Commonwealth Wines

In the Jubilee spirit our hosts opted for wine from any of the Commonwealth countries... now we won't admit to saying how many of us had to look up which countries that included !

Just eight of us this month, Mark & Linda party at home with 'others' and Karen & Mick couldn't make it so they sent a text to say stuck in Ibiza, ha, ha, wonder if Micks realises how much that cost to send !

We started with a glass of pink fizz, with tasty homemade cheese straws and a selection of nibbles, which later became Nic's personal take away as he came to the wine tasting table balancing his selection..he's big on food...that is big I love it..not BIG as in I eat too much !

Whilst we are on the subject of Nic, it was decided he was to become the wine club Foodie Buff.. (each month he turns up, devours whats going, doesn't drink wine (!) instead lots of Coke) anyway here are Nic 'Grossman' or the Chubby Bubbly (his description not mine) thoughts on the food ~

Rich beef casserole & veg ~ Yummy, Bread & Butter pudding with pecans and banana ~ Yummy..

Loyd Grosmans always says 'taste is everything' Chubby Bubbly says 'taste everything'

I have to say his tasting notes are laid out beautifully with a super doodle in the top corner... he hasn't yet picked up on the famous wine club term ' Nice' but lets give him time to settle into the roll.

Now onto the wine ~ All whites, no real surprise there, baring in mind those that attended.

First off was a Riesling, Jacqui, smarty pants was the only one to guess this.. the rest of us thought it was a Chablis, fresh, grassy, elderflower were all mentioned & a very pale colour and very 'nice' although we thought about using another word..sensational, but it wasn't quite that good, this wine was voted the best of the evening by most of us.

The second a real shocker in more than one sense.... firstly taste... slight fizz to it, straw coloured and generally a bit rough to say the least...the second shock was the country ~ India, a first for us.. Purchased from waitrose, their tasting notes say " lovely medium gold colour, intense perfume of blossom, hints of white apple, dried apricots & peaches with a balanced hint of spice" ..well., we all agreed we don't know what wine they were tasting but it wasn't the one in front of us.

Number three ours, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc Duck 'n' Pheasant from Laithwaites, it had delicious aromas of peaches, passionfruit with floral hints sadly the taste just didn't live up to the aroma, very insipid and bone dry.

And finally another Sauvignon, peach, elderflower a real fruity little number again this was very popular wine.

A really good fun evening had by all, lots and lots of laughter to the point the hostess said there was too much frivolity (..really !!) .. and in case you wondered there was a spillage, this time just water..

Well time to stick a cork in it.

Bye S x