Rhubarb Wine - Bottle B6, 5th May 2012

Over the last couple of years rhubarb wine has been consistently good. I am pleased that this is no exception. The colour is a fabulous bronze and the wine has a definite fizz. If we ever get a spell of warm weather I suspect this will cause corks to pop. Its taste is dry and light but with enough body to make it interesting. I am due to start my Rhubarb 2012 tomorrow, and on the strength of this will definitely make a double batch.

I opened the bottle shortly after a bassoon quartet rehearsal in preparation for tomorrow's wedding. Four bassoons make a fabulous sound, and when the music is well-known (Teddy Bears' Picnic, Pink Panther, Liberty Bell) it is Very Silly Indeed.

Thomas stayed over for a meal of Lentil Farmer's Pie and flap jacks. He couldn't have the rhubarb pie because the pastry was made with lard.

Orange Wine - Bottle B6, 1st-3rd May 2012

Claire opened this bottle whilst I was out eating curry with Darren and Nigel. It was an entertaining evening that involved playing PacMan in an underground bar, more beer than was sensible for a Tuesday night and intense conversations. Claire had a quiet night in with her viola and a glass of orange wine.

Wednesday's glass followed WYSO, as always, where we had sectionals. I am beginning to believe we might pull off the two concerts. And then the bottle was finished on Thursday after I had voted in the local elections (including 'against' for an elected mayor).

This orange wine is too sweet. I must put in less sugar next year.

Elderberry Wine - Bottle A3, 29th April 2012

Britain is officially in drought. Paradoxically, we have had the wettest April in a century. Both these statements are true. And Sunday was the rainiest day of them all. I went outside twice: once to buy flour, eggs and butter (for a banana cake made later in the afternoon) and once to pick parsley. Both times I was drenched. Otherwise I stayed safely inside doing very little. This strenuous effort was rewarded with a bottle of elderberry wine, which has matured sufficiently and avoids the 'too young' taste of earlier bottles. It marked the end of  a week's holiday, and now I should concentrate on drinking a little less. (Yeah, right.)

Crab Apple Wine - Bottle A3, 28th April 2012

Sweet white wine, which this is, goes suprisingly well with mild vegetarian curry. I was expecting the flavours to clash, but they were all distinctive enough to hold their own. We had a carrot, cabbage and carroway seed curry (and with alliteration like that, how could it fail?), one made from new potatoes, tomatoes and coconut, and baby aubergines stuffed with minced peanuts and aubergine flesh. Then, after saying that I thought we shouldn't have a bottle after the alcohol-infused Derbyshire experience, I finished the bottle while watching episode one of The Bridge - another Scandanavian gruesome crime drama.

NB - Claire has pointed out that there were no carroway seeds in the first curry. They were mustard seeds instead. But that ruins the alliteration entirely, so I shall stick with the historically inaccurate version.

Sloe Wine - Bottle 6, 26th April 2012

This was the last of six bottles brought to Derbyshire. It has been a week infused with alcohol. Everyone agreed that the hue of this wine is its best feature. It is a light, clear red that lies beyond the colour pink. Tastewise, however, sloe is too thin. There is no body or depth. The alcohol content, though, is not in doubt. Shortly I will be lying very still in the dark muttering that I ate and drank too much. Which has been a feature of this holiday.

Today we went on a walk of less than ten miles which took us past Chatsworth - a huge Georgian pile of golden stone and gilded windows. It even looked impressive in the pouring rain, which has been the other feature of this holiday.

Elderflower Wine - Bottle B4, 25th April 2012

I brought this bottle of wine with me to Spout Cottage, as I remembered Duncan enjoyed a bottle from a previous batch. And this wine proved popular with the assembled throng. It has aged well, having more body than I remember, and retaining the distinctive elderflower taste. One should drink it on a warm summer's day, yet today it has poured with rain - almost without let up. Much of the day I could see sheets of water blow their way across the fields. Despite this being a walking holiday, I have only ventured outside once. That was for about fifteen minutes, and even then I got wet. Otherwise I have stayed resolutely inside reading, doing crosswords and watching Life on Mars. As well as rather a lot of eating and drinking. Oh, and watching small birds flocking around the bird feeder. All manner of finches and tits as well as a random moorhen, whose feet would look better suited to a turkey.

Bonfire Wine - Bottle 4, 24th April 2012

Rachel was particularly keen that I bring a bottle of Bonfire Wine to Spout Cottage. Whilst she enjoyed it, this wine proved remarkably unpopular with Ann and Duncan, and I suspect that Nick did not much like it either. He complained that it tasted too earthy - all the taste was at the back of the tongue - and that there was no similarity to real wine. I disagree. I enjoy its dryness and sparkle, and think it one of my best.

It accompanied moussaka, most of which I made, though Claire did the topping when it was clear I was sinking rapidly into a bad mood brought about by cooking.

The most notable part of today, however, was towards the end of our ten mile walk. After a field full of cows, we came to the inevitable muddy lane. Trying to do my best impression of Jesus walking across the Sea of Gallilee, I sank ankle deep in cowshit - much to the amusement of the resident farmer. I suspect my boots, trousers and jacket will never fully recover.