Last of 2010....

No fewer than half our customers nipped in on Monday because they had been unable to escape as planned to the Caribbean; Holland; Czechoslovakia; Finland; France etc over the last few days. Their plans had changed, empty cupboards and cellars suddenly needed to be filled near rather than far. So simply to assure you that if you are in such need, we will be here until Christmas Eve. If it continues, we will also be here on the 30^th and the 31^st of December.

            Outside of London is tough but in London we can probably do same day deliveries if it is local (W8, W11, W2, W10, W14, SW3, SW5, SW6, SW10) and delivering up until 2.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve and collections until 7.00 p.m.

All the obvious Christmas treats:

Vintage Port (£ 27 to £ 82)

Malt Whisky (£ 33 and up)

Magnums of Red & White (£ 22 to £ 278)

Double Magnums of Red (£ 155 to £ 235)

Champagne – Halves, Bottles, Magnums, Vintage (£ 15 to £ 133)

Sweeties - Sauternes, Bottles and Halves; Tokaji; Eiswein; Beerenauslese (£ 12 to £ 115)

Individual treat Burgundy & Bordeaux:

3 cases of:

Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru “Les Rouges” 2002

Domaine Jean Grivot at £ 47.00 per Bottle

Next to Échézeaux this neatly situated vineyard provides the Vosne-Romanée elegance but a more Grand Cru like weight and chewiness than its actual Premier Cru ranking.

If you want a hearty, complex but understated, and beautifully bottle-aged Pinot Noir at easily the best market price this should hit the spot.

Between 1999 & 2005 the 2002 is the only classic vintage in Burgundy. We have some stock in the Shop and more due in tomorrow.

&

6 Cases each of:

Château Gruaud-Larose 2003 & 2004

St-Julien 2ème Grand Cru Classé at £ 33.00 per Bottle

Similar chewy texture to the Vosne-Romanée and both beginning to drink well now.

Pretty amazing prices 9bit less than usual) for this Second Growth Estate. The 2003 is £ 46.00 a Bottle at Berry Brothers.

A bit of 2004 in the Shop but both fully in stock tomorrow.

Antique treat:

Just sold yesterday two, which leaves two remaining, quite rare brass pepper shakers in the form of a miniature Champagne Bottle, inscribed “Moet & Chandon, Epernay”. These are circa 1905 and would be a super stocking filler. (£ 110.00 each.)

Christmas opening:

Thursday 23^rd December – Open until 7.30 p.m.

Christmas Eve, Friday 24^th December – Open until 7.00 p.m.

(last local deliveries Christmas Eve 2.00 p.m.)

And next week only:

Monday 27th December – By Appointment only (07900 818 400)

Tuesday 28^th December - By Appointment only (07900 818 400)

Thursday 30^th December – 10.00 a.m. until 7.30 p.m.

New Year’s Eve, Friday 31^st December – 10.00 a.m. until 7.00 p.m.

Silly Billy:

Alas Huntsworth is a wee bit too small to enact such generosity or common sense (!) but it struck me that during all this bedding down at Heathrow and elsewhere, why doesn’t a sizeable Company and Household name like Peter Jones, pitch-up with a hundred or two hundred pillows from their bedding department and say courtesy of P.J.’s? It would cost them a couple of thousand pounds but aside of a nice story of actually helping amidst this chaos, the Blitz spirit etc., they would surely reap a mini marketing coup with a couple of mentions on the Beeb and other news channels. I did telephone P.J.’s but who knows if they’ll actually act. For those due to depart, I sincerely hope as many or all of you get away without too much difficulty.

Cable Guy – a deliberate slip or a calmly calculated move by Vince?! Don’t think he underestimated Cameron but he might have underestimated the various hacks lack of much to write about at this time of year.

            Apparently Eric Pickles says that slimming down local councils will be good for them. Big question is, who is better placed to advise the other?!

Well, there I was telling people that Oz was a pretty good bet at 8-1 or 9-1 in the Ashes but forgot one thing: to take my own advice and duly place a bet. Dumb and dumber. Flower is not blaming the Perth reversal of fortunes on the arrival of Wags etc as to do so would further undermine. Business is however business. Would you take your girlfriend to a bored (sic) meeting in Frankfurt or a pitch in New York. I am fully confident in Flower however as two days ago he was quoted as saying that England will stick with four bowlers in the absence of a top-flight all-rounder. That surely confirms his belief and mine that Tim Bresnan is strictly a 3^rd XI player.

Refreshing briefly to see the Students actually out of bed during the day. Still, looks like the cold weather put them straight back again.

The previous generation grew-up on Monty Python, I grew-up on Not The Nine O’clock News. In amongst some of our best talent was the not quite as talented Pamela Stephenson. Yet I still have fond memories. I was rather concerned to see that (even on the Torygraph’s front page) Pamela was intent on really sexing-up her dance routine in Strictly Dancing. Some things truly are best left to the memory. Speaking of the Torygraph I had a couple of locals in t’other day who were much amused that my views were somewhat right of Attila the Hun. Personally I don’t see that. I think I am smack down the centre and everybody else must be somewhere in the wings.

Is The Times losing it? Looking forward to seeing the true-life film “127 Hours” but The Times’ tag-line “Knuckle munching…” Please, so tabloid! Then their Record of the Week is a Christmas Compilation. Even having to choose 52 Albums in the Year surely there would be no room for one on Christmas songs? Earlier in December in The Times: “More than a third of British infrastructure is now owned by foreigners…the widespread foreign ownership has led to fears that companies are more interested in pulling profits out of Britain than serving the consumer. However, the OFT has concluded that this is not the case.” The Times, 4^th December (proprietor: Rupert Murdoch and New York based News Corp offices.) Does Murdoch really need Vince Cable to declare war?

The year has in truth skipped by with alarming speed. I always remember my father saying “son, as you get older, life just speeds up and time simply disappears all too quickly”. “Yes Dad.” But my God, this year has just flown. Where did it go? I don’t even remember the Summer. Maybe I must resign myself to being older than our Prime Minister and the natural order of things simply changes. What will 2011 hold?

Tuggy Meyer

Henry Palmer

Weekly Wine...Burgundy and beyond...

Last week I primed you for a White Burgundy from Jean-Marie Fourrier. I have had this for the last couple of years (2006 & 2007) and been super impressed by it for quality and value. Late last week we tried the recently shipped 2008 and perhaps I was a tad premature. When you get a particularly young wine and recently shipped it can suffer from what is called “bottle shock”. This tends to last for anything up to three months before the wine settles down and its true characteristics begin to shine. For drinking right now I think the Fourrier Blanc is a tad lively and disjointed but the constituents and flavours are very engaging so I do see a good future ahead. Either wait until Spring or at this price, bung into your cellar and leave for 3-6 months.

Bourgogne Blanc 2008 Domaine Jean-Marie Fourrier at £ 14.50 per Bottle

Hopefully before Christmas for delivery but we have just confirmed that we will be the Exclusive U.K. Importer for Jean Daneel’s “Signature” Chenin Blanc.

Very excited about that as in my view this is about as good as white wine gets in the Cape. We have 50 Cases due in and have advance sold about 15 cases.

It will be about 50 pence a bottle cheaper before year-end as of course Little Osborne will be hiking v.a.t. to 20% come the 1^st of January.

Castello di Bolgheri – Super Tuscan

Last night we tried the 2005, 2006, & 2007 Vintages of Castello di Bolgheri. The 2005 is incredibly easy-drinking and enjoyable but the 2007 last night really showed the terroir and quality of this Estate and that it will, in time, be a potential challenge to its neighbours, Ornellaia and Sassicaia. I now think the 2007 Castello di Bolgheri is a match for Tignanello 2007, the main difference, it will be £ 20-30 cheaper! Later today I will wing a detailed e-mail offer on the 2005-2007 Castello di Bolgheri to those who have bought the 2005 and those who buy Italian. If you are interested but fear you might not be on that exalted list, please advise.

Silly-season:

Well the date is set for the Mills & Boon event of the year, Friday, 29^th April. Cameroon and Little Osborne have kindly declared a Public Bank Holiday. Alas the Public Sector breaks have to be paid for somehow. After all our local rates etc don’t take a day’s breather, so Huntsworth will remain resolutely open! We might have a wireless on in the background but Tuggy “Ronnie “Open All Hours” Barker” Meyer will be here. No doubt offering a special deal on Champagne. Coincidentally Henry’s Birthday is that day so he’ll be A.W.O.L. or go walkabout.

X-Factor: A Wagnerian Tragedy, more like Puccini if you ask me. Or I hope it soon will be. In days past I.T.V. truly was the bastion of lowest common denominator T.V. but times, they are a changing. I have lost count of the number of intelligent, very intelligent, sane, respectable people, literally glued to the Saturday night and Sunday night that this pap continues to spew. Beyond that, me thinks they are the reason that Wagner is still hanging on by his straggly hair. A School master at one of England’s best known Public Schools has started a Facebook campaign to keep Wagner in. I am told it numbers some 30,000 or so already. Let’s vote for the joke! My tip for the last four – Matt Cardle; One Direction; Rebecca Ferguson; ; and, oh dear, Wagner. I of course had no clue of the actual names but Henry was up to running speed! Simon Cowell was having a real go at Cheryl for perching her mentor on some steps. How was that any worse than putting you five schoolboys on five coffee tables? Pot…black…calling…

What’s the saying, “90% of all statistics are made up on the spot”?  I like that. Say it with confidence and who will counter? Like, I heard the other day “90% of Pork Pies are eaten by men.” Not hugely surprising but presuming the remaining 10% are hoovered by the pet dog. Has a woman ever eaten a pork pie, more than once?!

Best Touring side for a  generation, maybe but the home advantage for Oz, especially splitting either side of Christmas, is worth a Warne & a McGrath. The Guardian writes: “Australian cricket is in a dark place right now. Whereas England's preparations so far have been excellent,…” Don’t believe a word of it. The green baggies would rather die than concede ground to the Poms. Predictions - Man to watch: Shane Watson bowling in the afternoon session. The Gabba crowd to barrack more than ever. Ponting will not want to be the first Aussie skipper in almost 100 years to lose three Ashes contests, expect him to post three good scores (80 to 150). Mitchell Johnson to cause Ian Bell problems. Will K.P. come to the party? If Strauss sets uber attacking fields then Swan could be crucial. Only one way to play Oz, attack, attack, and attack. Dare one dream.

Saturday half-time my step brother e-mailed a picture of Arsenal’s Nasri laughing like a Hyena. Perhaps he should have waited until the final whistle. Likewise I’d be foolish to indulge in a bit of, bragging, as Spurs might well be humbled tonight by Werder Bremen. Either way I’ll be waiting until the final whistle, chicken that I am! Harry thinking that they are now genuine title contenders, what’s your last name, Potter?! Do you think Arsene Wenger as a baby threw his rattle out of the pram once, or alot?

Tuggy Meyer

Henry Palmer

South African White & White Burgundy ahead.

Good news and good news basically. Having lost our best-selling Jean Daneel “Signature” Chenin Blanc 2006 we are now delighted that we will be the exclusive U.K. Importer for his 2009 Vintage though this will take a few weeks to ship. It somewhat puts into perspective the insanity of this Lafite-Rothschild high that a pallet of 50 cases of Jean Daneel, South-Africa’s finest Chenin Blanc, costs less than half-a-case of the Lafite-Rothschild (not yet in bottle) that I sold this morning! Mad. Totally utterly breathtakingly stupid. At least some people will still aim to sell world class wines under £ 20.00 a bottle.

            Whilst I await the arrival of the Jean Daneel I can highly recommend in the interim the more reserved and more modestly priced Mullineux Family White:

Chris Mullineux White 2009 Swartland, South Africa at £ 15.50 per Bottle

Classically dry and minerally and at 14% held admirably in check by Mullineux as the Swartland can get pretty hot.

Eminently presentable on its own but with rich or spicier foods, a terrific foil. Seriously good value at this price.

61% Chenin-Blanc; 23% Clairette Blanche; 16% Viognier

Next week we will have a cracking Bourgogne Blanc from one of Burgundy’s best producers and at under £ 15.00 a bottle.

This is a huge step above in quality against the more typical £ 10-12 level of Bourgogne Blanc but from a lesser producer.

A perennial Burgundy tip – top producer; great vintage; basic wine.

Thursday, 25^th November – Thanksgiving Day

What a match for your Thanksgiving Turkey –

Olivia Brion Pinot Noir 2005

Wild Horse Valley, Sonoma County at £ 25.00 per Bottle

This tiny production (less than 400 cases) Sonoma Estate Pinot Noir (which is actually bottled and cased by the legendary and cult Kistler Vineyards) is usually on the shelf at £ 27.00 but we are making a special Thanksgiving offer and trimming it to £ 25.00 a Bottle. Worth a consideration whether you are “flying the flag” or not.

An indulgence - Château Palmer 1947

Yesterday in Geneva an Imperial of Château Cheval-Blanc 1947 made a staggering $ 304,375. We are right out of stock of that one at present but if you do feel like indulging yourself at a far more modest price we do have a single bottle, in impeccable condition, of Château Palmer 1947 available at comparative bargain of £ 444.00. If not to indulge yourself, it would of course make a very special 63^rd Birthday present! From the same cellar we have had Lynch-Bages and Latour 1985 and they were in perfect and healthy condition too. The few examples listed around the world are all into the shoulder level wise, this is comfortably into the neck and the label is near mint. As with this vintage, don’t think you are being short changed but the bottle is of course 73cl and not the standard 75cl of today.

1 Bottle of:

Château Palmer 1947

Margaux 3ème Grand Cru Classé

At £ 444.00

Silly-season:

The Mills & Boon of Wills & Middleton will have to wait ‘til next week. First time in memory that The Mail has been ahead of the pack! That aside, I am staggered that Wagner is still gracing our screens. Questions should be being asked in the House. Much to muse, 5^th of November; Remembrance Day; Harriet Harman… just too much drink and tasting and testing, so not enough hours in the day. Today alone I am due to tackle five Italians; a Swiss; a South African; and a Frenchie and no, not the start of a joke, just a day in the life of a Wine Merchant, sorry Vintner.

Tuggy Meyer

Henry Palmer

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon & Sunday Opening...

No “trick-or-treat” but this coming Sunday I am intending to open, probably from noon until 5.00 p.m. At least no congestion charge; free parking outside the Shop and it might give an opportunity for some of you busy people to drop by and ask those awkward questions that you never have time for – about wine fridges…building a cellar…cellar lay-out…what you might need thinking ahead for Christmas…

            As it is that funny Scottish tradition, now re-packaged gaudily and a half as Halloween I might lay on some hot mince pies or similar and a shot of delicious 1988 Guyana & 1990 Jamaican Rum.

Open from noon until 5.00 p.m.

This coming, Sunday, 31^st October.

I don’t believe it, 2010, are you sure – yup, that time of year so we are now looking at Cloudy Bay 2010. It is not one of our top picks but there seem to be die-hard Cloudy Bay buyers amongst you and we have just 8 cases, arriving hopefully tomorrow, or Friday.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon-Blanc 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand at £ 16.95 per Bottle

Silly-season:

Well arriving at the departure point on Sunday night’s X-Factor I was somewhat struck by the coincidence that the three remaining contestants were all black. It doesn’t matter from which of the three hundred and sixty degrees it comes but the mere word racism, or racially prejudice, will bring out anything from feigned indignation to outright ire in almost all. So how did we get here? A numbers game perhaps, coincidence maybe but two of these last three were actually really, really good singers. Usually X-Factor throws up a couple of class acts and the remaining truly sub class (Storm Lee take note) but this year is a high water mark. We should count ourselves lucky: I had lunch on Sunday with the South African winemaker, Adi Badenhorst, and he said South Africa’s equivalent is a horror show from beginning to end. Anyway, so how does Wagner, not the original Dicky Wagner, get through to the next round and these two have to degrade themselves with a sing-off? There has to be a reason but maybe not overtly and it might simply be more as I judge the Eurovision Song Contest – not simply anti British, or rather anti English and anti somebody else sentiment, but merely the same bad taste. If you are from a Balkan Country, chances are you’ll like the same naff twangs of a ukulele etc from your neighbouring Balkan or if you live anywhere near Greece your music would be best blended with plate smashing…? Or was it just a case of what we know better? Whatever, the bottom line is that you have to question Joe Public’s taste. Small beer when it comes to a television programme but positively disturbing when one think of a Referendum or Election. Scary.

Half-term is invariably when us battered parents have to provide the overpriced popcorn and sit in and watch Children’s’ Films. In the case of “Legends of the Guardians” it was beautifully made but pretty turgid stuff story-wise. Okay for 7 or under, not above that. “Despicable Me” however was a real treat. Great for kids, even better for grown-ups. “Africa United” is also worth seeing. A simple tale and pretty easy to guess where it’ll all end but in a word it was charming. Amazing, in amongst all that child soldiers; violence; drugs; AIDS; bribery etc., standard African stereotypes, yet the deft touch of the Director, Debs Gardner-Paterson maintains this as a feel good movie for sure. Long wanted to see “The Boy in Striped Pyjamas” and finally got to it on DVD. Fine sentiment but I just cannot get my head round a range of English character actors, all with different regional accents, especially a lisping David Thewlis, and it just makes for such unconvincing Germans, with or without a conscience.

Well not exactly a pay rise but perhaps a promotion of sorts. When I said last week that the current Public Sector Cull should afflict job descriptions of anything over one or maximum two words, I came in under the bar as a Wine Merchant. Bobby of Guernsey e-mailed back to say I should be promoted to Vintner. So there we have it, safe for now, your new Vintner. If you remain unconvinced, pick-up a copy of Private Eye and almost all of their stinging criticisms are reserved for officials with excessively long job titles.

46% per cent of Oxford’s workforce is employed in the Public Sector. You can only ever have a two-tier system with an equation like that.

Tonight I’ll be having a look at The Sampler; then Harvey Knickers; and then 28-50 just off Fleet Street. Anything as memorable as Bar Boulud’s hamburgers or the Fox & Anchor’s chips, I’ll let you know.

Handbags and Gladrags....

We have been rather focusing on White Burgundy of late for everyday drinking but have just received a few cases today of Inama’s Soave Classico. Somewhat leaner, steelier and fresher, it is a great alternative if you are a tad tired with White Burgundy again and again!

Soave Classico 2009 Inama, Veneto, Italy at £ 13.00 per Bottle

If you are bored of Chardonnay this ever so slightly grassy but overtly minerally mid-weight white should do the trick.

“Huntsworth Handbag Amnesty” -  £ 1 a pop…

Not going to pretend this is about saving the planet but simply about practicalities. Our hessian Huntsworth bags are useful but also pretty popular and we have been through a fair few hundred of these recently. Always handy to have one or two lying about but quite a few of you pop back with an armful of five or ten. That would be mighty useful if any of you have plenty or any to spare and we will knock a pound off per bag for any armfuls duly returned! Do keep one or two as I said but and extra would be handy for what is our “Huntsworth ‘Handbag’ Amnesty”

Weekly indulgence:

Château Gloria 2001 St-Julien at £ 27.00 per Bottle

One of the most instantly recognizable labels in Bordeaux along with such classics as Lynch Bages; Ducru-Beaucaillou; Latour.

A very solid, yet to a degree, a restrained effort. Mouth filling, dense Cabernet fruit leaning more to the drier than sweeter side.

A good hour decanting is more than advisable and the wine will settle down to a textbook Claret display!

3 cases, all in original wooden case (but available singularly off the shelf).

Silly-season:

Well it seems that everyone has an opinion on little Osborne (as opposed to Osborne & Little) and his cuts. It won’t surprise you that I am amongst that very throng. As much as Chancellor Brown had the gilded ability to do one thing three ways and thus complicate what was or should be a simple task, the route back to normality is surely to simplify matters and reverse that trend. In all possible arenas. My view on this is as simple as it gets. Anyone with a single word job title is important or at a stretch two words (Wine Merchant – phew!) should be saved. Anyone with a job title of three words or more should be culled. Two words. End of. “I’m a Doctor; a nurse; a teacher; a farmer; a milkman; a policeman; fireman; dentist; dustman; Chef; parents…great, we need you to do this…we need you for that…thank you.” On the other hand, you receive a telephone call and you hear “Hello, I’m Ray Smithers-Jones the Assistant Director of Parking Operations from Department of Environment & Transport at the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea…” – Stop! I don’t need you…I don’t want you…and I don’t want to pay for you and your reserved parking space at my Town Hall and your paid for Bank Holidays and your early retirement package and your expense account. Go away and do not come back. Ever. If your job title is one or two words, you are probably an integral part of what is important in life and helping others around you. If one uses a more elaborate title than necessary or simply more words you are probably only helping yourself and the printing industry. The most oft used phrase is “will the cuts send us into a recession?” Possibly, but surely U.K. P.L.C. will head into a recession that much quicker if one doesn’t cut? A business that can’t afford it will go to the wall unless it is being subsidized. The trouble is that source of subsidy is simply pushing many individuals and businesses to the wall. Chicken and egg as my School teachers used to say but even aged twelve I knew the egg came before the chicken!

Usually it is only the first few rounds of X-Factor that witnesses wave upon wave of deluded folk. This weekend however, what about scary Storm Lee? Weird. This series X-factor is almost as good as its American counterpart in that we do actually have more than 2-3 genuinely talented acts. People who can actually sing. Storm Lee was not one of them. Nor to Pub Act Worzel Gummidge aka Wagner, a tragic Opera for sure. Storm Lee actually said “I had a dream that Simon Cowell came up to me and said you are really one of the best male vocalists in the World and he will because my dreams always come true.” Well, if a devastating plague hits Planet Earth and there are just two people remaining, “Si-Co” and you, a better than evens chance. Otherwise back to your bed-sit pally. I have also been taken by the absolute opposite that follows “Downton Abbey” the somewhat syrupy, schmaltzy, period costume drama but for I.T.V., usually purveyor of lowest common denominator T.V. They have truly excelled themselves. Worth watching and wishing for more. Aunty Beeb must be spitting as they have been truly outgunned in that department.

Tuggy’s tips:

Never a problem for me as I don’t have a positive litany of credit cards but it is amazing how many punters, customers, clients meander in and cannot remember their pin number. I have an easy solution. Just remember one country or international telephone number you already know or dial regularly and slide down that number in alphabetical order. Thus you only have to remember one actual number. Id est: 01189 71 3174 =

Am-Ex – 0118

Barclaycard – 1189

Maestro - 1897

MasterCard – 8971…

Not Rocket Science but might help some of you, never, having to forget again.

Weekly World of Wine

A beautiful new wine to unfold? Not quite. Alas the end of last week went amidst a haze of Eucalyptus lozenges, Night Nurse and Lemsip. Full-on Man Flu. Hence no tasting of wines. Henry fared little better but I did dispatch him to a Burgundy tasting earlier in the week but nothing sufficiently tempting for us to in turn tempt you. An odd week indeed.

Weekly Indulgence:

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1997 Sauternes

Premier Grand Cru Classé

at £ 19.00 per Half-Bottle

Classic Vintage, beautiful colour, perfect with Foie Gras (just don’t tell the Guardian readers!)

(90-92 points Robert Parker)

44 Halves in stock.

“Silly Season”

‘Tis a dangerous game when you compare others or the opposition to oneself. I did that recently with our Planeta Chardonnay at £ 16.50 against Majestic at £ 25.00. I don’t feel too off the mark with that one but sometimes one needs to be a bit more considered. On Sunday night I was at a friend’s House and accidentally (honest) picked-up a copy of The Mail on Sunday. The header said “70 pence cheaper than the Sunday Times”. I had never really considered the price of The Mail but it simply highlighted to me how grossly overpriced the Mail actually is, against pretty much anything. I am unequivocally not a fan of Murdoch and he has long been off my Christmas card list but the Culture Section alone in the Sunday Times outguns the collective best that the Mail on Sunday can muster. Some things one should just keep quiet about. Even if it were free I’d not mention it in the same breath.

            Prompted by Claire Rayner’s final words of warning this week to David Cameron it did remind me of the highs and lows and different perceptions of that great old dinosaur, the N.H.S. Just yesterday I scuttled off to Imperial College which sprawls southwards around the Albert Hall. A spectacular amount of money has been spent here across the approximately ten blocks of prime South Kensington Real Estate. Phenomenal. Impressive. Expensive. Heaven knows where the money came from to pay for this. On second thoughts… Anyway I popped in for a routine check-up at the Dental Practice, prompted by a Scottish friend who recommended it highly, not just because it only costs £ 16.50 and that as he told me was a leading factor for a Scotsman, but because the dentist was a particularly cute Scottish lass. The invariable N.H.S. flaw – a 10.30 a.m. appointment, yet finally summoned in at 11.10 a.m. and finished and out by 11.20 a.m.! It was however pretty state of the art and when the wheels were finally in motion it was incredibly efficient. But of course it couldn’t run by itself. As I sat there waiting, flipping through a dog-eared copy of Country Life from the Gordon Brown Era, I was confronted by a gaggle of five, presumably, bureaucrats. Four looked as if they had just left School. Clipboards, pointing, gesturing and this strange language that I have mentioned before. Only English of sorts. This techno littered meaningless language where any potentially simple task is instead layered upon layer. In amongst this slick efficiency it was depressing to witness this extra and I can assure you unnecessary strata. Will we ever unravel back to a simpler form of life?

            Back to the Sunday Times (10^th October) and I did spot “Let’s Fire The Lot Of Them” concerning The Apprentice. It reminded me that I said the exact same thing but back in May 2008:

“The Apprentice is fast becoming a farce, however compulsive it is to watch. If someone is not good enough old beardie points the finger and says “you’re fired!” Understood, simple format. With this series however he should have fired the first Muppet and then immediately afterwards said “and you are all fired!” because they are all unemployable; unappealing; unattractive; and all utterly useless. I have been served by some better people flipping burgers at McD’s. It would shorten the series but sometimes a bit of honesty is needed. I guarantee that whomever Mr. Amstrad picks as the winner they will not be working for him at the year’s end. “

            Still a ways to go but good news from San Jose, Chile at least.

“He (Carlos Tevez) has been in England for five years now. So it’s disappointing that his English isn’t as good as what it should be.” – Graham Taylor

Tuggy

And proof read by Henry for political correct ness.

A Week in Wine is shorter than in Politics...

Wednesday 6^th October

 

 

 

Thinking ahead:

 

Enough new wines pitched at you lately so just a general update of revisiting some classics and a couple of soon arriving newbies:

 

 

I am informed (as I have been for the last 4 months!) that the Jean Daneel “Signature” Chenin Blanc 2006 will be shipped to us before Christmas. The bad news is that it is due to go up by 13% in cost to us. The good news is that it is in my view worth it. The Adi Badenhorst Family White is a success at £ 21.00 so the brilliant Daneel at the same sort of price should be grasped without hesitation!

 

 

From individual and brilliant to obvious and commercial (but undeniably successful) the Planeta Chardonnay from Sicily has moved on to the 2008 Vintage. But for the next 120 Bottles we will hold our price at £ 16.50 (Wine Direct £ 19.95; Majestic £ 25.00…).

 

 

Also, we have just secured a U.K. Exclusive on a fabulous quality Swiss wine, Histoire D’Enfer. More to follow in November.

 

 

Another forthcoming little beauty is the Bourgogne Blanc from Domaine Fourrier. Now Fourrier is really turning heads for Red Burgundy and I first happened across Jean Marie’s Bourgogne Blanc as the absurdly cheap House White at Andrew Edmunds in Soho. I took my son there for Sunday and even cheaper he has the opulent and entertaining 2007 Vintage at £ 17.50 a Bottle. We will be about £ 15 a Bottle for the forthcoming 2008 Vintage, so to get the 2007, a straight Bourgogne Blanc granted, but a wine of this quality at what works out at less than £ 3 a glass must rank as one of the best value wine buys in a London Restaurant. Corkage in London Restaurants will feature heavily, with its own page, on our soon to be –released new Web-site but Andrew Edmunds is one London Restaurant that corkage truly isn’t necessary. Booking however might be!

 

 

 

Weekly Indulgence:

 

The Jacquesson “Cuvée 732” has now moved onto the “Cuvée 733” and though we will try this today to determine how good it is, it is alas still going from £ 30.00 a Bottle to £ 33.00-34.00 a Bottle. It needs to be seriously, seriously good for that sort of price increase in these climes so I am not guaranteeing to stock this unless it proves its worth + 10%! That opens the door for the tiniest of comparative bargains as we have just 3 Magnums left of the “Cuvée 732” and they are of course at the old price of £ 65.00. Once they have gone and if we take on the “Cuvée 733” they will of course be that much more expensive.

 

 

Last 3 Magnums only of:

 

Jacquesson “Cuvée 732” at £ 65.00 per Magnum

(Base Vintage 2004 and all from Premier and Grand Cru sites)

 

 

 

 

“Silly-Season”

 

Like Mark Twain I tend to view Golf as a good walk spoilt. I also decline an offer for a round of Golf as in all honesty my dress sense is bad enough as it is without having to dress-up like Rupert The Bear. Anyway, I did per chance find myself watching the final moments of the Ryder Cup on Monday and have to confess that I was left utterly speechless by what I saw. I really couldn’t believe what was going on, it was Wales and it was sunny. Quite remarkable scenes. Probably never to be seen again in my life time.

 

Well, you now all know (or soon will do) what it is like working for Deutsche Bank. German humour is no laughing matter. A few customers and friends vork for zis Bank and they confide that they have to wait until Friday 6.00 p.m. on zee dot before they can indulge in any hilarity. Rarely has a headline of a British Newspaper sent such a shudder down my spine and probably a first for The Daily Mail: last week I spotted “Death of the Office Joke…” thinking of course that it was a joke. Apparently not. Until it is no longer there, we simply take such things for granted in life. As if we hadn’t had enough utter tosh from people like Caroline Flint we now have Harriet Harman and Theresa May to thank for this latest introduction. An employee can now sue their employer if they find anything offensive. The potential is staggering, just think of 99% of the Treasury, they could put Gordon Brown in the dock. I never met the man but found him deeply offensive, imagine those who actually worked with him. Well, if this really comes to fruition and pervades the giant partitioned offices across our sodden land then me thinks Banks et all should better alter their bonus structure. I think rewarding Staff with vouchers or tickets for The Comedy Store and Edinburgh Festival will be essential element to maintain any assemblance of sanity. You must remember it was not just the Russians, nor the Americans a little later that saved us from Hitler’s Germany, it was Tommy’s sense of humour. Don’t under-estimate Gallows’ humour. Self-effacing; simple observation; timing; witty responses – something we would surely merit a Gold and our Australian Cousins a distant Bronze. Where do we go from here? Cutting ourselves off at the knees (but not in the Monty Python sense) and soon everyone else will catch us up. Except the Germans of course. And the…

 

Talking of skin crawling I watched Piers Morgan “interview” Sir Alan Sugar. Yes, the one who made all that rubbish hi-fi you and I bought back in the ‘70’s when orange and brown was fashionable. What makes a good interviewer? Piers possesses, if that is the right word, an innocuous, non-descript little voice so that’s not it. Or is he just a throwback to the past when of course the interviewer was far less interesting and famous than the an actual celebrity? Unlike the fashion for Jonathan Woss etc. He begins with that appalling media trait of “Lord Sugar’s multi-million pound pad…” He eyes Sugar and his goppingly decorated Florida pad with a tinge of envy but with his forthcoming American Chat Show one can only envisage he will fast immerse himself in this same sort of tacky glamour. Me thinks taste would come to him as an even greater shock. It takes a full twenty minutes before anything of real interest evolves and that was not from Morgan probing but simply Sugar revealing about his parents. The art of a good interviewer is to let some interesting talk. Twenty minutes is too long and if they ain’t interesting Sir Alan, then Piersy mate, you have to learn to fill in the gaps. Or better still give your job to someone who would make a proper fist of it.

 

This will all mean a slight change in direction for my weekly rants, my silly season. Ed’s replacement is Henry Palmer so I will now have to gauge and test and seek out his views on humour and “correct” topics. Will he vet my weekly, will he contribute, will he add, will he take away? Work in progress.

 

I went to Cambio de Tercio in Sud Kensington last week. Why do restaurants put a dinner plate on the table yet the second you sit down take it away? Practical; affectation; window-dressing; stupidity…?

 

“Henry Palmer did not find anything offensive in this e-mail”...

 

            …though I am not sure he found it that amusing either.

 

Tuggy Meyer

 

CC Mishcon de Reya.

Wednesday 29th September

My Wine of the week

With the positive chill in the air this morning it is perhaps now wise to start thinking of suitable, hearty reds for the Winter. We have a small parcel of 10 cases of Guigal’s 2000 Vintage Gigondas and it has reached its perfect maturity. Anywhere else they would probably be working on the 2006 and circa £ 17-26 a Bottle.

A taste of Rhône – Gigondas 2000:

Gigondas 2000 Southern Rhône, É.Guigal at £ 15.00 per Bottle

Classic earthy, characterful, heading towards rustic but at full maturity, chewy, gentle and easy.

 All one needs is a hearty stew.

Weekly Indulgence

(Just 12 Bottles available of)

St-Hallett “Old Block” Shiraz 1996

Barossa Valley, Australia at £ 33.00 per Bottle.

A renowned Barossa and a real treat with this unusual amount of bottle age.

(Only web price is circa £ 45 a Bottle)

Silly Season

Much to write this week but alas time eludes.

Still plenty to digest over the Ed & Dave Show. Personally I am struggling to get beyond Dave and his mono-brow. Nothing wrong with that, outside one of H.M.’s Prison’s, but just leaves me wondering, does Ed shave his unlike his brother?! His aside to Harriet Harman during little bro’s speech was I thought fair on all levels. All this and the Pantomime Season is yet to begin. The only real shocker to me about this whole, affair, was when of Dave Mili was standing on his North London doorstep, wearing what could only be described as something best seen in a Nightclub. Politicians never ever ever ever, ever, should try and look trendy. Miliband Senior – may I suggest a white shirt as looking like a City Accountant would be infinitely preferable.

Nearly the perfect weekend when I was told that Arsenal were within a whisker of being 4-0 down against “The Baggies”. That is West Bromwich Albion to most of you.

Wednesday 22nd September

My wine of the week:

Pulenta “Gran Corte” 2007 Mendoza, Argentina at £ 18.95 per Bottle

A substantial but ultra smooth, creamy and rich textured Argie red with that tell-tale distinctive Malbec flavour. All one needs is...FOR MORE GO TO http://www.huntsworthwine.co.uk/

Silly Season

Meandering through a Fulham playground (I was with my son!) on Sunday morning I overheard a track suited Mum call out to her son “Roman”. I thought that’s an unusual name for a white working class English boy (I surmised from the number of visible tattoos and piercings). Then realized we were within a few hundred yards of Stamford Bridge and of course and Roman Abramovich’s rear patio. Now pretty common (in both senses) to call a son after some legendary footballer or manager and maybe even the Club owner but surely could have been worse, could have lived next door to the Arsenal manager. What did you say your name was…?!

Meandering on we took a butcher’s at the new Union Market on Fulham Broadway. It seems like a honed down version of Whole Foods but some definite temptations for any foodies amongst you and I am tucking into their organic (crunchy!) peanut butter as I type. Then on to the adjacent Mall just at a time that emerging from the Tube station was a positive wall of rolls of undulating fat pressed against the all too tight-fitting mid-blue coloured Chelsea Football shirts. It was Chelsea at Home. We fled upstairs to Yo-Sushi passing Tex-Mex and Pizza Express and Fine Burger and they were packed with Chelsea Football shirts. Before, during and after there was not one football shirt in the Yo-Sushi unlike the burgers and pizzas. Perhaps that says as much about them as it does about me! Another real blast from the past: I lunched yesterday with the Antinori’s, so to speak, at Aspinall’s, the famous gambling den in Mayfair. Recently revamped but it still contained an opulent nod to the past, downstairs especially like some 1970’s grand drawing room, some very fine oil paintings, in amongst the average but an extraordinary juxtaposition with period details then the first gaming room with padded swing seats and slot machine like computer screens like a Harvester Pub. Quite bizarre. It was work, I did glean from this a really fabulous Chianti Classico Riserva 2004 which will be in stock later today or tomorrow. Not cheap at £ 32.00 but it really is tip-top and complex for Chianti.

“The language of these (Tony Blair) memoirs reflects that of a trendy Anglican priest, desperate to show himself as a regular guy, scattering exclamation marks life peerages for party donors…”-  Max Hastings. Well, that puts me in my place then!! 

With many of you avid or dyed-in-the-wool Kensingtonians you will know of Kensington Place and then of course Le Café Anglais where the larger than life Rowley Leigh moved to. They have opened a new Café & Oyster Bar and I am going next Tuesday to see how good it is or isn’t but they are doing a 25% off deal, food and better still, wine. Might be worth a trip if you are anywhere near Whitley’s. Person to ask for is Nicky. I am trying to strike a standard “corkage deal” with them for our customers and will let you know on our soon to be revamped web-site.

Visit http://www.huntsworthwine.co.uk/ for our full wine list