The wine and beer thread (all drinks allowed!)

When someone told me they made wine, about 30 years ago, I fought hard to suppress my laughter. I was in Switzerland at the time, with some Swiss on the coach.

This week, Mrs EO and I tried a few random different ones. All of them were perfectly palatable. The hotel price of about £50 for a bottle was a bit eye-watering for a basic wine. 

It struck us as odd that they would sell decilitre glasses at a tenth of the price of a bottle, so no bulk discount.

The most enjoyable wine came from a Coop on a station where we changed one lunchtime. As well as getting some food, we decided to buy some (screw top) wine for later. A white called Fechy was duly selected for the price of around £8.50 (including 4 plastic cups for the train) and taken to our hotel.

With no air conditioning or fridge in the room, the bottle cooled nicely on the window ledge 7,000 ft above sea level. There was a metal bar that meant the bottle couldn’t fall onto the terrace and its occupants below.

The wine was good value and I’d certainly drink it again.

However, to get to Dijon for our last overnight stop and French wine prices and food quality and quantity was most welcome. The Bourgogne Aligoté hit the spot.

Haven't tasted cider since my old mate Alan Davies from Arthur Street & I over indulged when we were 15. 

All going well here in the Brechfa Forest thanks EO. Are you and the family in France? Some of the scenes are quite disturbing but you are based away from major towns/cities if I recall so should be unaffected. Our friends brought us some nice reds - a bottle of Black Shiraz ( Australian) which went well with the sirloins & yesterday's roast lamb was accompanied by a 1.5 litre bottle of Rioja. Todays gammon ham may well feature some rose cava.

Stay safe if you are indeed in France. 

A mix of wine and rugby in this post.

This morning, went to Chateau la Clie about 40 mins away from us towards Libourne. A small producer who has a Bordeaux at €5.50 and a Lalande de Pomerol at €11.00 a bottle. In plentiful years, he also does 2 rosés but none available this summer as last year’s harvest was low quantity but very high quality so great for the reds. They don’t export, as their production is relatively small. He has a bit of trouble finding enough to go in his Bag in Box (BIB) 5L or 10L size. However, he does do that so that he can service all ends of the market and his community. A very warm-hearted soul indeed.

He’s been relatively lucky to date on the bad weather/disease front and while he’s not escaped Scot-free, he’s done better than most.

The price of his wine hasn’t risen much since previously buying about 5 years ago. The quality ha been very good. Both wines matured well from my first purchases.

My chauffeur, in his aged large van, was our 88 year old local cabinet-making French friend of some 20 years or so. We’ve spent many an occasion enjoying good food and wine together. As well as some wine, we were picking up 3 wine barrels for conversion to furniture or in the garden for plants so needed the carrying capacity of the van.

The vineyard owner is in his late forties. Still plays rugby for a local club. His three sons, also play. Together they make half a pack. His eldest son who is about 19 has stepped down from National to Regional following concussions including sickness and loss of memory for a few days. He has promised himself to dial back on his aggression. The middle son, 17, plays for the same local club as his father. The youngest son is mostly what’s prompted this post.

At 15, he’s 1m80 and weighs 124kgs. It’s muscle, too, apparently - if you’ve got a six pack, in France they refer to it as chocolate bars, it seems if I understood it and some of what follows correctly. He’s a very promising tight head and is already signed up with Bordeaux (UBB to some). They have sorted out his education both school and post school where he’s training in the food business, lodging, training, mentoring by the old club president prior to Laurent Marti and he receives €500 a month.

They have very strict codes of conduct. No getting ahead of yourself; no violence on the pitch, or off it. All the games are videoed and analysed so any cheap shots are picked up. He’s had a season with them and was given equal time with the other tight head they retained.

He gets to play in the big stadia and/or ahead of the matches between the Top14 fixtures of their club.

My local friend and I are hoping to go to a match together with his father if travel works out to see him play and maybe the subsequent Top 14 match if timing is right.

The father was very interested in Scarlets and I’ve promised to sort him out a shirt or two on my next visit. Must check out the 4XLs or larger.