Yummy inexpensive wine

We are conditioned to think that the more expensive something is the better it is bound to be, something that generally holds true. In the world of wine it is almost certainly the case most of the time, with some bottles costing a lot of money, but expensive wine is not necessarily always the best accompaniment to a meal, nor the most appropriate.

On Christmas eve I was taken out to a little Italian restaurant in an English county town for a pleasant, casual meal. The wine list, surprisingly well put together for a modest place, had several inexpensive wines together with a selection of pricier, more ambitious, bottles. As we were not in the mood to spend much money (and, as you already know, I am unable to so do) we looked at the more economical end of the list and I chose a bottle from a producer and an area in Italy I had never heard of, though the grape varieties were more familiar: mainly montepulciano with some aglianico and, surprisingly, some trebbiano (a white variety). I have since established that the producer is respected and that the area (Biferno) is a relatively new DOC near Abruzzo. My main reason for choosing it, other than the reasonable price, was that it had a bit of age, as it was from the 2011 vintage; a wine with some age is increasingly hard to find and I am getting fed up of drinking very (and sometimes VERY) young red wines, alas the norm at the economical end of a wine list.

Well it was a delight, full of ripe juicy red fruit on the nose, soft but full on the palate and with reasonable length. More importantly it complemented the simple, well executed cooking of the restaurant beautifully at a fraction of the price of a more ambitious bottle. Now I'm not saying that it was better and we certainly didn't try anything else to compare it with. What it did, and did superbly, was accompany the food on offer beautifully and with some style - you cannot ask for more from a wine.

At this point you can argue that a more expensive wine would have been better, offered more, given a more robust experience etc. etc. Maybe so, but the point I'm making is that it is not necessary, that this humble, gentle, juicy beast is all this style of food needs so long as it is well made, clean and has a bit of age. A wine doesn't need to be expensive to be appropriate or, indeed, yummy, it has to be decent, gluggable and match the food. You should let others spend their money on the obvious stuff while you seek out the weird and wonderful bottles hiding in wine lists everywhere, often unloved because their name rings no bells. And remember that it almost always pays to go for a red wine not in the first flush of youth but slightly more evolved: it will, unless it is a particularly unsuccessful wine/vintage, a rounder and more pleasing proposition than its younger co-stars.

Unfortunately long gone are the days when restaurants had a cellar that included many older bottles, not all of them grand but most of them interesting. Ageing wine is an expensive business with producers wanting to sell wine earlier (no, not like the ridiculous Nouveau stuff, but quickly nevertheless) and restaurant owners wanting wines that do not have to age for years and years before they are approachable, so that they can serve them to customers sooner. This has led to the evolution of red wines even from grand appelations that are made to drink young. Do not be fooled, because even though they are made to be approachable and drinkable earlier they are still better with a bit of bottle age. Only the worst wine does not benefit from a few months more in the bottle, and even beaujolais nouveau improves given a little time. You should not in general be drinking 2015 red wines yet, not even from the southern hemisphere, as they are far too young.

As far as yummy inexpensive wine to buy goes, you need to do a bit of research then trawl the shelves or the websites of your choice, and pay attention to the vintages as, despite technological progress, winemakers are not magicians and can only do so much if the weather goes against them. Then taste, taste taste (no, I don't mean drink lots!) until you find the styles that you enjoy most, then taste more. Wine is a natural product and a life-enhancer if approached correctly at any level - you will find lots of inexpensive yummy wines like the one I did if you look carefully enough.

Surviving life

Lots of people have tragic events in their lives that undermine their very existence and make their daily life more about survival than anything else. Tragedy comes in many shapes and sizes, and appears to be relative as are its consequences; just under two years ago it entered my life through the collapse of my business which forced me to sell my flat (a 'fire' sale, as the flat in question was in Athens Greece) in order to pay off some of the resulting debt. This all came about not through some catastrophic mismanagement of my own but was due to the Greek economic meltdown, which currently continues unabated for a seventh year.

Losing everything is a powerful phrase, and it is often misused. I cannot claim to have lost everything, as I still have my health, clothes to wear and a semblance of a normal life. Neither I nor my nearest - as there isn't a such, this is academic anyway - has fallen seriously ill or died, though I have lost very dear friends recently and their absence has left a searing gap in my life. But in a way I have lost 'everything' for I have lost my independence and am now reliant on the kindness of others for somewhere to sleep and a shower. So far I have been fortunate to have been looked after by both family and friends in the best way possible, but it is a disheartening experience when you are used to being independent and free. But I am fortunate and I continue living a nearly normal life, at least outwardly, while many others in similar financial circumstances cannot.

Living out of a suitcase and being dependent on peoples kindness is unpleasant and stressful but nothing like living on the edge of society, on the streets. At least I am warm and safe, not vulnerable to the elements and everybody who passes by - I cannot begin to imagine how people who are living on the streets feel. And for many their financial problems are a result of addiction to something, which complicates things further, depending on the severity and each individual's character and willpower.

My 'luxury' is not free, however, as it comes at a cost to one's dignity, born of imposing on people near and dear, occasionally feeling unwanted and sometimes being really unwanted. It is not a pleasant existence this, especially if as in my case one is trying to maintain an equilibrium in order to continue to look for work that is proving extremely hard to come by. Rejection, feeling unwanted, feeling useless - all are soul-destroying. Life is not, as it were, a bowl of cherries!

Many years ago when I was an aspiring racing driver I spent many nights, weeks even, sleeping in my car, both in London and at race circuits. I was younger then, of course, and it was done for a purpose; it felt worthwhile as I tried to save money on living in order to spend it on motor racing! A bed was a luxury half the time then, but it felt as if I was living an adventure, trying to achieve something and making sacrifices in the process. I did not enjoy the experience even then, you understand, but it was acceptable in the greater scheme of things, whereas today feels very different, degrading and unpleasant.

There is a strong human instinct for survival and that keeps us going even when the going gets tough and painful - most of us make it through. But some of us give up at some point, a tempting thing to do when drowning in difficulties. So far I have resisted the temptation and kept my head high despite the cost, despite the siren voices, hoping my luck will change and that the future will be better.

2017 is just around the corner. Will it bring survival or destruction?

United Europe - Dream or Nightmare? (Part One)

Much has been said over the years about the merits or faults of the European Union, and some of it is, no doubt, actually true. Unfortunately there are also many apocryphal stories about bureaucratic excesses that are fictional, some partly and some in their entirety. They have created an image in peoples' minds of an organisation that is wasteful, interfering and non-sensical in its approach to life and its problems.

The European Union (EU) has evolved from the old European Economic Community (EEC) in a way that was not originally planned or anticipated. It has become a kind of 'United States of Europe', or it's being developed along those lines, and this has meant that the countries involved have become far more closely connected than purely along economic lines. This has been something created by politicians without first clearing it with their electorate, pushing the boundaries outwards and selling it to their public almost as a finished package. There can be no doubt that this was not what was originally intended, but it has been generally accepted; my feeling has always been that it has happened because of the ambitions (vision???) of politicians and was not thought through properly. Certainly mistakes have been made along the way, but overall I do not think it has ended up as a bad thing. The rapid expansion of the group of nations from 15 to 28 within a short space of time was another politically motivated move, more 'good news and bad news' contained therein, with few (nobody?) fully understanding the impact on the pre-existing structure and members.

Alas this way forward has proved to be full of problems which now threaten the very existence of the EU. Suddenly countries are talking of leaving (and, indeed,  some voting to do so - Brexit), nationalist sentiments appear all over the place (some in very extreme versions), there is disquiet in the ranks and a sense of an experiment going wrong, with serious economic problems affecting some member states in fundamental ways. Is it the fault of the EU and is it about to collapse?

I think not. Let me clarify one thing: I am a passionate European and have always seen myself as such. I love the sense of history pervading every corner of our continent, even though some of it is decidedly unsavoury. I adore the fact that Europe has played a pivotal role in the development of civilisation as we know it, and that European thought and culture has reached around the globe. Yet I am also fascinated by the local differences that exist in minute distances, the changes in customs, in food, in dialect, the small scale of the place. I'm blown away by the beautiful old buildings that still exist all over Europe, despite several wars that left the continent in tatters. Even if I were to be exiled to the other side of the world I would still feel European, to the bone.

This does not make me wilfully blind to the EUs faults, mistakes and problems. Where I differ from the Brexiteers, however, is that I believe the way forward is to improve and modify, not exterminate, the EU and all it represents. But, I am told, this has not proved possible so far and therefore it's best to abandon this 'Titanic' to its fate and try living free from all the restrictions, regulations and obligations. And as for the Euro, well, it's so obviously doomed...

Imagine for a moment how far science and inventions would get if anything that has not been possible before is just abandoned as impossible!

I disagree fundamentally with the idea that any institution, never mind one as important as the EU, cannot be improved; what is maybe lacking is the will to change from within, to disrupt the status quo, to limit some of the privileges and to give some consideration to understanding the differences between the members and their needs. Yet this is the absolute essential that must be pursued, for indeed the problems are many and threatening, and I cannot believe that the EU participants cannot see and sense this, nor that they will sit back and not respond to the challenge.

There must be change, and it must be on many levels, for the EU to survive intact and to ultimately develop further. Any other Europeans out there willing to help make it happen? Mr. Juncker and Co., you are included in this, listen and act to prove the doubters wrong.

The Return of the British Disease?

In the Seventies and Eighties strikes were so prevalent in Britain that they were known throughout Europe and, possibly, the World as 'the British Disease. Strikes were common, often called for spurious reasons, and were highly disruptive to both everyday and commercial life. It seemed as if at the drop of a hat the nation could be brought to a standstill by strike action called by some union official or other for whatever reason they deemed appropriate.

This changed during the course of the Eighties, when technology helped the then Tory government to take on the Trade Unions; in what were often acrimonious and bitter disputes the winner proved to be Britain, with strikes becoming much more rare and limited to important matters. The relevant legislation limited union power but did not eliminate them or the need for their existence, which is to look after the welfare of their members.

Of course the Trade Unions took advantage of the situation at the time - a natural human instinct, after all, just look at babies - and indulged in muscle-flexing, partly for political reasons and partly to milk the system for the benefit of their members, culminating in the memorable 'Winter of Discontent' in 1978-9, when the Labour Government of the day lost control and almost everyone went out on strike. Shameful excesses led to eventual comeuppance for the unions and a long period in the wilderness for the Labour Party. Their opponents did not always cover themselves in glory either,  by the tactics and rhetoric used.

The result was that the 'British Disease' all but disappeared and what remained of British manufacturing was able to up its game and become competitive again on a world scale, albeit in a much smaller way than before, as low-cost producing countries (mainly in the Far East) started to dominate industrial production. In my own small manufacturing company in Coventry we were able to achieve quality that had our Japanese customers curious to come and see with their own eyes how we were able to achieve this, and had German customers amazed that we were able to deliver early and within budget...

But now strikes are making a comeback and are affecting the lives of ordinary people once again, with repeated rail strikes in the last few months having taken place, and now several other strikes being announced by air crews, pilots, luggage handlers etc. While some of the issues being discussed may possibly be justified, others are superficial and an opportunity for some old-fashioned union muscle-flexing at a time when the general public are most severely affected (Christmas holiday travel) and, therefore, the companies involved are most vulnerable.

The companies involved are not all blameless in the way they conduct themselves towards both their staff and their customers, the arch-culprit being Southern Railways and their parent company GTR. I am not sure if they are playing a game, are completely incompetent or the complexity of their network has them foxed, but they are exceedingly poor at what they are doing and provide at best a mediocre service to most of their customers, for whom the strikes are just the icing on the cake. Delays, cancellations and alterations are commonplace on their network, putting people's jobs and well-being at risk. The staff, perhaps affected by management's lack of effectiveness and leadership often appear disinterested, indifferent or worse.

My feeling is that behind all this lie the following rather traditional factors:
1. A potentially weak government which has to fight on many fronts including immigration, Brexit and a misfiring economy.
2. A Labour leader (Jeremy Corbyn) that for the first time in thirty years is firmly in the unions corner.
3. A Labour mayor in London, though not one aligned to the party leader.
4. Greedy, and possibly less than competent, top management.

The Tory government needs to avoid ideological trench warfare and involve itself in effective mediation, not be dogmatic and blinkered. They must not just do the right thing but, in this age of immediate news coverage, be clearly seen to be so doing. It would be a pity, if not an outright crime, if the 'British Disease' were allowed to become commonplace again, doing a major disservice to existing businesses, dooming new ones and effectively taking the country backwards. This must not be allowed to happen.

Athens, Greece

Years ago a friend was on a beach near Athens wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with Athens College (his old school) when he was approached by a polite, well-meaning, somewhat ageing American man who asked him: 'Is this from Athens, Ohio or Athens, Georgia?' My friend was stunned, seeing as they were on the coast only a few miles from the centre of that ancient city, after which all other places called Athens are named; it is, indeed a testament to how insular American thinking often is, viewing everything through their own perspective.

Athens, Greece (henceforth simply Athens) is the capital of the modern Greek state, as it evolved in the 19th and 20th centuries. In its present form it is polluted, often charmless and beset with all sorts of problems brought about by rapid growth without proper thought and planning. The problems appear worse due to the current crisis, as there is little money to spend on improvements, especially ones with long-term effects and significant cost. And even if funds - and the imagination and will to use them properly - were available, it would take years to effect significant improvements. The flood of dispossessed migrants putting further strain on limited resources appears to be the icing on the cake.

And yet, and yet... there is much beauty to be found in Athens, if only one takes the time to look.

Some of it is obvious and in all the guidebooks: the magnificent Acropolis of Athens, appearing to float above the city, timeless, reminding Greeks and visitors alike that this is a city with a long, important history. This is where the idea of democracy was born, where philosophy, culture and art flourished; this city was at the heart of the Hellenic civilisation which helped shape the whole of the Western world. Many other glorious ancient sites exist in and around the city, often reachable on foot from central Athens and all well worth seeing, together with the relevant museums. All visitors get to see at least some, but almost certainly not all of these, and are impressed not just with the physical beauty but the refinement and culture that helped create all this.

The Athens that visitors should also make time to see is not always as obvious but very rewarding, revealing and often captivating. This largely revolves around taking a stroll (several strolls, actually) near the centre of town, not far from the Acropolis and Constitution Square. Despite the rapid expansion (from about 100,000 inhabitants at the start of the 20th century to a population nearer 5 million at its close), largely unplanned and with little respect for the existing surroundings, there are plenty of beautiful buildings to be found, most of them quite old. Some are neoclassical in style, many are in ruins yet others are fully restored and looking as stunning today as they would have a hundred years ago. Not all were mansions of the wealthy and some are humble neighbourhood houses, but all have escaped the bulldozer so far. As large scale construction is presently silent due to the economic meltdown there is a good chance that some of these buildings will survive and give pleasure in the longer term.

Some beautiful old residential buildings have survived by becoming restaurants, cafes and bars, pleasing us in more ways than one; others are commercial buildings that need protection, usage and affection, and they are currently unlikely to get this due to successive governments' policies on property taxation in order to safeguard revenues, electoral appeal and to save their status quo. See them, photograph them, talk about them, show them to the world; they may not be as iconic as the Acropolis but are invaluable to keeping the city human.

There are also some excellent modern buildings, though the majority are instantly forgettable as they were built for quick profit. The building boom and rapid urbanisation of the Athens area involved little planning, foresight or respect for past, present and, of course, the future, which is why in many ways living in Athens is not pleasant unless you are well off financially. The prevailing air quality is the obvious indicator, the unsightly commercial and domestic buildings dominating the city another; thankfully they are not the whole story.

The current financial situation appears to be largely behind the neglected buildings all over Athens but this is slightly misleading. The main problems have their origins in the beginning of the building boom and in the greek tendency not to plan or think ahead, so that no provisions were made early on  to enshrine maintenance in the regulations governing buildings and their ownership. No legal structure exists for building maintenance costs to be fairly and mandatorily shared between individual owners, so they cannot be compelled to participate in this - if one owner of a shared-ownership building does not participate in maintenance expenses the others are either forced to go ahead and shoulder his costs as well, or not do the maintenance. Guess which scenario is the most common, purely exacerbated by the current lack of liquidity.

When next visiting I will write again about Athens and its good and bad points, but today I would like to end with two pleas for all those people who care for  or admire Greece, and Athens, as its beating heart:
1. The best way to help the Greek economy, other than buying widely available greek products that may be useful (like olive oil, wine etc. etc., please do that!), is to visit the country and spend some time and money there. Athens is accessible all year round, though it can get quite cold in wintertime, and not only makes an excellent base for a long weekend of sightseeing but has plenty of nice reasonably priced independent cafes, wine bars and restaurants that don't conform to the tourist trap rip-off model. Many parts of the countryside, not just the islands, are also worth seeing, including some amazing ancient and byzantine sites.
2. A large investor with serious financial clout could buy up and renovate parts of historic Athens - no, not the Parthenon, duh, but some of the buildings talked about earlier - and, taking a long-term view after negotiating a tax holiday with the government, look to enjoy the fruits of their labour in a few years time when the economy rebounds. Greece occupies a great geographical position regarding trading with the Near and Middle East, is largely western in style and character, making it an excellent base for companies - if only the politicians create a simpler, more favourable business background. And international investor (with real money and proper business activities, not riffraff looking to take advantage of a country in need) pressure will help bring this about.

Have another look at Athens, the original one, and I think you'll find lots to like. Yes it can be frustrating, sprawling, dirty, often ugly... and yet, and yet.

Good wine, good friends

Wine is a social lubricant and an adornment for any meal, as it combines with food to create a palette of tastes that enhances the experience and, indeed, life itself. Of course abuse of wine - or any other alcoholic drink - leads to serious health problems and negates the previous sentence, but then any type of abuse is damaging. Wine is, therefore, to be appreciated, enjoyed and even, occasionally, revered; it must never be abused.

Make no mistake, wine is an amazing social lubricant and almost always best enjoyed when shared with friends or like-minded people. The solitary wine drinker is a relatively rare phenomenon, for it is at its best consumed in convivial company, more often than not with food of some description. The taste and texture of wine enhances that of the food and helps create appreciation and well-being in the consuming individuals, moulding them into a closer unit, a group of sorts.

So it was in very convivial company and over a pleasant lunch that I recently had a couple of excellent bottles of wine, courtesy of an old wine trade friend whom I had not seen for the best part of a year. The white was a lovely old vine Chablis from a tricky year (2013) but a good producer and an excellent single vineyard, not a 1er Cru but with all the finesse of one; a classy, seemingly delicate, wine with a rich, restrained  complexity concealed underneath, plenty of creaminess and a lovely roundness on the palate.



The second bottle was a red burgundy from the minor appellation of Irancy and the excellent 2010 vintage. This looked to be light in colour but was deceptively ripe in taste and typical in style of an older period, before deep-coloured wines appeared in Burgundy to conform to worldwide stereotyping. This was a lovely, juicy wine that really showed why the pinot noir at all levels, from grand to humble, is best coming from Burgundy; in this case it is blended with another local red variety (Cesar or Romain) by up to 10% but still shows all the typicality you would expect. This is not luscious in the way some red from further south can be, but still elegant and seductive.  Winemaking in the area goes back to the time of the Romans and in the past I believe the wines were as highly regarded as their Cote d'Or cousins. Luckily for Burgundy lovers they are currently not fashionable and, therefore, more reasonably priced.

The hallmark of a good wine is a long, clean, lingering finish, where the taste stays in your mouth after the liquid has disappeared on its way to your stomach. These two wines in their different ways illustrated this beautifully. Both wines went like a dream with the food, neither being exactly perfect but both being hugely enjoyable. They also allowed my friend and myself to really relax, enjoy each other's company and catch up on last year, with all that's transpired for both of us. And to plan a repeat, hopefully sooner than this time.

I am incredibly fortunate to be able to share lovely wines and good moments with my friends, who are going out of their way to look after me during this difficult period in my life when all is uncertain and difficult. To all those who are rallying to my aid I am deeply and humbly grateful, and a decent bottle of wine just reinforces that feeling.

Announcements on Public Transport

I don't know how you feel about this, but I am always intrigued (even when irritated) by the various forms taken by public announcements at stations, airports or indeed on various forms of transport. What set me off this time was an announcement at London Bridge Station which, while delivered in an impeccable English accent, was totally indecipherable because of the speed of delivery.

This brought back floods of memories of weird and wonderful announcements I have heard over the years:
- The senior pilot on an Olympic Airways jumbo jet who said 'Hlo leyz un gntlmensh ths is yr captain spikking...' etc etc in a completely incomprehensible accent in what for him passed as english, and was completely sober at the time.
- The BA steward who, when making safety announcements said 'and if oxygen masks drop, please do not try to smoke (it was allowed on planes in those far away days...) as you will find it not only difficult but extremely dangerous!'
- The delightful platform manager on London Underground who said, in the days when the Circle Line was exactly that, 'And the next train on this platform will be a Circle Line train going round and round and round and round...'.
- A fairly standard announcement concerning 'avoiding card clash' when using the London public transport system's electronic entry/exit points which, with the way people tend to speak, sounds more like 'avoid car crash', awfully perplexing when using public transport.
- Today on London Underground 'Pull your rucksack in, mate, you're holding up the whole train'
- I just love 'The train now standing at platform X is the Blah Blah Blah' when the train has not yet pulled in to the station, so you look and see an empty platform - priceless!
- And perhaps my favourite, when the Northern line tube pulls in to the station called Oval (named after the Oval, a nearby famous cricket ground) and the announcement is made that 'this station is oval' to which I want to say 'No, no it isn't, it's the same shape as all the others'.

Of course I always have a desire to make announcements myself, modifying existing ones ever so slightly: 'Please keep your husband/wife/child (delete as appropriate) with you at all times and do not leave them unattended. If found unattended they may be taken away and could be destroyed'... Oh well, many of us live in hope!
The other announcement I would love to make is 'Would Mr. XXX, last remaining passenger for XYZ please note that, unless he arrives at the appointed gate within the next 2 minutes in order to stop delaying this flight, he will be forced to travel to a destination not of his choosing and in the opposite direction to that of his suitcase'.
And 'In the unlikely event that we encounter serious problems and the plane loses altitude suddenly please run up and down the aisle screaming "we're all going to die" at the top of your voice while panicking hysterically'...
Finally, for a British railway company (you know who you are, and you are not northern!) I would like to say 'We would like to apologise to our customers for the cancellation of our service to XYZ and the delay it may cause to their journey. We say this because we're supposed to but, quite frankly, we don't give a ----.' And it certainly feels like that!