21 Mar 2007

‘...the purpose of wine is happiness'

ALTHOUGH Dr. Henry Lindeman was a member of the Temperance Society, he firmly believed that if people drank wine rather than spirits, alcoholism would disappear - an admirable philosophy already fundamental to long-living Mediterraneans. Curious therefore that Chancellor Gordon Brown asininely-announced in his recent (thankfully last) budget a levy on wine and a 'freeze' on spirits... I doubt he is a signed-up to Slow Food.
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This antique gold Teuton takes my breath away! Floral, not florrid; crisp, never cloying; curvaceous, not obese. If old riesling must be likened to petrol, this would be top of the range Shell Optimax rather than humble four star. Nearly ripe unbruised apples lithely spring out of the glass with cake-bound currants on the palate and pitch-perfect acidity. And all this at an unindulgent ABV of 9p/c. Eat your stone-cold heart out, Brown!
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I was delighted to find an e-mail from Ben and 'Maverick' of Calwineries.com, which generously praises The Daily Wine:
"Your reviews are particularly insightful, and your prose quite witty."
Their informative, attractive, dynamic site is well worth a visit; I will definitely be referring to it during my west coast forays next month...