Thursday 15th July:

Perfectly timed. With the blustery and overcast weather (here in London at east), time to give the Provençal Rosé a wee break and look instead to a thicker textured white wine. As promised from last week, that spot can be amply filled by Yves Cuilleron’s Viognier from the Northern Rhône. Anyone looking for “A.B.C.” (anything but Chardonnay) could do worse than start here.

Viognier is uber trendy and grown all around the World (almost) these days but its true heart is of course in the Northern Rhône and stems from that love-or-hate (mostly love) wine called Condrieu. In that, Yves Cuilleron is one of the truly great names producing stunning Condrieu. The only tragedy is that this has long since gone through the £25 barrier but a decent Condrieu from people as good as Yves Cuilleron or Yves Gangloff would now cost you £35-70 a bottle.

Viognier 2009 Domaine Yves Cuilleron

 at £ 15.95 per Bottle

The Viognier grape offers that immediate and characteristic floral Provençal hit on the nose. Then giving way to that weight of wet stone minerality.

What it lacks in the length of a longer finish like a Condrieu it fulfills its task as it fattens in the mouth, wonderful coating texture and with food

– I had grilled Sea Bass yesterday for lunch, should have had this –

 would more than do the trick. A case or two in stock already.  

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Domaine Ott, the name in Provence Rose.

I have simply resisted stocking Domaine Ott on the strength or rather over-strength of  their price. We have simply had too many people come in asking for Ott / Domaine Ott / that funny shaped bottle / Château de Selle / Ott, Ott..that I have finally relented and we will have some in early next week. Perhaps £ 23.95 a Bottle but I have fought the good fight until this point.

 

Silly-season:

Back with both barrels next week but a muted affair this week as I am a tad tardy. Speaking of affairs, has the art of flirting gone out of the window? You compliment a pretty girl on her summer dress and usually it’ll illicit a smile and a thank you. These days however they more likely lunge for the mobile phone and call the local Police whilst looking at you with a mix of terror and pity. Has flirting changed or am I of an age where, unlike Leslie Phillips, I really shouldn’t be trying anymore?

Heading home yesterday, unusually for me before darkness fell, I felt I needed a bed time read so stretched not to high, towards the comic section and grabbed a copy of Private Eye. For some reason I have never really followed, or can’t ever recall reading this rag. Not sure why as it would even suit George Dubya with the number of pictures inside. There was an obvious lookalike competition with Spain’s World Cup Football Manager neatly compared to René Artois from “Allo Allo” and much more harshly, Fabio to the “Bo Selecta” puppet of Mel B. Ouch, that’s even below the belt for pizza face Fabio. First time I truly felt sorry for him. The reference to pizza is nothing to do with his citizenship but more to do with the contours of his physiognomy! Anyway, why not add the comparison with little Xavi and Robert Downey Junior. He could have played a marvellous Chaplin too or two. Several things to chuckle out, even some actual news but my favourite was the mock-up of Piers Morgan and the “Genuine Photos of Piers Morgan’s Wedding” – with Princess Di; Posh Spice; Jordan; & Elton John. Page 21, worth a butcher’s.

A new bod dropped in the other day and said thank you for the recommendation about the hamburger at Bar Bouloud as it was the best he’d ever had. So if you haven’t been book!