Helen McGinn Spring is officially here. Not that you’d know it: I spent the day wearing two jumpers and a cardigan. But today the sky was blue and the chill in the air not quite as beastly as before. Now, I have no intentions of cleaning the house from top to bottom (three kids and three dogs makes that an almost pointless exercise). But I am having a spring clean of sorts, starting with my phone. I don’t mean giving it up completely (don’t be silly) but gone are the time-wasting apps and too-big group chats. Already I feel lighter than if I’d been on a juice cleanse. Not that I ever have (again, don’t be silly). Unless, of course, grapes count as juice. In which case, I’m spotless.
Current white in the fridge: Truly Irresistible Marsanne
Price: £7.99 - Buy From Co-op
This one’s already popped up on the IG feed this week (alongside a bowl of chickpea puffs. Way nicer than they sound, I promise you). The Marsanne grape is behind some of the white wines from the northern Rhone but in this case, we’re a little further south. Sunshine = ripe, fruity flavours. Specifically, a little peach, more pear and a touch of vanilla. Fantastic value, truly. Roast chicken’ll love it.
Current red in the rack: Brouilly Pisse-Vieille
Price: £13.50 - Buy From Corney & Barrow
Most of my friends like wine. But unlike me, most of them don’t want to talk about it all the time. But when this bottle hit the table recently, it was a conversation stopper for all the right reasons. Fragrant, full of just-squashed blueberry fruits, silky-soft and ridiculously moreish, there was a fight for top ups (I won). 2015 was a brilliant vintage in the Beaujolais region so worth splashing out on if you like your wines on the medium-bodied, juicy side.
