Nose

We thought to try out our noses on a couple of bin ends at some point over Easter just past.

First up, something fizzy to get us warmed up. Except me that is, quite liking the very slight fizz of some German wines, but not the full-on fizz from wines further south.

Second up, a drop of something red from Waitrose. A Château La Fleur Peyrabon 2011, which according to their man had subtle smoky-oak notes with rich fruit character and big tannins giving this wine excellent depth of flavour and finish. We took it with a leg of English lamb, slow cooked and sliced lengthwise, which I believe is now fashionable, but would have been very non-U when we were small and cross-cut meat ruled the roost. Very good it was too, even when allowance is made for the fact that this was the first red I had allowed myself for some time.

Third up, a drop of something white from Fortnum & Mason, rather younger than the red and a little younger than the Greco di Tufo noticed at reference 1. Bought on the excursion noticed at reference 2. We took it with a steamed jam pudding, with the jam in question being red, as it proper, quite possibly 'Taste the difference' raspberry from Sainbury's. All very good.

So nose good. Might well get some more of both of the wines named, should occasion arise.

PS: raspberry jam was something of a favourite in my childhood, and is still something of a favourite now. While I am not now very keen of strawberry jam at all, despite it having been a favourite then. Something slightly sickly about the stuff to my mind. Or is it more to do with the fact that raspberry jam fares better in the factory than strawberry jam? As I recall, this last was tricky enough at home with real strawberries, with trickery being needed to get the stuff to set enough to keep.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/oxtail-four.html.

Reference 2: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/still-more-waterloo.html.