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Friday 24 August 2007

Whine, wine, and eh tea....

If I had a "proper job", as parents and people who work in offices and those who cant handle a career in catering call it, and I was about to enjoy a long bank holiday weekend then I would be filling my fridge and wine rack full of lovely wine. But I don't and I'm not. But if I had and I was these are what I'd be passing the weekend away with...



The Ned Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Marlborough, New Zealand

Alcohol content: 13.5%
Bottle Top: Screwcap (how easy is that at 3 in the morning?!)

Style: Dry

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Flavours: Fruity, gooseberry, fresh
Price: £7.00 to £10.00
Further info: best website ever...

Now I've mentioned this before but never in a proper post. Man this stuff rocks. It's named after the tallest peak on Marlborough, which is interesting. I've always been a bit of a sucker for the New World wine names, put a bottle called Madfish or Black Stump or something equally upsetting to the French in front of me and I'm on it quick as a flash. It is fresh and zingy and very easy drunk (and who doesn't love an easy drunk). There is a sharpness to it that could wake the dead but without being overbearing. It bursts with a flavour that really does have you reaching for yet another glass if not another bottle. This bottle came second in our last wine tasting at work. Second? Are you sure? Are you smoking crack? I was about the only one who rated it ahead of the Chateau Bauduc. The rest were all a flutter as the Chateau Bauduc is Gordon Ramsay's house wine don't you know. The Ned, get it in til ye as they say on the slopes in New Zealand (or maybe not).

Sierra Cantabria 2003, Spain

Alcohol content: 13.5%
Bottle Top: Actual proper cork, how quaint
Style: Light
Grape:
Tempranillo
Flavours: Soft, light, berry flavours, oak but not too oaky
Price: £8 to £10.00
Further info: Sierra Cantabria

I love this wine too. It's got a nice light flavour of berries and oak, but not that over bearing oak flavour that makes you want to chop down trees and beat members of Greenpeace. If you aren't really a fan of red wine or a girl this is a great wine to start with. Try it with all meats, if you have to eat with your wine, or even with strong flavoured fish. These chaps have been making wine for about 4000 years or something (you sure it's not since 1870 Mr Hyperbole - LMM) so they know what they are doing. I got absolutely smashed out of my mind on it one night with my cousin. Bottle upon bottle was consumed. This led to the usual 2 day hangover with accompanying wailing, moaning, and even some crying but we both agreed that wine was a great way to do it. Unlike most reds this wine leaves your head on the next day. Which is more important than whether you can taste strawberries or not...

So whilst you are all getting smashed to pieces on my wine selections I'll be working my fat ass off and occasionally enjoying my most favourite tipple of choice...


Tea

Alcohol content: 0%
Bottle Top: eh cup actually
Style: Dry, very dry, 3 bags per cup, no milk
Grape: Marks and Spencer's extra strong tea-bags
Flavours: Dry, tar like,
Price: 10 to 12p per cup depending on number of bags used
Further info: The Tea Council (Honest Ihaven't made this up)


God I love a cuppa. I mean I really love a cup of tea. Sort
of makes you want to cry for me eh?

Have a good bank holiday weekend, I hope your head's hurt come Monday....

25 People trying to get Manuel's attention:

Jenny said...

Yes, this isn't an American Blog, that's for sure. Although, beginning with a screw cap was tricky (but we like 'em at 9:00 in the morning!) but the ending with a "cuppa." Yeah, not your normal wine review. Oh, and this whole "Bank Holiday" ... how many times a year do you do this bank thing?

Old Knudsen said...

Those bankers sure have it rough. Ah well I'm sure the zoo with the well hidden animals love the bank hols.

Anonymous said...

used to love the odd glass of aussie shiraz, but would rarely touch the stuff now, apart from eating out - the hangovers are just too much to bear.
its the only thing that reminds me of the godawful hangovers i used to get when i was 16 and had a c&c bottle full of everything from the carelessly unlocked drink cupboard - gin, light & dark rum, vodka, whiskey, pernod (!!??), malibu etc.

anyway, hope you have a fiscally plentiful bank hol manuel.

btw, just noticed your listening to oppenheimer - fantastic band.

Manuel said...

anonymous boxer: "Not your normal wine review" not your normal wine reviewer either...

Bank holidays are the same as national holidays in the states

Old K: HAHAHAHA, oh the irony of a zoo placed in North Belfast...

Sheepo: Shiraz, big fat wine, needs food. Awh the unlocked cupboard of boke filled dreams. Oppenheimer eh, aye quality stuff...

Anonymous said...

oh, and whats wrong with a cup of nambarrie?
too good for us eh manuel?
posh git.

Gayé Terzioglu said...

I hate to admit to it but I do not have a trained palate or trained anything in the world of wines. I do however love a riesling, especially traminer riesling. Fairview Wines in Hunter Valley truly impressed me so I bought dozens of wine from them from Semillon to Rose to whatever else. I like my wine red or white and a little on the sweet side.
One of my missions is actually to learn about wines with the terminology and what not, so that I can impress people!!! Joking. I like drinking the stuff, but no clue what I like better or can't remember any names later (duh). Love your blog, good job both of ya Manuel and Lil Ms Manuel! Will be coming back frqntly. Cheers!

Andraste said...

Oooohhhh...must keep an eye out for that Sierra Cantabria. I likes me a nice red...though a few nights ago I got trolleyed on a 2004 Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel and vomited. No reflection on the wine - but it's one of those you don't need to eat food with, so I didn't. Still - where did the diced carrots come from?

Bad things happen. Bad things.

Anonymous said...

What? Another bank holiday? That's just not fair - the last we had was in June and there's none again until christmas :-( Your power on me is so great Manuel that I went on The Ned's incredible website and have e mailed them to see if it's available in windmillland.

James (UK) said...

Interesting, as I've never heard anyone I know say that catering isn't a "proper job"... I've always thought it's damn hard work from what I've seen.

Tea-wise, I used to be hooked on Sainsbury's Red Label, then I got the taste for PG Tips. We're drinking Tetley at the moment, due to its "100% extra free!" offer in Tesco's, but I miss my PG...

All together now...;

"Dad, do you know the piano's on my foot?"

"You 'um it son..."

Megan McGurk said...

Kee-rist, Manuel. 3 fucking tea bags per cup?! Madness.
I also decline the milk and sugar.
The sauvignon blanc sounds right up my alley. I've been keen on this Italian Pinot Grigio in a cobalt blue bottle "Giovello." Nice.

Unknown said...

I've been getting into black tea - mainly because whenever anyone else mnakes me a cup they put too much milk in and it ends up tasting like Horlicks. But partly because I read in a magazine that it's better for your heart that way, and I'm a gullible twat.

Cycles Goff said...

I went into my local, pretentious, sneering at my regular cheap as you can get beer purchases, 'Wine Vault' monikered off-license this evening.

They had neither of those bad boys.

I told them I gotten them in Belfast. They looked pissed off. They looked sheepish. I looked disappointed but smug.

Nice one.

Manuel said...

Sheepo: Never gonna happen, just leave it, M and S, that's it...

Gaye: Cheers Gaye and welcome. Wine is to be enjoyed not to be talked about and mused over, some people get carried away. Drink and be merry.

Andraste: The Rioja is great really great. steve from Liquor Store Stories informs me it is easily got in the States. Carrots eh, always with the sick....

Naughty Girl xx said...

If it tastes good, I drink it...is that so wrong?? Man, drinking and commenting is not such a brilliant idea....;-) xx

Gayé Terzioglu said...

Manuel, wise words! Totally agree. Yet still people manage to make you feel like crap by first asking you, "so what do you think a little <>insert many foreign words to my ears here<> to your palate no?" *politely smile and say* "Uhm, yes, well, I don't know. I like it though." *slowly back away and join people who are busy drinking and talking bollix* Happy End.

Manuel said...

Conortje: Here is my guarantee to you if you buy but do not like I will send you a bottle of anything you want or the money, whatever comes easiest.

JamesUK: PG Tips, never tried them! Honestly never had a cup! If you like strong tea get to Marksies...

Medbh: DO IT! GET THE NED! Try 3 tea bags, it's so tasty, your dentist wont be happy but what the hey...

JD: Nah milk is a pain in the backside what with having to go the shop all the time to get fresh milk...

Gimme: Yup, wine is all about looking cool and sophisticated, nothing else counts. People who study the wine list for ten minutes and then order the "house wine" get right up my arse. Seriously I would have more respect for you if you just asked for the cheapest.

naughty girl xx or I might call you bob as my gf will go nuts if she finds out I've been talking to naughty girls online: No, no it's not wrong at all, carry on...

Gaye: Next time you go out ask for a red with fish or get a coke to mix with it, just for a laugh.....

Gayé Terzioglu said...

Manuel ze master of fine dining and drinking, aye Sir, I will. As a matter of fact I might do the coke one just for laughs. I already do the red with chicken or fish and white with the steak. It just depends on what I feel like on the day. Is that really bad though? Should I stick to the ancient and well-established rules?Signed, Clueless

Manuel said...

No it's not bad at all. Sure some wines work best with some foods but it's about your enjoyment and happiness not about what goes best. If it feels right then do it....

Restaurant Gal said...

You KNOW how I feel about New Zealand wines. Can't wait to try it. And yes, always appreciate the screwtops after a late shift.

fatmammycat said...

Sorry, I just saw sheepworrier's comment and I feel unwell and also transported back in time to a most unfortunate night drinking 'Ritz.' I must go barf now.
Carry on.

Manuel said...

restaurant gal: It's a treat! Screwtops, bad at work, good at home...

FMC: Ritz! Oh how classy, it'll be West Coast Cooler next....

Anonymous said...

Dear Manuel,

Being the guardian reading tree-hugging vegetarian wet that I am, i have stopped drinking wines that come from outside 'yerp' as it has to do with something called 'hair miles' which means they breed cute animals to carry them or something... i forget - i don't even know why i don't drink lucozade anymore - i think it might be to do with either a worthy cause that made sense at the time or because it isn't still and come in yellow cellophane wrapped bottles... anyway i am digressing - can you perform some sort of study into whether 'new world' wines are really killing polar bears or whether i can stop trying to scour the shelves and making do with some shite from bulgaria because i can't find any decent wines anymore.

its for some chilean wines i am really missing.

yours
teh_toast

fatmammycat said...

Or Stag, either way ghastly stuff. I had a bad run in with peach schnapps as a young and fledgling drinker, just the one mind.

Manuel said...

Toast. It's a good point and well made. We do go out of our way to use all local products as far as possible. More tractor miles than air miles. The meat is so local it has an accent the English cant understand. I will strive to review more European wines that New World wines. And Cali wines for the American readership...

Peach Schnapps used to be my drink of choice as a young man, til it was pointed out to me I would never pull whilst drinking it....

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