slacker

By posting only that which you would be happy to discuss in any other public place, or actually say to a person face to face. There has been no indiscretion here. Beautifully put. Of course there has not, but I wonder whether the initial poster would have wished an outcome such as this.

...along with several other personal issues that you wish to air with the nation, or rather, world?

This is interesting. I'm not surprised a this ending (it hasn't ended). How can we keep things discreet, whilst at the same time dicussing them? We can't here. Simple. More thoughts please...

Hang on, mate! No Sauternes, Recioto, Vouvray Moelleux, Vin de Paille, Botrytis, Riesling, Commandaria, Semillon, Icewine, Eiswein, or Liqueur Muscat? (and, please, this list is by no means exhaustive. I still haven't had a stunning red-wine-paired-with-cheese moment. The last event in this league was Cornish Blue (a degree too warm), Grilled Fig, Port and Orange Reduction with Recioto di Soave 1998, Prà Black Pig, Rock 01/vii/03

Ah yes of course. Your party will also go with a swing if you buy wines from THIS BRILLIANT WINE SUPPLIER, but naturally I am biased, given that I profit from your purchases. Mmm, I wonder.........is there a guarantee implicit in these words? Also, another way to make your party a huge success is to invite me. Damn! I can't find the emoticon for, oh yes here it is.

Can you explain the adjective cookie as well? I am befuddled.

There isn't a great UK theme to this thread, but the big surprise over here is Co-Op Chocolate Chip and Hazelnut Butter Cookies. Try them. ......have I even understood the correct translation of 'cookies'?

I can't help feeling that the glass is quite simply horrible to look at - thus bad taste. A little bit Austin Powers, or Stringfellows. Would perhaps suit fizzy milk. That chianti shape, though, is just gorgeous to drink out of.

Both guilty it seems.... .....and it's never happened to me. But I do remember sweating through a paella in Spain - aged 16 with Girlfriend and little cash - when the waiter bought us 1975 Rioja for Vino Tinto requested. Spoilt the meal, especially as it was only £3 in the end.

AND I'd love to try Campofiorin 79......

What a good article. And so topical as it happens for our little wine business down here in Cornwall, UK. I've been sourcing Amarone for a customer, and settled on Tedeschi's Monte Olmi 1999. Has anyone experience of this wine? I've tried it, and will try it again soon, having had an, erm, interesting experience first time round. More anon.

nice

Yes, yes, everyone. Good evening.....settle down at the back..... Wines Tasted (price at http://www.bintwo.com, how do you link again?) with scores awarded by Tasters of our wine club - out of 5 - x13 tasters Wines were tasted in pairs (1+2 etc.), blind. 1. Jacquesson Brut Perfection NV, £21.99 (£17 for 6+) 40 2. Bollinger Special Cuvée NV, £27.99 41 3. Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV, £22.99 37 4. Bruno Paillard Première Cuvée NV, £21.49 39 THE WINNER IN MY BOOK. GREAT WINE GREAT TASTE GREAT PRICE 5. Moët et Chandon 1996, not stocked, can't stand the stuff. 42 hurrah. the winner. 6. Pirie 1998, Tasmania £18.49 39 So, not as predicted, my least favourite of the wines was picked to go with the first course (which though huge, was excellent). The reason I showed the Moët was that at a tasting earlier this year it was truly yucky, overdosed (look it up) and overacidic. But everyone enjoyed it, particularly the women present. Oh well, I'm a smartass and it serves me right. Back to the evening, it was thoroughly enjoyed by me and Mrs. slacker, and the food was great (though huge). Highlights: The pizza bread. Fabulous. Basildog neglected to mention the mozzarella..... The fish. Make a trip for the mackerel alone. The duck. I was unsure about the mustard cream sauce with rich confit, but it was great. AND the wine with it was fabulous: Capitel della Crosara Ripasso 2000, Montresor. Acidic and dry on its own, but with the rich duck, the deep, cherry fruit swelled and ripened in the mouth. Brilliant. In fact, we were initially going to have lamb, but I chose the duck to go with this wine in the end, which is modestly priced (£7.49 retail) and brilliant with bold, confident flavours, such as those presented to us on this particular evening. The botrytis Semillon was interesting with the pud, but not rounded enough for the creamy lemon tart. And I had no room for petits fours. which is unfair, cos I made room for some port No-one spotted the ringer, in spite of being told there was one, except me. And I knew. And it WAS obviously different. Most thought it was the Clicquot (oops, there). Do I say brilliant too much?

I am delighted to hear that you sought good counselling for your disgusting habit. On topic for a mo, I tend to avoid all products with the insidious description, 'Brewed under Licence in the UK'. Remember when San Miguel tasted of hops?

Why are you tempted by such beers anyway? We all had such a high opin Sorry, got lost there for a minute. Great review, Andy. I'll make sure I don't try it. I was about to buy a very large quantity.

Yes, could have been, but no. Have you tried Camel Valley Pinot Noir Rosé yet? Impressed me - and for us a local wine. What do you have in mind?

Basildog is hosting our bintwo blind Champagne tasting on Tuesday night in Padstow. I'm showing some top (UK sales) brands against some lesser Marques, and I'm unsure whether the tasters (who are a good mix of regular customers, thus wine drinkers) will see as I do when it comes to wine quality. Come to think of it, I'm not completely sure what I'll think of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut when I don't have the lurid orange label to sway my judgement. 45 smackers, by the way, for blind tasting of 6 Champagnes, followed by a less formal 3-Course Basildog 'Menu Surprise' at Margots. A couple of places left. (Can I say that?) ANYWAY.......before the event, what do we all generally favour. Grande Marque NV, or our favourite 'unknown'? And will they spot the odd one out? There'll be a sneaky impostor.

I tasted Loch Dhu a few years ago (no longer available for the time being in the UK) and it was tarry in the extreme. Or was I fooled? Did the colour and texture (almost like PX sherry) tell me what it tasted like? I remeber thinking at the time that I didn't want too much of it coating my insides, just as one avoids the tar from cigarettes. It took me 4 more years to give up smoking, though. So it turns out, then, that I have been duped, and that the caramel would have gone straight through without touching the sides.

All my customers who are members of The Wine Society speak highly of it. I haven't any first-hand experience of it, but I know that they at times sell (almost) as good wine as I do. So I would definaelyt give them a go. Thought about correcting the typo, but that it such a good one that I just HAD to leave it in.

Fino Sherry with the tuna? Inocente from Valdespino.

Alas all is lost, except onion marmalade is done (for rib-eye ciabatta). Poor old Hugo did his back in on Thursday night, so I've got to work all Sat. and prepare nothing. Cabbagey thingy sounds excellent, and will try this another time. It's AWFULLY hot in Cornwall today. Must go and but ice-cream. Thanks for the help, egulleteers. xx

Thank you. Sausages are to be cooked on a charcoal barbecue, and stuffed in bread rolls of approximately the same length. But how to mke them more interesting? In this little corner of the world, we call this a hotdog. I'm struck that a less seedy topic heading might attract more useful advice.........

Please gastrophiles, ideas for the Castle Dore Rowing Club barbecue. And no salami jokes, please. Ribeye steak, caramelised onions, horseradish, ciabatta - fine and dandy, but how can I enliven the sausages in finger-rolls, or hotdogs as we mistakenly call them? Aplle chutney? Gingerbread? Or even apple chutney? Sage and tomato salsa?

Look at the weekend times magazine. Giles Coren had a good time with a vet. etc. Can't be bothered to look for the article - too hot.

We stock the 2002. And dry it ain't. On the Riesling tip, I once had a similar wine with egg and bacon on a sunny Sunday morning. So refeshing, and without all the wooze of Champagne at that time.