Calling Portofan! - have you turned teetotal?!!

[JH02JLH]

Ok, Portofan! Was it something we said? Or have you found another wine forum on the web?

I'm rapidly running out of things to say on this section without your input and ability to "stir" things up!

We drank the Torres Sangre de Toro tonight with beef casserole and very nice it was too. The whole bottle has almost gone so that's some recommendation. Hubby screwed his face up at first and said it was a bit dry, but that was after sinking a bottle of Adnams Broadside!

Drunk any good wines lately?

Regards
Jane
PS If you ignore this post, I'll know I'm really in trouble!:eek

 

[Portofan]

Hi Jane I have just replied to you and the post has vanished!!


ARRRRRRRGGGGGHHH!!

No Not the toothache!! Just frustration!!

Portofan

 

[JH02JLH]

Oh no!!:eek

I hope your post didn't include any important info on wine?

Have to agree, though, very frustrating when that happens. Especially to me when some of mine are sooooo long!!

Regards
Jane

 

[Portofan]

Testing!
Testing!

One!
Two!
Threeeeeee!!!

This is a test of the system!!!!!!

 

[Portofan]

Morning Jane!

Here we go after last night's frustration.

When I put up the post on Peter Kerr's books earlier I had difficulty there and thought it had gone too so I was not surprised when my post vanished.

You extracted a loud laugh when I read that headline. No not me just keeping quiet at the moment. Just trying to recall what I'd said last night.

Well I was in Morrisons shortly before and on the Vina Albali shelf was Valdepenas 1999 Reserva 13% bottled by Felix Solis reduced from £6.49 to £4.99 so I grabbed one. Hope it is better than the last Felix Solis.
Now I see it was made from Cencibel grapes.

Never heard of them--over to you!!

Like most visitors to PP we will get the gear on ready for evening and the maybe?? one or two little aperitifs or more?? whether in the one place or on a wander.

So we find a restaurant , a table, choose from the menu and also choose a wine. Picture your own scenario as you wish. The waiter brings the bottle to you and says "Valdepenas Reserva 1999 , Senor (or Senora)(if I must be PC), made from Cencibel grapes , very good choice, very nice Senor".

And you think , having had enjoyable aperitifs "Is this guy taking the mick?". All wine surely is from "Sensible" grapes but not maybe where the Kerrs partook for Sunday lunch in Ca'l Dimoni in Chapter 3 (Manana Manana). That sounds a teaser and an invitation to all to read Peter Kerr's works.

Will report when we've tried it. Keeping our intake sensible as it were.

Last night it was SA Long Mountain Merlot Shiraz 2003 and will be the remainder tonight. Nice full and very pronounced brambly blackcurrant flavours.

That's it for now.

Upward and onward!

What tripe!

Portofan

 

[JH02JLH]

Hello Portofan!

Good to see you're back on form after last night's disaster.

You asked about "Cencibel" and it's just the wily Spanish trying to confuse us. Cencibel is another name for Tempranillo and is the name mostly used in the south and central areas of Spain. Some people think there is a difference in taste in the southern-grown grapes but I am sure I would never be able to tell the difference.

Anyway I must go now as I have a hot date with M&S in Milton Keynes:\ My children think it's good fun to wear out all their clothes as quickly as they can.

Whilst in M&S I will hunt out any promising wines.

Looking forward to hearing about the latest sensible wine...

Have a good weekend
Jane

 

[JH02JLH]

Hello Portofan and interested readers,

I went into M&S this afternoon and had a quick look at the wine shelves.

M&S is not a place I normally go to buy wine and I did think the shelves were a bit higgeldy-piggeldy with no clear areas for different countries which made me look hard for the Spanish bit.

There were quite a few Riojas from £3.99 to about £9. There were also a couple of bottles of wine from less-known Spanish regions so that was good to see.

The one thing I did like was the detailed descriptions on the back of the bottles giving a tasting note, serving advice, food pairings and even the name of the winemaker. This makes it so much easier for people to make the right choice and not waste their hard-earned money on the wrong wine.

There was a Rioja on offer, reduced from £4.99 to £3.99 so I bought it. It is called Bodegas Age and it's 13%. It's an unoaked young Rioja (2004) so should be nice and fruity (strawberry was mentioned).

Happy drinking!
Jane

For anyone interested - we drank the Rioja last night with roast beef and it was OK. Very light, fruity and young. An ideal wine with informal meals, BBQs, etc and for "everyday" drinking. No great depth or character but easy-drinking and quite pleasing.
Tonight I finished off the bottle and it had developed a little more oomph.

 

[JH02JLH]

Calling Portofan (again!!)

Where have you been??

We hear nothing for a couple of weeks, and then you appear back on the forum and elevate "lurking" to an art form!!

Have you nothing to say to us??

I thought the mention of El Posito and your reprieve from BK, and the Bar Cultural would have prompted some wise words from you...

Or even a photo would be nice!!

A perplexed

Jane

 

[Portofan]

Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Hello Jane!

No well not quite!

Away from home!!

I put up a little post on Thursday night and didn't log out and last night I was reading to get "up to speed" when I saw you were there also and I said to Sherryfan "there's Jane bet she's spotted me".

There will be plenty to say. No worries. There has been lots from the chatterers in the last couple of weeks and plenty to comment on so calm down my dear!!

El Posito- the charming Tony-Tapas- and you sitting in my seat at the Pc in El Pozo. And hubby at the bar sipping beer- bet it was my favourite girl at the bar and did she warn you to keep your drink away from the keyboard!

And didn't you enjoy the Square!

I just thought you might! And the Cultural! I have a Phd with distinction in the ongoings of the Cultural and like Robjay appreciate it very much.

Robjay is going like pelters to get up to 100 posts to get his photo on!


You did not waste any time--congratulations!
I'll need to think about that!!

More to coom!!

As the Little Asda man says!!

He's back!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JH02JLH]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Portofan!!

Welcome back! It's great to hear from you!

We had a lovely time in PP - lovely meals, great wine and a relaxing break.

I sat at the computer in El Pozo with the webcam. I hope it wasn't turned on!! I'm not sure whether it was your favourite girl at the bar, but they're certainly friendly in there! After my little stint on the PC I joined hubby at the bar and we enjoyed a few beers. Very relaxing!

Anyway, I will look forward to your messages in due course.

Regards
Jane

 

[Portofan]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Jane!

Just posted on ENWW and looked to see who's about and you were lurking!!!!

Then the connection was lost but here we are again!!

 

[JH02JLH]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Hello Portofan!

My connection was prematurely terminated when the phone rang and I was told that the b***** burglar alarm was going off at my parent's business premises!! The only day I didn't have to work and just as I was settling down to read all about the wine events going on around the country! Aarrgh!

Never mind! Onwards and upwards!! Hee Hee!!

Jane

 

[Portofan]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Well we'll get this topic going again.

To your question of April no nothing you said offended and no I have not gone teetotal but after last night's wine I'm thinking about it.

We got a bottle of Douglas Green Merlot 2003 S Africa from Morrisons. On offer at £3.99. 14%.

This was described as "Crafted from grapes best suited for this style of Merlot" etc etc. Well it must have been crafted by craftsmen of the calibre utilised by the UK Home Improvements Industry. Heard of them but fortunately not suffered! We generally let our reds breathe for about an hour if we can. Also with "soft tannins".

Now we like big full reds mellow but with body but this was tart , acidic and not at all a pleasant drink and I once recall Jane that you disposed of something as being undrinkable. This was as near to that as could be.

Today I am still pulling faces at the memory of it.

Sorry Douglas no more!

Have been pretty happy with SA reds up to now though.

But it is a worry though that Porto might goTT !

 

[JH02JLH]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Hi Portofan!!!

I was enjoying our chat this evening when you suddenly disappeared in a cloud of smoke!!

And Senor Cigar had not even entered the chat room! Come to think of it another member gone AWOL!!?

Anyway, so sorry to hear about the Douglas Green Merlot. Won't be making the trek to Morrisons to buy that one!!

The wine forum has been a little quiet recently and I was about to ask whether you'd taken the pledge again or maybe sloped off somewhere else (again)!

I can heartily recommend the Errazuriz Merlot 2004 but do make sure it's the 2004 vintage. I'm sure you will enjoy it as much as I did and so relieved it's back up to standard.

Please, Porto, don't go TT on me! I couldn't bear it!!

Regards
Jane

 

[Portofan]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

No Jane!!

Still haven't!

When Jane is on holiday guys we just don't know what to drink do we?:\

Are we drinking any old rubbish without advice or are we being adventurous, applying the maxim "When the cat's away ,the mice will play"!:lol :lol

Right mice here is what to play with!!!:lol :lol

Summer is not yet over--debatable that one eh?

Here are a few roses for you to try.

My legs are worn down trecking round guys!!

1 Asda Dumisani Pinotage Rose 2004. £4.01.
Easy drinking made from the uniquely South African grape Pinotage. Shares the very soul of South Africa with you.??

2 Somerfield Misiones de Rengo Cabernet Rose £4.99.
This is made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and is a robust pink. Personally I am a fan of the heavy Chilean reds from Misiones and if the Rose as good you will have no difficulty in savouring this one.

3 M & S La Perdina Estate Rose Lombardy £5.99
Very pale made near Lake Garda and includes a Valpolicella grape with a whiff of Pinot Grigio and aromatic taste of Pinot Grigio.

4 Asda or Sainsbury's Jacob's Creek Sparkling Rose £7.99
Try this as easy drinking.This Aussie has blended Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and is smooth soft and delightfully drinkable.

5 Co op Masterpeace Rose South East Australia £4.49
Made with Shiraz and Italian Sangiovese the Aussies have made a delicious dry wine with strawberry hints.

6 Sainsbury's Cape Grace Pinotage Rose £4.49.
This is a screwtop wine would you believe and the combining of Pinot Noir and Cinsault is really delicious. Good with the barbie if you still have the weather for one! :lol

It won't be long now till Jane comes back to the Wine Editor's chair. I cannot wait!!:rollin :rollin

 

[PennyWhite]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Will put my word in again for Pinot Grigio Blush from Tesco, currently on offer, and the ladies who lunch in Chester name it as their current summer favourite! Lots consumed today, and when the rain chased us indoors it didn't spoil our fun. Cheers!

 

[Lady Pollenca]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Always enjoy drinking a bottle of Sange de Toro, can recommend it, the one with the little bull hanging at the side of the bottle £4.48 at the moment at Morrisons. I'm begining to wonder if we're all not just alcoholics!!

 

[Rosie10]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

Hi
Just laughing at your parking exploits Lady P & appreciate your taste in wine - the Sangre de Toro, keep a look out for the 50th anniversary bottles currently in the shops, they have a little gold bull!
Although good in the UK, somehow the Sangre never tastes quite as good & velvety, as it does in the Port.

 

[Snowy]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

3 Weeks and will be on the nectar in the port maybe just one or four.

:b :b

 

[Lady Pollenca]

Re: Calling Portofan!! Have you turned teetotal??

oh yes Rosie10 the bottle I bought yesterday has got a gold bull on it, how nice, I hadn't noticed. The car park incident actually got worse when I got to the airport carpark got locked in and couldn't get out, got to the check in with just 30 mins to take off!
Sounds great Snowy have one for us, cheers!