Spiced Beetroot Wine - Fifth Bottle (2), 25th-28th August 2013

I can barely remember Sunday, which is the day I opened this bottle. I think much of it was spent sat outside, finishing The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks, our latest Book Group book. It is not a jolly affair, and anyone who likes rabbits or small children is discouraged from reading it. Its humour is of the darkest black, but the imagination is breath-taking.

I opened the wine to a spread of curries, all made by Claire and all wonderful - the Mutton Rogan Josh being particularly good. Spiced beetroot is a good wine for Indian food: the spice and sweetness hold their own against all other strong flavours.

We finished the bootle on Wednesday after I had helped Isabella move from a house in Little London to one in Burley - my reward (other than catching up with her life) will be home-made pasta in ten days. I shall take a bottle.