   Our weekend communiqué comes a day earlier as the team and I will be warehouse bound tomorrow and possibly Saturday too. We moved to our current HQ seven-years ago which was an enormous task. We closed our wine shop and small restaurant at the same time as moving our HQ team across to our existing home. The removal firm we used were utterly hopeless – they constantly complained about the volume of lifting ranging from thousands of bottles, huge and heavy tables and chairs to an entire professional kitchen. You name it and we moved it. In the end, they pulled in a second team to assist (my entire team spent the day helping and proved more willing and useful – power to the ladies). Over time, we sold off our kitchen set-up to one of my favourite restaurants, Froggies which had an enviable hilltop location in Bodsham, Kent. By bike, I lived 10-minutes away and would visit at least twice a week. Joel, the French chef and owner was great. His stuffed mussels with Gruyere and ribeye & frites were the best in the UK. The duck confit was also delicious - perhaps a tad over seasoned, if I am being overly critical. His Crème Brulé was epic – Over time, I must have devoured at least 300-400. His lunchtime Croque monsieur served with salty fries was perfect after a 50-miler on the bike. Unless I was away climbing, every Saturday afternoon was spent in their garden – the views across the valley were beautiful and matched perfectly with fine (albeit, simple) French food. The wine list was French (of course) however, many of the best names represented average vintages which is a canny trick played by most restaurateurs. Top dollars paid for an average vintage. The Loire offerings were reasonable as was Joel's stance on me bringing my own wine. Sadly, distant memories as Froggies and Joel left Bodsham a long time back. A culinary loss to me… The tables at The Vinorium restaurant were handmade from solid oak and thick slate – they are absolute buggers to lift as they weigh a ton. Several were dismantled and reformed into office tables. The remainder will be making their way to my home garden – I will use the forklift to get them on the van. How I get them off is another story? And what to do with the forklift? Sell it for peanuts, I suppose… Our current, HQ wine shop was fitted-out from our previous wine shop. I have / am spending time carefully dismantling solid oak shelves which are enormous – one unit held over 1,000 bottles. Soon, we will be left with bare walls – warehouse racking remains as do around 4,500 bottles. We have a stash of wines which we earmarked for tastings, events, gifts and for drinking. Overtime, this has grown considerably and now requires thinning out. Over the coming weeks, we plan to offer a mixed case bonanza – heaps of six and twelve pack cases filled with lots of goodies. The content will be a surprise however, and reassuringly, The Vinorium doesn’t stock or sell rubbish. Under bond stocks: Big volume stocks also require a clear-out. In most cases, prices have been trimmed to the bone – a few are below our cost price as, and to be perfectly honest, they are not selling and we would like shot of them. Blunt, I know…  One of our Asian trade buyers has not paid his ’09 Clarendon Hills Astralis invoice and I have run out of patience. In all honesty, he's a complete pain in the bottom. So, you all get the opportunity to take over his order, and at the exact same price he paid. We have listed 90-bottles duty paid. There are a few cases under bond however, we would kindly ask you to make direct contact if you would like a case or two. The price being £466.50 IB per case of six. Please do not worry as we will respond/confirm your under bond case(s) in the morning. On Tuesday, I took the opportunity of sampling the wine for breakfast as there is no up-to-date reference as to how the wine currently tastes. Its’s a stunner…  Clarendon Hills Astralis Syrah 2009"Weighty, but not clumsy. Powerful, yet provides calming reassurance... Expansive and the flavours go on forever... Mind boggling stuff."
Was £140.00 Offer valid until 9.00am Monday 3rd April when any remaining stock will be offered to our trade customers. Well those that pay anyway... All orders will be shipped Wednesday 5th April. Scotland is magnificent in its beauty (specially the West Coast) which will undoubtedly become my home, post hanging-up my wine hat for good. Green matters lie at the heart of The Vinorium. Personally, I loathe those who litter. Often, and when cycling or driving to the office, the number of smokers who believe it’s appropriate to flick their dirty, cigarette butts onto the road or verge side are too numerous to mention. What I would give for a Bond-type car. The one with the drop-down front grill, revealing machine guns and missile launchers. All vehicles that I followed and specially to those who believe it appropriate to throw litter out of their window would receive a short, sharp shock from my front grill. Also, it’s another disrespectful vehicle and driver off the road which is another advantage! The problem is far greater that cigarette butts. Spent cans, plastic bottles, sandwich wrappers et cetera. Scotland is planning to launch their Deposit Return Scheme which aims to boost the recycling rate of drinks containers by charging a small, refundable deposit for each plastic bottle or can. The Scheme will include glass, PET plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans. I believe this scheme will be launched in August. Specifically, to litter-bugs – there are two camps. Those who are responsible and those who are not. The above scheme is set to challenge the mindset of the latter group by charging a 20-pence deposit when they buy a drink that comes in a single-use container made of PET plastic, steel and aluminium or glass. They will get their money back when they return the empty container to one of tens of thousands of return points. Scotland has a well-documented problem with alcohol. Since May 2018, every alcoholic drink sold in Scotland has had minimum unit pricing (MUP) of 50-pence per unit. Previous studies have indicated that the introduction of this policy reduced alcohol sales by 3%. Will the above add more weight and reduce sales further? Is 80-pence on a four pack of beer sufficient penalty to persuade the drinker to return his / her used cans for a refund? Fundamentally, the idea of recycling more must be praised however, and when it comes to bottles of wine / sparkling / Champagne / spirits etc, they have really ballsed-up. So-much-so, and should this go ahead as planned, we will be forced to cease supplying any of our wines to customers living in Scotland. And here’s why… We will be obligated to add 20 pence to every scheme item we deliver to a Scottish address, including gifts, which we have no beef with. Producers were required to register for the scheme during February, I believe. Depending on the label and route to the UK, importers are classified as a ‘producer’ – The Vinorium being defined as one. Each and every wine we import and offer for ‘general’ sale must be registered by us, and at least 6 weeks prior to going on sale. The Vinorium are entirely responsible for funding the scheme. In addition, we must provide a monthly report showing volumes of sales into Scotland. Moreover, a barcode will be required on each bottle which will help the 'reverse vending machines' recognise each label / product. In addition, the bottle weight and dimensions must be uploaded to their online portal. The shortcomings of this scheme are clear to see, as is the lack of definitive information. Currently, the wine industry is kicking-up a stink and rightly so – everyone is calling for glass bottles to be excluded. If, the scheme does go ahead, we will immediately be forced to stop all sales / shipments to Scotland as the costs, man hours versus current Scottish sales makes this scheme commercially unviable. Fingers crossed this is not the case. Of course, any reserves held south of the border will not be affected. Please do not worry. On the positive, those importers / independent wine merchants willing to commit the funds and hours should see an increase in sales as the majority, I hear, have made the same decision as us… Sadly, Scotland, will see a mass exodus of variety. Spring mornings bring light which I prefer to wake to – I do hate those long, dark mornings. And weekends are just not the same without Monty and his Gardeners World team. Each year I set myself a task of living (as much as possible) off my garden – I don’t like buying from supermarkets and I find that many ‘local’ farm shops are woefully expensive, and their produce can often be less than ‘local’. I often see a fruit and veg wholesaler doing his rounds. I know him and I know where his produce comes from (London, Spitalfields market). There’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s everything wrong with farm shops advertising ‘all produce purchased within 10-miles’ when Spitalfields Dave left 10-minutes ago… I have raised beds for my delicates – salads and the like as the pesky bunnies and slugs often decimate my crops. I garden organically, make my own compost and never spray. Lots of love along with a drenching of seaweed feed each Sunday. I do have lots of comfrey growing at the bottom of the woods – I plan to make my own comfrey feed which is high in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. I plan to split which plants receive homemade comfrey and those who receive seaweed – I am keen to see which feed performs best. Architectural artichokes, towering fennel, tall throngs of rosemary, sprawling courgettes, bush tomatoes and alliums to name a few grow happily amongst my border flowers (predominately planted with pollinating plants which is great food for my bees). Given the cost-of-living crisis and the soaring cost of food, I wonder how many will turn to home-produce this year. The set-up cost is not insignificant; peat free compost, seed trays and pots to bring them on, along with a weekly feed too. Seeds are inexpensive… Post the initial investment – the ongoing costs and rewards of eating and growing your own pays off in spades. The emotional rewards and time simply spent amongst your fruit and veg is worthy in its own right as are the mental health benefits of gardening which significantly reduces depression and anxiety. There are opportunities for vocational development too. And most importantly, the flavour. Homegrown fruit and veg tastes so much better. For the past few years, viewers of Monty have been sending in their short video clips of their gardens (both domestically and internationally). Those living in flats have made great gains with their balconies - self-contained fruit and veg stalls, although I do wonder whether the structural engineers have factored in the additional load. No garden and no balcony? Tomatoes, baby cucumbers, herbs, cut-and-come-again salad leaves and mushrooms are all great for indoor growing. Yes, they may take over your kitchen and lounge however, they smell and look fantastic… Get a bin and store all veg waste, which in turn, provides next year’s compost. Perhaps a new Government funded scheme – let’s get everyone feeding off their own produce. I would certainly bring the entire cycle into every school. From the science to the plate – every pupil will benefit as will their parents. Enjoy Monty and enjoy your weekend in the garden. Cheers, PS: For interest - the intro image was taken on top of a hill / mountain, Christmas morning on the Isle of Skye. Super cold and for an extended period – the shoreline had almost frozen with many seals taking shelter ashore. Perfect climbing conditions…   2020 Relatos del Callejon Malbec97 Points – Platinum award – Decanter “Intensely perfumed, with a pretty nose of lifted violet, delicate raspberry and plush black cherry, while the vibrant palate is graced with cedar, thyme, lush plum, a refined mineral tension and ends on a perfumed, long finish. Very good!” Buy 6 bottles for £105.00 and receive a 7th bottle FREE Only £15.00 per bottle Offer valid until 9.00am Monday 3rd April. All orders will be shipped Wednesday 5th April.Available to buy by-the-bottle Under Bond SaleBig volume stocks also require a clear-out. In most cases, prices have been trimmed to the bone – a few are below our cost price as, and to be perfectly honest, they are not selling and we would like shot of them. Blunt, I know… Delivery charges will apply / Transfer to a different bonded account / Store in our customer reserves  After Five Wine Co Single Vineyard Grenache 201895 Points - James Halliday's Wine Companion "From the Zerk vineyard at Lyndoch. An almost ethereal bouquet, displaying aromas of raspberry, rose perfume and sweet vanillin spice. Rich and easy drinking (in a positive way) on first impression, there's depth and dimension to the flavour and texture which builds in the mouth and develops further as the wine breathes. High quality for now or later." Was £121.35  Gemtree Wines Ernest Allan Shiraz 201997-98 Points - Stuart McCloskey "The overall feel is impeccable and moreish... In long, this straddles potency and finesse, with a masterful touch – quite a skill. There’s a date-like richness with minerality and florality, providing lift... A magnificent wine and one which will keep delivering for a decade or more… Was £151.35  Gemtree Wines Small Batch Grenache 201997-98 Points - Stuart McCloskey “Unquestionably, the sexiest Grenache bouquet which I have come across for a very long time. As a whole, the bouquet invites you in like a temptress – it’s impossible not to be seduced! Hands down my favourite Grenache and I am utterly stupid for not buying more – what on earth was I thinking? Was £141.35 “…simply a terrific example of Block 6—perhaps the best I've had the privilege to taste.”Joe Czerwinski, RobertParker.com Kay Brothers Amery Vineyard Block 6 Shiraz 201897 Points - Joe Czerwinski (RobertParker.com) From vines planted in 1892, the 2018 Block 6 Shiraz is another ripper, as Aussies might say. Aged in 40% new French and American oak, the cedar, grilled meat and vanilla accents are there, but they're just part of a compelling package that includes notes of blackberries, licorice, black olives and intricate herbal complexities of sage, thyme and the like. Full-bodied and concentrated, it's structured yet supple, powerful yet elegant, with a long, velvety finish, simply a terrific example of Block 6—perhaps the best I've had the privilege to taste. Impressive now, it really deserves a few years in the cellar, and it should drink well for up to two decades. Was £221.35  Kay Brothers Amery Hillside Shiraz 2017Gary Walsh, The Wine Front "Blackcurrant, blackberry, liquorice and dark chocolate, discreet cedar spiced oak. It’s full bodied, and full of dark chocolate, roast beef and dried herb, dense in tannin, though not heavy. Finish is very good too, savoury and long. Excellent. Time is on its side." Was £106.50  S.C. Pannell Old McDonald Grenache 202098 points – James Suckling “A rich blueberry fruit nose with violet, dark nectarine and some exotic tamarillo and papaya too. Pungent and distinctive. Read more The palate has a fleshy core of plush fruit with commanding tannins that have so much power and energy but are delivered with grace. The flavors are blood orange, pink grapefruit, goji and red currant and are concentrated to the very end. Refreshing and packed with interest.” Was £192.00 Two Hands: Singled OutAll single block wines now £175.00 per case (6x75cl) BordeauxBest prices in the UK fine wine market  Chateau Montlandrie2015 / 2016 / 2017The Côtes de Castillon vineyard of famous Pomerol winemaker Denis Durantou of L'Eglise Clinet. Always fantastically priced and provides some of the best value for money drinking from Bordeaux. 2015 Was £95.00 2016 Was £85.00 2017 Was £80.00  Chateau Malartic Lagraviere Rouge 2016Was £230.00 96 Points - James Suckling  Chateau Pavie Macquin 2016Was £350.00 98 Points - Antonio Galloni "The 2016 Pavie Macquin is a total stunner. Rich, lush and inviting, the 2016 is a drop-dead gorgeous beauty. Sweet red cherry, plum, rose petal, lavender and mint are all given an extra kick of allure by silky tannins that caress the palate from start to finish. There is a level of precision and nuance here that is simply breathtaking. The purity of the fruit is just mind-boggling." Shop the Under Bond Sale Scores are incredibly important when it comes to choosing wine, it’s a simple concept but they help to guide us towards the best buy for the money.The critics, and us stick to being analytical, not letting our own tastes interfere and judging the wine purely on qualities. Anything from 90 points upwards is generally considered to be a good bottle of wine and anything from 96 points is considered to be great. 98 points would be outstanding, 99 points is exceptional and 100 points is almost unheard of, the rare wines receiving 100 points almost reaching a mystical level and joining the rare few in the wine hall of fame.  95% of our Zalto delivery is now sold... last few stems remain at our 2022 prices. |
