Helen McGinn 
Went to watch Middle Boy and Youngest Girl in their Harvest Festival show earlier today. And it really was a show, including a song called ‘Rock & Roll Harvest’. My favourite Neil Young song is Harvest Moon, but this came pretty close as harvest-themed songs go. Funnily enough, one of the first posts I ever wrote on this blog was called Harvest Moon, exactly six years ago this week. My lovely friend Gemma celebrated her 5th blog birthday recently with this post and it made me think about just how much I’ve loved writing this blog. But it’s looked pretty much the same since the day I started it, so I’m planning to give it a little makeover. Actually, more of a nip and tuck. Once done, you’ll notice it working and looking better, hopefully. If there’s anything you’d like to see added to the blog, just let me know. In the meantime, I’ve got a birthday present for one of you. Le Creuset have donated this limited edition corkscrew (worth £60), made to celebrate their 90th birthday. If you fancy it, leave a corkscrew-inspired comment on the blog or on the KMWC facebook page and we’ll pick a winner next week.
Peace out, winos x
T&Cs
1. Competition closes on 20th October 2015 at 11.59pm
2. The prize draw is open to any UK resident over the age of 18.
Current white in the fridge: Ascheri Langhe Arneis 2014
Price: £13.00 - Buy From M&S
Just the kind of crisp white you want when it’s cold outside, this one. Made from the little-known Arneis grape, grown in the Piedmont region of northern Italy more famous for its red wines, like Barolo and Barbaresco. The whites don’t get out much; the Italians drink much of it. But Arneis, which translates as ‘little rascal’ thanks to its tendency to be a bugger to grow, is properly refreshing with citrus flavours and a bit of spice to rock the taste buds. And this is from one of my favourite producers, too. Not cheap, but great value.
Current red in the rack: Buckingham Estate Reserve Shiraz 2013
Price: £6.00 - Buy From Morrisons
What makes this more interesting that your average Aussie Shiraz at this price is that it’s made from grapes grown in Western Australia, a cooler region than most elsewhere in Australia. What that does is concentrate the flavours in the wine. So there’s lots of quaffable black fruits and spice, but there’s also a kind of savouriness to it. Brilliant with tonight’s sausage and lentil casserole-type thing from the brilliant Crumbs cookbook.
Congratulations on your six years! Classy bird, classy blog, classy corkscrew – so fitting 😉 xx
Ah, thank you! Love that you love. Name's in the hat for the no pull corkscrew! x
Annoyingly they don't seem to have that red in the New Milton Morrisons (was a few steps away when I read your blog this morning). However, winning that corkscrew might make up for it…. can you enter me?! x
Shame…but yes, your name's in the hat! x
On the blog: as a newcomer in the UK, I am keen to find little gems and good deals to pour into my glass, so I thank my wife for having spotted your blog.
On the corkscrew: I yield to my penchant for puns and here goes: You examine it through and through and yet at first, you may doubt that it possibly works. A thorough check of the ins and outs confirms that indeed it works 'in and out'. You just have to persevere, and the final twist is: you pulled through! Santé!
Oh, I love this! Well done you – and welcome. Sante indeed.
I feel as if I could write a blog post about corkscrews…they sort of represent decades of your life, from the rubbish but stylish lazy fish I had in my 20s to screwpull of my 30s (that sounds naughty) to the expensive wine waiter-style corkscrew I have today. But as I get older, more of my wine is now screwtop and the poor old corkscrew is becoming redundant….so…corkscrews are kind of a metaphor for life?
Love the link to corkscrews and decades…! Definitely a metaphor for life…
I just have corkscrew curls but don't know how to post a selfie to prove it!
I always wanted corkscrew curls!
A little corkscrew musing/stream of consciousness. Don't you just love the name? Something that twists a screw into a cork – what shall we call it? Guessing corkscrew curls came from the corkscrew rather than vice versa… And why are so many bottles now screwtop lids?
Interestingly, the English term seems to focus on the shape (screw) more than on the function (extracting the cork). Other languages have different approaches: le tire-bouchon in French, literally 'pull-cork', note that 'bouchon' is in singular form, as opposed to the Italian il cavatappi (extract-stoppers), or el sacacorchos in Spanish, (pull-corks) interestingly meant to be used more than once, like the German Korkenzieher (corks-puller). Some languages have several names, like Swedish, with 'vinöppnare' (wine opener), 'korköppnare' (cork opener) and 'korkskruv' (corkscrew). Spanish also has an alternative with their 'descorchador' (de-corker). About screwtops: for wines that are to be drunk within one to three years, there are more inconvenients than advantages to choose cork over screwtop. Natural cork needs to be aseptic, which requires a treatment that involves chlorine and bearing the risk of leaving trichloroanisole behind (-> the wine becomes 'corked' and tastes bad), or a hydrogen peroxyde treatment which is too costly for that type of wine. Artificial corks and screwtops are better options then… Lastly, and to go back to LRS' contribution, did you know that corkscrew curls are sometimes called 'boucles anglaises' in French? (The term 'boucles en tire-bouchon' also exist).
Goodness, what an education on corkscrews, Adesias – thank you!
Helen – with you. Just saying it is fun.
Congratulations. Blog milestones are always worth celebrating. Have so much rubbish in my inbox but seeing an email with a new post from you always puts a smile on my face. Here's to many more knackered Mother wine club years.
Ah, thank you Sally! What kind words – really appreciate it. And so pleased my wine words make you smile.