Knackered Mother's Wine Club

Cake & Fine Wine.

2012-02-07T21:53:00.000Z

If you fancy doing the same - combining cake and wine that is, not behaving badly in a tearoom - then here's your chance! Enter English Mum's Baked With Love Bakeoff and the winner gets pink fizz. I've heard that the judge is open to bribes and that my her favourite cake is coffee & walnut. All details over at Becky's, closing date is the 14th Feb.

Current white in the fridge: Asda Chilean Chardonnay 2011, £3.98, Asda
A friend told me that the children's clothes in Asda were really very good - basically Boden-a-like at a fraction of the cost - so off I went to stock up on jeans, tracksuit bottoms and long-sleeved tees for the boys, hair clips and tights for the no-longer-a-baby-she's-nearly-three girl. Mission accomplished, I picked up a bottle of this Chilean Chardonnay mostly because I liked the groovy camper-van label (turns out it's a cable car) and wasn't in the mood for surprises (Chilean Chardonnay is usually a safe bet). This was just right; bright and fresh with a flash of tropical fruit. Not a game-changer, but sometimes simple is good. My mum loved it, and she 'doesn't like Chardonnay', apparently.

Current red on the side: Asda Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2010, £3.68, Asda
This was the red I went for, mostly because it was so flipping cheap and I needed some wine to stick in a slow-cooked beef stew. Turns out it was actually rather lovely, with black cherry fruit and a sprinkle of spice. Made from the Montepulciano grape from the central Italian Abruzzo region (as the name suggests), this is warm, friendly and not at all serious. We finished the bottle with some Sunday night telly and a plate of cheese and crackers. Living the dream (not joking).

Chin chin x

My Sherry Amour

2012-02-01T23:27:00.000Z

Glorious, under-rated and often misunderstood: that's Sherry. Well, not all of it - there's lots of sweetened stuff that tends to cast an unfashionable shadow over the rest - but the good stuff is really, really good. So when my friend Hannah asked for some Sherry recommendations I vowed to do a post on them. Here's what you need to know when you go shopping for Sherry:

What is it?
Sherry is made mainly from the light-skinned Palomino grape in Spain's most southern - and very hot - province, Andalucia. To be called Sherry, it must come from the Sherry Triangle, marked by the towns of Jerez de la Frontera (from which Sherry takes it name, we just couldn't pronounce 'Jerez') and the coastal towns of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María. The best vineyards are on chalky 'albariza' soils.

What does it taste like?
Sherry ranges from bone dry to candy sweet, depending on style. The two basic dry styles are Fino and Manzanilla, both very pale in colour and positively quivering with nervous tension. They taste tangy (due to flor, more on that in a mo). Then there are dry amber-coloured Amontillado and darker Oloroso styles, both nutty in flavour and in the case of Oloroso aged for much longer in oak barrels. If you want good sweet, there's the dark treacle-like PX, made from the Pedro Ximenez grapes.

Flor! What is it good for?
Flor is a strange yeast beast, unique to the Jerez region and grows as a delicate film on top of the wine in the barrel, protecting it from air (and oxidation). Flor needs around 15.5% alcohol to thrive, so base wines are fortified with spirit to reach at least that, sometimes more depending on what style of Sherry is being made. Wines aged in bodegas in the more humid coastal town of Sanlucar are called Manzanilla and possess a certain seaside saltiness (although I do wonder if this is partly due to the salted almonds I shovel in when sipping it). Flor doesn't survive on the higher alcohol Amontillado or Oloroso styles, so the wines oxidise and darken in colour as they age in oak, developing stronger flavours.

Should it be aged?
Actually, by the time you buy it, it is pretty much good to go. It is aged as it is made, via a 'solera' system. Barrels (known as Sherry butts) are stacked up on top of each other in a pyramid shape in the bodegas (cellar) and a proportion of older wines are taken out at this blending stage and replaced with younger wines. The older and more layered the 'solera' system, the more subtle the resulting wine should be. Over the years producers have developed their own consistent styles, similar but unique. Drink Fino and Manzanilla within days of opening the bottle. Darker styles will last a bit longer.

So what else makes Sherry interesting?
What makes it is the complexity, the mix of young and often very old wine and the exhausting range of styles. Dry Fino & Manzanilla is best served really cold in small measure as a pre-prandial (tapas-type nibbles essential). Amontillado & Oloroso (meaning 'scented') is best served when curled up in front of a fire. PX is almost always poured over ice cream in this house (adults only, obv).

What should I buy?
Sherry can make for complicated shopping. Luckily, there are some very trusty producers to look out for. Some of them make wines for supermarket own labels too, making them brilliant value. Here's a shortlist:

Lustau - brilliant producer, always winning medals. They make the Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 12 year old Oloroso, a snip at £7.99.

Hidalgo - try their Manzanilla, La Gitana. Widely available, including Waitrose & Majestic at around £9. Love the label.

Gonzalez Byass - the makers of Tio Pepe (lovely Fino). Try their more adventurous Palo Cortado, a style that starts life as a Fino and quickly morphs into a sort-of Oloroso style. Widely available, including Majestic, Tesco & Waitrose at around £17 for a half bottle. Small measures, remember.

There are lots more, including Valdespino, Harveys (makers of Bristol Cream) and Osborne.

Chin chin x

Blogging doesn't get tougher than this...

2012-01-24T22:30:00.000Z

A normal Tuesday night for me goes something like this: have a bath, go out, meet a friend for supper in a local gastropub, share a bottle of wine, get back after 11pm...oh, sorry. No, forgive me, that's my old life. Tonight has been about getting three children to bed (easier herding goats, although I've never actually done that, so I'm guessing), sinking into the sofa and watching Masterchef. Very difficult to blog with Masterchef on because it is so very entertaining. Now that's what I call a good night.

Current white in the fridge: Domaine Joel Bordet Chablis 2009, £12.99, Laithwaites
Last week I was sent a case of wine to try out with my Book Club. I know, tough gig, but remember I do it for you. So it was this Chablis was unleashed on Madeleina, Cecily and others (please note these are not their real names; these are Book Club names that sound a little more, er, literary for blog purposes). I loved this one, all steely and sharp as Chardonnay is from this part of Northern France, a slap for the tastebuds. Thumbs up from most, but not from Sam (she hasn't decided on her BC name yet). I supped mine with twiglets, not a great food match for white wine admittedly, but pretty impressed that the flavour of the wine got past the taste of marmite.

Current red on the side: The Grinder Pinotage, 2010, £9.99, Laithwaites
This wine tells you that you WILL smell mocha when you sniff this wine. This is a fairly brave thing to do because often when a label tells me I'm going to find something, I expect to find it. Unless it says mulberry, and then I have no idea what I'm supposed to be smelling, having never smelt a mulberry in my life. I digress. So, when ~~Susie~~ Drusilla declared that it did indeed smell of mocha, it was a small victory for The Grinder. It is made from the Pinotage grape in South Africa, one that is often referred to as the 'marmite' grape (love it/hate it thing) but this was lovely and smooth, rich and mocha-ry. Was a fab match for Madeleina's cayenne-pepper infused chile con carne (she forgot to buy chillies).

Off to read my book x

Hope

2012-01-17T21:42:00.000Z

After the incredible madness of December, January is a horrible month. I feel thin in January, and sadly I don't mean weight-wise. Just thin. A large part of feeling like this is because this is the month my little brother died: it will be ten years next week since he did. But as the month goes on I'm being fattened up by life. Watching my children run in the low winter sunlight. Seeing Currently Bearded Husband tending to his leaf-burning bonfires. Pulling up the blinds to a breath-taking pink and blue dawn (even though I'd rather be sleeping). I sense hope in the air. And he's there.

Current white in fridge: Cantina di Monteforte Passo Avanti 2009 Soave, Italy, £5.69, Waitrose.com
Italy grows over 1000 different grape varieties across a million vineyards. The Italians drink quite a bit of it themselves but they export more wine than any other country. Much of what we get is the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio but when you start exploring other indigenous Italian white grape varieties, it gets much more interesting. This one is made from the Garganega grape and made in the Veneto region by a New Zealander. The result is a lemon/apple/pear mash up with gorgeous sunshine fruit. It sings rather than shouts, just as I like it. Put it with simple roast chicken.

Current red on side: Montgras Carmenere Reserva 2010, Chile, £6.40, Waitrose.com
I plonked for this one when doing the online shop (told you it wouldn't be the last time), always a bit more risky because you can't really tell what the label is like. I do like a nice-looking label. Anyway, this was a joy. It was wintery, squashed full of bramble fruit and topped off with a lovely waft of spice. For years, the Carmenere grape was mistaken for Merlot in Chile and the two grapes were harvested and vinified (made) together. Now, it is often vinified separately. Good job too, as Carmenere has a bit more grip and attitude than Merlot. Made from grapes grown in the up-and-coming Colchagua Valley. Loved it with roast beef on Sunday.

Here's hoping x

Notta Lotta Bottle

2012-01-10T22:02:00.004Z

Two booze-free days a week, that's what we've been told by a group of MPs. I think that's a sensible idea, not least because it gives us time to plan - on the wine-free days - exactly what we are going to enjoy a glass of on the non-wine-free days. In fact, a friend asked me just yesterday for some new wine recommendations. In her words: like nice dry white but bit over the fruity ones. Quite like the Loire Muscadet but want something with a bit more oomph! So, I suggested she try French whites from Burgundy (Chablis), and other wines from the Loire (Sancerre). Or she could go for some Italian whites from the Alto Adige region (light, bright and breezy), or another Italian, a Lugana made from Trebbiano grapes (Waitrose do a good one). Then there's Albarino from the Rias Baixas region in Spain (bit more expensive but worth it for flavour alone), or a good dry Riesling from Australia (subtle, in an Australian way: waxy, lemon fruit). Or she could try a Gruner Veltliner from Austria (inner confidence rather than in-your-face fruit) and when she's done those she can move on to a Torrontes from Argentina (flowers with attitude). Then she can go back to the Loire region for some Chenin Blanc from Savennieres.

So many wines, so little time; two days a week less now.

Current white on the side: Argento Pinot Grigio, 2010, £7.59, Waitrose
I know, I know. After all that talk of different grape varieties to try (a woman's work is never done) I've gone back to Pinot Grigio. BUT. This is different. It is not a watery, tastes vaguely-like-wine PG; this is a lime and lemon-scented dry white with great freshness and real cheek-sucking acidity. Made with grapes from the Mendoza region in Argentina, this is everything a fridge-door white should be. Undemanding, refreshing, qualidee wine.

Current red on the side: Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir, 2008, £22, Slurp.com
Expensive, yes. Exquisite, yes. Like a model with great bone structure, this wine demands attention. It is from the Waipara region in New Zealand's South Island, just north of Christchurch. The grape is, as it says on the tin, Pinot Noir - the noble grape variety that makes some of the world's best, and most expensive wines, from the Burgundy region - and it fills the glass with black cherries and plums. It is soft, silky and quietly powerful: the Agent Provocateur of NZ Pinot. Drink with food; ours went with beef stew and loved it.

More tea, vicar? x

What she said.

2012-01-03T21:49:00.006Z

I had planned a short post about my new year's resolutions, but given that mine are hideously unoriginal (eat less/move more/shout only when absolutely necessary) I point you to Potty's declarations of intent. I love them, especially the one about chocolate and wine, where she suggests a little of the good stuff is usually better than lots of the rubbish alternative. The point of my blog (says me, rather grandly) is to help anyone who's interested buy better wine and get good value for money. Actually, the point is to be Dorothy-Parker-pithy and talk about me but wine comes a close second.

Current white in the fridge: Cowrie Bay Chardonnay 2010, £5.99, Waitrose
How did I not know about this wine until now? For a start, you need sunglasses for its look-at-me yellow label. Inside the bottle is a bright, tropical fruit-like Chardonnay from the Gisborne region in New Zealand's North Island. You might possibly get more fruit flavours eating Carmen Miranda's hat, but not much. I bought a couple of bottles for a lunch we had with friends in that wonderful in limbo time between Christmas and New Year and it was loved by all. Annoyingly, they drank it all too, so I've topped up. A gorgeous January gem.

Current red on the side: La Citadelle Cotes du Rhone Villages 2008, £9.99, Boutinot
Sablet is a little town in the Cotes du Rhone region (Sablet is also on the label) and is home to this wine before it moved to mine, in a bottle. Made from a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvedre and aged in oak for up to 18 months, this is a really lovely red with soft blackcurrant fruit and gymnast-supple tannins (the teabag-like stuff that gives wine backbone and makes you suck your teeth a little or a lot depending on how big the tannins are). Put it with lasagne and you have yourself the culinary equivalent of a cuddle.

Happy New Year x

Thinking of You

2011-12-21T21:21:00.003Z

I love Christmas. Family, friends, food, wine, laughs, late nights and slight indigestion just about sums up mine. But as much as you hold loved ones close at Christmas, you really miss the ones that aren't here. So, here's to the person or people you are missing this Christmas. Thinking of you.

Current white in the fridge: Taste The Difference Gruner Veltliner 2010, £7.99, Sainsbury's
When faced with the supermarket wall of wine it can be almost impossible to know where to start, even when you know what you like. To try and make it easier to shop, Sainsbury's has introduced a colour coding system for its wines to help identify different styles more easily. This Gruner Veltliner, a dry white wine from Austria, comes under 'complex & elegant'. They are not wrong: this is all peachy fruit with a kick of white pepper. Other descriptions include crisp & delicate, soft & fruity, smooth & mellow and rich & complex, with colour coding on the back label and on the top of the bottle. Less lucky dip, more guided sip. Bravo.

Current Port on the side: Waitrose Tawny Port, £7.59, Waitrose
I know, a Port! Well, it is Christmas. So, I've shipped in some of the Waitrose own label Tawny Port with this week's delivery (my first ever home delivery, definitely not my last). It is made by the Symington family, one of the Douro region's most well thought of and dependable producers. The word Tawny tells you the wine is aged in oak barrels, accounting for the slightly faded colour and nutty aromas and flavours of the wine. Made from traditional red grapes including Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz, this is a lovely, simple Tawny that longs to be paired off with a mince pie or a hunk of Stilton.

Happy Christmas x

Red, White & You

2011-12-15T23:52:00.003Z

Last night, as I shoved unsolicited advice about sparkling wines down your throats, Tara tweeted asking for some still wine recommendations, especially reds, for Christmas. So, since she asked, here's what I've got in for next week:

Whites in the fridge:

Tesco Finest Argentinian Chardonnay 2010, £5 on offer, Tesco
I shipped in some NZ Sauvignon Blanc for our housewarming a few weeks ago and much as I love the grassy, herbal, gooseberry characters of NZ SB, I fancied a change. So I went to Argentina (not literally, obviously) and picked up this Chardonnay, currently on offer. Happy to report this is a gorgeous, round, ripe white with melon and faint pineapple chunks to it. Tastes far more expensive than it is.

Yalumba 'Y' Series Viognier 2010, £8.74, Majestic
Love this wine, it is so bright in colour it almost glows. This is an aromatic little beast, wafting apricots under your nose then hitting you with peach flavours and a little kick of spice. Made from old vines in the Barossa Valley, in South Australia. Feels like a winter wine and is great with turkey. Winner.

Reds in the rack:

Ogio Primitivo 2010, £4.99 on offer, Tesco
This is a brilliantly vibrant red from the Southern 'heel' of Italy, Puglia. Made from the Primitivo grape, this is berry bright, juicy and easy enough to drink with or without food. Great value and in screwcap, making it the best stand-by wine for a house-full.

Cune 2007 Reserva, Rioja, £11.39, Waitrose
The whole big turkey feast can be matched with a fuller-bodied white or a soft, not-too-tannic red. This soft and curvy Rioja is all cherry fruit and smooth oak, made from a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano grapes. It is classic but with a modern twist, just right.

Fill yer stockings x

Lovely Bubbly

2011-12-14T22:44:00.006Z

I know that advice is only appreciated if you ask for it in the first place. Take being pregnant, for example. A largely - literally - good experience bar the unsolicited advice thrown at you from the moment your up-the-duffness becomes public knowledge. But advice is usually given with your best interests at heart and sometimes, just sometimes, you may live to regret that good advice you just didn't take. Alanis Morisette even sang about that last bit. So, here's my unsolicited advice on what to buy if you are buying something with bubbles in this week.

Tesco Cava, £3.99 on offer, Tesco.com
Pimp this traditional method (meaning the bubbles got there when the wine was fermented for a second time in the bottle) sparkling with a brandy-kissed sugar cube and instantly spruce up an unbelievably cheap fizz. One for when the neighbours drop in for a drinkspotty.

Cordoniu Vintage Cava Brut, £6.99 half price, Tesco.com
If you want to stick with unadulterated Cava, go for this Vintage one. Better quality grapes from a single year make this a step up from the basic stuff. Honestly, it is worth spending that little bit extra for a whole lot more quality. Dry, lemony and fresh, it is indeed lovely bubbly.

Tesco Finest* Prosecco, £7.99 on offer, Tesco.com
Prosecco is the sparkling wine made in the Veneto region in Italy and is made in a different way to Champagne and traditional method sparkling wines such as Cava, with the second ferentation (the bit that adds the bubbles) happening before the wine is bottled, usually in great big tanks. The wine is not as complex as traditional method sparkling wines but they do serve an important purpose; namely being soft, sherbert-like and not as cheek-sucking as Champagne and Cava. Prosecco also tends to be slightly lower in alcohol. I will be adding a tiny dash of Campari to mine to make it Dirty.

Tesco Finest* Premier Cru Champagne, £14.99 on offer, Tesco.com
I've written about this wine before. I am very, very fond of it as I used to source this wine back when I was a buyer. It is made by a co-operative winery in a very smart Grand Cru (meaning best-rated quality) village and knocks spots off other Champagnes that are two or even three times as expensive. I kid you not. It is a blend of Chardonnay & Pinot Noir and is all I could want from Brut Non Vintage Champagne. Toasty, elegant and really brilliant value.

Next week: more advice you didn't ask for x

ps - the lovely Michelle over at The American Resident did actually ask for my advice about mulled wine. Nip over to hers to see what I told her.

Love Thy Neighbour

2011-12-05T21:39:00.002Z

We moved into a new house earlier this year. It is a 1970s-built bungalow in the woods. It has a whiff of The Ice Storm about it, but without the swinging. A few of the houses do have pampas grass outside but as yet, no evidence of keys in glass bowls. So it was with a tiny niggle of trepidation that we invited all of our neighbours in for a drink on Saturday night, to kick off the festive season. Happy to report my niggle was needless and the party went with a bang. Or not, as it were. Anyway, when it came to choosing wines for 30 people without it costing the earth, here's what we went for...

Great Party White: The Post Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011, £5 on offer, Tesco.com
This went down a storm (see what I did there?), with its good-looking label and bright, unmistakeable New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc lime-loaded aroma and gooseberry fruit flavours. Not a complicated beast, but when you are drinking this standing up, without proper food, it does well. I say without food: I made palmiers. So fabulously '70s, I couldn't resist. I almost went for the pineapple & cheese stick combo but peaked with the palmiers. And by serving Sauvignon Blanc you avoid the 'Anything But Chardonnay' issue from those who insist on trashing Chardonnay (unfairly so, IMHO).

Great Party Red: Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2008, £6 on offer, Tesco.com
This is such a classic Aussie Shiraz, absolutely heaving under the weight of dense, dark fruit and spice flavours. Most of our neighbours went for white but there were a few stalwart red-only drinkers who absolutely loved this bruiser. It is made from Shiraz grapes (Australia's vinous calling card) grown in South Australia by one of the country's most famous and trusted producers, and weighs in at a whopping 14.5%. I did notice the red wine drinkers snaffled most of the sausages in honey & mustard, which must have worked a treat.

Chin chin x

Lights, Camera, ActionAid!

2011-11-29T20:48:00.005Z

Last week I mentioned the Call My Wine Bluff wine quiz I took part in the week before that. The one where I had to guess what the wine in my glass was - out loud - in front of 200 people and five celebrities. Here's the photo taken at the end with me, my friend Clive Anderson in the middle (ok, made the friend bit up) and my friend (not made up) Jerry who is an ambassador for ActionAid. Jerry's wine, a brand called Millione, donates £1 from every bottle sold to a primary school building project in Sierra Leone. So far, £100,000 has been raised and two schools built. Funds for a third are in place and the Call My Wine Bluff evening raised over half the funds needed for a fourth. Jerry wants to reach £1m and 20 schools. We'd best get drinking.*

And by the way, the camera adds 10lbs. Minimum.

Current white in the fridge: Cefiro Chardonnay 2010, £8ish, The Solent Cellar
Tonight's witching hour was carnage, I tell you. Tea finished at 7pm. 7pm! And I normally run such a tight ship. Anyway, point is, the house is now quiet, there's a chicken roasting in the oven, the Bearded Husband is home and my glass is (half) full. All is well. Chile makes some really, really lovely wines. If anything, they have been criticised for making too many good wines and not enough exceptional wines. Here, good is good enough for me. This one is made from grapes grown in the Casablanca Valley, north of Santiago. It is bright and cheery with pineapple and melon fruit; full of curves. Divine now, will be even better with food in about 20 minutes.

Current red on the side: Domaine of the Bee 2009, £20, Domaine of the Bee
Oh my lord, this is the winiest wine I've enjoyed for a while. It is ENORMOUS with great lugs of bramble fruit wrapped in spice and just when you think you can relax along comes the alcohol (15% people!), forcing you to sit down and eat more. I loved it. Bearded Husband loved it. It is made from old vine Grenache and Carignan grapes in the village of Maury in the South of France by a man I've known for years (since we were both wine buyers for different supermarkets). He and his wife started making their own wine to sell to friends and now they make a bit more, they can sell to people they've never met. Treat this as your virtual introduction. This would make a really good Christmas present for the wine lover who has everything, mainly because it looks beautiful, full of promise, more than delivers on that promise and you have to be in the know to get it. And now you know.

*In moderation, obviously. Millione is a sparkling Italian rose. Great party wine. Stockists include Laithwaites, Sainsbury's & Waitrose and it is £7.99.

Chin chin x

It's not the wine talking...

2011-11-22T21:31:00.002Z

Last week, I spoke at a wine industry seminar about how to make wine more engaging for people buying it. Ahead of the talk, I turned to you lot to save my little-larger-than-I'd-like backside. I emailed some of you and asked via the BritMums forum if anyone had any views they could share. The response was overwhelming; so much thoughtful, honest feedback. The common threads were:

Wine speak is confusing/too vague/too flowery
In-store signage is a nightmare
Price offers: we love 'em (tight budgets) but don’t believe all of them
Master/student gap needs bridging - stop with the patronising stance!
Confidence is key - make it easier to understand and we'll buy better wine

So, thank you all for your time and thoughts. I'm pretty sure it is going to make a positive difference and I'll report back how in due course.

Current white in the fridge: Tiki Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Waitrose, £5.99 on offer

You see, every time I think I've had enough Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, along comes another one with a groovy label and I have to KNOW. Is it really going to be any good at that price? Isn't it going to taste just like the other one I had the other week whose name I can't even remember now? Turns out it is rather good. Yes, it is fairly similar to that last one but it is fresh & bright & crisp & lime-juice-like and feels like great value. Made from grapes grown in the slightly cooler Awatere Valley, in the Marlborough region, at the top of the South Island. Perfect glass-whilst-cooking-dinner material.

Current red on the side: The Waxed Bat Shiraz / Petit Verdot 2010, Laithwaites, £7.99

OK, so I didn't buy this one. And no, I've not been stealing. It was a leaving present from a dinner that I went to last week (same day as the talk - what a day that was), a fundraiser for ActionAid. I was one of two 'wine experts' asked to play a 'Call My Wine Bluff' game, identifying wines by taste and story alone. It gets better. The panel consisted of Jo Brand, Charles Dance, Clive Anderson, James Purefwoar and Nicholas Owen. Yes, I humiliated myself in front of 200 people & 5 celebs. More on that next week. The wine? Gorgeous. Enormous. Ripe black fruits. A beast with a soft side. Needs food: leftover Shepherd's Pie, preferably. Made from a blend of Shiraz and the hard-to-find Petit Verdot grape in Mendoza, Argentina.

IOU x

Village People

2011-11-14T22:31:00.002Z

Last Friday night, I was asked to do a wine tasting in the village hall for 60 people to raise funds for the village twinning association. We're twinned with Hautvillers, a beautiful village in the Champagne region. In fact, Dom Perignon, the monk who 'discovered' Champagne is buried here (even though technically the whole bubbles-in-wine thing was discovered by the English years before but that doesn't make for such a good story). Anyway, point is we've hit the twinning jackpot as every year the people of Hautvillers give our village a few cases of Champagne. In return we give them bottles of our local sparkler, Beaulieu Bubbly. Like I said, jackpot.

Current white on the side: Waitrose Chablis 2010, £8.29 (currently 20% off), Waitrose
The tasting on Friday included a Chablis and for those who'd had a bad experience with an oaky, buttery, shouty Chardonnay, this one was a real eye-opener. Chablis is the Chardonnay grape at its most pure: oak and other wine-making trickery is rare in this region. Here, it is all about the place. Being northern France, the cooler climate makes wines with green apples and acidity as their markers. This particular one is great value; one to try if you are thinking of going with a Chablis for Christmas lunch. There, I said the C word. Suck it up.

Current red on the side: Domaine Jones Rouge 2009, £14.99, Laithwaites or Domaine Jones
Hands up, I didn't pay for this one. I didn't steal it either. Rather, I am lucky enough to know the lady who makes it. Katie Jones worked for a French winery selling their wines here for years. Then one day she fell in love with a little vineyard in the Languedoc region in the South of France and moved lock, stock and new French oak barrel to a life as a vigneron (someone who grows grapes for winemaking to you and me). This is the first time I've tasted the results. I'm only sorry she didn't do this years ago, the wine is - like her - gorgeous. Made from the Grenache grape, it is juicy, bright and full of red fruit flavours. Dreamy with our rosbif on Sunday.

Chin chin x

What really matters...

2011-11-08T20:43:00.000Z

No, I don't mean whether K-Mid's up the duff, or whether K-Kard's wedding was a fake, or whether I've bought the right kick-ass winter boots (which I know I have, btw). No, what really matters this week is wearing a poppy, donating if possible and thinking about the people affected by war; past, present and future. That is all.

Current white on the side: Tesco Finest Fiano 2010, £5.69 on offer, Tesco
Done this one before, I know. It is made from the Fiano grape, grown in Sicily, made by a very good producer and overseen by one Italy's most famous winemakers, Diego Planeta. To have his name on the label is really very impressive. This is all orchard fruits - I'm talking red apples, people - together with a citrus ribbon tying it all together. Delicious it is too, especially with last night's roast chicken leftovers. I'm making stock from the carcass as we speak. I know, I annoy myself with my perfection too sometimes.

Current red on the side: Rio del Bio Bio Pinot Noir 2009, £4.75 on offer, Tesco
Pinot Noir is a funny little grape, producing bunches the shape of pine cones. Hard to believe they make wines so sublime they can bring a grown man/woman to tears. Burgundy in France is the grapes' homeland (although being one of the three main grapes used to make Champagne, it can call Pinot Noir a long-time lodger) but sadly the prices here may well induce tears too. This one won't: it is under a fiver. Under a fiver! For a medium-bodied red from Chile with some good varietal character (plums, spice), you are getting pretty amazing value for money here. The winemaker comes from Burgundy, which is kind of reassuring. Put it with sausages and mash and chow down.

Chin chin x

ps - if you are a BritMum, and have a few minutes to spare (for which you might win wine), please can you click here? Thanks v. much x

We Need to Talk About Booze

2011-11-01T22:38:00.003Z

I never did see the Kevin film. Turns out The Help started at the same time so we chose schmaltz over shootings. Cried on and off for two hours and loved it. What we do need to talk about, however, is how to broach the subject of booze with our children. How young is too young to discuss it? Do we let them try it in the home or leave them to try it when we're not there? How do we teach them the rights and wrongs, the pros and cons of alcohol? Drinkaware is running a campaign to highlight the issue and this video on their site is rather clever. Over at Bringing Up Charlie, Tim posted about it but know this: he is mostly worried about tax hikes on artisan cider. I popped up on the Huffington Post today, with this article about the demon drink. Complex, like good wine.

Current white in the fridge: Cowrie Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011, £5 on offer, Waitrose
I know I did a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc just a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't walk past this one yesterday whilst on my supermarket sweep without adding a couple of bottles to the trolley. Gorgeous label (and we know how important that is) with a really lovely wine inside. Not the most complicated Sauvignon you'll ever taste but certainly with enough perky gooseberry and passion fruit flavours to keep the customer satisfied, satisfied (as Simon and/or possibly Garfunkel would say).

Current red on the side: La Layenda Malbec Syrah 2010, £6.99, Tesco
Brooding, moody and macho. And that's just the bottle, with its broad shoulders and heavier-than-usual weight. Inside it lurks an Argie beastie, loaded with bramble fruits and a sprinkling of spice. We had this with slow-cooked beef stew and a very handsome couple they made too. Last week's white wine was the white partner to this red: both are fairly in-your-face styles with no sense of personal space but very likeable nonetheless. Made by Bodegas Escorihuela in the Mendoza region.

Cheers, dears x

WN2TAK

2011-10-26T18:44:00.002+01:00

Actually, I can't talk about Kevin because I haven't seen it yet but I am off to see it tonight, at the lovely cinema I told you about where you can take your wine glass in with you and the seats don't make you feel like your head will be itching by the end of the film. I did read the book ages ago, whilst pregnant with Eldest Boy. I can't lie: it scared the hell out of me. As mothers, as parents we are responsible for bringing our children up as best we possibly can. If they do go and do something like that, is it our fault? Really interested to see what side the film comes down on, nature or nurture. To be continued...

A very big thank you to Simon & team for KMWC's new look. You can find him here.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Argentinian Chardonnay, 2009, £4ish on offer, Tesco
This is a ridiculous wine at a ridiculous price. I mean, it is a really, really good wine: guilty-pleasure sweetness from the tropical fruit flavours (it is off-dry rather than bone dry), full-bodied, ripe and incredibly more-ish. It is made by one of my favourite producers in Argentina, the romantically named Bodegas Esmerelda, owned by the Catena family. Normally, wines that go on offer for under £4 are to be approached with extreme caution. Not this one: approach with an empty trolley. We had it with leftover chicken tarted up with a spicy sauce from a jar. Everyone was happy, most of all me.

Current red on the side: Recchia Bardolino 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
This is going to sound lame, but rather like I can't tell you about Kevin, I can't tell you about this one yet either. I bought it as I'm on a quest to find a good Bardolino for a regular. Everything about it looks promising: a blend of Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella grapes made in the Veneto region in Italy and from a good producer, by all accounts. Tomorrow night we'll be having something vaguely Italian to eat - not sure what yet, but a tomato-based concoction most likely - so will try it then. Again, to be continued...

Chin chin x

Dressing Fancy

2011-10-18T21:40:00.000+01:00

Fancy Dress parties and me do not have a happy history. There was the time Bearded Husband decided we should go as Derek & Clive to a New Year's Eve party. As other girls glowed in beautiful dresses, I sweated profusely in a Mac, flat cap and men's shoes. I even had a ham sandwich wrapped in foil in my pocket, I kid you not. Last Saturday night we went to a 40th with a strict 1970 dress code. Determined to learn from experience, I went in a fairly inoffensive lime green (oxymoron?) dress accessorised with my own boots and fake fur coat and told people that I was my mum. In stark contrast, the birthday boy wore all-in-one spandex with cut-out chest bought online from America (he's still on the mailing list). There was a Spacehopper (girl), Scooby Doo (boy) and lots of Village People (all male). As we get older, the aim is clearly to out-ridiculous each other when it comes to donning a costume. Next time, I'm going back to the flat cap and ham sandwich.

Current white in the fridge: Waitrose Chablis 2010, £7.86 on offer, Waitrose
Waitrose has been running 25% off lots of their wines as part of their Wine Showcase (better name next time)? It ends tomorrow. I realise this isn't helpful to you now but I do write about whatever I happen to be drinking at the time of writing and this is it. Apologies. Anyway, if you like Chardonnay but don't like oaky flavours, this wine will make you happy. Chablis is a region pretty far north, so the climate is cooler than most others in France. Combined with unique soils (best bits are full of marine fossils), the region makes crisp, dry whites characterised by what is often referred to as a 'steeliness'. I prefer 'edgy and slightly uptight'. The SJP of white wines. I drank mine very cold, without food. Put it with seafood or roast chicken for better results.

Current red on the side: Artesano de Argento Malbec 2010, £4.74 on offer, Tesco
This too is currently on offer, but I don't think it finishes tomorrow, so not quite as unhelpful as the one above. Anyway, this Argentine beast made from Malbec grapes grown in vineyards across the Mendoza region is as supple as spandex. The grapes are selected from different vineyards, altitudes and microclimates to make a more interesting wine. But, whatever they tell you on the label, the proof is in the glass and this wine is a definite step up from the cheaper Argento range made by the same people. More weight, flavour and mmmmmm. You know what I mean. This one does need food; simple ragu with grated cheese did it for me.

Peace out, winos x

Working Girl

2011-10-12T21:06:00.000+01:00

According to a recent survey, 32,000 women left their jobs in the past year, not because they didn't want to work but because it didn't pay to do so. I nearly choked on my Sunday-night-cheese-&-crackers-in-front-of-Downton when I read this. So, we've got thousands of workers leaving their jobs every year because they can't afford to work. Having stepped off the ladder, they can't get a footing back on because the world's moved on and THEN they are made to feel like they should be able to launch an insanely successful business from their kitchen table.

The other day, my 2yo daughter trotted past the kitchen door pushing her 'baby' in a buggy. I asked her where she was going. 'To work,' she said. A tiny part of me was proud (the other part guilty, obviously). I just hope things change by the time she's doing the maths.

Current white in the fridge: Aspen Estate Pinot Grigio, 2011, £4.99, Majestic
Given how many 'light' versions of food are on the market (although I'd rather go for the full-fat version, just *ahem* less of it) there are surprisingly few relatively lower alcohol wines on the market. Sometimes, you just don't want the heat or the hangover of a 14%-er. This one is a delicate little number at 11%, light on the palate too with easy citrus fruit and a twang of tangerine to boot. Goes perfectly with the peace and quiet of post-smalls' bedtime.

Current red on the side: Rio del Bio Bio Pinot Noir, 2009, £4.74, Tesco
With such a fabulous name, this wine came with expectations. Happily, it delivered. Made from the Pinot Noir grape this is a ripe, smooth red with definite Pinot character (raspberry, spice) albeit with the sound turned up compared with Pinot Noir from its homeland in Burgundy, France. Chile is a hot country by and large but the Bio Bio region in the south is cooler, with strong winds and more rain than most. Call it a labour of love, but one that is clearly paying off for those who've decided to make Pinot Noir down there. Consumed with Spaghetti Bolognese and a lovely match they made too.

Hi ho x

Bully for you.

2011-10-12T13:46:00.004+01:00

This is a vlog on bullying done by BritMums. I blurb on a bit but Penny's advice about throwing comments in the bin is BRILLIANT.

Delicious Autumn

2011-10-05T21:30:00.000+01:00

I love this time of year. Yes, of course I love the falling leaves, scrumping, resulting apple cakes and all that. But what I really love is the fact that the weather demands a fairly generous glass of red. A close second is the TV schedule and the fact that leaving the sofa on a Saturday night is no longer an option until at least late December. Anyway, tonight I had leftover Shepherd's Pie for supper. With the currently Bearded Husband away I almost went wine free, until I heard the wind howl outside. Then I thought: alone + Autumn chill + leftovers + no wine = very average. On the other hand, alone + Autumn chill + leftovers with lots of ketchup + glass of delicious red = better than average. Glass half full, me.

Current red on the side: Tesco Finest Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, £8.99, Tesco
Now, I love Californian wines but they get a bad rap here for two reasons. Firstly, an awful lot of it is sold here in the UK as White Zinfandel, an odd combination of grape and sugar and alcohol. Now I have drunk the odd glass of this and it's not killed me but life is definitely too short to drink mediocre wine. Moving on, lots of other Californian wines are utterly gorgeous but too expensive to tempt me over more reasonably priced alternatives from other countries. Then, every now and again, a wine pops up that doesn't leave me feeling short-changed, literally. This is one such: smooth ripe Cabernet from the Sonoma County region. It loved my leftovers.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Picpoul 2010, £4.75 on offer, Tesco
This is not an Autumnal wine. In fact, it is a brilliantly zippy lemon-fresh white from the Languedoc region in the South of France. Dream partner is grilled white fish and the wine tastes of apples and pears. Apples! That's vaguely Autumnal, no? Anyway, it's in our fridge this week and I love it and it is currently on offer so I am telling you about it. Made from the Picpoul de Pinet grape, grown in vineyards around the village of Picpoul.

Do the maths x

Suddenly

2011-09-28T22:12:00.002+01:00

Next week, after 16 years of continuous employment (bar three maternity leaves), I am going freelance. It is either going to be the best thing I ever did, or a really, really silly thing to do. Let's see, shall we?

With huge thanks and a bear hug to Hugh MacLeod.

Current white in the fridge: Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
Another bottle bought as part of Waitrose' current Wine Showcase, with selected wines at 25% off for another few weeks. This is a South African Sauvignon Blanc, made by a producer with an unfeasibly long name, Boekenhoutskloof. The fact that the wine has a picture of a porcupine on the label was lost on a friend of mine: she gets very excited when her favourite 'spiky pig' wine is on offer. Have a look and you'll see what she means. Or not, more likely. Anyhoo, this is a gorgeous, fresh, lemony Sauvignon. Uncomplicated, uplifting and delicious, which is what you want from a glass of wine at 7pm.

Current red on the side: Piccini Chianti Riserva 2008, £4.83, Tesco
Another one with 25% off, this time from the current Tesco Wine Festival, this brings it to under a fiver. Normally, Chianti under a fiver would be given a wide berth - I've kissed too many frogs here - but this one is a gem. It has got all the things I would hope to find in a good glass of Chianti (grip and a kick of cherry-stone fruit, since you ask) and feels like pretty good value for money. Made from the Sangiovese grape, this is more Connie Corleone than Don Vito. Enjoyed with sausages, enormously.

Hold tight x

Hungry?

2011-09-21T22:04:00.001+01:00

When I was six I stepped on Mickey Mouse's tail accidentally (on purpose) to increase my fancy dress chances at the local village fete, only to come second. From that day, I resigned myself to the fact that I am just not one of those competition-winning type people. Until now, that is. Since I started blogging there's been the YSL lipstick and D&G mascara from Mrs Trefusis, a lego pirate ship from Tara and most recently a recipe book from the Crumbs sisters. Last night, I read the book - Hungry? from the innocent fruit smoothies people - cover to cover. Basically, after years of feeling that I am just not trying hard enough when feeding my children (when pureeing and salt-free stock = how much you really love them), this book is a guilt-free mash up of recipes, lots of which were created by Lucy & Claire from Crumbs (they didn't tell me that, I read it at the back. I wasn't joking when I said cover to cover). In other birthday news, I got the wheelbarrow and the roasting dish, slippers too. Redressed the balance by buying this.

Current white in the fridge: Catena Chardonnay 2010, £8.54, currently 25% off, Waitrose
Waitrose is running a Wine Showcase with lots of wines selling for 25% less than their usual price until 11th October. This is one of the wines I normally make myself walk past. Yes, it is delicious but it is a) usually over a tenner and b) quite an oaky new world chardonnay. Full-bodied, rich and tropical fruit-like, I picked it up after deciding I wanted a white with warmth. Must be the turn in the weather. Made from grapes grown in Argentina's Luyan de Cuyo region and cooler-climate Tupungato region, it is aged in French oak barrels giving it that added weight and warmth I mentioned. Gorgeous with those rather excellent smoky barbecue-flavoured Red Sky crisps.

Current red on the side: Chateau La Rose Videau 2006, £6 if bought by the case, Tesco.com
I thought Festival season was over. Not for Tesco, it seems. They're running a Wine Festival with a smorgasbord of wines on offer. This one is a cheap Bordeaux, but not as we know it. Most cheap Bordeaux leaves a bitter taste, literally. This one doesn't: it is a little redcurrant fruit-bomb but with that slight savoury aloofness, the vinous equivalent of a gallic shrug. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this is a classic Claret blend at a very non-classic price. It loved slow-roasted lamb. Long time.

Pip pip x

My Birthday List

2011-09-15T21:45:00.000+01:00

I am 39 years old on Sunday. Totally fine with that. What I am not fine with is my birthday wish list. I wrote it down earlier this week. It looked like this:

1. A wheelbarrow
2. A new roasting dish

That was it. Pathetic. I am sharing it with you now in the hope that I might shake myself into action. In years gone by, the lists started months before the birthday. It was full of desirable, mostly shallow stuff with a few books thrown in to make me look clever. And now? My life is not complete until I get that wheelbarrow.

Although some Creme de la Mer would be nice.

Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Gavi, 2010, £5.69, Tesco.com
Last week Tesco won the award for the best own label range of wines at the vinous equivalent of the Oscars, the International Wine Challenge. The awards dinner is ever so slightly less star-studded than the actual Oscars but we do get Oz Clarke and he's much more amusing than a blubbing Gwyneth, so we're happy. Anyhoo, no idea if this wine won an award this year but I am giving it a gold star for deliciousness. If you like fruity, not-too-oaky Chardonnay you'll probably like this. Peaches and apricots, that's all I need to tell you. Made from the Cortese grape, this is a hidden Italian gem of a wine desperate to be enjoyed with a simple bowl of pasta and pesto. As I did.

Current red on the side: Errazuriz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, £5.69, Waitrose
Oh this is good, this is very good indeed. It so happens it is national Buy Chilean Wine Month (I think it has a catchier title but go with it) and if you haven't tried Chilean wine before, you have to come out from under that rock. It is brilliant value, brilliantly made (mostly) and this one is brilliantly lovely. Now, producers are starting to really explore and vineyards are being planted in cooler climates resulting in more interesting wines. This one is from one the country's oldest and best producers, so you are in safe hands.

Peace out, winos x

Hipster

2011-09-07T21:50:00.002+01:00

Shortly after 12am this morning, at the International Wine Challenge Awards Dinner in London (click here for results), I was on the dance floor in high heels and Westwood. And I was actually Shakira. In bed by 2am, awake by 6am, back home from town by 8am ready for the school run. For just a little while, I felt invincible. Then it started to fall apart. Turns out the hips do, in fact, lie (and yes, I'm talking to you, Shakira). The hips I'd had on the dance floor i.e. those of a twenty year old in my head had been replaced with my own, slightly worn out ones. I still ache down both sides and my feet hurt. Now I don't feel like dancing, no sir, no dancing today...

Current rose in the fridge: Tesco Finest Navarra Rose 2010, £6.64, Tesco.com
This wine was named as the IWC Great Value Champion Rose at last night's Awards Dinner, and it is a real gem of a wine. Made from the Grenache grape grown in vineyards in the Navarra region in northern Spain, this wine is brilliant in colour, flavour and price. Having just had a weeks' holiday where I was never more than a few feet away from a glass of Spanish Rose, I can honestly say none were as lovely as this one. Strawberries, cranberries and, I think, a slight twist of orange. Pretty label too. Doesn't need food but has enough flavour and body to cope with fairly robust dishes, including those with a bit of spice.

Current red on the side: Familia Zuccardi FuZion Shiraz/Malbec 2009, £5.21, Waitrose.com
In an effort to put off that back to school feeling, I made a huge spaghetti bolognese on Sunday night, and we drank this with it. It worked. In fact, the wine has a definite Autumnal feel, with bramble fruit flavours and lovely smooth spice. Made from a blend of Shiraz (70%) and Malbec (30%), this is a clever blend that does what it should; that is pick up the taste buds, shake them awake and make you want to eat huge bowl of spag bol in front of good Sunday Night telly.

Now, I was getting a bit saggy so I've had a bit of work done. On the blog, that is. Looking forward to unveiling the results in a few weeks.

Pip pip x

Gone Fishing

2011-08-18T22:32:00.002+01:00

Actually, gone fishing, crabbing, shell-seeking, rock-pooling, sand-in-sandwiches picnicking and all that.

We'll send you a virtual postcard, but can't promise to post it before we get home.

In the meantime, here's what I've just packed in the food box:

Current white in the fridge: Maurel Vedeau Sauvignon Blanc/Grenache, £4.74, Tesco.com
Uncomplicated Southern French blend of two grapes, the aromatic Sauvignon Blanc and the slightly faceless Grenache but the former makes the latter look good. Easy peachy fruit with a twist of lemon, this is a great starter for under two for £10. Hope you get my David Nicholls' film reference there. One Day comes out soon, I just hope the film as as good as the hype.

Current red on the side: Fairtrade Tilimuqu Cabernet/Bonarda, £6.99, Waitrose
Picked this up in Waitrose last week. Another blend and again, as above, the former grape (Cabernet) makes the latter (Bonarda) look good. Lovely bramble fruit with a tickle of spice on the finish, this is a gorgeous red that usually brings a Shepherd's Pie to life. Made from grapes grown in the La Riojana region in Argentina, this is Fairtrade and organic and delicious.

Happy holidays x

The Riot Act

2011-08-11T21:33:00.000+01:00

Watching the news this week has been shocking, depressing, awful. People's lives and livelihoods have been wrecked. It felt just a little bit wrong but I was glued to the TV, distracted only by twitter. Last night found me bingeing on opinion pieces, with a Newsnight chaser. Tonight there is a Question Time Special. Cue more jaw-jaw. I know I don't understand what drove people to do what they did, but children are not born bad. Not sure where I'm going with this. I'll stop and do wine instead.

Current white on the side: La Leyenda Chardonnay/Torrontes 2010, currently 2 for £10, Tesco
This is a blend of two grapes, the gets-everywhere Chardonnay and the doesn't-get-out-much Torrontes grape. On its own, Torrontes is very floral. Like a floral maxi-dress (why? why?) on its own it is possibly too much. Put it with Chardonnay and it is the vinous equivalent of adding a denim jacket. Much better. There's a note of jasmine and honey and it tastes of tropical fruit. Gorgeous with a chicken and crispy bacon salad that I didn't make.

Current red on the side: Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz/Cabernet 2008, £6.96 on offer, Waitrose
Lordy, Penfolds was one of the first wines I remember trying, back in the 1980's when I was in my early teens. Then, New World wines were exactly that. New. Now they are positively old (corked) hat. The Australians were the first to 'do' wine marketing. They put the grape variety on a usually colourful front label and sold us a brand, that being sunshine in a glass. Looking at the Penfolds label in front of me now, it has the feel of a classic. An old skool New World wine, if you like. It is still delicious: squashed blackberries with a sprinkling of brown sugar. Seconds please.

Peace out x

Amy, Amy, Amy...

2011-08-08T22:48:00.000+01:00

I had Amy Winehouse songs on repeat for much of the weekend, after reading a very thoughtful article about her in the Saturday papers (which I can't link to, bloody paywall). Listening to that brilliant voice, it is hard to comprehend that she ended her life in such a fragile state. Better to remember her like this:

Would you buy wine from this woman?

2011-08-03T22:12:00.002+01:00

I've been blogging away for the last few years, recommending a couple of wines every week, whatever I happen to be drinking that I think you might like too. I'm now wondering whether you might want to buy wine from the site. You tell me what you want and I'll source it exclusively for the KMWC. Tried and tested for the tired and tested, if you like. If so, would you want to buy the odd bottle or stock up on fridge-door whites and on-the-side reds by the case, delivered to home? If you do have a view, please let me know, either here or by email. By way of thanks for your time and trouble I'll put names in a hat and send a case of wine to whoever's name my children pick out.

Current white in the fridge: Domaine Naudet 2009 Sancerre, £12.99, Waitrose
I rarely spend quite this much on a bottle of wine, unless I am in a restaurant obviously. Even then, I'll ask about the provenance of the house wine before venturing further down the list. Anyway, this thirteen-pounder was bought by a friend who came over for dinner last week. I think she might have panic-bought in Waitrose, thinking if I get it from the wooden racks, it has got to be good. And indeed it is. I'm just sorry I didn't open it when she was here. No really, I am. Made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape and grown in the Sancerre region in France, this is elegant, uptight but so lime-fruit intense it is worth it. I drank this with nothing but music for company. It sang.

Current red on the side: Gran Fabrica 2001, £5 currently at half price, Tesco
Just to bang on for a bit, if you spend £4 on a bottle if wine, more than half of that £4 goes to pay duty and tax. Once you've added packaging, shipping and a retail mark-up into the mix, there's not much left to pay for the stuff you are actually drinking. If, however, you spend £5 on a bottle of wine, you are spending the same amount on duty, tax, shipping and packaging (roughly) so you get much better value for money on what you're putting in your glass. Go to £10 and you're laughing. Some half price wine deals don't deliver on the promise but this one does. And in Tempranillo-laden spades. More brooding than Marlon on that motorbike. This one does need food, something spicy and/or meaty.

Chin chin x

No Time At The Bar

2011-07-26T21:09:00.001+01:00

The weekend before last, our school held a music festival to raise money for a new classroom they are building. Local bands played, most of which had at least one parent as a band member. My contribution was sourcing wine and volunteering to do a shift on the bar. How hard could it be? Turns out with 300 people, high spirits and one small bar, pretty damn hard. I poured cider that looked like ice-cream sundaes, confused bitter for lager and generally undercharged, over-poured and accounted for a lot of spillages. 'Surely you've done bar work before?' asked another mother on the same shift. 'Yes, of course! But it was a while ago...' I replied. 21 years ago to be precise, when on my first day I flooded the bar by breaking the tap off an old barrel, covering the floor in 88 pints of beer. Rather, bitter. As was the landlord. So it seems my natural home is on the other side of the bar. I'll try to remember that in future.

Current white on the side: Altamisa Albarino 2010, £11.99, Naked Wines

This was given to us by a friend who came for dinner on Friday night but we drank mostly red that night, so this one stayed on the side until yesterday when I had a cheeky lunchtime (very small) glass with Vix. Albarino is a grape grown in the Rias Baixas region in northwest Spain and is very much flavour of the month - literally - when it comes to Spanish white wine. Lean and green, with lime fruit and almost ear-splitting acidity, this is a gorgeous summer wine. Some find it too sharp (currently Unbearded Husband included) but happily, that means more for me.

Current red on the side: Chateau Montesquieu 2008, £8.55, Solent Cellar
Done this one before, but babe, it's back again. This is a Southern French cocktail of mostly Grenache, followed by Syrah and finished off with a generous dash of colour-happy Carignan. Made in the Cotes du Roussillon region, this is a rustic mini-beast with bramble fruit and a spicy, black-pepper kick to it. I've just paired it with a pretty-good-although-I-say-so-myself Spaghetti Bolognese and it definitely added weight and joy to our TV dinner.

Happy (school) holidays x

School's Out For Summer (nearly)

2011-07-25T20:25:00.000+01:00

Two more days until school's out. So, here's a little vlog I did for Britmums on the topic of summer holidays. Question is, lazy days approach or boot camp approach? Here's my slightly rambling answer...

It's Albarino and 'Enders for me tonight. Will post wine this week's wine recommendations tomorrow night.

*clinks*

Rob Da Bottle Bank

2011-07-19T21:01:00.000+01:00

Rob is a wine trade expert, social media guru and knackered dad to boot. He talks and writes about wine for a living at Thirst For Wine, so I'm sure he was thrilled, really thrilled, when I asked him to write a post for us - which he's done, beautifully - for nothing. Rob, you are gent. Well, you steal your children's food but apart from that...

ROB's POST

What's a knackered dad to do? It was in the freezer to be eaten, and the fact that it was made for the kids to eat is of lesser consequence right now. I'm on babysitting duty for a change.

Getting down to blogging after work, after helping to feed & bath the kids, plus getting them into bed (including the 1001st re-read of 'Winnie in Space') isn't actually all that easy, especially when your subject is wine. When you open that bottle, with every intention of taking notes and somehow evaluating it objectively, it is SO easy to relax, sit back and enjoy it instead. After all, this is really what wine should be about. Studying your glass rather takes away some of the social pleasure ... except that the effort might help others to discover wine, so ... it is still another job that needs to be done, really - even if you don't believe me.

Blogging starts out as great fun, but does eventually become a chore, an item on the to-do list, and however exciting the subject, it can quickly become tiresome. It would be interesting to find out what percentage of bloggers start off as enthusiastic individuals ... and then become parents and change their mind about the trade-off between blogging and sleep, then drop it all. Not me, I'm committed ... or need to be.

Which all means that I find myself justified in appropriating that lovely homemade bolognese sauce in the freezer to add to my pasta, because I have a job to do. It is my duty to concentrate on this bottle of wine for the pleasure of other knackered parents out there. I'll make the kids something else tomorrow.

Taste the Difference Barbaresco 2008 (Sainsbury's, £9.99)
Should we buy top wines from supermarkets? I thought I'd give some of the more expensive wines from Sainsbury's a go, starting with the Italians. Barbaresco is a well known region, and wines are made from Nebbiolo, a famously tricky but potentially delicious grape. I have to say this was a bit disappointing. It promised to be "rose scented with flavours of cherries and liquorice" and all I really got was a decent, but unexciting red fruit flavour with some not-over-the-top tannins. The magic was missing. I have higher hopes for the TTD Barolo.

Rosso di Montalcino 2008, Baricci (Naked Wines £19.99)
Instead, I turn to a wine that I helped to source (by loving it at a tasting, then seeing it picked up by Naked Wines). I opened a bottle the other night and ... hated it. However, having given it 48 hours to 'breathe' it is lovely - all spicy red cherry and raspberry fruit and plenty more. I wonder how many wine experiences are ruined by being drunk 'unready'?

Chin chin x

Book. Ish.

2011-07-12T22:31:00.001+01:00

Book Club last night. We ate curry, drank wine and talked about, amongst other things, the following:

magnificent bosoms (not ours)
poorly children (ours)
euthanasia (generally)
the Mitford sisters
Caitlin Moran's new book (affectionately known by Bearded Husband as 'that feminist shit')
newborn babies (we had a 3-week old in attendance last night)
Marley & Me (*tiny voice* I loved it)
the importance of Jilly Cooper in one's life
black cock (the wrought iron one outside our house)

We didn't talk about the News International scandal (are we allowed to use that word? Didn't they trademark it?). Bearded Husband is obsessed with it, sneaking snippets of news as he would sly fags. It seems truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

Current white on the side: Anchorage Classic Riesling 2009, New Zealand, £10.99, Naked Wines

We got Naked again last night, thanks to them sending me a case to sample with Book Club. We had a delicious spread of curry (one prawn, one mutton) with dahl/raita/rice accessories. The Riesling was a brilliant match, with a touch of sweetness that countered the spice of the food. Thoughtfully, it had naturally low alcohol, perfect for a school night (10%). This is made from the noble grape that makes Very Knowledgeable Wine People cry due to its ethereal quality. I'd say limes, with honeysuckle notes and a slightly flirty smile. Really lovely.

Current red on the side: Arabella Reserve Shiraz/Viognier 2009, South Africa, £9.99, Naked Wines

There was a time when a glass of South African red wine had me wrinkling my nose before I'd tried it. Now, I don't wrinkle until my nose is in the glass. This one was just. so. easy. to love. Not too shouty or oaky, rather a really good blend of red grape Shiraz with a dash of white grape Viognier, both on loan from the Rhone region in France. All bramble fruit and spice that went happily with our plate of spaghetti bolognese tonight. Another one from Naked but bought with my own dosh, so it didn't taste good just because it was free.

Chin chin x

Quiet Night In

2011-07-06T22:14:00.002+01:00

I do love a quiet night in. Tonight, I am mostly loving the sofa, my bowl of pasta, quite good telly (hurrah for Jo Frost! And Alan Sugar!) and a little glass of red. This is in stark contrast to last night, which saw me screaming like a banshee at a Take That concert, with the Pet Shop Boys supporting. I met Howard in real life once. I also met Neil from the PSBs, chased him - cocktail-fuelled - down a street in high-heeled gold sandals. Your song was Number One when I started going out with my husband-to-be! I said. Well done, he said, sotto voce. I didn't pursue it further. I know a conversational cul-de-sac when I see one.

This week's sparkling rose in the fridge: Millione Frizzante Rose, £7.99, widely available (Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda, Laithwaites, Waitrose, Amazon, Morrisons)
This lightly sparkling 'frizz' from Italy is light, frothy and uncomplicated. The real reason for buying this wine is that £1 from every bottle sold goes to the not-for-profit Millione Foundation set up to build 20 schools in Sierra Leone, a West African country left ravaged by recent civil war. Working with their partners ActionAid, the Foundation has raised over £100,000 to date. Find out more here. It is made from Chardonnay grapes with a dash of Merlot, is lightly sparkling and needs to be served fridge-cold.

This week's red on the side: Tierra del Corazon Pinot Noir 2010, £9.99, Virgin Wines
I picked this one out of a case sent to me by Virgin Wines, mostly on the strength that it had a really pretty label (yup, that shallow). But the wine inside was a delight: a floral red with lightness of touch on the palate thanks to balanced fruit, acidity and alcohol. This is made from Pinot Noir grown in the cooler climate Casablanca Valley, north of Santiago in Chile. In the end, wine is all about balance. And a pretty label, preferably. Lovely with my cuddle in a bowl (pasta lightly covered in cherry tomato sauce - from a jar).

Peace out, winos x

Deal Or No Deal?

2011-06-29T22:44:00.003+01:00

Apparently 70% of all booze in the UK is bought when on offer. I was quite surprised by this. Until I thought about it, that is. I love a bargain. I can't remember the last time I bought baby wipes that weren't on a three-for-two offer. Crisps on buy-one-get-one-free? Ship 'em in. Washing powder, bags of apples, packs of mince, tins of tuna...you know the deal. When it comes to wine, I'll check out the offers before heading to the rest of the wine aisle. The problem is, the choice of wines on offer seems to be getting a bit same-y. Baby, I'm bored.

Current white in the fridge: Cono Sur Viognier Reserve, £8.35, Tesco
Drank a chilled glass of this in the garden with my darling Ma last night, after watching Eldest Son play a violin solo in the school concert. A very big moment for him, a stomach-turning but proud one for me and Bearded Husband. Anyway, he was fab and the wine was delicious. Rich and bosomy, if you know what I mean. Ample. Voluptuous. You get the picture. The grape's homeland is the Rhone Valley in France but here, it does a brilliant apricot shimmy with a peachy twirl at the end. I should probably give you better food match but we had this with those addictive beef and horseradish crisps from M&S and it worked perfectly.

Current red on the side: Stockman's Station Pinot Noir 2008, Central Otago, £8ish, Tesco
Now this wine is normally double the price but I think Tesco was having a clear out so it was a lovely surprise. Either that, or the price on the shelf ticket was wrong. Whatever, I could. Not. Resist. New Zealand Pinot Noir? From Otago? Yes pur-lease. Silky, silky, silky soft tannins, soft raspberry fruit with smooth tannins (think stewed tea feeling on teeth but in a good way). It is delicious. I was supposed to be wine free tonight, but life is definitely too short not to drink a glass of good NZ Pinot Noir on a Wednesday evening just because I feel like it.

Chin chin x

No pressure, then.

2011-06-28T23:06:00.000+01:00

Now there's a thing. This blog has been named as one of five bloggers to watch by The Guardian, following Saturday's Cybermummy conference. Which is a bit of a nightmare as it implies something interesting is going to happen. So, if you are here for the first time, here's what this blog is all about:

Now I've been named as one to watch I'll try and keep it interesting, learn to tap dance or something. Whatever happens there will always be a couple of weekly wine recommendations on the blog. Too knackered to do them now, I'll post some tomorrow.

KM x

#cybermummy11 - live blog from Rachel Johnson's speech on writing about your life

2011-06-25T17:11:00.004+01:00

Here's Rachel Johnson! And me! She's talking at Cybermummy now about the highlights and lowlights of her published career. Specifically, how many people she has pissed off in the process. She started writing The Mummy Diaries with three small children under 5 (her kids are now teenagers) before the world of mummy blogging even existed. She 's written when living abroad in Washington, US and alienated people. She moved to Brussels, wrote a column in the Sunday Times about life there instead and managed to alienate even more people. She says she has crossed that fine line between writing life and real life on many occasions, including writing about her husband's liver transplant. Written for a particular magazine, she then found it was sold by that publication and her husband read it in the Evening Standard (someone else's). Cross words, apparently. No speaking for two days. Ouch.

Rachel wrote a piece for Vogue on erm, female grooming down there. She wrote candidly about her own daughter's grooming habits. The story went ballistic and Rachel was lambasted in the Daily Mail by Liz Jones. Liz Jones! That obviously hurt. Not as much as the waxing, no doubt.

However, she says that honest writing about yourself is what people want to read. Andrea Levy was on Desert Island Discs recently and did exactly that, going on to win a major writing award for 'Small Island'. The great thing about blogging is that it has given us mere mortals a voice and a platform. She is a self-confessed technophobe and doesn't blog (but she's got 6,000 Twitter followers - @rachelsjohnson - so she can't be that bad).

Her parting shot: just remember, friends are friends, family is family and they will love you no matter what. You just might have to grovel. Of course, this is not going to work for everyone, but it seems to work for her brilliantly.

Rachel is the editor of The Lady (www.thelady.co.uk) and has written a book, Diary of The Lady. Her brother is quite famous too, apparently.

#cybermummy11 - live blog from Sophie King's writing workshop

2011-06-25T12:18:00.004+01:00

So, I am live blogging from writer Sophie King's writing workshop. She's telling us how to find our (blogging) voice. She used to be a journalist and wrote about bringing up children for most of her writing life, for Family Matters magazine. When it came to writing novels, she found writing multi-character novels did it for her, weaving lives together. She's written five novels to date and she's just dropped in that she did this as a single mother. Damn, I want some of what she's having...

On the subject of blogging and not rambling i.e making your blog stand out from the crowd she suggests we think about the following:
1) What makes you different? What's your point of difference?
2) Make each blog post a cliffhanger, leave 'em wanting more!
3) Give your blog room to grow, change you blog name if necessary and link back
4) Set yourself a new challenge - give your blog a pep-up! Climb a mountain (Sophie's suggestion, not mine), start running, join a belly dancing class, write about a move abroad...
5)!Find the secret you! Write as if you are that person. Brilliant! Right now, I am about six foot, skinny and wearing to-die-for lingerie (said with French accent). Actually she's got a really good point.
6) What really makes you cross? Go on, rant away people! We all LOVE a rant. Check out Kat at 3 Bedroom Bungalow for Dear So and So...
7) Set your own style. Think about the language you use. Experiment. Go without punctuation (love this one, two fingers to my old english teacher! Actually, I loved Mr Stubbs...). Write from someone else's viewpoint (cat, child, iPhone).
8) Join up with a writing buddy - bounce off each other, kick ideas around, drink wine (ok, the last one was mine).
9) Write rhymes/poems - I do know a limerick, but it is too rude to live-blog.
10) Think of a catchy title. Like, er, say...Knackered Mothers' Wine Club! Oh, it's been done. Bugger. You could use a title for a section of your blog, rather than a whole new blog.
11) Write under a different name - Sophie is really Jane Bidder. Sophie King is her novel name. Mine is Louise Palace, using the middle name/first street you lived in rule. Might have to re-think that.
12) Be funny! Write down the funny stuff your kids do/say. There's no such thing as laughing too much. Unless you slightly wee. If you see her, ask Penny (The Alexander Residence) why she didn't let her daughter go to the moon. So unfair, Penny.

So, now we're doing a writing exercise, we've teamed up with the person next to us and I am with Kirsten. She's hit gold. She is about to start a blog about her son who has autism and the blog will be called We Need To Talk About Jack. Brilliant, Kirsten, I can't wait to read it. Another team have come up with a 'Let's Be Honest' section in their blog, a place to just spill the beans. Love it.

Another exercise is writing a post with the title: I Wish I Hadn't...here's a selection:
I wish I hadn't had children sometimes but then again, if I hadn't I wouldn't have laughed so much.
I wish I hadn't decided to change my baby as the plane was landing.
I wish I hadn't shouted at my kids so much because now they shout at me.

So, parting shots from Sophie:
- If you are currently trying to write a novel consider switching genres. Try historical, crime, sci-fi (mine would be a disaster, I've never even seen a Star Wars film). Get what she means though, the pure romantic novel is a very over-crowded market.
- Write for a few minutes every day without thinking. Shit, she's just asked us to do it now. OK, here goes. Hope the kids are OK. Hope my husband is back from his work trip. Hope lunch is soon. Sorry, mine not very good. Others reading theirs out now are MUCH more interesting.
- Write a haunting teasing first line e.g. It wasn't until she got out of bed until she remembered...' then see where you go.
- Do something adventurous to bring out your adventurous side
- If pace of your writing flags, change tack
- Start at the beginning, write chronologically

Sophie's latest book is 'The Wedding Party'.

Mutton. Dressed.

2011-06-24T00:14:00.003+01:00

So there I was, standing in the middle of an H&M clothes shop and all I could think was I'VE LOST IT. I just didn't 'get' the clothes. Everything looked too small, too trendy, too....too...teenager-y. Still, I refused to give in graciously and picked up something to try on. Then I saw the escalator and the sign above it:

UP TO WOMENSWEAR

I was on the teen floor. I put the sweatshirt back, took the escalator and realised my 'too old for Topshop' moment had come. Luckily I was in a different shop. And on the wrong floor.

Current white in the fridge: L'Hospitalet Viognier 2010, Gerard Bertrand, £4.75/glass, Picture House
You'll have to go to the cinema to try this one. I had a glass last night whilst watching the new film Bridesmaids. Lordy, it was funny. Laugh out loud funny. LOL, in fact. Anyway, the Picture House cinema chain sell this wine so try it if you've got one near you and you're not driving (the glass was huge). It was gorgeously ripe with unctuous, yes unctuous peach fruit flavours. Viognier makes a refreshing change to Chardonnay: more spice and attitude when good. Often slightly higher in alcohol, too.

Current red on the side: Fairtrade Tilimuque Cabernet/Bonarda 2010, Argentina, £6.99, Waitrose
This medium-bodied red from Argentina is Fairtrade, organic and delicious. Made from a blend of the bright, slightly excitable Bonarda grape and the more serious, firm Cabernet grape, they make a great couple. Clearly in love. Argentina is almost always touted as the next big thing in wine but seems to stay firmly in the shadow of its more seriously commercial neighbour, Chile. Take a punt, though. It usually pays off. 25% off all wines if you buy 6 bottles or more until the end of June.

Now, I'm off to Cybermummy on Saturday. No, I haven't turned into a blogging robot, this is about ~~connecting with~~ having a laugh with other (mostly mummy) bloggers. I'll be live blogging (no, I've no idea either) from a couple of workshops, including one with Rachel Johnson (editor of The Lady and Boris' sister). I shall be wearing H&M.

Pip pip x

Karaoke Kings

2011-06-21T20:37:00.002+01:00

The lovely Erica - aka Littlemummy - tagged me in a meme a few weeks ago. All I had to do was pick which song I would sing if doing Karaoke. Cue lots of fond memories of countless times singing into a wooden spoon/empty wine bottle fighting for the lead vocal in Atomic Kitten's 'Whole Again'. Needless to say, we sang a slightly ruder version and were miles better than the real kittens. In our heads.

However, if singing now, I would choose one that I sang in Soho's Lucky Voice last year with a group of old girlfriends. Under the influence of wigs, microphones and fizz we belted out this:

We were AWESOME.

You're next, Crumbs (both of you), Bush Mummy, Potty, Nappy Valley Girl and Belgravia Wife.

Wine reccs to follow later this week x

The Demon Drink

2011-06-17T22:18:00.001+01:00

Every other week there is an alcohol-related story in the news - mostly the Daily Mail and their obsession with wine and the middle classes - but the last few days have seen a positive binge on bad booze stories. First, a major drinks company got slammed for funding midwives to educate pregnant women about the dangers of drinking alcohol when pregnant. Today there was a report about how the drinking habits of parents affect their children's behaviour with alcohol. Now, I haven't seen my two year old sniffing and spitting a Sauvignon and declaring it 'too grassy' recently, but having read today's report, I am on it like a hawk.

This week's white in the fridge: Villebois Loire Sauvignon Blanc 2010, £9.49, Naked Wines
Definitely not too grassy. The Loire Valley in northern France is famous for producing great Sauvignon Blanc wines - Sancerre is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape - but given the cool climate, some can be cheek-suckingly lean and lemony. Not so this one: it is ripe, fruity but still cool. Very, very summery; the perfect antidote to this shitty weather and match to my pre-supper mood.

This week's red on the side: Tesco Finest Touriga Nacional 2008, £4.75 on offer, Tesco.com

This is made from the Touriga Nacional grape, Portugal's biggest name in terms of red grapes. It is a key component of many Port wines (the fortified stuff that gets blamed for headaches whenever people drink it, forgetting the copious amounts of wine they've usually had beforehand). This one is made by one of Portugal's most famous producers and is rich, dark and loaded with bramble fruit and spice. Delicious with steak, so it was.

Pip pip x

Dahl-ing

2011-06-08T23:29:00.001+01:00

Last night we had our latest Book Club meeting. Yet again, I failed to finish the book so had to ask a fellow BC member to fill me in on the details. I do try, really I do but in the evenings, once the children are done, food is cooked, a bit of telly is watched (sort of) I am done. Some of you might remember me swearing off the trash mags (I'm talking Hello!, not Heat) but they've crept back into my life because you don't need to commit to a magazine like you do a book. Actually, one of the happy byproducts of Book Club has been Other People's Recipes. Here's one of my favourites so far, Jessie's Dahl:

Chop onion, fry in lots of veg oil (1 inch in pan) – add garlic, ginger, black mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander and fresh chillies. In separate saucepan cook rinsed orange/red lentils in lots of salted water and add to pan of spices. Add can of tomatoes or tomato passata. Just before serving add loads of fresh chopped coriander.

This week's white in the fridge: Chilano Signature Series Chardonnay 2010, £4.49 on offer, Tesco
This was a huge success last night, everyone loved it. Made from Chardonnay grapes grown in Chile's Central Valley (which is enormous, btw) the wine is a gorgeous melon and citrus flavoured white with zip and grip. It doesn't shout too loud, but has enough flavour to make you want to swill and sniff, rather than simply glug. Just what you need to get Book Club started and a brilliant partner to sweet chilli crisps, as it happens.

This week's red on the side: Rosso Del Molise Doc Riserva Gran Conti 2007, £4.99 on offer, Tesco
A mix of Aglianico and Montepulciano grapes from the Molise region in the middle of Italy, this is an absolute bargain. Cherry bright fruit with spice and a touch of smoky bacon (from the wine, not the crisps), this was a great match for the panic-bought lamb I bunged in the oven at tea-time. Three hours later, it was a very happy match for the wine.

Chin chin x

Why blog?

2011-06-06T21:41:00.004+01:00

I vlogged about this not long ago for BritMums but I forgot to mention one of the best things about blogging. Yes, I talked about how much I love the writing, sharing wine knowledge, laughs and meeting good people. But I didn't talk about how I've learned stuff reading other mothers' blogs - really great stuff. The #passiton campaign is an example of that. No matter that when I first saw the hashtag I read it as 'passion', then 'position' (that's a whole other blog post). This is a campaign to encourage world leaders to use 4 hours to save 4 million children’s lives on June 13 at the global vaccination summit in London. Run by Save The Children as part of their No Child Born To Die campaign, they have harnessed the power of bloggers, specifically mothers, to raise awareness and get support. You can add your voice here. Pass it on.

I'll post a couple of wine recommendations later this week, post Book Club (tomorrow night). I've still got 200 pages to go. It's going to be a long night.

KM x

Dance like nobody's watching...

2011-05-26T23:48:00.000+01:00

Tonight, the 6yo Boy had his school disco. It was a 5.45pm drop off, £1 entry, all drinks & snacks included and an hour of wall to wall dance floor fillers. He really did dance like no-one was watching. He and his friends went BONKERS; they busted moves, laughed their heads off and generally had a Really Very Good Time. One mother noted how we need a drink to dance like that nowadays. I know what she means. With age comes self-consciousness. But as we get older still, more confident I'm hoping we edge back towards that wonderful time of being able to dance like nobody's watching. I came home, put the boys and girl to bed, hit shuffle on the breakin' shapes playlist (inspired by Mumra) and did just that. Luckily, no-one was.

Current white in the fridge: Villa Maria Chardonnay/Viognier 2010, £8.50ish, Waitrose
Another New Zealand white this week, but this time not a Sauvignon Blanc or a Pinot Gris (the grape I talked about on my last vlog) but a blend of two grapes. This is a really good blend of Chardonnay and Viognier, two white grapes that are of the fuller-figured nature vs. skinny Sauvignon and slender PG. In fact, I think there is a splash of Pinot Gris in here too, not that you'd notice. It is all about the ripe, round, almost creamy tropical fruit characters. Made from grapes grown in the Gisborne region in New Zealand's north island, this was robust enough to cope with spicy thai fishcakes.

Current red on the side: La Leyenda Malbec Syrah 2010, £5 on offer, Tesco
So I might have mentioned this one before. It is fab: juicy, rich, full-bodied, crammed with black fruit flavours and just when you think you can relax, there's a slap round the chops from the spice. This one is another blend, made from Argentina's most famous red export, Malbec, and Syrah (aka Shiraz). They are lovely on their own but are obviously really enjoying each other's company here. It works, especially at a fiver. I had this with a half-hearted plate of cheese and slightly soft Carr biscuits. It improved it enormously.

Bottoms up x

Summer Drinkies (vlog)

2011-05-22T22:45:00.000+01:00

Here's one I made earlier, some suggestions for summer drinkies:

Working Holiday

2011-05-20T00:36:00.002+01:00

I've been away from home for a few nights, spending the days working on a wine stand at the annual London International Wine Fair. Cue much swirling, sipping and spitting whilst surrounded by hundreds of bottles of wine. Now I'm home and have been cobbling a vicar's outfit together for my son to take to school tomorrow for the fake wedding they are having in class. Obviously.

It is National Wine Month apparently so in the spirit of spreading the word, click here to visit the 'Make Time For Wine' website: lots of interesting stuff about wine to be found including online wine courses.

Current white in the fridge: Wither Hills Pinot Gris 2010, £6.29 on offer, Waitrose
Love this wine, made from the Pinot Gris grape grown in the Marlborough region in New Zealand. The style is fresh, dry and gorgeously aromatic; almost flowery on the nose, honeysuckle-ish. Pinot Gris is widely grown in Alsace, France and in Italy of course, where it is absolutely bloody everywhere and labelled as Pinot Grigio. This one is a real change from the often very drinkable but ultimately forgettable PGs that are always 'on offer'. Put this with duck pancakes and it'll blossom.

Current red on the side: Cono Sur Pinot Noir Reserve 2009, £6 on offer, Tesco
This Chilean red is made from Pinot Noir, a grape that when made well, can bring a grown (wo)man to tears due to price as well as sublime quality. Burgundy in France is Pinot's natural homeland but Chile has made itself a name over the last few years for producing good quality Pinot at less eye-watering prices. It smells of summer pudding and goes a dream with roast lamb.

Chin chin x

Home

2011-05-09T23:32:00.004+01:00

We've moved house. Again. Only this time, we moved into one that we own. After years of renting, we are now in a 1970's bungalow with a peach-coloured bathroom, a green sitting room and cork floors throughout. Living Etc it ain't but I love it more than any house we've ever lived in. In fact, it feels like home.

Current white in the fridge: Benjamin Darnault Picpoul de Pinet, 2009, £9.99, Naked Wines
Book Club, meaning two more wines kindly supplied by Naked Wines for me to try with friends and get more than just my view on the wine. Our chosen book was The Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck, which I didn't finish. Instead, I took along my Royal Wedding copy of Hello! and shared my favourite outfit (Lady Sarah's grey dress, simply gorgeous). Back to wine: this is made from the Picpoul grape grown in the Languedoc region in the South of France. The grape name translates as 'lip-stinger', a reference to its searing acidity but this one was rather more gentle. Refreshing, lemony, crisp and dry, in fact. A real people-pleaser of a wine.

Current red on the side: Benjamin Darnault Organic Saint Chinian 2009, £12.99, Naked Wines
The one thing that seems to unite most organic wines is a truly terrible label. This one breaks with tradition, not a bunch of grapes in sight. Made from a blend of Grenache and Syrah grapes, the wine is fruity, forward - a touch rustic even - and typical of the juicy reds grown in and around the town of Saint Chinian in the South of France. Pricey (as is often the case with organic wines) but if you buy a case of wine from Naked as an Angel, it brings the price down considerably. The last time I bought a mixed case from here, the average price was about £5/bottle.

Chin chin x

Wine: are you worth it?

2011-04-27T00:05:00.002+01:00

A recent study claimed that we couldn't tell the difference between cheap wine and expensive wine. When asked to decide which was which, only 50% of respondents got it right. Wierd, because in my experience, give someone a £5 bottle and a £10 bottle and most people can differentiate. We might not always prefer the more expensive wine, but can tell the difference between the two. I tested this out on a few friends last week (I promise I am not always this dull) with a £5 bottle of Pinot Grigio and a £10 bottle of Gavi. Both Italian white wines, both delicious: tasted 'blind' the Gavi was easily picked out as the more expensive wine, with better weight and flavour. Go above £10 - not something I do very often, tbh - and it becomes a question of personal taste as much as anything. The average price of a bottle of wine in the UK is still under £5. Spend a few quid more and you'll get much better value for money. Spend over £10 and I'll be asking you round for dinner.

This week's white in the fridge: Araldica, La Monetta Gavi di Gavi 2009, £9.99, Waitrose
This is the very same wine mentioned above. I liked it so much, I bought another bottle at the weekend. Made from the Cortese grape grown in the Gavi region in Piedmont, Italy. It is a really sunny, crisp wine; refreshingly different from Chardonnay and more interesting than the ubiquitous Pinot Grigio. I drank a glass of this whilst deciding how long I could put off packing. As you can see, I chose posting over packing.

This week's red on the side: Chateau Montesquieu 2008, £8.55, The Solent Cellar
A frequent dinner guest, this is a brilliant example of how spending a few extra quid gives you much better value for money at this level. This good-looking red is from the Cotes du Roussillon region in the South of France, 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Carignan. Sometimes the sum is greater than the parts: the Grenache has great fleshy fruit, the Syrah adds backbone, depth and tannin and the Carignan brings colour to the party. Aged in French oak for 10 months, this is a little smarty-pants of a wine. Brilliant with Shepherd's Pie. Ketchup essential.

Chin chin x

Wedding Belles

2011-04-25T22:54:00.004+01:00

I am very excited about Friday for a number of reasons. We'll be in our new house having moved the day before AND we have a Royal Wedding to watch. Best of all, my darling sister is coming over from Brussels for a few days just so she can watch it on TV with me and my mother. A wedding, a day's holiday and an excuse to drink fizz with loved ones? I, for one, can't wait. Here's what we'll be drinking:

Currently chilling in the fridge: Michel Gonet Brut Reserve NV, £18 on offer, Tesco.com
This is a brilliant sparkler made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes (the smart two of the three main grapes allowed) grown in Grand Cru villages (the highest rated vineyards according to the echelle des crus village rating system) across Champagne. It is not a shy style of wine: biscuity, layered and moreish. I've made it sound like the alternative McVities cake being served at Buckingham Palace on Friday but can assure you it is dry as a bone and not quite as fattening. Jancis Robinson loved this wine and wrote in up in the FT not long ago.

Happy daze x

Working Girl

2011-04-13T18:52:00.001+01:00

This week, I am in town for the International Wine Challenge, tasting about 100 wines a day blind (as in the bottles are covered up, rather than me tasting them with my eyes closed). I'm tasting the wines with a panel of experts to unearth this year's gold, silver and bronze medal wines. Results will be announced in May and I will duly give you the nod on the best ones when the winners are announced.

So, although I am tasting 100s of wines this week, I'm not actually drinking any. The only thing I can face after a full day's tasting is a cup of tea.

Back next week with some recommendations.

KM x

Worrier Princess

2011-04-04T23:41:00.001+01:00

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

BMB Twitter Tasting: How to taste...

2011-03-31T13:05:00.001+01:00

Ahead of tonight's BMB wine twitter tasting, here's a quick guide on how to taste and get the most from your glass of vino. Tasting starts at 8pm and the three wines we're tasting are listed here . Drop in whatever you are tasting. Laters x

Pour me

2011-03-30T22:07:00.002+01:00

Today has been a bit of a rush, as in time-poor rather than adrenaline. School run, work, school run (already?!) swimming lessons, more work. But this evening has been a joy. I poured a glass of red and SLOWED. DOWN. I made a little vlog about tasting wine ahead of a twitter tasting I am doing tomorrow night (click here if you want to see it) and then polished off a plate of the children's leftover lasagne. Brilliant, because as we all know our children's leftovers have zero calories. None whatsoever; you lose weight eating them. Fact.

Current white in the fridge: Seifried Gewurztraminer 2009, Naked Wines, £11
I was sent a case of wine last week to taste as part of an online tasting with Naked and Mumsnet. The (pregnant) winemaker, Heidi, was online and able to answer questions as we tasted. 'Tis the beauty of the world wide web. Anyway, this was my favourite white. Gewurztraminer is the grape here, grown this time in Nelson which sits at the top of New Zealand's South Island. 'Gewurz' translated means spice and this is exactly what you get: fruit and spice. Turkish delight was the flavour description that popped up the most. I'd add peach and lychee in there too. Really, really delicious. Finished off the following night with a Chinese takeaway and it worked a treat.

Current red on the side: Glorioso Rioja Reserva 2005, Tesco.com, currently half price at £7
Spanish reds. There is something about those two words that makes me want to head for the sofa with a book. Mind you, Kids Bath are two words that have the same effect on occasion. Anyway, this one is a real bargain, made from Tempranillo grapes and aged in oak barrels for a year, then another two years in bottle allowing it to relax and mellow until ready for us. Gorgeous, silky and much more affordable than most gorgeous silky things. Loved my kids' lasagne almost as much as me.

Pour me another x

KMTV

2011-03-22T22:07:00.004Z

So I think we've established that this blog is about wine and me. Mostly me. As if I needed any encouragement, I was asked to attend a BMB blogging event last week in London where a ~~select handful~~ motley crue of blogging mothers were given cameras and a lesson in how to vlog (that's video blogging: I know, who knew)? Anyway, if you want to watch something akin to You've Been Framed but without anything funny happening then click here. It's a little film on why I blog. As I said, mostly me.

This week's white in the fridge: De Bortoli DB Selection Verdelho 2009, Waitrose, £6.49
I heard Chris Evans on the radio this week saying that he was bored with white wine. I say he's drinking the wrong stuff. Saying you're bored with white wine is like saying you're bored with food. Sort of. You're just stuck in a rut and need a change, need your faith restored. So, step away from the Pinot Grigio and Try Something New. This wine is made from the Verdelho grape, grown in Australia and is not unlike Chardonnay but I find it lighter, with more zip and a lush guava note to it. Ideal wine to have whilst standing in the kitchen, trying to muster up the energy to cook something for the big people in the house for supper.

This week's red on the side: Maurel Vedeau Saveurs Veritables Merlot 2009, Source Wines, £8
Merlot is the grape here, this one from the South of France. As a grape, Merlot sometimes gets left at the side of the dancefloor as the bigger show-off that is Cabernet Sauvignon busts its moves and hogs the limelight. But I love a good Merlot; when made well I love its soft fleshy character and raspberry fruit flavours. This one comes in a screwcap and was opened last night when we had it with risotto. Still tasting good with root veg-loaded soup tonight. And to think we used to seal wines with a bit of camel dung wrapped in muslin. Imagine trying to get that back in the bottle.

Peace out, winos x

W(h)ine Free Zone

2011-03-16T21:28:00.001Z

I've been ill, proper lying-under-blankets-shivering ill, for four days. So no wine for me; just soup, tea and sympathy with a pholcodine chaser. Unable to share wine recommendations, I thought I'd share this instead. It is a TED talk by Brene Brown on the power of vulnerability. I watched it a few weeks ago, hot cup of tea in hand and loved it. The last slide is fab, summing up what I wish someone had told me ages ago. Enjoy, and I'll be back on the sauce - all in the line of duty, of course - next week.

KMx

#FAIL

2011-03-12T17:15:00.001Z

This week, I have mostly failed. Namely:
1) failed to finish my book before Book Club night
2) failed to make any inroads on mountain of washing
3) failed to meet one or two (OK, three) work deadlines
4) failed to post a thank you letter that's been in my bag for a week
5) failed to not have wine (token Lent thing)

But I was given the award below from fellow bloggers which rather pulls it back:

So, thank you Crumbs sisters. Yours is one of my favourite blogs, full of brilliant ideas to do with cooking for children and big people. The idea of this award is to pass it on to three favourite blogs to help spread love and awareness all at the same time. Multi-tasking at its best. I hereby heart the following blogs I've been really enjoying recently:

Metropolitan Mum - pretty smart
Make Mine Mid-Century - gorgeous blog, dedicated wino
Tiddlyompompom - spookily familiar

Now for the wines, drunk at this week's Book Club and sent to me by Naked Wines to review:

This week's white in the fridge: Villebois Sancerre 2009, Naked Wines, £13.99 (part of mixed case)
Its been a while since I've drunk Sancerre. Two reasons: firstly, it is expensive. Secondly, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (the grape we're talking about here) is generally cheaper and more widely available. When good, Sancerre is a more complex style of Sauvignon Blanc, but quietly so. It is not a tropical fruit-bomb, rather it slaps you in the face with a twist of lemon and tweaks your nose with an after-kick of acidity. The soil is flint-like, aka silex, and you can almost taste it. This was a hit with all seven members of Book Club, moreso than the last Sauvignon Blanc we had from New Zealand.

This week's red on the side: Chalk Hill Penance 2008, Naked Wines, £13.99 (part of mixed case)
There are drinks that can transport me back in time. The smell, the taste, the headaches. Taboo? 1989: hiding out in undercliffs at school, mistakenly thinking that a couple of polo mints would hide the smell of booze and fags. Cider & Black? 1995: year of finals, reason my face looked like it had been blown up with a bicycle pump in every photo taken of me at university. Aussie Shiraz/Grenache blend at 14.5% that smells like Ribena concentrate? I could have sworn that too was a thing of the past, or at least no longer de rigueur but here it was, being devoured at Book Club and the crowd went wild. They bayed for more, but we'd finished the bottle. Always leave 'em wanting more, as they say in showbiz.

Our next book? Grapes of Wrath x

Comic Timing

2011-03-02T21:48:00.008Z

Heroines, I've had a few: Nightingale (Florence & Annie), Nigella and any number of Jilly Cooper characters included (the ones who weren't obviously pretty but then became ravishing once drenched in Diorissimo and tight on thunderous G&Ts). Another heroine is Jancis Robinson MW (Master of Wine), a walking wine authority. Jancis started Wine Relief in 1999 and has helped raise nearly £4 million for Comic Relief through wine sales and other wine-related tomfoolery since then. If you buy one of these wines in March, 10% will go to Comic Relief. A very good reason to get a red nose, in fact. Here are some of her favourites from the 80-strong line-up (there's a * next to the ones I've tried and loved):

Brown Brothers Dry Muscat 2008 South Eastern Australia £5.60 Booths*
Les Arbousiers Rosé 2009 Coteaux de Languedoc £7.49 Virgin Wines
Nosio, Forte Alto Pinot Grigio 2010 IGT Vigneti delle Dolomiti £7.99 Waitrose*
Grande Réserve de Gassac Rouge 2009 Vin de Pays de l'Hérault £7.99 Laithwaites
Villa Lanata, Lo Zoccolaio, Suculé 2007 Barbera d'Alba £9.99 Majestic*
Newton Johnson Pinot Noir 2008 Elgin £16.99 M&S*
Guado al Tasso, Il Bruciato 2007 Bolgheri £18.99 Wine Rack

Chin chin x

The Dating Game

2011-02-24T22:31:00.006Z

My sister and I found my mother's latest boyfriend on the internet. Background: post first marriage, she's not been a great picker. After a string of unsuitables, we decided to take action. Following a particularly jolly wedding (not hers), we got home and signed her up on a dating website. We added her profile, a picture (in retrospect, using one of Christie Brinkley was probably a) cheating and b) illegal but it was about 2am) and waited for the responses. Most of them were deleted on grounds of bad knitwear but Colin got through. That's when we told my mother what we'd been up to. Two years on they are still having a lovely time. She calls him ebay Colin. You can see why we had to step in. Left to her own devices she'd be dating a knock-off Louis Vuitton.

This week's white in the fridge: Nimbus Gewurztraminer 2009, £8, Source Wines
We drank this at a wine tasting I did for fellow knackered mothers at Graze for a nursery fundraiser a few weeks ago and it went down a storm. It is quite an opinionated little wine, looking like not much until you stick your nose in the glass and then all of a sudden IT IS SHOUTING AT YOU. Just like a toddler. It is saying: ooh, look at me, lychee, turkish delight and jasmine all rolled into one. Then you taste it; same thing. Delicious, crisp and floral. Gewurz (as it is known by those to lazy to say all five syllables) is a gem. The default is to say drink it with Asian food but I haven't found a better match yet so go with it.

This week's red on the side: Tesco Finest Argentinean Malbec 2009, £4.75 currently on offer, Tesco
Sorry. Another Malbec. Must have a thing for dark brooding beasts at the moment. This one is made by one of Argentina's most well-known producers, Catena. Years ago, I met the owner - Nicolas Catena, a really lovely man - when on a buying trip. I was told he was an economic advisor to the president. Kind of puts you on the back foot when negotiating. Anyway, the wine is a joy, made from grapes grown in vineyards in the Mendoza region. It is not the most sophisticated wine I've ever had in my glass but it is rich, full-bodied and very, very present. We had this with toad in the hole and everyone was happy.

To happiness x

The Beautiful Game

2011-02-16T22:26:00.001Z

I'm not a huge sports fan. I once asked Andrew Strauss if he was following the Ashes. I was making polite conversation, the Ashes was in the news at the time and I had no idea who he was. Obviously. But tonight, I watched The Arse whoop Barca's backside and it was great fun. It was just me, the Lightly Bearded Husband and wine and roast chicken and a fire and telly and sleeping children. Just don't ask me to explain the offside rule.

This week's white in the fridge: Cowrie Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand £5.69 or currently 2 for £10, Waitrose
I think I had a little moan a while back about cheap NZ Sauvignon Blanc boring me. Scratch that. This beautifully packaged exclusive parcel for Waitrose is an absolute gem. It is shipped in bulk to the UK and bottled here, so boosting the wine's green credentials in terms of lower carbon emissions. Not surprisingly, this is something New Zealand is keen to steal a march on, given that the wines have to travel so far to get here. Anyway, this is a lemon-crisp dry white with gorgeous bright fruit and balanced acidity. Did I mention the purty label? Oh, I did. Ignore me. We had this pre-chicken.

This week's red on the side: Tesco Finest Vin De Pays D'oc Malbec 2009, £7.49, Tesco
My friend bought a bottle of this over when she came to stay last weekend. We saw it off, and delicious it was too. Plummy, spicy, smooth, not too heavy, enough to cope with my slightly over chillied pasta. I'm sure she said it was on offer when she bought it but it is showing at full price now. Snooze you lose, as they say. Made from the brilliantly moody Malbec grape (one of the Bordeaux blend original grapes) this has been slammed back on the wine map by Argentina in recent years. It is also the grape behind the wines of Cahors, sadly now very difficult to find in the UK. Enjoy: we did.

Get in x

A woman's work...

2011-02-09T22:25:00.002Z

According to Lorraine Candy, editor of Elle magazine, it's easier to run an office of 40 than build a Lego fort. You don't say. When I was on maternity leave after Eldest Boy was born it was obviously joyous, but it was also mind-numbingly monotonous at times. Engaging with little people against a backdrop of dirty washing and a toy-covered kitchen floor whilst running a free canteen and taxi service (with complimentary bottom-wiping, obviously) is hard work. Being in an office, having grown-up conversations, drinking a cup of coffee that's not gone cold, sitting in relative peace on the journey home? 'Tis the stuff of dreams. And they call it work...

This week's white in the fridge: Terre a Verre Picpoul de Pinet 2009, £10, Source Wines
We had a wine tasting to raise a bit of money for Middle Boy's school earlier this week and this was one of the stars in the line up. The grape is Picpoul, meaning 'lip-stinger', apparently because of the high acidity of the grape. I promise you it doesn't sting. It does tingle, though. The delicate jasmine-scented aromas, peach-like fruit flavours and crisp acidity are brilliantly balanced. From the Coteaux de Languedoc region in the South of France, it is a gorgeous example of this underrated grape. Loves food, especially my chicken curry (mild).

This week's red on the side: Piccini Supertuscan 2008, £8.54, Tesco
This wine is a so-called 'super-tuscan' because the blend of grapes used is not the traditional blend required for it to be labelled as Chianti. This particular one is mostly Sangiovese (as with Chianti) but with a bit of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon added for good measure. Be prepared: this is big, bold, herby and blackcurranty with an added whack of spice just when you think the wine's work is done. You can feel the acidity and it makes your mouth water, so add food for best results, preferably something meaty or spicy. Or both. I bought it when on offer a few weeks ago - half price I think - but we've run out. I'll shout when it's on offer again.

Now, fancy winning a trip to Valentine's trip to Venice via Naked Wines? Me too. Click here for details.

Pip pip x

Guest Post from VB!

2011-02-03T00:32:00.002Z

I'm friends with VB. Not that VB (seriously though, have you read Mrs Beckham's interview in this month's Vogue? She's fab). This is Very Bored, or Very Bored in Catalunya to give her blog its full title. Luckily, boredom drives her to write very funny stuff. It also drives her to drink (in moderation, obviously) and she knows lots about good Spanish wines. So thank you, VB, for your post below on Spanish wines worth foraging for.

I wanted to do a post about Catalan wines that are available in the UK, sadly my research showed that there are very few Catalan wines available in British supermarkets and wine merchants, in fact there are precious few Spanish wines full stop. Except, of course, the erstwhile Rioja. Now I am not knocking Rioja, hell I drink enough of it, but I wanted people to realise that there are alternatives, bloody good alternatives, to Rioja. Spain has some fantastic wine regions, I am lucky in that 40 minutes drive from my home are the wonderful wine regions of Priorat and Montsant, and just under an hour away north and I am in Penedès— home of wine giants Torres and of course Cava country.

Priorat is a tiny region in Tarragona and the wines are usually extraordinarily expensive, prices tend to range from €20 to €500 a bottle so I was delighted to find that Sainsbury’s do a Taste the Difference Priorat at just £9.99, sadly the website doesn’t specify which grapes are used but I am guessing it would be a blend of Granacha and Cariñena with a dash of something else (Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah).

The area surrounding Priorat is called Montsant and much more affordable but just as quaffable wines can be found from here. Booths supermarket (sadly only up north) stocks a wine from my most favourite vineyard - Capçanes. Mas Collet made from the Granacha grape at £8.16.

Torres, a huge company based in Penedès, make a fabulous Granacha/Cariñena blend in their Sangre De Toro which is available from Morrisons & Asda at £7.03 and Waitrose at a penny cheaper!

Moving across the country to Navarra, sadly overshadowed by its next door neighbour Rioja, this style is certainly hard to track down. I’ve managed to find some - Agramont - at Majestic at £7.99 a bottle – a Tempranillo and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

Last but by no means least, and a particular favourite of Mr Very Bored is Ribero del Duero. Hailing from the Castilla y León area of north-west Spain. Not for the faint hearted, the Blason is a full bodied wine (Tempranillo is the grape) with a full bodied price tag to match at £12.34 a bottle from Waitrose Wine Direct. Save it for a special occasion with a great piece of red meat.

Wendy can usually be found chewing the fat over at Very Bored in Catalunya when she’s not busy slurping lovely Spanish wine that is.

Don't Judge A Book...

2011-01-27T21:20:00.003Z

I love a good book but had always found the idea of a book club rather awful. As a friend said, years of being told what to read at school can put a girl off. Then I was asked to join one by another friend who used to work for SOMEONE REALLY FAMOUS so I said yes thinking that if the books were bad at least the anecdotes would be priceless. Annoyingly, she's far too discreet. I'll work on that. Anyway, last night was our first meeting and over a bowl of delicious stew and glasses of wine we talked about the book (so-so). Before long we were talking about sperm washing (I dare you to google it). Erudite indeed.

Last year I wrote about a wine that I bought from an internet wine company called Naked Wines. ~~My new best friend~~ their PR manager has since sent me a case of 6 wines to try and I said I would do so, two wines a time at Book Club. I did think Naked Book Club but with 14 children between the five of us, perhaps not.

This week's white in the fridge: Small & Small Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Sylvia Reserve, Naked Wines
All of the wines I've had from Naked Wines have had really lovely labels. Don't judge a book and all that, but a good label makes me feel like the producer has checked his/her teeth for spinach before going out. This is a Sauvignon Blanc made by Bill & Claudia Small and named after their daughter, Sylvia. Sold. Actually, it packs a surprise at 14% abv so if sipping without food, hold tight: but it is wonderfully peachy and pungent. Made from grapes grown in the Awatere Valley, this is unmistakably NZ SB. And then some. I can't find this on the website tonight so no idea on price, but put it at around £12-£15. Naked Book Club score = 7 out of 10.

This week's red on the side: Minervois 2009, Benjamin Darnault, £10.49, Naked Wines
Rather like joining a book club, signs of me heading towards middle age are all around me. I am veering back to the wines of France like never before. Is it the more subtle flavours? Or the seemingly lower alcohols? Not sure, but there is something about a rustic red from the South of France that is just. doing. it. for. me. Again, can't tell you the blend as it is not showing on the website tonight but think there's Syrah and Carignan grapes in there. It isn't beautifully polished and is all the better for it: a dream with our tomato & spicy chorizo stew last night. Naked Book Club score = 8 out of 10.

Slainte Mhath x

Pees In Our Time

2011-01-19T23:02:00.005Z

I've had a complaint from a reader - a reader!* - who's asked me not to bang on about how bleak January is, about dieting or not drinking (as if). She wants wine recommendations and a laugh. That's me told.

So, I'm not a big spirits drinker: vodka makes me feisty, gin makes me cry, whisky makes me think I'm Judi Dench. Last week, however, someone bought me a gin martini and it made me tell them how I peed on a power plate, used in my efforts (without having to break sweat, obviously) to lose baby weight.

I guess you had to be there.

This week's white in the fridge: Waitrose Chablis 2009, £9.49, Waitrose
The Chardonnay grape is the vinous equivalent of a blank piece of paper. Pick a grape off the vine, pop it in your mouth and it doesn't taste of much. Grapey, really. What influences the resulting wine is where and how the grape is grown and what the winemaker does to it. I've always found that the Chablis region does a great naked Chardonnay. By that I mean little or no oak; rather the soil and climate do the talking. It is a cool region with mean soil, so the grapes have to work hard to ripen. It gives the wine a steeliness, a mineral-like quality. Really difficult to describe but if you can, pour a glass of Australian Chardonnay and Chablis and try them side by side. Then you'll know what I am on about.

This week's red on the side: St Hallett Barossa Shiraz 2008, £4, Co-op
I feel almost dirty writing about Australian wine at this price but they've had a huge wine glut and need to get rid, so buy it and don't feel bad. St Hallett makes lovely wines and this one promised me a 'cascading Barossa Shiraz experience'. Now, I've had more than my fair share of cascading experiences, one of which was on a power plate. As you know. Luckily the experience delivered by the wine was a good one: dark bramble fruits with an almost chocolatey note to it. It's not the most complicated wine on earth but at £4, it is bloody marvellous. We had it with slow roasted lamb on Sunday, they made a lovely couple.

*Sis, you complain again and I'll tell your 'We Are The World' story. That's funny.

Drawing a blanc

2011-01-10T22:53:00.001Z

Maybe it is the harsh jute-like feel of January compared with the velvet comfort of December, but I am struggling to get going. It might be the extra weight I'm carrying (booze/food, not baby for once) but I think it is just January. I'll go straight to the wines, that'll cheer me up.

This week's white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Gavi 2008, currently 2 for £10 instore or £4.75 online, Tesco
Gavi is the name of the region in Piedmont, Italy where this wine comes from and the grape variety is Cortese. Italy has hundreds of different grape varieties, which is a joy when you just want to break out of the Chardonnay/Sauvignon/Pinot Grigio rut. If you like the roundness of Chardonnay but don't like too much oak, try this: it is a peachy queen with a twist of lime and is ripe, round and very un-jute like. Loves a herby chicken breast.

This week's red on the side: La Leyenda Malbec Syrah 2010, currently £5 on offer, Tesco
Now, obviously what's inside the bottle is more important that what's outside. But this label is terribly pretty. Not that I'm saying you should buy a wine for the label. That would be shallow. But it is pretty. Anyway, the wine: a brilliant blend of Argentina's look-at-me grape, Malbec and the more widely-travelled Syrah (Shiraz by another name), grown in vineyards that nudge the foothills of the Andes. The winery is the romantically named Escorihuela, founded in 1884. I've been, it's lovely. Violets, plums and spice in a glass, reminding me of the velvet comfort of December.

In vino veritas x

Guess who's coming to dinner?

2011-01-04T23:05:00.004Z

In a token nod to the new year I'm off the booze for a week but luckily my friend Claire @ CRUMBS kindly agreed to do a guest post. If you haven't seen this site, please go and have a look. It has saved me from tears at teatime on more than a few occasions.

When Knackered Mother invited me over I got all excited. "Now there's a place where the guest blogger is going to get a warm welcome", I thought. "AND a decent glass of wine". Little did I know that she would be on the wagon. So I've had to smuggle in my own booze, in the form of welsh rarebit (I know! cunning! see below).

I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. January is when most people give their livers a break, which is ironic, because if ever there was a time when taking to drink seems positively healthy, it must be now. While the weather is bleak, the nights are long, and winter seems endless without the twinkling of Christmas tree lights, a big glass of red wine is just what we need to keep our spirits warm.

But there's no telling some people. So instead of booze in your glass, try a splosh in your dinner. Most of the alcohol will go up in steam and it adds a certain something. The brown ale in this welsh rarebit gives it a delightful bitterness which you don't get with cheese on toast.

I won't pretend this is the most imaginative rarebit ever made, but I bet it's the easiest. I knocked it up for lunch at the weekend, in the time it took me to make cheese toasties for the little ones. They didn't have any as I wasn't sure of the ethics of giving a 16 month old a taste for stout. The recipe is from my mum's old Good Housekeeping cookery book from 1992. They say it serves 4 people, but I'd say 2, which says something about our chubby times.

Welsh Rarebit
Start to finish: 10 minutes
Serves 2
225g grated cheddar cheese
25g butter
1 level tsp mustard powder (or mustard, whatever you've got)
thinly sliced spring onions
salt and pepper
4 tbsp brown ale
4 slices of bread

Place all ingredients except the bread in a saucepan and heat gently until it goes creamy. Lightly toast bread on one side (use bagel setting if you have it). Put toast in a shallow oven proof dish, pour creamy cheesey goo over it, place under hot grill until it bubbles and goes golden.

Cheers (ish) x

The Night(mares) before Christmas

2010-12-24T15:08:00.002Z

Middle Class Nightmare #1
Spending 2 minutes trying to get into the wrong black 4x4 in the Waitrose carpark yesterday afternoon

Middle Class Nightmare #2
Not being able to find a bottle of Campari for my Dirty Proseccos tonight

Luckily, I found not only my car but possibly the last bottle of Campari in the county. Tonight I will be wrapping the last of the presents accompanied by aforementioned Prosecco with a dash of Camp and happiness will reign.

Peace out, winos x

Round Robins

2010-12-21T22:39:00.003Z

I've always dismissed the Christmas round robin letter idea. Even worse, an e-Christmas card. But this evening I found myself replying via email to a group of old friends who are now placed all over the world and realised that summing up all the important news in one's life is actually a very good exercise. Here's mine:

Eldest boy (6) = narrator in the school nativity play (well, five lines)
Middle boy (3) = a very funny lunatic, big fat slice of my mother in there
Baby girl (1) = a sweet, if slightly spoilt, doll; can do four animal noises and say hello in four languages. Pushy? Moi?
Husband = still bearded, quite grumpy, immensely lovable, a bit like an old cat
Me = knackered but happy, totally unprepared for Christmas. Which I’m hosting. F*ck.
Miss you all, wish we saw more of each other but quite comforted by the fact that we are all still, really, 22 tops x

This week's sparkling in the fridge: Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne, £25 for 2 bottles, Tesco
Buy. This. Champagne. It is made by a brilliant co-operative producer in the grand cru village Avize. They supply other big name Champagne Houses so you are paying for a really good wine but without paying extra for the brand. The superior Chardonnay/Pinot Noir blend is complex and toasty, with lovely biscuit-like aromas. The Premier Cru name on the label tells you this is made from grapes sourced from vineyards classified as such. A better quality grape, if you like. In fact, the Chardonnay is from Premier and the even smarter Grand Cru classified vineyards, and the Pinot Noir is all Grand Cru. Fabulous stuff, brilliant value.

This week's red on the side: Château Lillian Ladouys 2007 Saint-Estèphe, £12.34 per bottle, Waitrose
I haven't actually opened this one yet. It is on the side and will be opened tomorrow night when the bearded husband is back home and we start our run-up to Christmas. I know the wine well, having bought previous vintages in my old job. 2007 was a varied vintage (that just means wine from that particular year, btw) but that didn't stop Bordeaux prices going crazy in the run up to release. This one isn't in the crazy-price league so you do get good value for money. It is a classic blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes from the not-very-trendy St. Estephe region. Soft and supple, a bit like I used to be.

Happy Christmas x

Espresso (Martini) Love

2010-12-15T22:40:00.004Z

Click here to read the Knackered Mothers' Christmas Wine Survival Guide, written for my friend and foodie goddess, English Mum. If, however, you are not yet feeling the Christmas Spirit and need a little help, I have a suggestion. Make one of these (recipe below), drink it and reassess. I've wanted to know how to make a good espresso Martini for some time but somehow never remembered the recipe even though the barman had repeated it three times and I'd scrawled it down on a napkin/fag packet. With thanks to Troutie for the recipe below.

Chocolate/Espresso Martinis
As far as a chocolate or espresso martini goes this would be my advice. Work out if you want a gin or vodka martini and remember that some flavours suit different ingredients more than others. For an espresso martini I would go with 40ml vodka or gin, a shot of espresso and then 15ml tia maria, 15ml kaluha. Chocolate martini would be 40ml of vodka or brandy, 15ml chocolate liquor, and 15ml creme de cacao.

Chin chin x

Too much perspective?

2010-12-08T00:05:00.006Z

I was talking to a friend last week about how the loss of someone you love puts everything in perspective. We were driving along a forest road, the snow blanket still tucked neatly over the landscape. The silence that followed our pondering was loaded. Up until the point when she said: "a bit like that guy in Spinal Tap." Me: huh? Her: "Nige. Or is it David? You know...too much f*cking perspective."

Laugh? I nearly died.

This week's sparkling on the side: Michel Gonet Champagne Brut NV, £18/bottle, Tesco Wine Club
Madame de Pompadour said that Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it. I beg to differ. It gives me red cheeks and makes me slightly burpy. That aside, this is a brilliant Champagne from a producer not many have heard of. Get past the functional label and you'll find a wine with spark, flavour, complexity and depth made from a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Jancis Robinson (my heroine) wrote about it in the FT a few weeks ago. Get some before it runs out. We did and I accidentally on purpose opened a bottle whilst decorating the tree.

This week's red on the side: Brewery Hill Shiraz 2008, £8.99, Naked Wines
This is one wine from a mixed case that I bought from Naked Wines. Being ~~in the trade~~ nosey, I knew something about this newish online wine company and liked what they were doing. I went to the website to look around but didn't buy. Then I got an email asking if I would like to buy a case from them and only pay duty and delivery costs. It sounded too good to be true but the wines have been lovely so far (four of them devoured in one night with friends). This one is a brute made by a winery based in the McLaren Vale, Australia. Big flavours. I like. Definitely worth a look.

*my mother sometimes reads this, so can't swear.

Our House

2010-12-02T00:01:00.002Z

We arrived back from the eldest boy's swimming lesson tonight to see the house looking like this:

No doubt tomorrow, bearded husband will put on the Christmas play list and that will be that. Until January.

This week's white in the fridge:

Jean Claude Fromont Chablis Premier Cru 2008, £8, currently half price, Tesco Wine Club
Half price offers are not always all they are cracked up to be, but this one is a great buy and so very perfect for this time of year. Chablis is made from the Chardonnay grape and with little or no oak, is a really good match for turkey. Premier Cru tells you that the grapes are grown in vineyards classified as such i.e. better quality than generic Chablis (in theory). This one is not deep, but is crisp and even. Ergo, it does the trick.

This week's red on the side:

Château Calage 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc, £7.59, Waitrose
I drank this on Monday during a work-related wine tasting and it was so delicious I carried an open bottle (with a cork wedged back in, obviously) home with me on the train. I ignored the sideways glances, safe in the knowledge that I would be drinking something deliciously rich and blackcurranty made from a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre grapes in front of the fire that night. It's suitable for vegetarians. Not that I am one, but some of you might be. In which case I won't tell you this wine was delicious with beef casserole.

Cue the music x

Update: what a difference a day (and snow) makes...

The Knackered Mothers' Wine Club Guide to Wine

2010-11-30T22:07:00.000Z

So, I'm going to write a book, titled as above. It will be about wine but to be able to call it the KMWC Guide to Wine I need to know what you want to know. I've got ideas (grapes, countries, labels, food) but if you've got something you'd like to see in a wine guide please let me know, either here or at knackeredmother@gmail.com.

I'll do this week's wines tomorrow, I'm on water tonight.

KMx

Nigella

2010-11-25T22:40:00.004Z

I've been watching Nigellaah cook on telly this evening. I love her. And, I. Want. Her. Kitchen. I have kitchen envy! How did it come to this? Surely I want the never-ending supply of jewel-coloured cashmere short-sleeved jumpers? Or, at least, the multi-millionaire husband and his art collection. Actually, no. I just want that kitchen. Although, must be said, the faux ~~dinner~~ kitchen supper parties at the end of the half-hour of gastro porn always look so painful. You just know she wants them all to bugger off so she can dive into that fridge in her dressing gown.

This week's white in the fridge: McGuigan Bin 218 Chardonnay Viognier, 2009, £4.74 on offer, Tesco

I've said this before, I'll say it again. Not all Australian Chardonnay is fat and oaky. In fact, most Australian Chardonnay is not like that at all anymore. Nowadays, expect a fruitbomb. This is one of those: peachy, ripe and full-flavoured. But not oaky. It has got a note of oak but the taste is vanilla rather than oak. It is a delicious wine: a blend of Chardonnay and the infinitely more interesting Viognier, adding a dash of lime flavour. Pair it with a gossip. Or fishcakes.

This week's red on the side: Vinchio Vaglio, I Tre Vescovi 2007 Barbera d'Asti Superiore, Piedmont, Italy, £6.07 on offer, Waitrose

Another Italian. I know I was on the Italian red last week but, as I said, once I have a good Italian red I am reminded how wonderful they are and resolve to drink more. This is quite a random one, made from the Barbera grape grown in the Piedmont region in north-west Italy. It is gorgeous: smells of forest floor (yep, I have tested this), sort of wet leaf and bramble-like. In a good way. Smooth, full-bodied, perfumed, seductive. Lumme, it's Clooney bottled. Again. Just add food: sausage and tomato-sauce pasta is a tried and tested success.

Happy to be home x

The C Word

2010-11-18T23:55:00.000Z

I've been to a Christmas Fair tonight in the local Stately. I drank warm white wine and discussed cushions. I bought socks and a magnetic dartboard as presents. This is what warm white wine does to you. Stay clear.

This week's white in the fridge: The Reach Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £6.49 on offer, Tesco

A reader - a reader! - told me they loved Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Me too. Some are better than others, obviously. Some are certainly better value than others. This is one of those, made by a great producer called Vavasour in the Awatere Valley, part of the Marlborough region. Not too shouty, rather quietly confident with passion fruit flavours. I had this, very cold, with our Chinese takeaway last night and loved it.

This week's red on the side: Ripasso di Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Fratelli Recchia 2006, £7.59 on offer, Waitrose

Italian reds are so varied and - when good - vibrant that I'm not sure why I don't drink more of them. Too many wines, too little time, I suppose. Anyway, this is a really interesting one, made from a blend of red grapes including Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. The term 'ripasso' refers to the practice of fermenting or macerating the juice with the expended skins of grapes already used to make the more robust Amarone wines. For me, it seems to add a note of Christmas to the resulting wine: nutmeg perhaps? Whatever it is, it works.

Chin chin x

Growing (Old) Pains (Me)

2010-11-10T22:21:00.000Z

I went out on Monday night. It doesn't happen often so I made the most. I wore an adored emerald green dress (Ghost), nail varnish (Rouge Noir), matching underwear (~~old~~ vintage Myla) and really high heels. On Tuesday, I wore track suit bottoms, couldn't walk properly and had two mouth ulcers.  My body has decided to slope about doing everything at half-speed ever since, leaving me trapped inside shouting THIS NEVER USED TO HAPPEN! THIS IS NOT ME! But the evidence seems to suggest otherwise, dammit. Suddenly seeing the bright side of this not happening very often.

This week's rose in the fridge:  Tesco Finest Navarra Rose 2009, £6.79, Tesco

This is a jewel-coloured rose made from the red Tempranillo grape grown in northern Spain. Navarra is the region and is a pretty sure bet when looking for a bright, juicy, modern style of rose wine. It is not a shy wine, full-bodied by rose wine standards with strawberry fruit aromas and flavours. Doesn't need food but went with my yah-grilled salmon quite beautifully.

This week's red on the side: Catena Malbec 2008, Argentina, £8.99, Waitrose

Such a lovely wine, this one. I visited the winery years ago. Set in vineyards near Mendoza, it looks like something out of a Bond/Bourne film from the outside. Inside, it is crammed with barrels and stainless steel tanks. The producer, Catena, is one of Argentina's largest and certainly one of the best. This is a moody, brooding red with blackcurrant fruits. Licensed to swill. Just add red meat.

Chin chin x

The Perfect Wine

2010-11-01T22:08:00.000Z

Here in the cyber-playground, I've been tagged by the Merlot-~~swilling~~ loving Eh, Mummy? and asked to write about my Perfect Man. Actually, she says I'm allowed to write about my perfect wine, which is a great relief because I couldn't top her description in which she references John Holmes, dirty cow. My perfect wine has been, at various times, a Vintage Champagne (when proposed to*), a beautiful red Burgundy (in memory of a loved one) and a first growth Claret (when someone else was paying). As with most things in life, it is as much about the who and where as it is about the what. Right now, my perfect wine is in my glass, chilled and within reach from my position on the sofa. It is an inexpensive but absolutely delicious white from a supermarket. What would make it more perfect is if it made me thinner, younger and less knackered.

This week's white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc, 2010, on offer at £5, Tesco

Chenin Blanc is the grape and it is such a player. Often overlooked - probably because it commonly associated with cheap and not-that-cheerful wines - it can actually do really good things when grown in the right place and handled with care. The Loire Valley in France is the natural homeland for Chenin Blanc - try the sweeties, dahling - but it seems to love South Africa too. Here, we've got a lime-scented crisp dry white with lovely apple fruit flavours and a kick of acidity that reminds you to eat.

This week's red on the side: Tesco Finest Nero d'Avola 2008, on offer at £4.83 Tesco

Wines sold under the Tesco Finest* label first came on our shelves ten years ago, This makes me feel old. I worked there as a wine buyer at the time and was given an unbelievably brilliant shopping list in terms of wine to go and source for the range. This wasn't one of them. Wish it had been. Can't believe you can get this for under £5 on offer at the moment. Delicious, bramble fruit, a touch of raisin and a kick of spice, all in one glass.

So, now to tag a few more. You're it! English Mum, Shit Mummy, Bush Mummy, Nappy Valley Girl, Potty Mummy , your thoughts on your perfect man/partner (or anything else you fancy).

Kick on x

*proposal came in a random pub car park after a massive row about his driving. Shut me up, though.

Moving Feast

2010-10-29T00:02:00.000+01:00

India Allsopp (or was it Kirstie Knight?) recently wrote about putting one's relationship with husband/partner first, followed by that with the children: the couple are the cornerstone and unless that relationship comes first, the edifice will crumble. In short, adult time is essential to keep everything together. For me, the idea of eating tea with my 1, 2 and 6yo is not that appealing - too much spilt juice and nursery food - and I love that the currently non-bearded husband and I have 'grown-up' time in the evening (oh, stop). Maybe we'll all eat together when the children are older. And can cook. Sometimes though, I find myself in a culinary cul-de-sac so was very happy when a friend recommended Crumbs: a website with recipes for children and adults written by two sisters/mothers. I'm going to write a few wine recommendations for their site and they'll do a few recipes just for us. And together, we'll make the world a better place. For now, back to what I know.

This week's white in the fridge: Nederburg Chardonnay/Viognier 2009, £4.29 currently on offer, Waitrose

South Africa used to make me think of Mandela. Now it makes me think of that effing droning noise we had to put up with during the World Cup. Oh, and Naomi Campbell and her blood diamonds dirty little stones. However, most of all it is a country that makes me think of wine. Good ones at that, often underrated. This one is really good value, a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier grapes: slighty chubby but just what I felt like after too much Sauvignon. Melon, peach and a twist of lemon. Veh gud.

This week's red on the side: Herrick Shiraz, 2009, £5, Tesco Wine Club

This wine makes me want to put on Now That's What I Call Music 8 and pass round the After Eights because I seem to remember this brand from the late 80's (which is a worry, I was in my mid teens and should definitely have been more into cider and/or cheap spirits, not wine). Anyhoo, Herrick is an Australian-looking wine from the South of France and was one of the first New World style wines from the Old World made by a flying winemaker. Still lovely, this is a juicy, blackcurrant-flavoured wine with smooth edges. Quaffed with a rather magnificent but very easy (adult) supper cooked this evening, thanks to inspiration from Crumbs.

Cheers dears x

In Case Of Emergency Break Glass

2010-10-20T23:25:00.000+01:00

Life is too short for lots of things. Stuffing a mushroom, for one (Delia). Too short to be livin' with stress, for another (Dizzee Rascal). Agree with both Delia and Dizzee but my own personal favourite, unsurprisingly, is that life's too short to drink bad wine. Someone I know, let's call her Josie, went to buy emergency wine the other night. I think she might have been wearing slippers. Anyway, she panic-bought, got home and her tasting note - in less than 140 characters, naturally - was this wine tastes a bit sh*t. I felt her pain and told her to tweet me the next time she was in the wine aisle needing advice. Same goes for you.

Current white in the fridge: Rabbit Row Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2008, £5.37, 33% off online, Waitrose

It is not always the case that big is beautiful but this wine is made by one of New Zealand's biggest producers, Villa Maria; surplus wine that they needed to shift. They put it in a nattily-labelled bottle with rabbits on, sold it to Wairose and now we get to go rampant at a really good price. Gooseberries, as you'd expect. Passion fruit, too. Fresh and uplifting, like vinous botox. Doesn't need food.

Current red on the side: Maycas del Limari Syrah 2008, Chile, £8.82, Tesco

Maybe it is the 'Los 33' that made me buy Chilean wine this week but whatever the reason, Chilean wines - reds especially - are having a moment. There's lots of Cabernet and Merlot to be found, but the varieties to watch out for here are Pinot Noir and Syrah. In this case, the Syrah has been grown in the Limari Valley, 400km north of Santiago. The cooler climate, Pacific Ocean influence and wonderfully rich soils all play a big part in making this big, smoky black fruit-scented wine so very good. Had mine tonight with pesto-smothered pasta and it worked a treat.

Break glass x

We're jammin'

2010-10-16T23:28:00.000+01:00

You know the score. Please make jam/cakes/whatevah for (insert name here)'s nursery produce sale. Reader, I've never made jam. I broke out into a cold sweat. Would a wine donation distract from the fact that I am hopeless on the preserves front? But then my friend Jules came to the rescue. Come to mine, and I'll teach you what to do, she said. And so we went: me and two other jam/chutney virgins. I was easily the least industrious, but I gave good wine. Here's what we made, the first production out of the Knackered Mothers' Kitchen Club.

KM x

It's the wine talking..

2010-10-13T00:27:00.000+01:00

There has been a lot of talk about wine talk recently. Among wine writers, that is. From what I can gather, they are arguing that one wine drinker’s blackberries are another wine drinker’s raspberries. Should we really be so aroma and flavour-descriptive when tasting wine is so subjective? Well, when I'm buying something that I haven’t tried before – and won’t try until I get home – I want some sort of description to help me. Which made me think...Recent wine descriptions here on these pages include a dancefloor-hogger (an Argentinian Malbec), Joan from Mad Men (a Viognier, I think) and Clooney, bottled (a modern-style Rioja). If you'd prefer talk of length and finish, just let me know.

Current white in the fridge: Cape Peak Chardonnay 2010, £4/bottle, currently 50% off, Tesco Wine Club

Lovely as the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from last week was, I wanted something a bit more, well, Autumnal. This is a really simple wine but I love it: good quality, ripe and round with tropical fruit flavours and an almost creamy character. I think this is what makes it feel more suitable to the chill in the air we've got now. It is made from grapes grown in the Western Cape region in South Africa, ones that hung on vines earlier this year. A fridge door classic.

Current red on the side: Chateau La Raze Beauvallet 2006, £8/bottle, currently 50% off, Tesco Wine Club

Lumme, this is a cracker. I feel vaguely guilty when I write about a Bordeaux red because it reminds me how rarely I seem to buy it nowadays. I used to love Bordeaux wines. Then they got expensive; the quality was variable, unreliable even. This one, a Cru Bourgeois from the Medoc, has always been a banker. Years ago, it was the first smart Claret (the Veh British name for red wines from this region) to be sold with a screwcap but - sadly - it seems to have reverted to cork. Dark blackberry fruits with a postscript of vanilla and spice. Made with a classic Claret cocktail of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, with Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc also putting in a show.

Derrieres aloft x

What's the big deal?

2010-10-07T01:10:00.000+01:00

I had to work last Saturday at a wine fair, leaving bearded husband with the three children from 8 in the morning until 8 at night. When I got home, the children were all in bed, the (ready made) fish pie was in the oven and the house surprisingly tidy. There was even a glass of wine with my name on it. I asked how their day was, how everyone had been. Oh, fine. No problems. Lovely. And then the shrug of the shoulders. That 'I-don't-know-what-all-the-fuss-is-about' shrug of the shoulders. AKA the 'looking-after-children-all-day-lark-is-a-walk-in-the-park' shrug of the shoulders. Which I suppose it is when you don't include two loads of washing and a supermarket shop...

This week's white in the fridge: Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £6.40, currently 25% off, Waitrose

So it seems everyone knew about this one being on offer before me. Actually, I hadn't bought this wine for a very long time as there are so many other good NZ Sauvignons to try but suddenly, with a couple of quid off, it is hard to resist. Loaded with classic Marlborough region gooseberry aromas and passion fruit flavours, this is what I'd call a malleable wine. Without food or with light stir fries, it won't complain. It will just sit politely in your glass and zing when asked.

Current red on the side: Tim Adams Protege Shiraz 2007, £7.50, currently 25% off, Tesco

I tasted this wine last Saturday at the wine fair and it was one of the best red wines at the show. Fantastic at the price, this is a really grown-up Shiraz, surprising given it's name. Made from grapes grown in the Clare Valley in South Australia, this has classic black fruit and plum characters, together with a gorgeous peppery note. Tim Adams is a great winemaker, a gentle giant of a man (a bit like his wines). Put this with food to really make it work, steak rather than sushi, obv.

Cheers, darlings x

The Female of the Species

2010-09-27T18:31:00.002+01:00

The Knackered Mother (knackeredus maternius) is most commonly seen in her natural habitat, the kitchen. Here, she slaves away putting food on the table for her children to flick all over the floor, occasionally falling silent to actually eat some of it. She exists on a diet of sandwich crusts, leftover fish fingers and mint kitkats with the odd half-cup of lukewarm tea if she's lucky. In daylight hours, when not with her cubs, she can be found manically trying to squeeze a week's work into three days whilst trying not to let the noise of under-fives, a needy dog and a wierd cat be heard through the study door. At night, she can be found lying on the sofa, glass of (usually very good) wine in reach trying to summon up the energy to cook/speak. Not to be confused with the lesser-spotted Shattered Father (bearded grumpius paternius). There have been reported sightings of these creatures in the same habitat, but one of them was asleep.

Current white in the fridge:
Tero Pinot Grigio 2009, £6, Tesco
I know there are more exciting grapes out there but sometimes, just sometimes, you want to pour, swish, inhale, imbibe and put your feet up. A bit like taking Grazia over of a chapter of your book. This is made for doing just that, untaxing but very delicious, with scents of orange and citrus flavours. Made by a very good Italian co-operative, this is one to have in the fridge door at the start of the week. Definitely doesn't need food, just #wineoclock.

Current red on the side:
Stork's Tower Tempranillo/Shiraz 2007 £4.83, Tesco
Again, this is more Pratchett than Proust; a bit funky but definitely not too heavy. It is made by a Kiwi winemaker - Sam Harrop MW - but in Spain, in the up-and-coming Castilla Y Leon region. It's an inventive blend of Spain's mainstay red grape Tempranillo (of Rioja fame), matched with the more promiscuous Shiraz grape. A gorgeous mix, with unmistakable cherry fruit from the Tempranillo, together with a firm black fruit flavour from the Shiraz. This one is just perfect for now, easily autumnal but not too wintery. We don't want to peak too early.

Chinus chinus x

Plane Truths

2010-09-22T23:42:00.003+01:00

My 6yo boy's favourite current pastime is writing secret agent-type notes, folding them into paper aeroplanes and pinging them round the door of the kitchen. They land softly at my feet and he scampers back up the stairs, shrieking with laughter. Recent notes include baddies are poo heads and - my personal favourite - i love you big bum that is arll. This gave me an idea. What would my planes say? i was only 5 minits over you stinkker (to traffic warden). i hope you get cawt not the fishes you robber (to person who nicked my mother's little fishing boat last week). The possibilities are endless. Best plane truth left here wins a bottle of wine.

Current white in the fridge:
Cefiro Chardonnay, 2008, £8/bottle, Source
For some, the thought of Chardonnay leads them to screw up their eyes and stick their tongue out. I take this to mean they are not a fan. Upsetting really, as Chardonnay is such a chameleon. It depends on where it is grown and - crucially - what the winemaker does with it. You can get skinny ones, curvy ones, shy ones and show-offs. This one is a curvy one, with show-off tendancies. It is made from grapes grown in the relatively cool Casablanca Valley in Chile and is ripe and round with gorgeous tropical fruit flavours. It has been aged in French oak for 6 months giving it a sort-of cream soda character. I heart, especially good with crispy duck salad but really happy on its own too.

Current red on the side:
Cosme Palacio Rioja 2006, £6.75/bottle, currently 25% off, Tesco
Left over from the baby's Christening party (an old fashioned notion, I know) at the weekend, where we served Prosecco, Bloody Mary and this. There were few takers for red but seeing as it was 11 o'clock in the morning, I'm not surprised. We ordered it in just in case, safe in the knowledge that it would probably fall to us to finish it off. Glad we did: heavenly Rioja. Shiny, juicy, full of red fruits and with that definite lick of oak that you'd expect, only softer. Made with 100% Tempranillo and aged in French oak barrels, this is gloriously smooth. Clooney, bottled.

Raise your glasses x

Festival Hype

2010-09-15T23:53:00.005+01:00

I don't get big festivals. There was a massive festival on the Isle of Wight at the weekend and a friend came back complaining of feeling old. That's because you are twice as old as most people there! I said. To myself. Of course, we go to Glastonbury every year and watch all the bands' best bits without getting so much as a Hunter muddied. That's because we watch it on telly, with wine, on the sofa. No queues for the loo, no overpriced food and booze and I can fall asleep before the end of the set if I so choose. There is another type of Festival that's far more me: a wine festival. Quite a few running currently, Waitrose and Tesco included. Go forage.

Current white in the fridge:
Cave de Turckheim Gewürztraminer 2009 Alsace, France, £6.16, 25% off, Waitrose
Think turkish delight, especially that smell when you lift the paper on the box before you've even picked up a square and taken a bite. That's what I smell here. Floral, rose-water, somehow delicate and spicy all at the same time. Gewurztraminer is the grape (Gewurz for short) and in this case it is grown in vineyards in the fairly northerly Alsace region in France. It is made by a very good wine co-operative and is dry on the palate, even though the aromas have a sweetness to them. Delicious, and quite a mouthful. It is often recommended as the perfect partner to Thai food but too much heat will cover the flavours: match it with baby spice rather than scary spice and it'll still sing.

Current red on the side:
Tesco Finest Argentinian Malbec 2009, £4.97, 25% off, Tesco
So, for the white we had our noses shoved in a box of turkish delight. This time, think of the whiff you got when unwrapping a small tube of parma violets when you were little. That's what Malbec from Argentina often reminds me of. However, this is no shrinking violet of a wine. Rather, it hogs the dancefloor. Big, bold, spicy, smooth, rich and groovy is what it is. Malbec is the grape and although its homeland is France - Cahors, mainly - it seems to have aquired a holiday house in Argentina. Here, it is more relaxed, riper and just a bit more friendly. Give this wine food and it will love you for it, steak especially.

Peace out, winos x

Press For Change

2010-09-09T22:53:00.002+01:00

Three brave fellow British Mummy Bloggers have just returned from a visit to Bangladesh with Save The Children to raise awareness for the Press For Change campaign, one that aims to help prevent the deaths of children. 9 million a year, to be precise. I've been following their trip here and whooping (to myself) when reading about their appearances on radio and tv all this week. I've signed the petition here. I've also counted my blessings, especially my 6yo, 2yo and 1yo ones.

Current white in the fridge:
Tesco Finest Fiano 2008, £4.26/bottle, 25% off until next week, Tesco
Sorry, sorry, it's this one again but it is on offer and I do love it so and I've already told you how I go shopping for milk, bread and bananas and - oops - the Fiano is in my basket again. I'm over Rose (temporarily, you understand) and wanted something with a bit more flavour, more September-ish. This is it. Warm, full and yet fresh with peach flavours. Fiano is the name of the grape, grown here in vineyards in Sicily. Slurped whilst scoffing salmon fishcakes, I thoroughly recommend doing the same.

Current red on the side:
Nimbus Merlot 2007, Colchagua Valley, Chile, £9.99, Source
This is a very seductive red wine made from Merlot grapes grown in the Colchagua Valley, an area that has a great track record for producing smooth, supple, sometimes chocolate-like red wines. This particular one has got a splash of the Carmenere grape in it too and is aged in French oak barrels for 18 months, giving the wine added complexity and depth. Or oomph, as I prefer to call it. I drank a glass of this at lunchtime today. At lunchtime! I don't often drink during the day but this was a working day and a working lunch so I had to. Poor me.

Chin chin x

The Naked Truth

2010-09-01T21:32:00.002+01:00

Half-watching How To Look Good Naked whilst slowly sewing name tapes to school uniform sweatshirts/trousers/polo shirts before eldest boy goes back next week, I started thinking about my own failsafe rules. So here it is, the KMWC guide to how to look good naked:

1. Dim lighting

Er, that's it. Perhaps not enough mileage for a TV show, granted.

Current white in the fridge:
Villa Maria Private Bin Pinot Grigio, 2009, £5.70/bottle, normally £8.99, Tesco
Could. Not. Resist. Villa Maria have long produced textbook New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines (and many others besides) but Pinot Grigio? With flavour? Made with grapes grown in the Awatere and Wairau Valley in the Marlborough region, this is actually a really refreshing change to Sauvignon Blanc. Truth is, I'm a little NZ SB-fatigued, too many too similar too often. Now, Pinot Grigio can sometimes be very forgettable but this is delicious, refreshing and full of flavour. Lemons, mostly. Pears too. Made by one of the nicest winemakers I know, and he's a Master of Wine to boot. Alastair, well done you.

Current red on the side:
Château Calage 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc, 2008, 25% Off, £7.99 - £5.99, Waitrose
Waitrose are holding a French Wine Showcase from now until the end of September, with exclusive limited volume wines available including this one. Made from 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre, this is a biodynamic wine made from gnarly 30 year old vines, with each grape vinified separately before being blended and aged in French oak barrels for 8 months. A further 10 months in bottle ensures the wine softens, integrates and just, well, gets it together. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, but especially suitable for knackered mothers.

Cheers, girlfriend (head wiggles) xx

Reality Bytes

2010-08-23T21:52:00.001+01:00

Following two weeks away on holiday (we did a Bromsgroves, Mrs T), I feel somewhat restored by my break from the norm. A bit of sun - tans fade, wrinkles don't blah blah - and a couple of snatched half-hours with my book and I'm happy. Determined to not fall back to pre-holiday ways including 1) talking to my children in that awful tone of voice that implies annoyance at everything they ask and 2) relying on sugar hits from the children's biscuit tin to get me through the afternoons. Both are the direct result of my usually not-so-pretty knackered state. But thanks to the holiday, I have banked sleep. This is now the Slightly Less Knackered Mother's Wine Club. At least until next week.

Current rose in the fridge:
Stork's Tower Tempranillo Rose 2009, currently £4.61/bottle, normally £6.49, Tesco
Much of my holiday will be viewed through rose-tinted spectacles. We drank lots of pink, not least because the house was nestled between vineyards in the Gaillac region in France. It might be cold and damp here but wine has the power to transport, with imagination. This one is made in the Castilla Y Leon region in Spain and is resolutely summery, with red fruit flavours and a positively cheering colour, bright and jewel-like. OK, I'm struggling to transport myself entirely, but it is definitely helping and is delicious to boot.

Current red on the side:
Porcupine Ridge Syrah, 2009, currently £5.31, save 25%, Waitrose
I've long loved these South African wines, known as the 'Spiky Pig' wine by a friend (see label, I sort of know what she means). The winemaker once discussed fishing at length with my husband, leaving me to taste his wines on my own. Brilliant they were too, positively a cut above. This one is made from the Shiraz grape (or Syrah as it is called here) and is smoky and brooding, tempting me away from the rose and into Autumn. I think I'm ready to go.

Chin chin sweets x

Mistresses on BBC1 makes me want to...

2010-08-05T22:49:00.002+01:00

1. Smoke (I know, I know...).
2. Cry for all those failed pregnancy tests I used to do
3. Have a functional kitchen like Katie
4. Kiss my mother for not being nearly as dysfunctional as Katie's mother

It said in the paper today that this programme should be watched whilst eating tinned peaches and drinking white wine. I didn't have any peaches so made do with wine instead. It was the same Chilean Sauvignon as the other night. Husband still not back but is tomorrow, wine tasting better already.

KM x

Flying Solo

2010-08-01T22:54:00.003+01:00

I used to travel abroad alot in my old, full-time, pre-children job. In fact, so often I had a bag that remained permanently half-packed, ready to be topped up last minute. Nowadays, I don't get out much and honestly don't miss it. (Currently non-bearded) husband rarely has to go away for work but tonight he left for somewhere 12 hours away by plane with just 24 hours notice and is not back for a week. Having tucked the children into bed I came downstairs to a TV remote that was mine, all mine. I poured myself a cold glass of wine.

It didn't taste as good as it normally does.

Current white in the fridge:
Vina Casablanca Nimbus Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £9, Source
Made in the Casablanca Valley north of Santiago, this eponymous winery has made a really good Sauvignon Blanc here with that unmistakable floral nose and citrus and gooseberry-laden palate. The back label told me it had notes of maracuya but seeing as I have absolutely no idea what that is, I'm none the wiser. Often, what was labelled as Sauvignon Blanc from Chile was actually the inferior Sauvignonasse grape, giving a coarser, herbal flavour. Not here: this is smart single estate Sauvignon Blanc, much preferred. Drunk tonight without food but really sang last night with chicken kebabs cooked on the BBQ at the beach.

Current red on the side:
The Big Kahuna, Australia, £5.19, Tesco
There is nothing subtle about this wine. The packaging is garish (a bright orange surfboard that covers most of the front of the bottle), the wine is a non-vintage fruit bomb with blackcurrant, spice, chocolate and a smoky note at the end. But despite its rather shouty nature, I like. Australian wine is often no-nonsense: the label tells you clearly what grape the wine is made from for a start. This one is a crowd-pleaser but sometimes you need exactly that. Went down a storm last night.

Roll on Friday x

You had me at 'Let's Cook'

2010-07-21T22:12:00.004+01:00

Dear Celebrity Masterchef,

I thought I could do it. I thought I could go cold turkey, perhaps even use the time I used to spend with you doing something more productive. Perhaps take up the hem on the trousers I bought over a month ago, maybe finish the book I have been reading for the last two. Of course, I'd forgotten how seductive you are, with your cooking-with-medical-urgency theme tune, your big-swell music when you announce the finalists, your increasingly tenuous celebrity contestants (who I usually love by the end) and your shouty presenters that cry when they hit on a culinary revelation. Even though I thought you needed a format makeover - perhaps why I thought I could walk away - I now realise you are like a pair of favourite slippers: worn but perfectly comfortable. So here we are again, older, wiser and wondering how on earth certain celebs get through life without knowing what's in an omelette. Don't go a-changing.

Love Knackered Mother

Current rose in the fridge:
Sancerre Rose Fournier 2008, £9.49, Tesco
I do love brightly coloured Rose wines but my current pash is for more delicately coloured ones from France. More unfarmed than farmed salmon in colour, if you know what I mean. The flavours are not as big and bold as a New World rose but the slightly more savoury character is what I want. This one is made from the red Pinot Noir grape grown in the Sancerre region (more famous for white wine) with the juice left in contact with the skins just long enought to give it that beautiful light pink colour. The wild strawberry and redcurrant fruit flavours are gorgeous and the wine has enough structure to cope with food too. Beef stew might be a bit of a challenge, obviously, but chilli-sprinked cod steaks were a great match.

Current red on the side:
Mount Difficulty Pinot Noir, Central Otago, 2008, £21.99, Waitrose
Apologies for going over £20, I don't do it very often, but for me this wine is worth it. It is another Pinot Noir, this time from the Central Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. No delicate hues here, this is ruby red in colour with incredible, powerful black fruit aromas. It is aged for about a year in oak barrels, adding spice and richness to the palate. This wine is a slow burner: pour it into a glass and keep it moving, warming it in your hands. How it tastes from first sip to last is quite different, it really does 'soften' if given time to breathe. Indulge in the Pinii.

Let's drink x

Not tonight dear...

2010-07-15T23:41:00.001+01:00

"Ohmigod, that's a headache wine" said a friend the other day after sipping a Spanish white wine. Then Ladybird World Mother said that she too got wretched headaches when drinking wine and doesn't even throw it back like the old days (her words, not mine). What might cause these headaches, other than having three too many? The usual suspect is sulphur, which has long been used to preserve freshness in wine. Some, particularly asthmatics, seem to be less tolerant than others but generally speaking headaches caused by sulphur are rare. Another cause may be the natural histemines found in wine, particularly red wines as they come from the skins of grapes. There are those who swear by taking an anti-histemine before drinking a glass of red. Too clinical for me, plus I would fall asleep. Nah. In my experience your best bet for avoiding a headache is to imbibe plenty of water and food at the same time. That and not finishing the bottle.

Current white in the fridge:
Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009, £6.19, Tesco
New Zealand produces some of the best Sauvignon Blanc wines in the world, particularly from this region. In fact, it was Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough that really put NZ on the worldwide wine map. This is made at an estate called Highfield, where they've built a winery to look like a Tuscan cellar. Not sure why, but it looks wonderful if not a little out of place. Here, the cool nights and warm days allow the grapes to ripen slowly and surely, helping to get the best out of this aromatic grape. This one gives you a noseful of zippy lime fruit aromas then lives up to expectations with lovely gooseberry and passion fruit flavours. Dangerously moreish.

Current red on the side:
Esperanza Malbec 2009, Argentina, £4.69, Majestic
Torrontes was the white grape from Argentina that I wrote about last week. The red grape that Argentina does better than most is Malbec, a brutish red grape that produces dark, inky coloured wines with lots of black fruit flavours. Cahors in France is Malbec's other home, as well as it being one of the traditional grapes grown in Bordeaux. This particular one is more lightweight, in a good way. Still brooding, but not growling (really hoping you are still with me here) with bramble fruits and soft tannins. Long on the finish, as they say. Tried and heartily recommended with steaks.

One last glass, then x

Why No?

2010-07-07T23:05:00.001+01:00

A friend told me today that she is on a new regime, wine-free Monday to Friday (same friend who thought this site was called the Naked Mother's Wine Club, told her to be careful when searching that one). Later, a Twitter humour-twin announced she was having a glass of Champagne tonight for no particular reason. In turn, I admire both the restraint and sybaritic tendancies shown here. Me, I go for just one wine-free night a week. I usually fail. So many wines, so little time. A chap called Hawker wrote a book called 'Chats About Wine' back in 1907 and asked:

“…what is it? This wonderful elixir of life, which is almost as old as the world itself and yet is overflowing with the exuberance of youth; which restores and invigorates us when the powers of life are low; uplifts and cheers us in days of sorrow and gloom; evokes and enhances our joys and pleasures; and by which the inherent living force it is endowed with, gives animation, energy and inspiration to every sense and faculty we possess?”

That's wine, that is. And it is (mostly) delicious. You've just got to choose wisely.

Current white in the fridge:
Tilimuqui Fairtrade Single Vineyard Torrontes, Mendoza, 2009 £6.69, Waitrose
I love Argentinian wines, not least for their unpredictability. The reds are really exciting, especially Malbec but more of that another time. One of their most widely planted white grape varieties is Torrontes. It is often described as floral - very this season - and grapey, which sounds like a bit of a no-brainer. But this wine is more exciting than floral and grapey. It has real zing, not the suck-in-your-cheeks type, rather the oh-I'd-love-another-glass-of-this type zing. It is also Fairtrade, organic and extremely good value for money. What's not to love? as they say too often in Grazia.

Current red on the side:
Chateau Vaugelas Corbieres 2007, France, £8, Source
The South of France has long produced vast amounts of wine but in some regions, such as Corbieres, there has been a quiet quality revolution. Granted its Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status in 1985, Corbieres is now populated with growers producing brilliant wines. This one is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and a splash of Mourvedre, all grapes so at home here. The result is a blend that is rich, dark and brooding. The Benicio Del Toro of wine perhaps. Would work better if he was French, obviously. He asked my husband for a light once, incidentally. Black fruits and a really lovely spicy note, properly great with my tomato-sauced pasta supper.

Nuff said x

Any Questions?

2010-07-04T22:19:00.003+01:00

I am what you might call a meme virgin, so very much hoping to get this right. Thank you Mrs Trefusis, for tagging me. Here's me on my favourite subject: me.

What experience has most shaped you, and why?
I've got two. Firstly, meeting my husband-to-be at four years old and being together from the age of fifteen. I think growing up with the person I later married has shaped who I am. Ten years of marriage and three children later, I still feel like a teenager with him. Secondly, my little brother died eight years ago. It was very sudden and shocking - murdered by two young boys trying to steal his car - and he was 26 years old. I think he has saved me from sweating the small stuff for the rest of my life.

If you had a whole day with no commitments, what would you do?
Finish reading the book I started two months ago. Then read another - better - one. I'd possibly fit in an hour's shopping and sharpener with a friend but would need a private helicopter to do this. Unfortunately we don't have one at the moment.

What food or drink could you never give up?
Champagne. Apologies for sounding so glib. Also, really good aged red Burgundy, possibly a white Burgundy and a random sticky from somewhere too (I am still talking wine).

If you could travel anywhere, where would that be and why?
To Botswana, I think. My husband and I both spent time in Africa but a year apart, so to visit somewhere like Botswana together would be magical.

Who do you have a crush on?
R-Patz. He reminds me of my husband at that age: thin, arty and slightly awkward. Luckily, my husband didn't turn out to be a vampire.

If you were leader of your country, what would you do?
1) Give young people more to do, more safe places to hang out rather than the street
2) Stop hitting wine with massive duty rises

I don't ask for much.

Give me one easy savoury recipe that doesn't include cheese.
No cheese, but quite a bit of cream. Throw 2 bashed-thin pork chops into a heavy based pan, cook for 5ish minutes each side. Remove to warmed plates. Pour in a good three lugs of cider, cook for two minutes then add a cupful of cream and tablespoon of grain mustard, bring to boil then pour over the chops. Serve with gnocchi turned in the sauce and a glass of Nero d'Avola.

What did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
A journalist. Luckily, I found wine and realised I could make a living out of it.

If you could spend just one day in someone else's body, who would it be?
Naomi Campbell for the staff, the parties and the attention.

Which woman writer - living or dead - do you most admire and why?
Margaret Atwood, mostly because of her ability to write about how women make other women feel. To be able to capture something so intangible as she does is just brilliant. I still can't bring myself to re-read Cat's Eye, it was so unsettling.

Mrs T tells me I have to add a question of my own and tag three more bloggers. So, my question is:

What is your most prized possession?

My tagged bloggers are:
English Mum
More than Just a Mother
Marketing to Milk

KM x

It's not a fashion parade...

2010-06-30T21:52:00.001+01:00

Or so my mother used to say to me when hurrying me out of the door to get to school on time. But that is exactly what it was. The length of our skirts, the carefully picked holes in our jumpers...we might have all been in school uniform but there were ways to mark ourselves out, or rather blend in. Now I'm doing the school run and eldest boy takes great care over his collar, each morning carefully shaping it to look casually unshaped. I haven't uttered my mother's words to him yet - I'll try to resist, I like the fact that his collar gives him confidence - but am sure it is only a matter of time. As for what I wear on the school run, read this and tell me it's not a fashion parade...

Current white in the fridge:
Guentota Estate Chardonnay/Viognier 2009, £4.99 on offer, Tesco
The Chardonnay grape got a bit of a bad name (and not just because it was used as a first name in Footballers' Wives, spawning a thousand baby Chardonnays). Most were put off by excessive oak (or rather oak chip) flavours that were all the rage when Australia was on the equivalent of wine steroids. These wines are mostly a thing of the past. This Argentinian one is big and bold but with just the right amount of sunshiny melon and tropical fruit flavours. The splash of Viognier adds weight and spice too. I've had this with grilled sweet peppers tonight and it was delish. Apparently, Evita got her wines from here for State dinners. Not sure how good her palate was but she always did good Dior.

Current red on the side:
Long Country Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, £4/bottle half price, Tesco
I bloody love Chilean wines. You always know you are going to get great value for money. You always know you are going to get something you'll want another glass of. And you always know you'll be able to stick your nose in the glass and play 'name that fruit'. In this case, it is blackcurrant. And ripe plums. Oh, and a whiff of chocolate. And a tiny note of cinnamon. This is made from grapes grown in the vast Central Valley region, one big fruit bowl really. Tried and tested with rib of beef on Sunday, drunk from little carafe tumblers in the garden. Magical.

Sunny daze x

Invisible (wo)Man

2010-06-23T23:43:00.004+01:00

Someone once said - probably Germaine - that beyond a certain age, women become invisible. I'd always assumed that referred to women my mother's age* but a funny thing happened last week that made me think it might happen sooner than anticipated. As I walked out of Topshop on Oxford Street (see how I'm fighting it?) a young hipster stood with a microphone doing a ~~vox-pop~~ street interview for Radio One. On what, I shall never know. You see, as I walked towards him, he smiled, put his hand out and said: "scuse me, can I ask you a quick question?" To the two teenagers behind me. I had to pretend I was smiling fondly at someone in the distance. Which I was. My teenage self.

Current white in the fridge:
Domaene Gobelsburg Gruner Veltliner, 2009, £6.49, Waitrose
Find this on the stand-alone wine towers in Waitrose currently, the 'grape of the moment' from Austria. To be honest, this has been touted as the grape of the moment for so long that I fear we may have missed it. But get past the almost incomprehensible label and name and you will be richly rewarded with a spicy, peachy flavoured dry white wine that works a treat with food with a bit of spice. Thai green curry a particular recommendation.

Current red on the side:
Chateau Calage 2007, £8, Source Wines
I included this wine in a tasting I did for a group of friends earlier this week and, tellingly, the bottle was drained. Not a drop remained, always a good sign. This is a cocktail of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignan grapes and is rich, purple and royally good. Blackcurrant fruit dominates the nose with smooth chocolate and spice notes on the palate. This particular region, the Languedoc in the South of France, is positively sizzling with exciting wines, (mostly) reasonably priced.

*Ma, there's your mention! x

Invisible (wo)Man

2010-06-23T23:43:00.003+01:00

No foreplay?

2010-06-17T23:38:00.001+01:00

I. Am. Knackered. And I definitely can't top my John Torode story from last week. So, if you don't mind, I'll go straight to the wines.

Current rose in the fridge:
Clos Clementine 2008, £10
Hot weather demands pale rose, preferably a really good one from the Cotes de Provence region. Rose wine is made from red grapes and the clear juice is given colour by being left in contact with the skins of the grapes for a short time after they have been crushed. This particular one was given to me by a friend and not widely available here yet but Majestic, Waitrose and Tesco all have very good CdP Rose in stock at the moment. Make sure you get the most recent vintage - this one is on its last legs. You want pale salmon pink rose pup-young.

Current red on the side:
Cosme Palacio Rioja Reserva 2004, £8/bottle, currently half price if bought by the case, Tesco
Father's Day. Warm weather expected. Man must barbeque. And flame-grilled meats demand a red with attitude, with firm tannins and not a little acidity to counter the fat of the meat. This one is a dream: smoky, black fruits bound together with firm tannins and a lick of vanilla oak. The fruit is warm, round and mellow (as you'd expect after nearly three years in oak), made from Tempranillo grapes grown in the Alavesa region in what was a cracking vintage. Love, love, love.

Wham, bam x

Have we met before?

2010-06-08T22:37:00.002+01:00

Picture the scene: drinks reception for work, unfamiliar surroundings, friend introduces you to another friend. You greet them with great familiarity, you know you've met them before. Conversation starts. Brain shouting where have you met him before? What is his name? Wierd, he really looks like that bloke who does Masterchef. Oh f*ck. It is that bloke who does Masterchef. The one you've never met before. You just think you have because he's on the telly. And now he thinks you are a bit of a nutter. Too late to say sorry, now realise you've no idea who I am and by the way can see that you're unnerved by my familiarity. He later asks my friend if we had met before. No, she's always like that, was the answer.

At least I didn't ask for an autograph.

Current white in the fridge:
Nederburg Chardonnay/Viognier, £3.99 on offer (normally £4.99), Waitrose
Apparently there is some football tournament going on in South Africa at the moment. Whatevah. I'm only here for the wine. This is a gorgeous peach and melon-flavoured blend of the ubiquitous Chardonnay grape with the arguably more interesting Viognier grape. It's ripe, it's round but you can't bounce it on the ground. Drink it with salmon en croute instead. Deliciously bright.

Current red on the side:
Biferno Rosso Riserva Gran Conti, currently £4.99 half price, Tesco
Madly reasonable red blend of Aglianico and Montepulciano grapes grown in the Molise region in Central Italy. It has been aged for three years, partly in oak barrels, partly in bottle. The result is brilliant, vibrant, smooth and, well, lovely. Plum and spice notes for me, all smooth and dusky fruits. I have recommended this one before and like the Fiano, it seems to fall into my trolley whenever it is on offer.

Back of the net x

Carzzzzzzzzz

2010-05-26T23:43:00.000+01:00

Last week, we got a new car. Second hand actually, but by far the most grown up car we've ever had. It's the children and dog car, Bearded Husband said. We'll have it forever, he said. You will be careful, won't you? he said. He's called me three times today to ask something about something - as they do - but mostly to try and tell from the tone of my voice if the car is OK. Or rather, if I have dented it yet. Well, not yet but I'm not planning to 'fess up to failing to get into the car for a full 10 minutes until I realised I was trying to open it with our old car keys. I blame the heat.

BTW, if like English Mum you wanted to see what the painting from the auction looked like, go ahead.

This week's rose in the fridge:
Tesco Finest Navarra Rose, £4.75 on offer, Tesco
Rose wine has grown massively in popularity over the last few years, driven in part by the much bigger choice we have on shelves of good quality, 'serious' rose wines rather than the light, forgettable wines of the past. Spain does Rose brilliantly (and terribly badly too, it has to be said), with Navarra as the region that can claim to produce some of the country's best examples. This one is made from the Garnacha (Grenache) grape and is simply gorgeous, brimming with juicy redcurrant fruit flavours.

This week's other rose in the fridge:
Cefiro Chilean Rose 2009, £5ish, Source
Chile is still suffering the impact of the recent earthquake with lost wine, delayed shipments and damage to wineries and vineyards. This one is made from Syrah grapes grown in the Rapel Valley and is not a shy, retiring style of rose. It is quite dark in colour, almost light red rather than rose, with layers of red fruits and added structure given by some oak ageing. The result is full-bodied with lots to shout about. Try this with M&S sushi. I did and it was not just any supper...

That's me: coming up (with) roses x

On the fringe...

2010-05-20T23:37:00.003+01:00

I love putting pretty hairclips in my daughter's hair, sweeping her long fringe to one side and sweeping the enforced-genderism-at-such-a-tender-age argument to the other. It's a hairclip, FFS. Anyway, point is with two boys I'd only really considered childrens' haircuts in terms of nit prevention. Not so with the baby girl: she has lovely hair, long enough to need aforementioned hairclips to keep it out of her eyes. At least it was until - unsolicited - my mother cut it, understandably thinking she was being helpful. Whilst waiting for it to grow back, I could dig out my old Girl's World styling head if I get desperate. If only I hadn't given her an unsolicited haircut too.

Current white in the fridge:
Stork's Tower Sauvignon Blanc/Verdejo 2008, £5.99, Tesco
Spain does aged red wines and young, vibrant rose wines better than most. However, really good Spanish whites are a bit harder to find. Here's one that mixes a traditional Spanish variety (Verdejo) with an internationally known & grown one (Sauvignon Blanc). In fact, the wine has been made by a Spanish and New Zealand winemaking team from grapes grown in the Castilla Y Leon region. It is a modern, fresh take on Spanish white with gorgeous grapefruit characters and lovely, balanced weight. This wine doesn't demand food but is very happy in its company, especially my pesto salmon it seems.

Current red on the side:
Sainsbury's Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007, £5.99, Sainsbury's
It was one of the Sainsbury's wine buyers who put me on to this wine. It is made by Chapoutier, who just happens to be one of the best producers in the region. Michel Chapoutier selects Grenache and Syrah grapes from Villages vineyards in the Southern Rhone and makes this extremely good, soft, supple, velvety-tannined and utterly seductive wine. It has a kick of pepper and layers of black fruit flavours, ideal for drinking with sausages or beef stews or hard cheeses. It's not so great with Toblerone but I'll push on through.

Chin chin x

Picture perfect

2010-05-11T23:30:00.004+01:00

Saturday night was fun, if a little wierd. I returned from eldest son's School Ball with a splinter in my foot from shoes-off dancing. My husband returned with a painting having bid for it in the auction. I think he had the fizz equivalent of beer goggles for art on with that one. Fart goggles, perhaps. We got home, navigated our way through that slightly awkward conversation with the babysitter - the one where you hope she doesn't realise how tipsy you really are because you've got children - and fell into bed. For two hours. Then: up cradling eldest boy with earache, closely followed by baby with cough and finally with middle boy who heard everyone else was up and didn't want to miss out. The dancefloor was a distant memory.

Still, we've got the painting to remind us.

Current white in the fridge:
Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner 'Terraces' 2009 Wachau, Austria, £6.07, Waitrose, currently 20% off online
Austrian wine is sadly overlooked, perhaps due to a combination of nearer £10 a bottle prices and unpronouncable names. But Waitrose seems to have cut prices across much of their Austrian range at the moment and this one is a great introduction to the world of Gruner Veltliner (or Gru-V, as it is lovingly known by those who like to spend time thinking up natty names for difficult to pronounce wines). White peach, pepper, a touch of grapefruit, a hint of herbal...this wine is delicious, different and currently discounted. Now that is a great combination.

Current red on the side:
Tero Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2008, £4/bottle, Tesco
I do love Italian reds at the moment. They can be a little bit animal, slightly unpredictable even, partly due to the enormous number of grape varieties grown as well as the spread of climates across regions. This one, from the Abruzzo region, is bright, ripe and moreish with black cherry fruit aromas and bramble fruit flavours. The late-ripening Montepulciano grape is best drunk young, so don't stick this one away for a rainy day. Like you would. Very happy on its own but great with sausages and mash, I am happy to report.

Groovy x

Like a jumper in a washing machine...

2010-05-04T23:07:00.001+01:00

It's eldest son's school Annual Ball for parents on Saturday night and I am looking forward to it and dreading it in equal measure. The pros include meeting up with good friends for stiff drinks before we go and, later, being able to dance to live music then disco whilst slightly under the influence. I love dancing; proper hands in the air like you just don't care-type dancing. In my head I look HOT. In reality I probably look more like Iggle-Piggle. A friend was once described as looking like the title of this post when on the dance floor. She really didn't care. My (trimmed) bearded-husband claims to hate dancing but does a great Mick Jagger routine if the mood takes him.

Oh, the cons? Squeezing into a dress that has mysteriously shrunk since I last wore it two babies ago. Let's hear it for Spanx.

This week's white in the fridge:
Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne NV, 2 for £25 until 9th May, normally £19.49/bottle, Tesco
This is all we have loaded up on this week, with a bottle chilling and ready to be opened once the results are in on Thursday night (I'm an optimist). This is a really special Champagne, and not just because it beat all the top twice-the-price names in a blind Which? Magazine tasting years ago. It is a Chardonnay & Pinot Noir-dominant blend with, critically, a little more bottle age given before it is shipped to these shores, allowing the wine to settle and broaden. The result is a rich, layered, biscuity style of Champagne but with real lightness of touch. The producer is based in the highly-regarded village of Avize. Even cheaper if you buy by the case.

Chin chin x