I’ve been procrastinating. Baking muffins, mowing the lawn, tidying the house and other random things that have crept to the top of my to do list in favour of putting off my blog posts about Bordeaux.

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As the country gets ready to clock off early and grab seats in the sun to watch the Murray vs Federer Wimbledon semi-final I can’t help but think money has got in the way of sense to have found ourselves with an Aussie brand as this British institution’s official wine. The reality I expect is that it doesn’t really matter, it will be Pimm’s, lager and a hangover all round regardless!

It is worth giving them a shout out though, Jacob’s Creek that is, for their cute strawberry and cream themed tennis video and a half decent bottle of rose which does go well with another Great British institution: strawberries & cream. Although judging by the excitement of the spectators they’re not the perfect match for today’s game!

A recent trip to Bordeaux with a group of talented sommeliers opened my eyes to a mysterious side of the wine world not often seen by the public. Three days with these energetic, eclectic, enthusiastic and intelligent wine bods firmly put my impression of a sommelier as the ultimate wine snob to bed. Our little French fling was to our mutual benefit, I learnt from them as much as they ate the foie gras from my pregnant lady plate (that’s a lot).
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Feminine, attractive and never out of fashion; Pinot Noir is the LBD of the wine world. They vary of course: lean and tight, full bodied, well structured or light and floaty but one thing you can be sure of is that once you find one that you like they are with you for life. There are ones for every purse from designer to high street, the prices can vary as much as the styles which is why when you find one that’s affordable and makes you feel fabulous you know you have no choice but to snap it up or regret it forever.

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Mothers Milk: a curious name for a wine, one that conjures images of late night sessions, a soothing nature and the propensity to be difficult to wean oneself off from. With Baby Bouquet ‪#2 now on the way it, understandably, caught my eye more than most.

The playful label of this Shiraz and down to earth winemaking philosophy of Aussie winemakers and mates Matt ‘Gantos’ Gant and John ‘JR’ Retsas results in a warming drop of spiced black cherry and blueberry tastiness with a nod to the eucalyptus tree and tannins as smooth as a baby’s bottom. Comfort in a glass…. One I hope in a few months time will not become this mother’s ruin!

Humble Grape RRP: £16.00

Headlines take many different forms in the drinks trade; there are the attention grabbers “strap on booze baby seeks funding,” the David & Goliath tales of “Champagne Jayne” and the softer, sweeter entrepreneur success stories of the likes of The New Zealand Cellar but the ones that catch my attention the most centre around the wine trade’s ability to shoot itself in the foot.
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Take Beaujolais for example. Once the envy of wine regions around the world for its Beaujolais Nouveau marketing masterpiece it is now the underdog of the trade, fallen out of favour with the wine drinking fraternities the mere mention of it’s sorry existence is whispered these days with a pitying tone.

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