Helen McGinn 
Laughter is the best medicine, or so they say. Clearly they forgot wine, carbs and Codeine but I know what they were getting at. Anyway, one of the biggest successes of the Easter holidays so far has been the comedy workshop that Middle Boy went to last week. Run by my old friend Laura, she’s one of the creators of the School of Comedy, holding workshops for 4-16 year olds. It started as an after-school club when Laura was teaching in London ten years ago. She then created a stage show around the children, took it to the Edinburgh Festival (amazing!) and it became the idea behind E4’s series of the same name. So, cut to Milford-on-Sea last week and Middle Boy walked into a room full of kids and spent the next three hours making up funny sketches and laughing his head off. He was flying when he came out. Anyway, I wanted you to know about it and if you need details of workshops elsewhere you’ll find them here. Now, pass the wine.
Chin chin x
Current white in the fridge: Wachenheimer Riesling Trocken, Burklin Wolf 2013
Price: £13.95 - Buy From Tanners
It’s a mouthful to say, but happily it’s an incredible mouthful to drink too. From one of the top producers in Germany, they were early adopters of making wine the biodynamic way (think super-organic) and their wines are amazingly vibrant. It’s from the Pfalz region and is deliciously crisp, loaded with mango fruit and as floral as a tea dress. Old-timers in the wine trade go ga-ga for good Riesling and I’m sure it’s because it reaches parts of the palate other wines can’t reach. Just add really salty crisps or a slightly spicy supper.
Current red in the rack: Tesco Finest Swartland Malbec 2013
Price: £5.99 - Buy From Tesco
It’s World Malbec Day on the 17th April, held to celebrate the grape that’s become Argentina’s most famous vinous export. Now, I realise the one I’ve picked here is from South Africa but a) I’ll pick one from Argentina for this week’s ‘Thank Friday It’s Wine’ on my YouTube channel (subscribe here if you don’t want to miss a thiiiiiing, as Steven Tyler would say); b) it’s completely delicious and c) brilliant value. All black cherry and spice, it’s made by one of South Africa’s winemaking legends, Bruce Jack. Needs food, preferably something meaty. Loved lasagne, as it happens.
Thank Friday It's Wine // Great rose for a fiver!
That sounds briliant! My boys have been on the sports field all this week and I think my younger one,who was looking distinctly un-keen by day 4, would far rather be doing something like that with the school holidays.
Honestly, my out-there-at-home but sometimes-shy-in-company Boy LOVED it. Think it's a real confidence booster :))))
Have met the lovely Laura – looking forward to sending me kids on future workshops.