Sunday drinking: 7 July

It’s been a while since I did one of these so there’s a lot to catch up with including awards, a London event and a tiny oak cask.

The most exciting news this week is that I have been shortlisted for a prize! Another one. This is the 67 Pall Mall Wine Communicator Awards which is new this year. I’m in the best short form wine writing category for two articles in the The Critic magazine: ‘labelled with love’ and ‘English winemakers’. As usual with these things the competition is fierce. I’m up against Matt Walls, Tom Hewson, Sophie Thorpe and Nick Ryan who are all extremely good writers combining a deep knowledge of the subject with the knack of telling a good story and even sometimes being funny. 

It’s been a year of prize near misses with my work shortlisted for the James Beard, André Simon, and Guild of Food Writers. Though I did win a Fortnum & Mason award. So I can’t really complain. 

Next, I’m going to be in London on Wednesday 10 July at 7:30pm doing an event at Back Story bookshop in Balham. It would be great to meet some Substackers in real life so please come down. There will be wine!

While we’re on the subject of Substack, I wanted to plug Luke Honey’s Weekend Flicks whose brilliant reviews of old films, mainly British, some obscure, some less so, have really brightened up my in-box. Also shout out to everyone’s favourite Texan Scot Daniel Kalder who if you’re not already following, you really should be. 

I’ve also been on the Premier Cru podcast and Matthew’s World of Wine and Drink. Both are well worth listening to and following. I’ve also been experimenting with videos on Instagram - still not convinced but apparently it’s the future. 

Since my last Sunday round-up I’ve written for The Critic magazine on how affordable Californian wine doesn’t have to be an oxymoron, my brush with biodynamic heresy, John le Carré, and exciting sherry. This last article should be online shortly, just after news landed that sherry drinkers are the most likely to vote Conservative. Make of that what you will. 

I’ve written a few things for BBC Good Food including an explainer on what the hell orange wine is. Spoiler alert, it isn’t made from oranges. One of my favourite producers Gusbourne asked me to write something on how English still wines are coming on great guns. For Master of Malt I’ve tasted some really unusual single cask whiskies including one aged by the Dead Sea in Israel, drunk like James Bond and written something on ageing cocktails in casks.  

‘I didn’t expect it to be so small’, said the actress to the bishop

Which brings me neatly onto my latest purchase. For years I’ve been toying with buying a small wooden cask and ageing my own whisky and finally last week I acquired a one litre American oak barrel from Master of Malt. I’m not quiet sure how big I expected it to be but I was slightly disappointed when it arrived. It is tiny! Nonetheless, I have to start somewhere, Rome wasn’t built in a day. I am currently seasoning the virgin oak with a mixture of Spanish brandy and PX sherry. Otherwise the tiny surface area would quickly make anything I put in it much too woody. After a couple of weeks seasoning, it will be ready to hold my house blend. I will keep readers informed of my progress. 

Right, here’s a couple of nice wine recommendations:

Beaujolais Villages: Arnaud Aucoeur 'Vieilles Vignes' Blanc 2022 (£15.95 Yapp Bros)

Zingy fresh, citrus-lead chardonnay from a producer who I have always enjoyed. There’s a little creaminess here too. Great price for a wine of this quality.

Señorio de Sarrίa Rosado, Navarra 2023 (The Wine Society £7.95)

I just did a rosé round-up for BBC Good Food and this was the stand-out budget wine. I loved the dark colour and the big ripe flavours - makes such a change from all those anaemic Provence wannabes. 

Have a great rest of the weekend! There will be more drink-related stuff on Friday.