wine or range of wines and people buy on perceived savings.
I will continue to buy on quality and choose the odd award winner from time to time, maybe there is more that the merchants and growers can do to change buying habits based upon quality. Let's hope so for all our sakes.
My own personal view is that a great deal of effort goes into these awards and competitions. I am sure the growers and shippers are massively interested in the outcome because they can probably charge a bit more for the wine to the wholesalers and retailers. But as far as the end consumer is concerned it upsets me that this flies out the window if a major retailer decides to simply run a promotion on a wine or range of wines and people buy on perceived savings.
I will continue to buy on quality and choose the odd award winner from time to time, maybe there is more that the merchants and growers can do to change buying habits based upon quality. Let's hope so for all our sakes.
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Cru Bourgeois
What is happening in Bordeaux? I am confused. Is the 2003 classification of Cru Bourgeois going to last? I heard that it had been abolished only 4 years after its inception. Frankly I am very confused. I liked the old classification, the wines were reliable and affordable and a great guide to amateur wine connoisseurs all over the world. I want them to go back to where they were and stop being driven by commercial motivators. These are the best wines in the world, under threat from the Americas, Eastern Europe and Australasia. I wish the french would sort themselves out and concentrate on what they do best, producing fantastic wines.
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