Wine

[LeverEnd]

I'm drinking some cheap shite my Mum won in a raffle (she doesn't like red).

Brilliant LL ... bringing a much needed extra class to the debate. Will .... don't forget your roots man.

More seriously, I took the plunge and became a Naked Wine angel' and took delivery of my first box this week. I will work my way through it, but a decent amount of Malbec is a good start.

We have a very good wine specialist in the village where I live and I do like to do my bit to help him keep going but I'm happy to diversify.

I'm also an Angel but also a cheapskate who never turns down free booze!

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).

Bloody hell! Well, enjoy it. It didn't sound like you were chilling it for long, and it would be a shame to drink that warm, so make sure it's cold enough!

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).

Bloody hell! Well, enjoy it. It didn't sound like you were chilling it for long, and it would be a shame to drink that warm, so make sure it's cold enough!

Cheers PB. The plan is to have it with breakfast in bed tomorrow, so it should be plenty chilled.
(The problem is how to stop the missus nosing in the fridge till then)

[Montreal Wanderer]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).

Bloody hell! Well, enjoy it. It didn't sound like you were chilling it for long, and it would be a shame to drink that warm, so make sure it's cold enough!

Cheers PB. The plan is to have it with breakfast in bed tomorrow, so it should be plenty chilled.
(The problem is how to stop the missus nosing in the fridge till then)

If you share a magnum for breakfast I wouldn't count on getting lunch - or even remembering it.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).

Bloody hell! Well, enjoy it. It didn't sound like you were chilling it for long, and it would be a shame to drink that warm, so make sure it's cold enough!

Cheers PB. The plan is to have it with breakfast in bed tomorrow, so it should be plenty chilled.
(The problem is how to stop the missus nosing in the fridge till then)

If you share a magnum for breakfast I wouldn't count on getting lunch - or even remembering it.

I'll just crack it open then Monty. Got all weekend to finish it off. (It's only a bottle each )

[Montreal Wanderer]

I'll just crack it open then Monty. Got all weekend to finish it off. (It's only a bottle each )

They do go flat you know

[bobo the clown]

I'll just crack it open then Monty. Got all weekend to finish it off. (It's only a bottle each )

They do go flat you know

A vacu-bung will help, but you will need to do it asap.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

I'll just crack it open then Monty. Got all weekend to finish it off. (It's only a bottle each )

They do go flat you know

Probably have about three or four glasses each in the morning. Lazy morning. Recorked and put in fridge. Take dog out for a long and leisurely stroll in the sunshine. Afternoon, back home and an already prepared thai green curry followed by mutually shared silent contemplation of the universe propped up on respective steamers whilst sipping very expensive champagne. If there's any left by tomorrow night, recork back in fridge and it'll last till Sunday and repeat. No problem.

Edit: in the afternoon session I shall be drinking the Champagne like they do in Champagne - with schnapps chasers: guaranteed no hangover, very complimentary on the taste buds. If you've never tried it, try it.

[Montreal Wanderer]

I'll just crack it open then Monty. Got all weekend to finish it off. (It's only a bottle each )

They do go flat you know

Probably have about three or four glasses each in the morning. Lazy morning. Recorked and put in fridge. Take dog out for a long and leisurely stroll in the sunshine. Afternoon, back home and an already prepared thai green curry followed by mutually shared silent contemplation of the universe propped up on respective steamers whilst sipping very expensive champagne. If there's any left by tomorrow night, recork back in fridge and it'll last till Sunday and repeat. No problem.

Edit: in the afternoon session I shall be drinking the Champagne like they do in Champagne - with schnapps chasers: guaranteed no hangover, very complimentary on the taste buds. If you've never tried it, try it.

Champagne corks do not often go back so you need something like Bobo suggested - cork with vacuum pump. The other caution is that magnums do not stand upright in most fridges and if you lay it on the side you may end up with and expensive fridge wash is.

Happy anniversary btw - I have no idea what pearl is.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Cheers (30 years).
It'll be fine. The early morning drinky poos will be as fizzy as intended. Bung a cork in(I've got wine-corks that go back on in bottles with a little tool that pushes them in a bit and repressurises the bottle enough to keep em fizzy for a few hours) and back in fridge and it'll last until the afternoon starts. It is only a magnum, we can polish that off with ease... [and our fridge has got a container space at the bottom that can store a magnum upright]. Anyway I'm off now, I'll let you know what it's like, only I won't be able to give it you in wine speak so to speak.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Cheers (30 years).
It'll be fine. The early morning drinky poos will be as fizzy as intended. Bung a cork in(I've got wine-corks that go back on in bottles with a little tool that pushes them in a bit and repressurises the bottle enough to keep em fizzy for a few hours) and back in fridge and it'll last until the afternoon starts. It is only a magnum, we can polish that off with ease... [and our fridge has got a container space at the bottom that can store a magnum upright]. Anyway I'm off now, I'll let you know what it's like, only I won't be able to give it you in wine speak so to speak.

Ah, that explains it. A few months before my thirtieth anniversary my wife traded me in for a newer model (14 years younger than me but it broke after a couple of years). Your device sounds just what Bobo ordered.

[Montreal Wanderer]

Thats reasonably priced for a Krug Bobo.

I remember once a lady (you'll know the sort) who felt fit to admonish me on "not really being that arsed about" champagne, as it was "all she drank". Indeed, Krug, no less, tastes, apparently, "like silk"*. When challenged on the obvious flaws in the taste of silk, and perhaps to ask her to expand a little further in the hope that such an expensive champagne couldn't be so mono-characteristic, she just harrumphed at me.

Little known fact, Champagne makers have more freedom to adulterate their product (legally) than just about any apellation in France (indeed, i believe, Europe). Which, despite me shelling out now and then on the stuff, leaves me a little cold when I imagine the harvest-time chat in the cellars..

"Benoit, zees tastes like crap, how can we sell it for a kings ransom?"

"Mais, Jean-Francois, just bung a bucketful of sucre in there and some shipped in grape juice, et voila! Fine Champagne!"

"Magnifique! Ker-ching!"

And by the way, '95 was supposedly a very good year in Champagne.

I do find champagne generally over-priced. I prefer to stock up on the cremants de Loire and d'Alsace (Bourgogne not quite as good), and Italian proseccos. Well under half the price and just as good as an ordinary champagne. I have never had extraordinary champagne I guess. I have sampled Perrier-Jouët, Moët & Chandon and Pol Roger during a stay in Epernay and at various celebrations, but just their ordinary stuff.

[thebish]

I do find champagne generally over-priced. I prefer to stock up on the cremants de Loire and d'Alsace (Bourgogne not quite as good), and Italian proseccos.

just bought a bottle of prosecco from Aldi on the way back from the hozzy.. the missus drank it in Florence - and liked it - and the weather is finally warm enough to sit out in the garden with early evening drinky-poos... have popped it in the fridge...

[Lord Kangana]

Go on - how much?

well put it this way: you wouldn't get change from a three hundred and seventy five pound note (and my mate got it discounted).

Bloody hell! Well, enjoy it. It didn't sound like you were chilling it for long, and it would be a shame to drink that warm, so make sure it's cold enough!

Cheers PB. The plan is to have it with breakfast in bed tomorrow, so it should be plenty chilled.
(The problem is how to stop the missus nosing in the fridge till then)

Stop!!!!!

Stop right now!!!!!!!!!!

He might be a hot-shot lawyer, but you might aswel walk into the street and set light to 20's if you're going to drink expensive wine chilled.

Cellar temperature (10-12) is about right for vintage champers. Which is about 40 minutes out of the fridge before you drink it.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Is 40 mins from a room temperature standing start enough? Maybe I need a better fridge....

[Lord Kangana]

40 minutes out of the fridge from fridge temp. Although an hour might be better. They reckon it takes about 6 hours for a bottle to equalise up to the the temperature of its surroundings from cold to warm, and back.

[mummywhycantieatcrayons]

Ah yes - I misread.

[Bruce Rioja]

Ah yes - I misread.

Takes note. £170 per hour (plus disbursements) bloke misread summat.

[Lord Kangana]

Monty, further update, the word on the street is that St Romain is a late ripener, and therefore, in a bad year like 2012, probably to be avoided.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Stop!!!!!

Stop right now!!!!!!!!!!

... you might aswel walk into the street and set light to 20's if you're going to drink expensive wine chilled.

Cellar temperature (10-12) is about right for vintage champers. Which is about 40 minutes out of the fridge before you drink it.

Too late to read your post, but the friend who delivered the champers gave me the lowdown on it, complete with instructions not to drink it cold (stored it in the larder overnight (8°C)), but thanks anyway.

It was magnificent. I don't have the wine terminology to describe what was so good about it, the best I can do is to say it was as different from normal champagne as normal champagne is from a cheapo Asti spumante.

Apparantly too, LK, this particular Brut Zero is unadulterated - some are apparently; after the dosage, once bottled for the second time there are no additions hence the zero rating (I didn't know that). I've never had a Brut Zero, although I usually buy bruts as my taste is towards the dry end, I don't particularly like demi-secs. Then again I've never had a Blanc de noir (I think all my previous have been chardonnay based), nor have I had a 1995 vintage - so I don't know what contributed to it being so splendid: probably all three.
Was it worth it... well, it was definitely worth a one off, and if anybody would like to swap me every time I bought a Veuve Cliquot, I'd take the swap, but it wasn't ten times better as the price would suggest, if forced to concede I'd say it was three times better than a normal champagne, insofar as I would be prepared to pay three times what I do for a Veuve Clicquot and be happy to do so probably every time.
Edit- I've just realised as it was a magnum, it was only five times more expensive... hmmmm, dilemma.

[PS it went well before Saturday night kicked in, and no hangover].