This month's blog practically writes itself, give or take. Thanks to my generous friends, since Christmas I have just been drinking their thoughtful wine gifts. So I can simply, metaphorically at least, share these with you .But please don't judge me too harshly for not going out and helping out our depressed economy by buying my own beverage. I will run out of supplies all too soon.

First, a great find. Youngest son has just moved into a mini-jungle with a few rooms attached in darkest Hertfordshire. After the grand tour he and his lovely Fin took us to lunch at a wonderful local country gastro-pub (worth a visit, The Alford Arms nr. Hemel Hempstead). Super food was accompanied by an interesting wine list with more than, to us, a few unknown wines. We decided on one we'd never tasted before because we were intrigued by the name "Cien y Pico Doble Pasta, 2008" Red. (from the Spanish meaning a hundred and a bit). We didn't expect much, particularly as it was reasonably priced. At first tasting we both thought it a pinot noir, and a lovely wine at that. As it turned out, it is made by an Australian , his Bulgarian wife , a Spaniard and an Italian from 100 year old vines (hence the 'hundred and something' name) of the local grape, the Garnacha Tintorera, supposedly a cross of Garnacha (Grenache) and Petit Bouschet, in the Manchuela , Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain, home to Don Quixote. Hints of berries and cherries, fruit concentration and a long finish. A stick-in-the-mud reactionary like me flinched at the screw top which I know is a silly prejudice (a bit like criticising women football referees). As for the label, I'd say it's quite Quixotic. One commentator says "first you see a bright yellow/orange screw-cap, topping an idiosyncratic label (as Zar ,the Australian partner, puts it "a little homage to Spanish and New York taxi cabs meets Cohiba Cuban cigars"). I have found it at http://www.coodencellars.co.uk at £10.99. A steal of a wine, try some. My rating 88.

And so on to Father Christmas, aka Papa Noel. From dear Steve it was a Sonoma-Cutrer, Sonoma coast, 2006 pinot noir, from Windsor, California, USA. Red. I tend to be overly critical of US wines and their modern methods but that's not to say there aren't some excellent US wines. One just needs to be a little picky to find the gems. Well, this one was new to me and I was pleasantly surprised. Medium body with a typical pinot noir aroma reminiscent of black cherry, raspberry and currant.  Various oenologists and sommeliers speak of pinot noir as "the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge, and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic" , "sex in a glass" and "a seductive yet fickle mistress!". I'm sure that my teetotal wife couldn't possibly object if I help myself to a bit of that! A wine I certainly recommend, though it's not easy to find. I found it online at everywine.co.uk for £23.27. My rating 85.

From my lovely neighbour Dawn I received a lovely pinot blanc, Weingut Bercher, Burkheimer Feuerberg Weißburgunder Spätlese trocken, Großes Gewächs, 2004.White. Again a new wine for me (I love writing this blog; I'm obliged to drink new wines!). A full-bodied dry white wine (14.5%). A nose of the classic pinot blanc: melon, salted almonds, biscuit and, as you drink it, it gets more complex tastes. Don't be fooled, this is a powerful wine - some may find it a little heavy - but matched with strong food it's a delight. I thoroughly enjoyed. Again, difficult to find (the 2008 is easier) but it retails at about £7.50. That's a good price for a good wine. My rating 85.

As I read this, I find it's all pinot this and pinot that so far. Let's see what else there was.

Well , still staying within the Burgundy region grape-types, a friend dropped in several bottles of a simple, straight-forward, easy-drinking Chablis from Union des Viticulteurs de Chablis , 2007. White. I've had this before as it's a staple in my cellar. Apple fruit and citrus flavours and classic mineral finish. Served chilled either as an aperitif or with tapas, light meals or white fish, it's n easy choice. Tesco has it at £7.11 in a case of 6. My rating 80.

Eldest son brought me Rioja Castillo Labastida, Manuel Quintano 2006. Red. 100% tempranillo, gently-oaked, aged for 12 months in American oak. Deep red colour, spice and black cherry, ripe tannin. He must have remembered I'd enthused about it in the past. Sensible lad, remembering what gets Dad in a good mood. Now, son, you won't be looking for a loan anytime soon, will you? (about £8). My rating 85.

Driving said son home one evening, after our good deed in visiting a family member in hospital, we stopped for a casual meal at an Italian trattoria. I was driving, so would have just one glass of wine with the meal. My sensible, conscientious son decided likewise so as not to lead me astray. We chose our food and asked the waiter if he had Chianti Classico by the glass. " No, he says, but there is a Chianti". He looked a bit out of Fawlty Towers .We said "OK, that will do fine, two glasses please". He stopped by again to announce there was no Chianti by the glass after all, but that he had a Valpolicella. Once again we said "OK, two glasses of that please". He then arrives with a half bottle of Merlot Corvina Veneto Le Poesie (Cantina di Soave) 2009. Red! We fell about .Enough of this, OK, pour it. And what a lovely surprise. With a dry flavour, a deep ruby red colour, bouquet of blackberry. There was no denying the appeal. Hints of dark berry fruit and finished with the velvety soft texture of merlot. Perfect with the Italian fare on offer. And surprise, the waiter turned out to be intelligent, funny, attentive and interesting. Must have been having a laugh on us, winding us up? Maybe. It's on at www.everywine.co.uk at £7.40. My rating 80.

One step below the mainstream 'Denominación de Origen' (the Spanish wine quality ladder) is 'Vino de la Tierra' (wine of the land) one of which is in Castilla. One of my visitors during the holidays brought me a variety of wines amongst which was a Syrah Altillo, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla. Bright cherry colour, with a tinge of purple. Quite a greedy nose with hints of milkyness. On the palate fleshy, agreeable and with a strong aftertaste. All in all, it took a couple of sips to get into it. I can't say it was wonderful, but certainly drinkable and with a variety of nibbles to hand, not too bad a drink. Difficult to find. It's one you pick up locally and bring home as a souvenir/reminder. My rating 78.

Two wines from the same region.  Ribera del Duero, Val de Oron, 2006. 100% Tempranillo. A full bodied classic Ribera del Duero. Another wine I've had before. A lovely inexpensive example of this trendy wine region. Classy fruity oak-aged red. A bargain at £8.50. My rating 80.

Abadia Mantrus Ribera del Duero Reserva 2004. Same region as before but a totally different wine. Missing class, I'd say treat this as a simple table wine (never mind the Reserva tag). But there are a lot of better Ribera del Duero. Widely available in Spanish supermarkets at about €5.50. So if you find yourself in Spain, go ahead its drinkable. I can't find it in the UK, where it'd probably sell for about £4.50 but not worth seeking it out.

Got a surprise gift for my birthday from my good friend Fran. A mixed case of carefully selected wine for yours truly's delight. Getting through it slowly (we are in difficult economic times, after all - news just out our economy shrank 0.5%) and I will report soon. I'm really looking forward to it.

A White Christmas

Christmas is a time to share with friends and family and to indulge ourselves a little. Advice on wine selection for the holidays is nowadays everywhere, which leaves some, and especially the occasional drinker, as confused as when there's no advice to be found.

 Am I about to cut through the fog or confuse you further?  Let's have a go.

There are numerous excellent and knowledgeable wine writers in the daily press and on TV station websites. But, I think most importantly these days it's the supermarkets which come into its own at this time of year. I've scoured the said newspaper wine columnists' recommendations, read through the TV websites and checked out the supermarkets and here's my list of selections and recommendations (and my own personal choice) for a modest budget. Among my favourite writers are Victoria Moore at The Daily Telegraph, Matthew Jukes at The Daily Mail, Olly Smith at The Mail on Sunday because they're down to earth and offer practical advice. So let me first acknowledge them, and their fellow wine writers and broadcasters, for their sterling work and research. But, if you're in doubt, do talk to your wine supplier, be it the specialist wine shop or your local supermarket - they're full of experience and, I find, are eager to assist to fit any budget. Be adventurous and develop your own preferences: give me your recommendations.

I wish you and yours good and responsible drinking and a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Christmas Turkey. A white to accompany the turkey is the obvious choice but as there are lots of other flavours on the plate you can choose widely from:

     (Red) Sangiovese, Chianti, Zinfadel, Syrah [Shiraz], Beajolais Nouveau 

     (White) Chardonnay, Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, Trebbiano,

My white choice is "Alerce Reserve Bio Bio Chardonnay Vionier Riesling" (£7.49) and my red Chateau Florie Aude 2009 (£5.32)

Roast Beef works best with a considerable red: choose from Tempranillo, Merlot, Rhone, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel.  My choice goes with Matthew Jukes' selection of The Definitive Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot (Majestic £12.99, down to £9.99 if you buy 2 bottles).

Lamb also needs a substantial red. Choose from Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Rioja, Merlot, Red Rhone, Syrah/Shiraz, Zinfandel, Barolo, Malbec. Or at a mere £3.99 in Tesco try Gran Teroso Granacha 2009. I love a good Rioja with lamb so my choice is 2005 Bodegas Muriel Rioja Barón de Barbón Selección Especial, but, as it's difficult to find, a good alternative is Cerro de la Mesa 2007 Crianza, Rioja. (Waitrose £9.49). Another fine match is Marques de Murrieta 1999 Tinto Reserva, Spain (£11.99; Justerini & Brooks, Safeway, Sainsbury's, Selfridges).

Goose and pheasant.  Choose a red from: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Sangiovese, Chianti, Barbaresco, Red Bordeaux, Cabernet, Grenache, Syrah/Shiraz,Zinfandel. Otherwise, a white Chardonnay works well. Big choice here but, traditionally, and my choice would have to be a Pinot Noir , say  Bouchard Aîné et Fils, Red Burgundy 2009  (Waitrose £8.54) or Blason de Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2009 (Tesco £6.64). Also well recommended is 2001 Chassagne-Montrachet Rouge, Blain-Gagnard, Burgundy, France (£11.99; Majestic).

Fish. Usually a white, but not necessarily, from Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, White Rhone, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Trebbiano. But, as a Spaniard and a lover of good dry sherry I would choose a Manzanilla, served very cold, such as Antonio Barbadillo, Manzanilla Solear Sherry, 37.5 cl (£4.74). But my favourite is Manzanilla Pasada Pastrana, Bodegas Hildago, luckily a preference well noted by my sons so I can expect a bottle or two in my Christmas stocking. Santa has been notified to keep it well away from the hearth as it is best served well chilled.

And for your parties try from:

Champagne Monteau Brut (Victoria Wine, £9.99)

Casablanca 2003 Pinot Noir, Chile, red (£4.99; Marks & Spencer).

Flor de Maig 2000, Montsant, Spain, red (£6.49; Marks & Spencer).

D'Arenberg 2000 d'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache, McLaren Vale, Australia, red (£7.99; Oddbins).

Tesco Langhorne Creek Verdelho 1997, white (£5.99)

Some suppliers' contact numbers:  

Asda 0500 100055;

Budgens 020 8422 9511;

Harrods 020 7730 1234;

Majestic 01923 298200;

Marks & Spencer 020 7268 1234;

Morrisons 01274 494166;

Oddbins 0800 328 2323;

Safeway 01622 712926;

Sainsbury 0800 636262;

Selfridges 020 7318 3730;

Somerfield 0117 935 9359;

Tesco 0800 505555;

Thresher 01707 387200;

Unwins 01322 272711;

Waitrose 0800 188884;

Wine Rack 01707 387200;

I was recently chatting with Rhonda the chef of one of Chorleywood's finest gastronomic delights; the Rose and Crown. A delightful little pub and restaurant (more restaurant than pub) on the common. Both of us share a passion for cooking, her a talented professional and me an enthusiastic amateur. Steering the conversation towards wine I commented on how most restaurants get their wine from smaller suppliers, so you tend not to recognise any wines when presented with the wine list. This inevitably prompts the a charade I'm sure most of us are familiar with; seemingly considering each wine like a Master Sommelier, then ordering the second cheapest bottle. One reason restaurant like to sell wine you've never heard of, as Rhonda pointed out was so the customer doesn't realise the mark-up.

I'm now pretty confident I know my way around wine in the supermarket or on sale with the major retailers. I'm certainly not short of new recommended wines I want to try. But ordering wine in a restaurant for me, like it must be for most people, is a risky business. I do however have two crucial rules to reduce the risk:

1. If the wine is from an prestigious appellation such as Chablis, Sancerre, Chateauneuf-Du-Pape or an expensive grape and region combo such as a Pinot Noir from Burgundy, then I give it a wide berth as it is usually either a) out of my price range or b) not very good.

2. Next is food pairing. Full bodied Shiraz or Malbec for beef, a slightly lighter red for lamb such as a Rioja or Chianti, a more buttery white wine for white meat such as Chardonnay and for fish something a little more crisp and citrus such as a Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc With a curry it is usually a pint of Cobra.

And there you have it, my guide to ordering wine in a restaurant!

Anyway coming back to mark up on wine. Rhonda's point was proven to me very recently. After a rather disappointing experience at the Grove in Watford, my wife and I decided to try a new restaurant called 'Friends' in Pinner. When I say new, I mean new for us. Judging by the numerous AA rosettes around the place stretching back to the 1990s to the present day, the restaurant has been around for some time. The food is French/Modern British and was very good, not quite the same level as some of the really good restaurants you get in the West End, but good none the less and at a fraction of the cost. The 3 course set menu was £31 a head and 25% off if you booking through Top Table. All in all very good meal. Unlike most restaurants though, Friends in Pinner did not buy their wine from a small retailer, they bought it from a retailer I am very familiar with; Majestic. Many of the wines on the wine list have been reviewed on this website, so I was also very familiar with their price..

My wife was having steak and I was having lamb so we ordered a Rhone - Côtes-du-Rhône Belleruche 2007, a wine highly praised by Robert Parker no less. This is a pleasant wine and one I have bought on occasion from Majestic. The online price £6.99 for two bottles, in the restaurant £25. The funny thing was if I'd not known the cost before ordering I'd have thought nothing amiss with the price. I spotted another favourite of my the Alomos Malbec 2007 and as the Jane MacQuitty from The Time points out "this tasty red oozes with lively, ripe, spiced plum and loganberry fruit", however £27 on the wine list and £7.49 in Majestic (albeit a different year). The Chateauneuf Du Pape on the wine list was £35 and as per rule 2 gave it a wide berth. Now I rarely if ever pay £35 for a bottle of wine, and if I did I'd have very high expectations in a restaurant or otherwise. If we talking about mark up of 350% or more, we're looking at a £10 bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape in the supermarket. In my experience a £10 bottle of Chateauneuf Du Pape is not good value for money (even at £10). I'm guessing you need to pay at least £50 in a restaurant for a well chosen Chateauneuf Du Pape.

I think I was happier in blissful ignorance, but I suppose this is subsidises the food.

Only in England. It could only happen in England , in an English summer ; a mini short-lived  heatwave in the south (as soon as the barbeque is lit the summer's gone), floods in the northwest, highest July rainfall for years , a hosepipe ban, a foreign national football team manager, cricket failure (with attendant disparaging critical press) quickly followed by cricket success (understated plaudits from the press), football disappointment in South Africa, annual disappointment at Wimbledon but no rain (the expensive state-of-the-art weather-proof roof has not been required since it was built) and, for added interest,  the country  saddled with a pushme-pullme coalition government. Never a dull moment. Bah to the Costas' daily sunshine - so warm, so reliable, so predictable. Where's the struggle in that?

But, hey, what an excuse to mix and change and try all sorts of drinks to fit the day's conditions. And what an impressive selection, variety and range of wines we now have. When I first arrived in England in 1955 there was little more than cream sherry and the like of "Rocamar" red table wine at the affordable end and everything else was mostly for the privileged few with the wherewithal. Now everything is possible and a great deal of it within most budgets. The supermarkets now carry very extensive and impressive ranges of wines from all over the World and the high street wine retailers offer superb knowledgeable service. I hope you find something to like in the following, and there's quite a choice.

Henley Regatta came and went and in super sunshine. This quintessential English festival, with its aura of Edwardian elegance, superb athletes and one of the best loved stretches of the Thames is perfect for a traditional glass of Pimms or champagne. Whilst the rowers gave their all (and there's no prize money at stake, it's for sporting camaradie and glory) we, of less physical prowess, settled for lunch by the riverbank. A Viognier Leduc Languedoc 2009 (look for it at about £8.00) went well with a terrine of salmon and crayfish with saffron.  This is a fresh and lively example of Viognier, light acidity, perfect for summer. My rating 80.  

We followed this with a Chateau Reynier 2006 Bordeaux (cabernet sauvignon and merlot) to accompany thyme and rosemary roasted chicken with artichoke. This is the club claret which I favour for its pleasant soft ripe fruit easy-drinking quality (£8.80). My rating 85.

Post-Regatta but in the same town and with the sun still shining, I tried another good summer white. Trebbiano IGT Rubicone Poggio della Quercia Emilia Romagna Veneto, Italia, NV. (£5.80) I can't resist giving you the whole name. Try saying it aloud and give it your best Italian lilt or, better still, sing it. Who cares what the wine is like? How could you not like it with such sing-song poetry? From the banks of the Rubicon river (yes, you know it from the Roman Caesars' crossings). A non-vintage easily quaffable fresh, dry, fruity, citrusy white. I know it's sacrilege, but I make it into a spritzer with good (Hildon) sparkling water, a couple of cubes of ice and the thinnest sliver of lemon. Great on a summers' day. My rating 75.

A bit of business got me out to Gibraltar for a couple of days, so I took the opportunity to look around and sample the local food and drink. I don't want to do any disservice to their tourist office but, my, what dismal food almost everywhere. So the exceptions easily stand out. Even some of the waiters I chatted to said they saved going out for a meal for when they were over the border in La Linea. I took a walk to the impressive modern marina in a great setting with its myriad bars, clubs and restaurants, largely carved out of land reclaimed from the sea. Visually it's stunning and at night it is full of twinkling lights reflected on the gently lapping sea. Wonderful beautiful yachts, against a hint of the dying sun as it disappears below the horizon, wafting music, chat and laughter. I tried a couple of the bars but didn't last long once inside; all indifferent service and poor interiors. What a waste of excellent  restaurant sites, all noisy, low ceilinged, with mishmash decor, over-fussy menus, top prices and rock bottom cooking. I even went back next day to ensure it wasn't me being fussy. But no improvement. At Bianca's restaurant, a noisy place with sound ricocheting from the low ceiling (and on my visit there was a gaggle of noisy shrill girls enjoying a reunion).We were three for dinner and all three meals were left hardly touched. We tried to keep the order simple (a vegetable lasagne, a vegetable risotto and fish cakes with parsley sauce. Uck to all three. I ordered a glass of Rioja and was served a barely drinkable plonk (and I drink most anything!). And just when things couldn't get worse, it did. A dreadfully out of tune trio just about topped it.

Thankfully, and now quite late, to the timeless elegance of the Rock Hotel. Impeccable service, impeccable cocktails and a light snack of fresh lovely food served al fresco high up on the Rock with wonderful views of the gardens below and across the bay of Algeciras and the sierras beyond. As we'd been late and not given it the attention it deserved, we returned next day for a fuller meal. We were immediately served a complimentary glass of Manzanilla ( a type of dry sherry with a salty tang) , a perfect aperitif before our starter of roasted sea scallops with pata negra (a wonderful cured ham) , garlic pommes purée and  a caper velouté , followed by slow braised pork belly with roast garlic and chorizo. With the starter we drank Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut, Cava; crisp, very dry clean tasting with low acidity and a good alternative to champagne. £6.64 at Waitrose Direct. My rating 80. 

With the braised pork we had Ribera del Duero "Crianza" Pesquera 2006 Tempranillo, by Alejandro Fernández. Wonderful silky smooth lightly oaked with forest fruit .I've seen it retail at up to £18.45 but it is widely available at about £16.70. My rating 92.

Once last attempt at finding decent local restaurant food in Gib took me to the lovely La Mamela restaurant (from a derivative Spanish word for breast- so named after the rock formation at the end of the beach resembling said mammary) an excellent, atmospheric fish eatery at the southern end of the beach in Catalan Bay.

Old fashioned courtesy and service, superb menu and reasonable wines. We had local fresh gallo, a type of dory, superb garnish and salad. A tad expensive, but real food to be highly commended.

I couldn't resist popping over into Spain for the couple of spare hours I had. I just have to recommend "La Velada" (at No.6 Calle Oviedo La Linea) a wonderful local tapas bar (more properly a meson - a sort of inn/tavern) run by Alicia and Andres, both of whom are excellent hosts. No tourist here, just regulars, where I was taken by my cousins. All manner of lovely local delicacies, fresh fish, tapas and a super selection of (predominantly Spanish) wines. If you're in the area, a worthwhile visit. I was so delighted that I promised Andres I'd give them a mention.

One of the pleasures of writing this blog is having to try new wines, something I relish. Another pleasure, most welcomed, are the comments, messages, recipes, samples and suggestions from friends (with occasional criticisms). Recently, for instance, my friend Pav staying with me recently, brought along a selection of bottles as a gift. These included wines from the award winning winery, Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Shiraz 2008, Australia (red), inexpensive for such quality, easiest to find on the internet at about £7.09. Medium bodied, subtle oak and spicy red berry fruit, with a long finish, a powerful partner for BBQs and lamb; and Wolf Blass Eaglehawk Chardonnay 2009, Australia (white) £6.50, an excellent chardonnay at an excellent price.

Another golfing friend, John from darkest Somerset, who offers comments from to time (some of it unprintable) sent me a bottle to try from his winemaker friend (www.latourdechollet.com), La Tour de Chollet 2007, cuvee classique, Sainte-Foy Bordeaux (12.5%).  I loved this wine, even if you allow that I'm a great fan of Bordeaux, a fruity un-oaked wine, predominately merlot with cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. A bargain. Price for 6 bottles £47.94 direct from info@latourdechollet.com. My rating 92.                    (They also make a premium version 'Prestige' predominantly cabernet sauvignon and aged in oak barrels, but I've not yet tasted this).

My wife's cousin Guy, who lives close to the New Forest (I don't think it's in a tree, but who knows? The wife's family are a bit funny that way) hid a bottle for me to try , in the huge box of chocolates he brought her .But that hasn't been drunk yet, so I'll tell you about it next time.

One of my cousins in Spain handed me some local bottles, all of which he stressed were inexpensive, some of which I have now been consumed. Difficult to find in the UK but widely available in supermarkets across Spain:

Ojogalla El Clarete rose Bodegas los Tinos SA 11.5%. A decent rose which I enjoyed during our recent warm weather with a light al fresco lunch. Less than €5. My rating 80.

Dolce Prima 5 % Muscatel. A Moscatel wine, a naturally sweet wine, served very cold it's delicious on a sunny day, served at room temperature it's a decent dessert wine. Malaga is an excellent area for this wine type, of which is a good example. My rating 85.

Codorniu Herencia 1551 cava 11.5%. Produced by small family businesses with a small production. An excellent Sparkling Cava from Cataluña, pale straw yellow colour, unmistakable aromatic Chardonnay notes excellent balance between acidity and sugar. My rating 88. About €27, but free to me courtesy of cousin Paco. What a wonderful man!

As a Spaniard, I think that by now my compadres paisanos  would have expected me to celebrate Spain's wonderfully successful summer of sport and maybe gloat  the glut of  glory (with good grace of course) of the World Cup, Wimbledon, Tour de France and even the odd Formula 1 Grand Prix . What's to brag about? We didn't win any Golf majors. How about it Miguel Angel Jimenez? You only ever manage number 2.  But, hey, just all the above tastings should be celebration enough. It never ceases to amaze me just how much choice there is out there. And with the supermarkets outdoing one another it's easy to try something new inexpensively.

Went to Sunday lunch en famille with said friend Pav above. I had opted for a Greek restaurant, the Green Olive of which there are several in the South East. As Pav is of Greek origin we left the ordering to him, on the basis that speak the lingo and you get the better service. It didn't disappoint from the first ouzo to the last dregs of the wine. I've often had their Gaia Notios Agiorgitiko, 2008 Crete (red) and can recommend it. Very fruity style, bursting with ripe plum flavours. Greek friends tell me they like it chilled to go with a cold picnic (the restaurant price of a bottle is £25). But on a recent return visit, as I was going to be driving a few hours later in the day, I opted for water and a small glass of the house red. Now, house wine can be great and is usually great value, but this one was left after the first tentative sip. Instead I asked for a replacement, a rioja. And, presto, a new discovery for me ,so I asked to see the bottle and  it was an excellent Bodegas Artesa 2007 Rioja Crianza (13%).(restaurant price £20 bottle). In the shops at £7.75. My rating 85. I've since looked at their website where they list their menus and wine list (an excellent idea - which should be adopted more widely by restaurants) and they have an interesting eclectic list including wines from many countries. Well done Green olive.

One last addition: at a recent golf dinner (where the wine is usually supplied rather than chosen) I was taken by the red Esperanza Merlot Mendoza (13%) Argentina 2009. Impressively smooth, with salient spice, red fruit and a good longish aftertaste. A great drink at £4.79 at Majestic.

To those of you, friends and all, who've sent me comments and suggestions for inclusion, you're not forgotten. Please keep them coming, I'll get round to it all eventually.

We're in mid-summer and as temperatures start to recede it's time to think about replacing the light lunches- try this:

Chicken breast fillets with a rich sauce of peppers and tomato puree.

    2 chicken breast fillets.

    25gms cured ham (jamon).
    1 onion.
    1 green pepper
    1 red pepper
    1 aubergine (medium size)
    3 tablespoons tomato puree
    1 teaspoon chopped parsley
    1 tablespoon olive oil
   Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Dice the ham into small pieces, peel and chop the onion and peppers.

2. Peel the aubergine and cut into squares.

3. Season the chicken.

4. In an earthenware dish - fry the fillets in the oil, both sides.

5. Add the ham and sauté for a few seconds.

6. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for a few minutes.

7. Add the aubergine and sauté briefly.

8. Cover the pan and cook over low heat.

9. When the vegetables begin to brown add the tomato, salt to taste, and stir the mix a little.

10. When the sauce is well reduced serve, adorn with the chopped parsley.

Accompany with your choice from a chardonnay, a Chianti, Rosso di Montalcino, Rioja, or Cabernet Sauvignon. If you've made the dish tomato-rich go for one of the reds

Well, after fascinating April came hectic May, and hectic and then some. (I'm trying terribly not to use an exclamation mark - but I'm tempted, oh I can't help it! There!

There was one of those well-argued intellect-led article (may have been in The Telegraph) about the overuse of the! There's a deluge of !!! in emails and the internet it has been! Seems like we all want to emphasise. Or shout.  A bit like all the ludicrous, moronic screaming on reality TV and "The X Factor", "Britain has still a bit of talent"  and so on.

Boy, am I a grumpy old man or what?

The month started not so good. Took mum to GP who didn't seem to take her ailments seriously and suggested she take a bit more rest. Disappointed, we were polite, left and I took her to a specialist who's done wonders for me in the past. Took him 3 minutes to diagnose problem, another few minutes to do blood test and prescribe magic pills that would clear all symptoms in days.  And it did. (Nearly tripped up and used the dreaded excl. mk. Shhh) Doc is a great chap. Loves a drop of vino tinto , keeps fees to minimum, speaks to mum in her native Spanish. Yes, folks, there're some terrific people out there. So, with mum back to her charming self, time to celebrate with a 2008 Pouilly-Fuisse, Louis Jadot, Burgundy (white). Always a classy white, medium-bodied, it's easy to recommend. Louis Jadot has a well-deserved reputation and this wine enhances it. Citrus hints in a light oak, lovely finish. £14.49 at Tesco. My rating 92.

As soon as mum was her old self again we jetted off to Southern Spain with my sister. Icelandic volcanic ash everywhere except, thankfully, the day we flew off and the day we returned (See how I'm refraining from the exclamation mark?) Mostly tried the regular house wines wherever we went and mostly it was pretty good. At one tapas bar I was so taken aback by the quality of a glass of Rioja that I called over the barman. It was a 2006 Faustino, but so silky smooth I insisted on seeing the bottle. And, yep, it was Faustino VII - Rioja Tinto 2006. Superb. But, next day, I asked for a glass of the same and it was just not quite the same. Nonetheless, I've since had a bottle back in blighty and it is an elegant rioja. So go have a taste. Faustino VII Rioja Tinto from the Alavesa sub-region, (95% tempranillo and 5% mazuelo), aged in oak. Rich velvety red colour with the typical rioja hint of vanilla aroma. (Sells in the UK at about £8.75).

At another modest tapas bar we had a medium dry 2007 Codorniu Vintage Rosado(Monastrell and Pinot Noir) - classic  Cava from near Barcelona, a good sparkling rose with lots of  summer fruit flavours .I found this back home selling at half-price, a bargain in Tesco at £6.16. My rating 80.

I had not intended to bring back any wine as I'm too lazy to carry it all the way home. However, we were invited to a (for you Anglo-Saxons) very late lunch, 3.00pm, at my lovely cousin's pad in La Linea. Coming out of the stifling hot afternoon air and into the cool of her welcoming house it was already beginning to feel heaven. We were then ushered into the patio, under the shade of the climbing, trailing plants by her swimming pool, all empty, glimmering, shining and reflecting little thin shafts of sunbeams in the light breeze.  My eyes went straight to.. ...the table, set out with a delicious assortment of home-made food, fish as fresh as it gets, succulent olives, crispy salads. I like this. To top it all her husband took me to his little hoard and together we selected some wines. What a wonderful afternoon. Good food, good wine, lovely setting, gentle, attentive entertaining people .And their jewel of a gorgeous daughter with a smile all her own. Of course, they weren't going to let me go empty handed and not a few bottles were bestowed on me. I shall report on these in due course.

Back home and after a little, not too much work, a bit of golf (I was useless) and, then, meet up with youngest son to entrust him with my modest investments. He's only been at it for a few years but is showing promise. So after parting with the loot to him and his colleague James (annoying good golfer and every other sport going), I really needed a little pick-me-up. A good time to taste some samples sent to me. Here's the first five:

First off, Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois (Les Vignerons de la Mediterranee), from Languedoc, France. (Sweet white). A dessert wine from the south of France, a golden yellow colour and with a gorgeous fruit and floral nose, great with fruit desserts and cheese. I always intend to drink more dessert wines but after a greedy full repast, never leave sufficient room, so I frequently miss out. This one has more than reminded me to straighten myself out. Looks like I've come late to this one, a wonderful find. Serve it cold.  A bargain 37.5cl for £4.38 at Sainsbury. My rating 90.

Leasingham Wines Magnus Riesling (Clare Valley) 2009 (white) :The Riesling grape type, originating in the Rhine region of Germany, is almost lightly perfumed, with high acidity and is now widely used around the World. This wine is a fine, elegant Australian example, pale, with a barely green tinge, hint of fruits, pronounced acidity at the finish. Try it with Crayfish or crab or prawn salad. Carried by a number of supermarkets, including Sainsbury and Somerfield at about £7.99. My rating 84.

Ona (Anakena) Riesling Viognier Chardonnay 2008. Chile.I was new to this wine and as you'd expect with such a blend of grapes, I found it quite complex and not sure on first tasting it. A couple of gentle swigs later though I really got into it and found all sorts going on, tasting all three varieties but  balanced and fresh , and ended up enough of a convert to put it on my list for more in the future.  Light gold colour, citrusy, smooth. It's a match for a wide range of food; certainly chicken and all sorts of seafood.  £9.99 at Oddbins (incidentally, Oddbins is getting back in the groove). My rating 85.

Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2009 Coastal Region, South Africa. (White). I find it difficult to even begin to dissect chardonnays, its origins generally assumed in the Burgundy region, this grape type is now grown and used worldwide. Maybe Chardonnay lost a bit of its cachet in the 1980s when it was oh so trendy and Global. Anyway, here we have a super wine from South Africa where the quality for the price pushes it up the scale. I looked up the Boschendal Estate on the internet and it looks lush and with beautiful mountain scenery. I have several friends who visit South Africa taking in wine-tastings and I have to say I won't hold out long before taking a peek myself. This is a well-established Estate and the know-how must have built up because this is not the first of their excellent wines I've tasted. It's fresh, creamy and nutty .It will go well with fish, poultry and creamy sauces. A good buy £7.99 at Waitrose. My rating 85.

Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2007 California, USA (full bodied red). A good example of this widely grown grape-type in California. Californian zinfandel can come in strong with 15% content, this one weighs in at 13.5% which is how I like it. Distinctively rich, balanced with lots of hints of berry fruit, faintly sweet and lightly peppery, lightly oaked. A robust accompaniment to steaks, beefburgers and the like, it can also stand bring drunk on its own. At Waitrose, Tesco, Spar and others at about £7.99.My rating 82.

In between these labours of love, of course, all manner of things interfere; the odd job (though I'm mostly retired with minimum commitments),a little golf, a family BBQ,  and even a bit of horseracing at the golf club (no, I'm still holding back the excl.mks.).

Ah golf. I was drawn in a competition where one of the contenders was a 13 year old (handsome, refined lad is Olly). He was playing off a 12 handicap (no, I'm not telling but mine reverses that and adds a bit more). You don't need me telling you; he moved like Tiger (before his off-course adventures), played like Tiger, beat as hands-down (nay, annihilated us) and was a perfect gentleman in his triumph. Here's hoping my trio fruits of my loin read this. Olly, I want to be your manager and I'll carry your bag at the Ryder Cup.

A BBQ is not usually in my itinerary but this one was a sort of command you don't turn down. From the youngest son's girlfriend's mum,  'Nula. Not only did she chose the most perfect sunny day in between days of thunder and produced a sumptuous feast, but there it was, stretching in front of us across her extensive gardens , the Vale of the White Horse looking down from Oxon to Wiltshire . What a fab sight. What's to be done? How about a little of that Codorniu Rosado followed by the Californian zinfandel with the lamb chops and sausages?

Now I don't know if you'll believe this. There's a bit of a fray and politics and that sort of thing going on about the managing company's running of the block. So they called a meeting of residents, who rarely turn up for these orgies of debate, reminiscent of the worst of parliament's PM's questions. Ahah, cleverly they could only book a room at the Warrington saloon bar, ye local holstery. Yes, you're there before me. Hey presto, the best attendance yet. Isn't life grand?

Now, that's enough for now, see you soon. But let me leave you with this. As his first contribution has been universally acclaimed by my circle, my good friend Richard, news editor and raconteur, has sent me another recipe. He says it's best enjoyed in mid-February in front of a roaring log fire. So he's either terribly well organised in advance or

He knows the weather forecast better than the Met office (well, anybody could, I suppose) or he's just showing off his culinary prowess.

Oven baked sausage and bean pot.

1.) Cook four herby and/or garlicky sausages until browned.

Set aside.

2.) Finely chop three red onions and fry in an ovenproof pot until soft and golden brown.

3.) Add 200 mls of chicken or vegetable stock and 200mls of arrabbiata sauce

- not worth making, supermarket versions are fine -

2 tbls soft brown sugar, and 200mls of Guinness.

4.) Bring to boil and let bubble away for a few minutes before adding 400 g of rinsed mixed beans and the sausages.

5.) Cover and bake in oven, gas mark 6, for around 35 minutes.

6.) Season, scatter with chopped parsley and devour with plenty of crusty bread.

Best enjoyed in mid-February in front of a roaring log fire!

I'd say this calls for the Zinfandel, what say you?

You may already be readers/fans of Jose's blog who writes regularly on this website.  Jose is a family friend and former business partner of my dad, both recently retired. Jose's updates very entertaining - he leads the lifestyle I hope I will be able to lead one day - with time and finances to enjoy plenty of wine, holidays, theatre, sport and good food.

I work full time, have a (lovely) two year old son called William, a very pregnant wife called Anna who runs her own recruitment business and is due to give birth to our second child at the end of June. Together we live in Chorleywood with our 4 cats (don't ask!), so we have neither lots of spare cash and even less time on our hands.

My 'blog angle' and stage in life is very different to Jose's and I hope will give a different view but still entertaining view on the whole wine experience.I am very much on the cusp of my wine tasting journey!

A bit of more background - I have been drinking wine since my late 20s (in my mid 30s now) and I have tasted wine at vineyards in Bordeaux, Bergerac, Chianti, Paso Robles and even in the Borossa Valley in South Australia.  Whilst I can tell the varying degrees of quality and very clear on what I like, my attitude has always been somewhat cynical of people who claim to taste exotic fruits and smell such aromas as tobacco and leather in wine.  

I recently went on a free wine tasting evening at my local Majestic in Amersham which changed my view of this. The wine tasting evening was great by the way and I was amazed by the knowledge and enthusiasm of the Majestic staff. You could tell they are not only doing a job, they are truly passionate about wine and this really flows through. Anyway I digress, I realised with some careful guidance I can pick out the particular flavour and aromas these wine experts refer to - that fruity/oaky taste you get in a lot of New World Chardonnays can quite legitimately be described a tropic fruits and melon, that unmistakable zesty fruity taste you get with Sauvignon Blancs, particularly those you get from New Zealand, can definitely be described as herbaceous and gooseberry like. The tingling on the side of your tongue you get with some wines is the acidity and the slight numbness on the gums in some reds is the tannins. It was all starting to fall into place!

Unfortunately the lesson was only two hours long and the amount that could be fitted in was limited. Since I was not driving the amount I could remember after six or seven glasses was also quite limited. I did remember enough to realise this was just a little inkling of what there is to know about wine.

It is my birthday next week and for my birthday my wife has agreed to buy we a six week wine tasting course at the London Wine Academy. I think this is a good place to start my journey with you.

In terms of what I'm drinking now Vina Pomal is ever present in my wine rack. The 2003 was good, the 2005 in my opinion is even better, a ruby red Rioja, very smooth juicy black fruit. You can taste the oak and that it is unmistakably a Rioja but it is quite subtle. One of the guys in Majestic told me that this was going for 20 Euros a bottle in Spain but the vineyard owner (Codorniu) want to break in the UK market (the 2nd biggest Rioja market in the world apparently) so they're allowing it to go cheap in the UK to get a foothold (one of the buyers told him this). If this is true or not I don't know, however when you taste the quality of the wine you can believe it. The price has crept up over the last few months - it was £6.99 for two, now you're looking at £8.99 maybe we're heading toward the 20 Euros prices tag - I hope not!

For my son's second birthday I got some wine in bulk at around a £5 for my guests (cheapskate I know). The children had sandwiches fruit, birthday cake and a bouncey castle, whilst the adults had my home made beefburgers, and the following wines I purchased:

Domaine Tranquillité 2005 how this is selling for £4.99 I don't know - rich but fruity with soft summer berries. The fruitiness belies the age, the soft delicate tannins however show that this wine has aged to reach perfection.

Clos d'Yvigne Bel Ami Rosé 2008 Bergerac - I really pushed the boat out with this one £7.99. A great summer garden drink, take chilled on a picnic or as I did have a barbecue. Fresh, fruity, dry with raspberries.

Fairfield Hills 2009 - again £4.99 if you buy two. If I do go for a Marlbrough Sauvignon Blanc it generally has to be Jackson Estate however £10.99 a bottle for JE is a bit much to stretch to for my guests (sorry guests). This stuff is great for the price, typically fruity NZ Sauvignon Blanc - gooseberry laden and herbaceous.