I don’t get big festivals. There was a massive festival on the Isle of Wight at the weekend and a friend came back complaining of feeling old. That’s because you are twice as old as most people there! I said. To myself. Of course, we go to Glastonbury every year and watch all the bands’ best bits without getting so much as a Hunter muddied. That’s because we watch it on telly, with wine, on the sofa. No queues for the loo, no overpriced food and booze and I can fall asleep before the end of the set if I so choose. There is another type of Festival that’s far more me: a wine festival. Quite a few running currently, Waitrose and Tesco included. Go forage.
Current white in the fridge:
Cave de Turckheim Gewürztraminer 2009 Alsace, France, £6.16, 25% off, Waitrose
Think turkish delight, especially that smell when you lift the paper on the box before you’ve even picked up a square and taken a bite. That’s what I smell here. Floral, rose-water, somehow delicate and spicy all at the same time. Gewurztraminer is the grape (Gewurz for short) and in this case it is grown in vineyards in the fairly northerly Alsace region in France. It is made by a very good wine co-operative and is dry on the palate, even though the aromas have a sweetness to them. Delicious, and quite a mouthful. It is often recommended as the perfect partner to Thai food but too much heat will cover the flavours: match it with baby spice rather than scary spice and it’ll still sing.
Current red on the side:
Tesco Finest Argentinian Malbec 2009, £4.97, 25% off, Tesco
So, for the white we had our noses shoved in a box of turkish delight. This time, think of the whiff you got when unwrapping a small tube of parma violets when you were little. That’s what Malbec from Argentina often reminds me of. However, this is no shrinking violet of a wine. Rather, it hogs the dancefloor. Big, bold, spicy, smooth, rich and groovy is what it is. Malbec is the grape and although its homeland is France – Cahors, mainly – it seems to have aquired a holiday house in Argentina. Here, it is more relaxed, riper and just a bit more friendly. Give this wine food and it will love you for it, steak especially.
Peace out, winos x
I'm with you on the Festivals … over it. I love the idea that you can buy wine in supermarkets … would make grocery shopping a whole lot easier. Not allowed here. Bottle shops can be near supermarkets, but not in them.
Me too. Have never had the slightest inclination to go to Glastonbury.. and now we are being encouraged to try Bestival with the kids? Can you imagine anything more horrendous than camping with thousands of people, three small children and getting no sleep? Or am I missing something?BM x
I have absolutely no desire to go to a festival…mud, dirty loos and yobbish behaviour? No thanks. A wine festival sounds lovely, though.
MMMC – I know, I find that such a bizarre notion…we don't know how easy we've got it here. BM – so let's send everyone off the Bestival next year and we'll go for drinks at Graze followed by food at the East End Arms… xNVG – I knoew this would be up your street, unfortunaely however, wrong country! x
Describing the smell of linalool in Gewurz as rose scented Turkish delight was lost on my husband…until I brought a box back (from Tesco) to the States. Now he gets it.
Vinogirl – I know what you mean. Don't often drink Gewurz but whenever I do I think must do so more! Delish x