AN HISTORY OF BRITAIN .....

“Messieurs les anglais, tirez les premiers !” Fontenoy battle, 11 of may 1745. Yes !, MESSIEURS THE ENGLISH SHOOT FIRST !!, because we own you a lot, first : what could have been of the Bordeaux wine without the English occupation in 1154, Henri II Plantagenet, husband of Alienor d'Aquitaine, take the English crown. L''Aquitaine, became a province of england (we should be part of the commonwealth so ....) and start to appreciate the «Claret» ( name for a rose in Bordeaux, or a light red). The Bordelais arrange and work with the king in order to gain fiscal advantage ( we should do that more often..), commercial monopole, lower tax level ( ah!! the good old days!!!)on export to england. To serve the demand in London the vineyard are extended into the surrounding the «palus» ( the land is cheap but apparently not too bad ... only the future will tell!!) in Fronsac, Saint-Émilion, Cadillac, Saint Macaire, Langon, Barsac…
In 1303, 102.724 tonneaux are exported, only in 1950 that number would be the same.( england import more crappy wine from USA and Australia now!!!)

In 1453, at the Castillon battle England lost the Aquitaine and so the love affair with Bordeaux is ended, but some of the Bordeaux “castle” and property will be own by Englishman until now, so, thanks to the lady of London and the the lord of england for drinking claret .

So we have in Pauillac more bold and dark wine with earthy character (the smell not the taste!!) like a Lafitte rotschild ( £390.00 for a 2006) or a Latour (£500 for a 2006, better than the English housing market) but maybe those one are a little bit expensive so go for an outsider a Pibran (£30) or Bernadotte (£20) or you could try a CHATEAU LOUDENNE, MEDOC, (£20 but for a 98) in St yzan en medoc near Pauillac. Neighbors of Lafitte and Latour, a finest medoc almost Pauillac in his richness, situated on the banks of the Gironde estuary, is one of the most delightful sites in the Medoc, the charm of which did not escape with is own private port and 125 years of English history. Deep blackcurrant with undertone of almond and nuts. You could go for a Margaux but instead of a Palmer (£400) or Rauzan-Segla (£100) try a Labegorce (£20) or Dauzac (£30) or once again a chateaux d'Arsac (£15) is a little secret but rich and with perfume of cassis a little pleasure to discover. For the St Emilion Ausone (£600, a bottle not a caisse)or Cheval blanc (£550) would be perfect but with my budget i go for Chateaux Larmande (£30) or Les Gravieres (£18) but try to find a Chateaux Jean Voisin (£15) a perfect st Emilion style at a price who would not hurt you!!. Just to say that in this moment you could still have a good dinner, a great experience with a wine as the French says it's like for women “ I am searching for the best one, so, I have to try a lot!!!” and of course “ I'm still searching!!!”.

Wine Dinner Thursday 30 July 2009

Wine and Women's a World of Wit and Wisdom....

I can't lived without wine or Women, but as I grow older I have more success with Wine..... Voltaire

Aperitif

Kir d'Alsace

The first kiss !!!!!

to start...

paul's beetroot gravadlax

mustard dressing

With LES NUAGES, pinot noir rose

rose petal, light strawberry freshly crush on your lips

A “french kiss” of strawberry

to follow...

'Chicken supreme, wolsley pork stuffing creamed leeks/

Paul's summer Vegetable risotto with pecorino and truffle oil

With Testings CHATEAU ST BAILLON, Cotes du Provence

of provence and st-tropez, the sun!, the beach!, the celebrity's!, the caravan?...but what about the wine made with Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Tibouren who gives a fresh nose, light and full of perfume of apricot, caramel and a real long lasting who won't fade away!!

A summer kiss …...

to end...

Bournville chocolate fondant

almond Bavarois with cardamon syrup

Choice of sweet wine and port

A last kiss in Paris…...

I would be drunk on wine, I should be drunk with Love, but I could not feel any pleasure on drinking water..........Marquis de Sade

MIDNIGHT SUMMER DRINKS...........

CONNOISSEUR DINNER

A man cannot make him laugh - but that's no marvel; he drinks no wine.
William Shakespeare, in Henry IV Part 2

to start...

paul's beetroot gravadlax

mustard dressing

With Arnies with a twist Italian grappe from california

a twist of mint in a fresh glass of dry white full of almonds, pears and with a rich anise mineral finish

......

to follow...

'Chicken supreme, wolsley pork stuffing

creamed leeks

With Testings of Syrah from france to usa, from syrah to australian shiraz

ST COSME ST JOSEPH, Louis Barruol,

Jasmin, rose, blackberry, wood coal.

Followed by

OJAI VINEYARD, barbara, california

really powerful and intense wine and delicious right now

and a little bit of fruits from australian shirazzzzz...

Ripe red fruit with a touch of spice

to end...

Bournville chocolate fondant

With Dessert wine selection

Wine, one sip of this will bathe the drooping spirits in delight beyond the bliss of dreams. Be wise and taste.

WINE AND CHOCOLATE

"The greatest tragedies were written by the Greek Sophocles and English Shakespeare. Neither knew chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

Good chocolate is like a “kiss of the one you really love” a “caress of sun and angels” but the real base of chocolate is cacao, sugar and milk sometimes. A strong taste bitter, powerful, the torrefaction and the provenance will alter is taste. So, which wine with it???

Champagne ? A vintage rose for small chocolate-mousse cakntage Rich (sweeter) for milk chocolate lait Craquelin form Bouquets of chocolates or “Poire belle Helene”, a sweeter touch to a sweeter hearth.

White wine ?A Loire white saumur or layon for pain au chocolate Anjou as well for peach chocolate tart with silk because “Nothing is more romantic than chocolate “

Red wine ?with already cacao aroma as in a Pommard or a madiran. A new world Zinfandel is the obvious choice for chocolate cakes. Pinot noir from new world tends to be perfect for milk chocolate, Madagascar 70% (forasteros and trinitarios mix), creamy mousse or chocolate cheesecake a Cabernet or merlot from Chile as well for milk chocolate. So next time keep a little bit of your wine for dessert, as we say chocolate is not a substitute for love. Love is a substitute for chocolate.

Porto ? Tawny port with Chocolate cake, An older vintage ( at least more 20Y) for dark chocolate as a good one from Ivory coast. The darker the better, there will be less sweet and more rich in cacao taste that the sweetness of port balance perfectly, the perfect recipe to heaven (chocolate) without any embarrassment to make the conversation.

Sherry ? Pedro Ximenez, full of rich raisin and toffee is the one to try with chocolate and vanilla ice-cream or a white chocolate

Sweets ? Banyuls from France or Recioto from Italy for dark deep chocolate dessert, muscat or recioto for black forest, if its an orange cake try with tokaji or orange muscat from Australia, Berry with chocolate cake need a Maury from France. For a Mousse take a Moscato d'asti. A Riesling is always nice with a light chocolate desserts grd crus for dark chocolate (Sao Tome), rivesalte with a Grenache base as well. If you are lucky a “Vergine Stravecchio The final classification of Marsala ” with 10 years in oak are sublime with chocolate (so perfect for you as you are...). If you are curious a Mavrodafni from Cephalonie in Greece with figues, plum, coffee and chocolate flavor, all the pleasure of that long sun bath along the beach without the noise of the kids next door or the fat block.

Whiskey ? You need a strong butter, caramel, grilled almond so a Speyside sherry cask like a Macallan 18 will be perfect with a ginger milk chocolate to reveal a new world of Spiciness .......for you...and him.....!!. Bushmill's Malt works perfectly, try the Monkey Shoulder's with light preparation. Or a bourbons, with long cask vanilla, wood underlying like a Bulleit.

And for the real “fans” a Stout will always work , warm if possible to give a balance in amertume and alcohol.

And finally if you don't drink alcohol (maybe it is not your fault!!) water really neutral (nothing fancy). Coffee need something well balance and soft as a Venezuela Amer (70%cacao) only. For the tea Oolong tea are the perfect match with praline. Darjeeling or Assam with cakes. Lapsang Souchon with a spices chocolate.

And don't forget "My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far I've finished two bags of M&M's and a chocolate cake. I feel better already." – Dave Barry

“Bon appetit !”

"I drink it when I'm happy and when I'm sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I'm not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it - unless I'm thirsty." - Mme. Lily Bollinger.

As early as 79 A.D.in the area round Epernay cultivated by roman. they also quarried the chalky hillsides (called crayeres natural cellars). The wines used for the sacrament, for coronations, for the royal table. Rather than imitating the wines of Burgundy, the Champenois sought to create a new style of wines. these new wines, made with care, were not only unusual but also delicious. The Champenois had discovered how to vinify light-coloured wines from the Pinot Noir grape. Frère Jean Oudart and Dom Pierre Pérignon (1639 – 1742). Drunk young; but when shipped abroad in cask, the warm spring weather frequently set off a secondary fermentation.The new wines were bottled immediately upon arrival, and retained a lively sparkle. The phenomenon aroused interest on the part of the Champenois. the abbeys of Saint-Pierre aux Monts de Châlons and Saint-Pierre d’Hautvillers became the birthplace of naturally sparkling wine in its purest and most perfect form The technique of blending from various vineyards to obtain a finished wine superior to any of its parts, the process of clarifying sediment from the wine. Chaptal(chemist) advocated adding sugar at fermentation, rather than to the finished wine, to increase alcohol content.(Chaptalisation=addition of sugar).Effectively there are just three grapes used to make Champagne. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. The first two are black grapes, the latter is white.Firstly, most houses will take a selection of still wines made from the grapes of more than one area,r. Once the wines are assembled, the cellar-master of the house will decide how they should be blended, before the bubbles are created by the Méthode Champenoise.Veuve Clicquot 1772 by Philippe Clicquot ( textiles and finance) a small area of vineyards at nearby Bouzy and Ambonnay. 1801. François the son married to Nicole-Barbe Ponsardin in 1799, when he died aged just 30 years she took control in a move unprecedented in a world where business was still the domain of men.At the time the appearance of Champagne was still marred by the lees, the sediment of dead yeast cells that remained suspended in the wine.Her new chef de cave conceived the system of remuage, Ruinart Many Champagne houses would like to lay claim to the accolade of being the longest established house, but only one may do so in truth. Established in 1729 by Nicolas Ruinart. In reality there can be no older house; the Royal decree which permitted the transport of bottled wines was only passed in 1728. The Ruinarts were not without connections when helpful advice with their new venture was needed; Nicolas' uncle was Dom Thierry Ruinart, close friend to Dom Pérignon himself.Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, obviously 100% Chardonnay which is all from Premier Cru vineyards, MOET ET CHANDON Established in 1743 based in Epernay . During the Revolution the House flourished and grew further during the Napoleonic era. The concept of vintage Champagne made of exceptional grapes from the same year was introduced in 1840 with Moet producing their first vintage Champagne in 1842. The words “dry” and “sec” to indicate dryness (see our Types of Champagne section) first appeared on Moet labels in 1856. This was as a response to the British market who wanted a dry Champagne to drink with their meals.

Les rosés

“a rosé like a tears of love in a glass of cuddle....”

Dionysos was the first to discover the wine born from a drop of a gods blood . Is friend Icarios was the first to discover the “pleasure” that you could take from it.
The Méditerranée was the “berceau des civilisations” and enjoy and export all sorts of “pleasures”, songs about Dionysos and Bacchus. Ans so the first wine is born “rosés” yes!! my friends, rosés!!!!!, because it was the first “juices” reserved to the noble, the red who as been too long time in contact with the skins for the slaves!, and, no whites!!!. But the dark ages arrived and of course as always in history what is fashion is no more and white and red took others and the rosés deseapear.

But not every where in France especially in Provence where the sun shine!, the lady dance! And the rosés swearl in the glasses!!!. An aperitif, between friends, for a Provençal meal, exotic evenings or with Chinese, Indians spicy food the Provence rosés wines are fresh…as a first kiss. From Bordeaux and south-west it will be always more dark and crisp, and dry, share a bottle along some exotic food. From Loire it as more fruitiness to go with a more romantic ambiance. From Rhone more powerful more creamy drink it on is own watching “pride and prejudice” perfect to refresh after the swimming!!!. From Provence sexy and well balance, a pleasure of dry rose, raspberry and cherry aromas, perfect for a “sex in the city”night. If its from Italy more soft and creamy it will be for you and him/her In the bed.... to refresh after a “torrid” night. From Spain let is heart talk to you from a more “sanguine” color and a more “manly” attack!!! jump to the conclusion straight away.... From South Africa it as to be a sweet night on the balcony outside. From the US of A??? the Zin of course for all the hen's night out when you need to spend for more than 20 of your friend. Of course a BIG glasses is only 175ml (1.5 unit) and only one glasses, for refresh there is still water available . But as an “incorrigible” French i say that in summer (two days in a rows of sunshine in england) there is nothing better than a good meal in terrace, a good company, an intelligent conversation and a glass of wine in my hand !!! rosés of course to enjoy more the company and the sun!!.

I drink for the pleasure not for the “Ivress” and I love for the “Ivress” and the pleasure!!. Marquis de Sade

Few things about the cognac

COGNACNearby Atlantic ocean, in South western France, not far from Bordeaux. Merchants, mostly English and Dutch, began to distil the wines in order to avoid the long boat trips spoiling their quality of the wine and as well to avoid the wine tax impose by the english in the port ob bordeaux, but lesser tax where impose on the spirits and alcohol. This alcohol, stored in oak barrels, was to be diluted upon arrival. It is purely by chance that they realised that these beaux-de-vie improved with time and contact with French oak cask, legend says that some of the cask where left on the port of Dover for almost a year after a battle started (money and grudge are the mother of invention ??).It is a white wine produced and double distilled into an eau-de-vie (the water of life or whikey in scotland or vodka in russia or @sorry I am dead@ in a lot of language and civilisation!!). About 90% grapes used are of St.Emillion (Ugni Blanc) kind. The rest are Folle Blanche and Colombard (old french grappe giving a @weak@ wine....). The grape growing, harvesting and Cognac production is accomplished in a limited and strictly controlled. This area is characterized by chalky soil, wet winters and sunny summers and it spreads through two departments of South West France; Charente and Charente Maritime. Two small growth areas are also in the Deux Sevres and the Dordogne departments. The Cognac producing region is divided into six growths areas (crus) Cognac is the result of blending and aging of different eau-de-vie vintages. An unblended, straight vintage Cognac is very rare and available only in small quantities.

Cognac is aged in Limousin oak casks (barrels). It's aging period is between 2 to 50plus years. Once transferred out of the oak wood casks into bottles, Cognac stops aging. To prevent cognac reacting with the cork, its bottles must be stored vertically.

The aging is a very delicate process of interaction between outside air and the alcohol inside of the oak wood cask. This interaction is accomplished through the porosity of the oak. During this process about three percent of Cognac evaporates; this loss is referred to as "the angels share". The Grande Champagne cru is located around the town of Segonzac. It produces a very fine, high-quality Cognac. It is known as the Premier Cru du Cognac. Petit Champagne is very much of the same quality, but a touch lighter. It’s vineyards lie to the south-west and south-east of Grande Champagne. Borderies, which lie around the town of Burie (north-west of City of Cognac), is the smallest of the crus in the terms of acreage. Eaux-de-vie from Borderies has rich, flowery aromas and it is known as "…Cognac that ladies prefer". The largest, and by far the intriguing cru, is Fins Bois. Geographically, it rings the other three crus. It lies, approximately, in the triangle between the towns of Rouilliac, Matha and Pons. It has a rich, full, strong aromas with a touch of the maritime climate. Bons Bois and Bois Ordinaires are the exterior crus heavily influenced by the climate of the Atlantic ocean.

*** and V.S. (Very Special) two and half years old

V.O. (Very Old), V.S.O.P. (Very Superior Old Pale), Réserve must be at least four and half years old

X.O.(eXtra Old), Réserve, Extra, Hors d'Age and Napoleon six and half years or older

as you see old start with england and finish in english !!!!!!

thnak's guy to give france one of it's best seller worlwide....

this is as well a old post

End of holidays ???

My god! it is so good to be back in birmingham, 2 weeks holidays gone in a second !, the beach , the food and the family.... yes, i was in Bordeaux !!! but after that my cellar was the thing missing, imagine only Bordeaux to drink for the holidays!!, don't worry i am not saying it was not good I just say firstly it was more expensive than before and secondly there was not the choice i could have here, no New Zealand sauvignon blanc crisp and full of fruit to syrup on the terrace under the sun or a nice Merlot from Chile just right you know in balance of fruit and jammy aromas, Not even a good English rose really chilled medium dry and in sweetness, or enjoying a meal with friends at the terrace with a Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia almost overcook like a sweet port. Those are the kind of wine we want to enjoy every day!!, the kind who doesn't hurt my wallet but still having the pleasure off a good meal, a good wine and good friends. Now I m back i can enjoy a nice Assyrtiko from Greece with pine nuts, a crispy minty and honey aroma or a Mexican Tempranillo/Touriga fruity and floral with a spicy finish, that's more like it !! .. everything i need to prolonged the holiday until Christmas. Ah!!! the pleasure of a fish and chips with a nice Riesling lechees, lime and crisp just right with the vinegar or a nice Pub banger and mash with a unusual Syrah from Argentina more fruitier but still round and complex like a French Rhone. This is what I like in birmingham the best reason for drinking something warm on a cold day !, to enjoy a night out with friend on the warm street of Broad street, a Japanese at wookmania with a Riesling or a Tsing-Tao, a Chinese in the bath passage with Tea, a pizza at San-Carlo with an Aglianico, a cafe at hotel du vin with a fine cognac and a big burger with a glass of malbec at Malmaison...

this his and old post from my old blog.....sorry i am stuck hand have no more access to it

BARON DE L

POUILLY FUMEE, LOIRE, FRANCE,

My friends call me the wine poet because I think the wine is more than just a “brevage” something for when your thirsty , It's a moment you share with your friends or the person you love, could be a night out or a romantic dinner, but, always as we say in Bordeaux “ with aged all I could remember are sweet moments a glass of wine in my hand”. Since I am in england I discover the joy of a late fish and chips or watching eastenders, a good Banger and mash in a pub , watching Arsenal on TV. For all those moments in this moments I tend to sip a glass of Pouilly-Fumee made with Sauvignon Blanc from Loire Valley in center France , clear with green edges, lots of perfume spicy and musk, that wine is more mineral and floral than is cousin the Sancerre, in Loire there is a long history of English and French occupation , all the King had there castle or their mistress castle around , one in particular the Chateau du Nozet was the residence of an illegitimate daughter of Louis XV (one of many). The estate is part of the domain of Baron Patrick de Ladoucette, who run the family business since 1787 . The main estate is already a pleasure for the eyes with five gardeners employed all the year around to maintain the elegant gardens and it is the same care in the vineyard . They is as well lots of blackcurrant bushes for making the famous “creme de cassis” for the Kir Royal of course as we are in the Valleys of Kings !! of France !! . The Baron de L is a prestige cuvee that was first instituted in 1975 and made only the best years as 1988, 1989,1990 or 2000 a must for a king's table an still served at the Elysees palace with orange peel, grapefruit, silex and a fabulous finish a really strong bone dry wine presented in an old fashion bottle to give you even more pleasure, as being in 1700 or 1800 at Versailles, so just relax, enjoy and share for the first dinner with a new lover or over a romantic dinner to say “I love you ! You are my queen!”.

BACCHANALES D'ETE

CONNOISSEUR DINNER

Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy....A.Fleming

Appetizer..

Lucullus tears with burgundy Kir

A rare treat from our sommelier ....be amazed !!

to start...

potted mackerel, 'clives' beetroot salad

melba toast

goats cheese, walnut and rocket salad walnut dressing

With KNAPPSTEIN THREE gewurz/rieslg/Pinot Grigio from Australia

semi dry with perfume of white flower and enough crispiness to take your palate......

to follow...

'packington' chicken, with 'flights' basil roasted tomatoes, new potatoes

Summer vegetable risotto finished with pecorino

With MUSAR WHITE from Lebanon really rare and exceptional wine who will change its flavours each time you sip-it.

Decanted on a bed of ice to appreciate the full complexity of it ...

to end...

Bournville chocolate fondant

Homemade ice cream

With the Rolls Royce of the champagne a real British from France POL ROGER Demi-Sec

with an exceptional palate, and, decanted in 1850 fashion as the Czar and King where drinking it.

A meal wihout wine is like a day without sunshine....

Wine as an aphrodisiaque?

Wine (and alcohol in general) is an inhibiter, pass the recommended dosage (thanks’ health and safety regulation) and you jump the barrier (or your brain is un- leach!!!) But, I made a point there is a difference between being drunk or gay (in a smiling and silly sense) and being totally drunk (or wasted) what I am talking here is a gentle lifted spirit… a smiling state….as you see with red wine you could see life in pink……….

The doctors are talking about a sadness that is removed with the vapors of alcohol, a lost memory or a loss that wine helps you to forget, the poet are talking about a courage a super-human strength that come’s to you after sipping wine.

Marriage au Corton,

Jamais d’avorton.

(Wedding with Corton and you will have only strong children!!!)

Bacchus are father, was always in the eyes of the women’s the bacchantes. (Cantique des cantiques),: « Mon aimé est comme une grappe de raisin : son fruit est doux à la bouche… »

(My husband/lover is like a grappe! is fruit is in the mouth… (I do live that one to your own interpretation)

In Byzance the vinum conditum (absinthe, anis and spice) helps the digestion and reveal to all your “capacity in the bed chamber”

The Egyptian where using the wine not as a drink pure but most of the time at a base for medicinal purpose, the recipe for “strengthening of the wooden pole” or “helping the rising of ….” Would have bringing you to drink (if you are lucky!!) decoction of different herbs and spice.

The roman where even more upsets with the drink and the different usage that could improve your condition…

All that is bringing us to the age of DNA and laboratory that finally prove one thing, yes wine is good for your health; in certain case it could bring an improvement to your life (in general!) so maybe a moderate consumption of wine could help you feeling better …. But as for the aphrodisiaque side of it the conclusion would be that the real plus would be that dinner you had together with candles, a nice music in the background and a good bottle of wine to share, the real aphrodisiaque and the only one is more in the magic moments you share together before coming back to your flat then in an hypotetique strength taken before…….

Have a nice romantique dinner…….