Talking
of fascists . . . The government has said it will lower the proposed
huge fines for some of the 'public order' offences. For example, from
600,000 to 30,000. Or even 3,000. As if anyone is going to say "Well,
I couldn't risk 30,000 to insult this copper but I certainly can
for 3,000." I don't believe for a second the government expected
to get the 600,000 fines through and were perfectly happy to have
them 'negotiated down' to 30,000 or less. The parliamentary 'debate
was' merely a PR exercise.
You
couldn't make it up: Remember the woman who tarted up the picture
of Jesus in her local church and managed to make him look like an
orang-utang? Well, this led to an influx of money into the village
and, once the priest had installed a pay desk, into the church too.
Well, said priest - who's 70 - has just been nabbed as he was trying
to make off with the church funds. Rumour has it he's also being
questioned about sex offences, which would make him altogether a bad
egg.
When
I was at university, London's Brixton was a tough district where our sports ground happened to be situated. El País tells me it's now a
thoroughly fashionable quarter, full of exotic shops and restaurants and throbbing with fantastic live music.
Or Jamaicana, as the paper calls it. How the wheel turns.
Finally
. . . Another list. The Spanish entries in the 50 best Xmas wines
from The Times.
I've
underlined the adjectives/phrases which make the least sense to me:-
Reds
2012
The Society’s Southern Spanish Red, Monastrell, Jumilla
The Wine
Society. £5.25
I adored this earthy, concentrated Jumilla red,
made from the powerful monastrell grape, better known as mourvèdre
in France and mataro in Australia. Here it is topped up with a wallop
of shiraz, and what lifts this red from the pack is its brooding,
intense, yet surprisingly elegant, savoury, spiced black
fruits-charged palate and lingering damson plum finish. Savour this
cockle-warming winter red with big food.
Star
buy
2006
Winemakers’ Selection Cariñena Gran Reserva, Spain
Sainsbury’s,
£5.99
Made
predominantly from cabernet sauvignon, topped up with a third of
Spain’s very own tempranillo and a dash of garnacha, this punches
well above its weight. After two years’ ageing in a mix of French
and American oak barrels, this richly fruited red is scented with all
manner of sweet, heady, Christmas spice, including nutmeg, sandalwood
and cinnamon.
2012
GSM Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Bodegas Murviedro, Valencia,
Spain
Marks
& Spencer, £6.99
This
popular, originally rhône-inspired blend of one third of each grape,
is a smart move for Bodegas Murviedro. They combine the best of
ancient and modern techniques and this unoaked, yet bold,
smoky, velvety, dried cranberry-stashed red is a real crowd-pleasing
winter warmer. Will slip down effortlessly with hearty stews and
casseroles.
Great
Rioja
2009
The Adnams Selection, Monte Acuro Crianza Rioja, Bodegas Medievo,
Spain
Adnams,
£8.99
Red
rioja just keeps on winning wood-head
wine friends . This toasty
crianza, mostly tempranillo but with a splash each of garnacha,
mazuelo and graciano, is lean
and leafy
with spicy, sweet vanilla and sandalwood oak.
2009
Finest Ribera del Duero, Tempranillo Reserva, Spain
Tesco,
£9.99
This
seductive,
Christmassy,
nutmeg and cinnamon-spiced Ribera del Duero red, aged for two years
in French and American oak barrels, is one of the tastiest bottles
from Tesco’s revamped Finest range. Boosted by 14 per cent alcohol,
this is no shrinking Spanish violet. Brimming with beguiling,
baked plum and mulberry fruit underneath the spices, this ’09 is
the perfect yuletide red.
Fortified
Amazing
value
Manzanilla
Dry Sherry, Wm Morrison, Spain
Morrisons,
£5.99 (half-bottle)
Seek
out Morrisons’ new, often brilliant-value Signature range, denoted
by “Wm Morrison Specially Selected” in teeny-tiny writing at the
bottom of labels. I was bowled over by the dazzling quality of this
gorgeous, tangy,
briny, sea-breeze-scented
manzanilla , with its lingering floral
iodine
scent. With bone-dry sherries as mouthwateringly crisp as this one,
serve well-chilled with smoked fish or toasted almonds.
Pedro
Ximenez Sherry, Wm Morrison, Spain
Morrisons,
£5.99 (half-bottle)
Sherry
continues to be sold at silly prices, so scoop this up — it is
gorgeous, and crammed with rich, figgy, caramel, toffee and
moscatel-raisin-spiced fruit. Pedro Ximenez, made from sun-dried,
raisined grapes, is the sweetest sherry style of all, but served cool
it is the perfect partner to mince pies and Christmas cake . Sweet
tooths will also pour this over vanilla or rum and raisin ice cream
for a luscious, frozen treat.
Best
with plum pudding
Very
Rare Pedro Ximenez, Premium Sherry, Jerez, Spain
Marks
& Spencer, £7.49 (half-bottle) Christmas pudding in a glass.
Marks & Spencer’s Pedro Ximenez, or PX, is the best of the
sub-£8 bunch from producer Lustau, with a brilliant greeny-yellow
rim,
denoting age, and crammed full of luscious, figgy, burnt
toffee
and spicy moscatel raisin fruit. With a fortified wine as intensely
sweet as this, plum pudding, mince pies and Christmas cake will make
a happy marriage.
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