france Archives : Me, Annie Bee.

Weekly Winedown #16 Cuvee Tradition Cahors Malbec

Anna — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 20:47:36 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy. Bonsoir mes petits amis au vin! Yes we are in France again today. Not literally. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Drinking wine in a villa in France, all together like a big group of wine drinkers in France! With last week’s rather expensive but half price Biolett’s Block being terribly good, I decided to follow a similar path this week. Say bienvenue to Cuvee Tradition Cahors Malbec. This little lovely, for I hope it is such, should have been £11.99 but was a bargain at £5.99. I hope it lives up to expectation! I’m in a surprisingly chipper mood as it’s Friday and I have done some pretty good parenting this week. We’ve not crafted or anything like that but we’ve barely fallen out. Games have been played. Outdoor ‘activities’ have been done and enjoyed. Cinderella has finally been watched and Aoife’s hair has been cut. For free By me. Winning all over the place. The children are off to my parents tomorrow for a week too! This has no bearing on my chipper mood. It is simply coincidence. So next week is going to be a week for ME, a week full of joy chores and all the things I want need to do. So far my list comprises; Gardening. Cleaning windows. Hoovering the WHOLE house (as opposed to just the bits I can see). Sorting toys Mopping floors. As you can see, I really know how to live. That is the joy of parenthood. Gone are the days when a free week would incorporate a five day bender. Instead, as a parent, you spend a lot of time thinking of things you would do if the kids weren’t there then do none of them when given the opportunity! Keeping the dream alive. We will also be going to London for two nights though so that is pretty exciting. Though last time we went to London we made Seth – TMI? That won’t be happening again this time that’s fo’sho’! Anyway, onto le vin! The label It’s nice and neat, kind of traditional. With a little sketch of the Pont Valentre in Cahors and the coat of arms in gold, it looks the part. It looks like an expensive label, as if it’s made on a heavy weight paper but it actually just feels cheap. I’m not drinking the label though so it doesn’t matter! The blurb “This is a structured, full bodied yet elegant red made using super-ripe Malbec grapes which have been enriched with a hint of oak. This wine is bursting with blackberry and blackcurrant fruit flavours and would make a perfect partner to all types of roasted meats including beef or lamb.” ‘Structured’ that sounds a bit…stiff doesn’t it? Is it going to be an uptight wine? Highly strung? “Like you” I hear you cry! Hush now my friends – I’m as laid back as they come. ‘Full bodied’ with blackberries and a hint of oak. It sounds like the kind of wine that starts sharp then mellows after a few mouthfuls, Let’s see! The colour is perfect – deep, dark red. My favourite colour, or one of them. The aroma was pretty weak if I’m honest, I was expecting it to grab my nose like a Malbec normally would but it didn’t. That’s not to say it was an offensive smell, just a bit *french shrug*. The smell that was there was blackberries, just weak ones. I was expecting a bitter first mouthful but no! It definitely had a blackcurrant burst but was really soft around the edges. If I’m being completely honest it was maybe a bit thin. ZUT ALORS! Thin wine. There was a lovely, peppery aftertaste. Very warming but I don’t think warming enough to win me over. It was certainly no Winter in a bottle as I like a red to be. If I had paid £11.99 for this I would be mortified. To be fair if I paid £11.99 for any wine to drink at home I’d be mortified. The Cahors Malbec was entirely unoffensive but also nothing to write home about. For shame. Name – Cuvee Tradition Cahors Malbec Price – £5.99 (should be £11.99) Colour – Dark red like blood in a B movie. Smell – Weak berries. Taste – Thin, berries with a side of peppery spice. Goes well with – The mundane Overall score – 3/5 – Painfully average, like me.

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Weekly Winedown #13 Le Clairon des Anges

Anna — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 19:31:07 +0000

Welcome to the Weekly Winedown. Each week I selflessly drink wine for you and offer a review. Please don’t expect anything professional, I consume a lot of wine but I’m no pro. The only real ‘rule’ I’m putting in place is that the wine is to be under £8 a bottle. #keepitclassy. Can you believe this is the 13th Winedown? That’s 3 months that have passed. Shocking. Last week’s Winedown was another roaring success. Who knew Portugal created such delights? Obviously Portugal knew but they were keeping that little gem to themselves. Well, now we ALL know how wonderful their wine is. This week started rough, it was one of those weeks where you the realisation smacks you in the face that you’ve signed up to this parenting lark forever. FOR. EVER. If you’re having a really tough week at work you can think ‘the weekend will be here soon’ or ‘at least I can go on holiday soon and forget about it’. You can’t do that as a parent. If you’re having a spectacularly shit day, a day that makes you feel like you can’t breath. A day that makes you dread (only for a moment) the next 15 years, you’ve just got to suck it up. You’ve got to get through it and hope tomorrow is a better day. It generally is. A weekend is a small relief because, in my case, there’s another grown up around and a holiday? Well it’s not really a holiday, it’s just picking up life and taking it somewhere sunny. This isn’t a whinge, just a WTF realisation. Like when you get your Dave’s name tattooed on you only to really understand its permanence once he leaves you for Chantelle. I jest of course. Parenting isn’t Dave and Chantelle. I had a bad day, I survived and now here we are on July 14th. The happiest day of the year according to scientists. Must be true right? To be honest, I am actually pretty happy today but I won’t bore you with that. This week’s wine is a French red. Yes, predictable I know. I’m actually just prepping my palate for next week. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it. Le Clairon des Anges or ‘The Bugle of Angels’ (everything really does sound better in French doesn’t it?) is on the menu tonight. Usually £9.99 but I had 50% off so……Not cheating. The label is a bit faffy for my liking. There’s so much going on! Different colours, different fonts, a vineyard and a gold angel with a bugle. Seriously, it looks like I made it. That’s not a good thing. It’s so busy I couldn’t even get it all in the photo! A good label should be able to get a vibe across without having to put so much information on the front. Wine label makers of the world take heed. The blurb “A southern Rhone classic…harvested from old vines. Blackberry and plum fruit flavours dominate with a subtle twist of spice and pepper, delivering a rich and smooth Costieres de Nimes for all occasions” The ‘Costieres de Nimes’ bit is the AOC. Basically the French version of Melton Mowbray or whatever. It’s a wine that is only made in a specified location, in this case an area between Nimes and the Rhone (I bet you didn’t know I knew actual wine facts). This paired with the ‘Blackberry and plum’ flavours actually worries me. Despite mention of spice I’m going into this thinking it’s going to be a bit fruity for me. We all know I like a thick wine, I fear this will be thin. I am entering this wine with trepidation… Bear with. Well, the bouquet isn’t convincing. A bit too fruity for my liking. I am talking myself into hating this wine aren’t I? The taste. I’ll be honest, the first mouthful was rank. It does get better, a taste of bitter fruits initially and then a definite aftertaste of pepper. Not good quality pepper but just the cheap black pepper you get in a greasy spoon. I’ve never known a wine, nay a LIQUID that actually had an aftertaste of ground black pepper. It’s bizarre. My mouth isn’t entirely sure how to deal with this and so, in it’s confusion, it will just drink more. To be fair, the more I drink the more bearable it becomes but with a usual price of £9.99 a bottle I’d be well gutted to have purchased this as a ‘treat’. Maybe I’ve spoilt myself with last weeks Douro. Maybe there is nowhere to go after such a glorious beverage. Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to the Winedown. Pahahaha. No. I’m going to be here drinking wine and babbling crap for the foreseeable, except next week. Coming at you like a northern bullet (my unending love for you if you know this cultural reference). Name – Le Clairon des Anges Price – £9.99 (but £4.50 thanks to Ocado) Colour – Claret red. Smell – Fruity veering toward sweet. Taste – Bitter with a pepper aftertaste. Goes well with – Someone else’s dinner. Overall score – 3/5 So yes, the top and bottom of it is. Don’t waste your money. There is cheaper and more delightful out there!

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“Put your troubles down, it’s time to celebrate!”

Anna — Sun, 17 Apr 2016 18:57:00 +0000

HOLIDAY! Firstly I would like to take this moment to apologise, it seems bad planning ensured that we went on holiday the exact same time as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the media obviously had to decide whether to follow the holiday wardrobe of myself or Kate. They chose Kate, more fool them, so now none of you know what I wore daily. I’m sure you’ll survive. Anyway, we embarked on the joy of a family holiday. It’s such a jolly good idea isn’t it? Rory will have a week off work, we’ll head to somewhere beautiful in the South of France. It’ll be carefully selected so that there is something to cater for everyone’s needs (washing machine for me, huzzah). We’ll spend a week in absolute harmony, thoroughly enjoying each others company, never wanting it to end. The children will appreciate and enjoy all the activities we plan whilst soaking up sun, culture and a bit of red wine (It is actual law in France that every household in France should have at least one bottle of wine in it). Or not. Saturday – We had a 3am start after about 2 hrs sleep due to stress and Aoife’s random night time shouting. An overpriced breakfast at the airport had Aoife announce that she didn’t like the sausage, or the egg, or the bread. Yay. The flights I was dreading were fine and, despite our 50 minute transfer time being drastically reduced due to delays, the sprint through Schipol (including bum change for Seth) all went to plan. We were starting this holiday as winners. It was going to be a success! This would be the holiday that everyone else has! On Sunday we arose bright and early. Well, early. Aoife put on her sunglasses telling me she’s showing France “this is how I roll”. We headed to a quaint little Provencal market in a village in the hills (incidentally, this is where Aoife had her very first public meltdown a few years ago). This year Seth decided that whilst Rory and I were buying veg (and an 8 Euro melon – it wasn’t even a nice melon, it tasted more like a cucumber. As I am from Yorkshire and we’re a frugal folk (and Rory was horrified at the cost) I took one for the team and ate as much as I could muster for breakfast one day. I managed about €6 worth. Winner!) would be the optimum time to try and do a runner. He wears reins (much to the dismay of the French) but they were dropped for a nanosecond. I caught him pretty quick but my heart was in my mouth. I succeeded in not having a public meltdown and looking like a mad foreigner. He is definitely a future winger. After lunch we went for a strut around the lake. Wonderful family time. Alas, Aoife and I have a tradition whereby on the first full day of any holiday we fall out. Proper fall out. This year was because she’s not allowed to run down roads as they’re dangerous and I didn’t want her run over. I’m one of those awful Mummies who wants to protect their children. Shocking. We finally get the children to bed and Aoife decided this place had perfect acoustics for a big old shout. Lakeside strutting. I drank wine. On Monday I woke up hearing Seth shout ‘HELLO. HELLO. HELLO’ to Aoife . Aoife responds like a teenager “Hello Seth, SHHH I’m trying to sleep”. I smile smugly. A little taste of your own medicine lady! Then I realised we were all awake and I had no cause to be smug. We headed to the beach where Aoife took off her sandles “in case they get sandy” and then buried them. In the sand. Am I the only one who sees this makes no sense? After the bedtime farce of last night Aoife suggested that if she had a clock in her room she wouldn’t need to keep waking everyone up as she’d be able to see the time and the alarm would let her know when she could get up. By 7.28pm she was demanding the clock be removed as it ticked too loud. Apparently we can have it in our room and once the alarm had gone off we can go and wake her. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH No. I drank wine. On Tuesday we went to Cannes, this was a risky little game. Despite holidaying in the same region every year, Cannes is a place we tend to avoid for it gives the women in our family tantrums. We unite in our dislike of the town. This year I realised why! The coast of the South of France is accessed by pretty much, one straight road from St Tropez to Italy. It’s lovely and scenic but towns are long.We arrived at about 11.30am. The minute we passed the ‘Welcome to Cannes’ sign (it may not quite say that) Rory spotted a parking space next to the beach, he thought this would be a rarity and parked there so we can walk to the port bit. Alas the reason there are parking spaces a plenty is because the town is actually another 6km away. We park. Seth (who has read the Little Mermaid too much and thinks himself part merperson) spotted the beach and went nuts. We had to go to the beach so he could eat some sand and dig a hole and then we got on our merry way. Seth cried a lot of the way as it’s ALL along the beach and we weren’t letting him play. It’s also nearly lunchtime so he’s hungry and tired. We picked up a quick sandwich then set about walking the 6km back. All this in shoes designed for strolling and sitting not hiking. THIS is why we fucking hate Cannes. The icing on the cake was us ‘grown ups’ getting sunburn (my fault, I forgot our sun cream and refuse to wear the kids as it smells of ice cream and I’m worried wasps will be attracted. I’ve never seen a wasp here but I’m not willing to risk it. I’ll risk the kids, they can run faster than me) anyway, we’re there getting sunburn whilst the actual locals are wearing jumpers and coats. Seriously, it’s like 22 degrees! We’re so British. I drank wine. On Wednesday we visited St Maxime, where Seth spotted builders sand and insisted on sitting in it for a play despite the actual beach being less than 100 metres away. Aoife was leaping and inevitably fell over alerting the WHOLE of France to her plight (I worry when she cries like that, that people will think it’s something REALLY serious like I stole her rather than a booboo on her knee). A go on the merry go round and an ice cream fixed it though. Simple things. We had another night of Aoife refusing to settle, funnily enough (like at home) it coincides with Rory going for a run. Conclusive proof that exercise is bad. I drank wine. Thursday was Seth’s birthday! My baby boy is 2, I officially have no babies now just children *sob* He insisted on going outside at 7.30 am to play in the gravel. I think he thinks it’s a beach. We opted for a day at the seaside as that seems to be his favourite thing (though a day on the drive would probably suffice) and moules for lunch again wouldn’t be entirely terrible. Before we leave the house I check that everyone has everything they need. Me – “Are your sunglasses in the car?” Aoife – “Yes” We get in car. Rory – “Do you have my sunglasses in there?” Aoife – “Do you have mine too?” Me – ” REALLY? I just asked you in the house if they were in the car!” Just like being at home. Proof, if it were needed,that we could move anywhere in this whole wide world. Our life could be picked up and dropped anywhere! Aoife wanted to buy Seth a minion birthday cake. €16!!! I love my boy I really do but I’m not spending almost £16 (thank you ‘brexit’ people for the crappy exchange rate) on a Minions cake! We chose a chocolate and pear cake instead. He demolished it so I don’t think we chose badly. I drank beer then wine and wanted to cry a little. Then came Friday. The last day of our holiday, Boooooo. We spend another morning at the beach then the afternoon outside at the villa whilst trying to gather every thing together and get packing. I hate this day I really do. I feel sad because we’ve had a brilliant time and I don’t want it to end. I love having my family all together all the time. I don’t want Aoife to go back to school next week (She said we can move to France and I can teach her!). I love having my wonderful, funny, argumentative, super clever little girl with me all the time. I don’t want Seth to be bored of me once we’re home again and without sand or gravel. I don’t want it to be 3 degrees, grey and sleeting. I don’t want to step on the scales and see what a week of cheese, bread and wine has done (I can feel it). Life is always more wonderful in the sunshine and when we’re all together. The attitude to life here is better too. It’s not about stuff and things, it’s about appreciating good food, good weather & good company. And wine? Most importantly the main aim of the people here is to enjoy life and be happy. This is the life for us. I know that this is pretty much just a self indulgent holiday diary and probably is pretty boring to most but you read all the way to here so more fool you. *Winky, smiley, humour, face*

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