Champagne and glasses

The conditions this year for the growth of the vines have been appalling with late frosts in spring and heavy rain in early summer. On a recent trip to the Champagne region we were attacked everywhere we went by mosquitoes. Conditions for insect "pests" were ideal as the heavy downpours were frequently followed by hot temperatures. Neighbouring Burgundy suffered the same problems.

I expect the yields for Champagne to be much lower this year so prices will inevitably go up. All this is not so great for British wine lovers who will have to face a price rise of around 9% owing to the fall in the value of the pound.

If you keep to the new government recommended limits of only 14 units per week then your pocket won't be stretched so much. I suspect that UK wine lovers will find a way of paying a little bit more for their wine and that they will continue to ignore the blandishments of the government not to drink at all.

As far as I am concerned I would rather sit down and drink a glass of wine for entertainment in the company of good friends than indulge in the mind numbing experience of watching reality television or song and dancing contests.

There is now talk that we should all be drinking our Champagne out of tulip shaped glasses rather than flutes and one glass manufacturer is committed to making the flute obsolete. I have been to several tastings where the flute has bitten the dust. I agree that you can taste the wine better from a tulip shaped glass rather than a flute. When you do wine courses you are encouraged to use a standarised glass. I admit that it is easier to taste the difference between different house styles when using a tulip shaped glass which allows more flavour to be produced from the surface of the wine.

For every day drinking with friends at a special occasion I prefer the flute. The bubbles last longer and it is the bubbles which add to the special quality of an occasion. It is not just about taste and we can't all be wine experts. And, who wants to write wine notes when they are at a party? The same applies to Cava and other sparkling wines.


I am a little bit sceptical about using special glasses for Bordeaux, Burgundy or Chianti etc. If you a are drinking a still table wine it just has to be sufficiently big to allow you do poke your nose in the glass and have a sniff. You can do this discretely without upsetting your host or or friends. I have tried out some very expensive glasses and found that Bordeaux tastes the same whether I use a speciality Bordeaux glass or a Burgundy one. The "experts" should prove that they can tell the difference by using peer reviewed double blind tests. This will demonstrate that they are not fooling themselves or the public.

I have also found that a decent sized glass which is not made of crystal can be used to appreciate wine just as well. You do not have to be rich to either drink or appreciate good wine.

http://www.decanter.com/learn/farewell-to-champagne-flutes-in-2016-286743/


If you are throwing a party and expect to be drinking Champagne or Cava then flutes are much more practical as you can pack more of them into a limited space - so this is one up for the flute.

Chinese Rosé Wine

On a recent visit to France, I went to eat out at a Chinese Restaurant. When I eat Chinese food I normally drink a Tsingtao or abTiger beer which I find goes down marvellously with the sweet and sour flavours.

The French members of our company selected a Chinese rosé wine, 2014, recommended by a merchant from Burgundy. Most French people are not very adventurous about selecting wine from anywhere but France. I gave the wine a go and tried to be positive but after a couple of sips I decided that it was best to stick to the Tsingtao: the Chinese rosé was one adventurous step too far.

The wine will remain nameless.