In order to understand recursion*

It's Sunday morning, I've just washed the decanters and Little Bill is jumping around the living room as is his wont. Rather than waffle on as is my wont I'll just do a few quick updates...

We drank the two wines below last week:

Chateau De Villeneuve Saumur Champigny 2006 - I liked this, herself less so. It took ages to open up and develop and it was only in the last glass I really got all the flavours. It was somewhat acidic, fruity and at the end showed some nice tannins. It was quite a lighter style then we usually drink but nice for a change.

Masi Campofiorin 2006 - Also liked this a lot, it was different it style to its Tesco Cousin, more refined and a touch lighter and easier to drink.

Los Robles Fairtrade Carmenere 2006 - We drank this at the end of the night last night and didn't enjoy it. It had that "taste" that I get from cheap Chilean wine which I cannot abide. It's that cheap oaky, tannic flavour. Herself hated it.

What I will be mostly drinking this week are the fruits of our entertaining...

Seigneur D'Albret Medoc 2006 - The Times liked it...

Paul Jaboulet "Les Jalets" Crozes Hermitage 2006 - Snooth liked it..

Chateau Lapelletrie Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2005 - this guy liked it and I'm thinking I might lay this down in the "cellar", given the vintage.

* it is first necessary to understand recursion

The Saturdays

The Fabtastic Four are coming over for our roughly bi-annual get together and I have another excuse to try and justify my wine buying habits, i.e. the purchase of decent wine, cheaply. This is especially important when entertaining. As a host, it is incumbent on you to provide enough wine and consistent wine. It's not clever to get lots of different reds and end up serving different wines to the same person within the same course - whatever your wine choice, your guests should have a consistent experience.

With six for dinner I bought 5 bottles, I would normally recommend having one bottle per person just in case but the Hildog doesn't partake. The red I got was this, I know I keep banging on about it but try it and see. I will decant for at least two hours pre-game. The white is a Tingleup Riesling 2008, also from Tesco, which I am hoping will please B.

A Taste of Italy

I'm back in the land of the living, just, and I give thanks, as a devout Pastafarian, to the Flying Spaghetti Monster that I'm back off the wagon. It was truly the driest weekend in living memory.

Anyhoo, we having a little soirette this Saturday, to celebrate a variety of milestones, mine not the least, but especially my old friend Edwaf returning home for the weekend from Chicago (Thanks Jess!!). JK while not yet "there" will also be a guest of honour.

As the winebore in residence it would ill behoove me to serve anything other than various fine wines. I have in stock, a Monbazillac (to go with the Fois Gras) and some Bererac Sec (fish course) from May, along with some nice bubbly as an aperitif. I wanted some nice red for the main, so I went to O'Brien's with Little Bill on Saturday in the midst of the aforementioned drought.

I had thought Bordeaux or Italian, and as usual any decent Bordeaux was out of my price range given the volume I needed to buy. So Italian it was. The helpful chap recommended this Sangiovese or this Valpolicella Ripasso based on my specifications.

I went back tonight to buy both to taste them but they only had 2 bottles of the Tuscan in stock and won't get any more of it in time for the big event. The suggested alternative, a Rosso di Montalcino, along with the Valpolicello Ripasso were duly purchased, see picture above.

I decided, rather than try them on consecutive nights to open both tonight, and do a direct comparison. The Valpolicella Ripasso tasted quite sharp initially but after 30 minutes or so in the glass it evolved into a big, tannic beast, delicious but maybe not a party wine.

The Rosso di Montalcino however was a much more balanced if lighter wine, perfectly balanced and wonderful - we have a winner.

That's it for now, I'll let you know on Sunday how it all went.

Tesco Valpolicella Ripasso 2006

This (at left in picture) is wine three (of three) Tesco branded reds I picked up in the MerrionCentre on Saturday. Apologies - I've now used this picture four times - I'm way too lazy to take individual photos of the three wines, given that I had a "group" photo.

Name: Tesco Valpolicella Ripasso

Year: 2006
Price: €10-69
Notes: The best of the three. Lovely full flavoured, complex wine. Some cherry flavours and a little fruit but very well balanced and a long finish. A cheaper alternative to Amarone, using a similar production method.

Rating: 7/10

Saturday Night Tasting - Part 1 - The Wines.

JR came over last night and we heroically got through four bottles of red, all in the name of reviewing said wines of course. To accompany the wines we had a mystery stew, which had been lurking in the freezer, and which turned out to a delicious lamb tajine.

1) Las Casetta di Ettore Righetti - Valpolicella Ripasso - 2005.

We got this in a hamper from Sheridans Cheesemongers so I'm guessing you can get it there. This was universally acknowledged to be divine. A silky smooth velvety wine, with delicious fruits and a big chocolately* finish.

2) Penfolds Bin 389 - Cabernet Shiraz - 2005.

This wine is known as the mini Grange and I had wanted to try this for ages and about 6 months ago I finally stumped up the €30 in O'Briens. I was not disappointed. Big jammy fruits but some solid structure and a suggestion of tannins make this a winner. A perfect marriage of old and new world styles.

3) Tesco Chianti Classico - 2007.

Good solid Chianti from Tesco, ticks all the boxes and is perfect with any tomato based food.

4) Protocolo - 2006

Previously reviewed here. I'm still loving this wine.

*The ladies insisted that the wine was chocolatey - who am I to argue?