The Upside of the Downturn!

Great wine dinner at Russells of Broadway last night!

Well we are told that we are officially in a recession, but judging by the turnout last night you would never have guessed. Nearly seventy, very happy guests enjoying some of the best value wines in these parts matched to a delicious menu. My opening speech said it all - 'drink smarter'. With the chancellor now taking £1.57 in duty on every bottle (before VAT) we owe it to ourselves to drink wines over the £7-8 mark and get a wine with greater complexity and depth. Sip not sup and spend a bit more. Look for good producers in lesser vintages, Bordeaux's second wines and those level entry wines produced by the great and good (such as Javillier's and Avignonesi's).
The wines tasted last night included;

Prosecco dei Colli Treveigiani IGT Frizzante Ca Morlin, Veneto, Italy
Great easy drinking aperitif
***
2006 Bourgogne Blanc, Cuvée des Forgets, Patrick Javillier, Burgundy, France
Elegant, refined and with delicious underlying minerality. Oak superbly integrated.
***
2005 Rosso Avignonesi, Tuscany, Italy
After a while opened up in the glass, perfumed, elegant, refined and very classy for under a tenner.
***
2005 Château Fayau, Cadillac, Bordeaux, France
Amazing value Sauternes 'look-a-like'. Sweet, balanced and with a good streak of acidity.

The next dinner is an Italian event on Thursday 26th February, if you are interested do book early!