Who doesn’t love a joyful, everyday wine – especially if it’s fairly priced Bordeaux. There’s an unfortunate view, particularly prevalent in the UK, that Bordeaux wines fall into only two categories – those sold at super-premium prices for the obscenely rich, and those that are little more than execrable filth. The truth is that there are many [...]
Oh Balls! (Or how customer service saved the day)
Picture the scene – four old friends, and we’ve just passed a convivial evening in a restaurant. It’s Thursday night, 9.30pm, no-one’s ready to go home but at the same time a change of scenery is called for. Oh yes, and we’d like good wine please. The trouble is, we’re in Victoria. A quick look on [...]
The veritas crudo of prosciutto
I rarely write about food on this blog – that’s not due to a lack of interest, but rather just a matter of focus – this is a wine blog, after all. But following a recent trip to San Daniele di Friuli, to sample wines and enjoy the famed local prosciutto, I felt compelled to [...]
Sherry Maestro No.22
Sherry seems to be going through a mini-renaissance right now, after decades of being banished to the backwater of granny’s christmas cupboard. It is after all one of the few real bargains of the wine world – complex, characterful, consistent and often aged for a decade or more, yet entry level examples in most styles [...]
Mar i Terra y Juan Garcia
An unplanned nutrition requirement near Waterloo led to an excellent discovery tonight. Mar i Terra is a cosy yet bustling tapas restaurant buried on a Southwark backstreet. I can never resist an obscure grape variety, so the Arribes de Vettonia Juan Garcia Crianza 2007 was a must-have choice from an excellent and lovingly annotated wine [...]
Zucca and Brazan
Mrs. Claret and I have developed a cunning modus operandi for eating out at fine restaurants – rock up to the hottest ticket in town, without a booking, but at a slightly non-standard time (perhaps 6.30pm, or 9pm). Accept any seat, even if it is at the counter (which is frequently the case). Think you [...]
Protesting, followed by feasting at Barrafina: Urbina Selección Crianza Rioja 1999
The Morning Claret is not an anarchist or a public sector worker, but cannot stand by and see this government wreak vandalism on every area of our society still standing. Therefore I marched through the streets of central London for several hours on Saturday March 26th, enjoying a good natured and peaceful protest with some [...]
Lunch at Brixton Cornercopia (Obscure white grapes, Part 2)
Brixton Village used to be a forgotten corner of the market, depopulated and unloved, until 18 months ago when the spacemakers project started persuading artists, philosophers, foodies and other madmen into the once empty units. Fast forward to March 2011, and it’s crammed full of interesting new eateries and shops, and in danger of becoming [...]
Rotgipfler and Scamorza (Obscure white grapes, Part 1)
Mrs. Claret arrived back at the house yesterday evening clutching an intriguing looking black bag. Had she indulged herself in a new dress or pair of shoes I asked? Absolutely not, it was actually a present for me – and a consumable one at that! She had happened across a stall at the South Bank [...]
Hilliard’s charms
Hilliard is a small cafe-bistro, just off Fleet Street. It’s an oasis of quality and personality, amongst Fleet Street’s sea of tiresome chain eateries. I eat lunch there a few times every week, which always brightens up the day. Well executed, unfussy food, with careful sourcing and interesting twists. By way of example, today’s lunch [...]