Christmas Tutti Fruti - Eighth Bottle (A2), 10th-13th August 2014

It took me about nine hours to get home on Sunday. This is around the same time as it would take me to get to the American mid-west. Instead, I was travelling back from Wales. I returned to find the dregs of various bottles remaining. After finishing these, Claire opened a bottle of Christmas Tutti Fruti, and we had half of that too.

This is an entirely unmemorable bottle of wine - nothing wrong with it and not even particularly bland, just not delicious.

I helped finish the bottle on Wednesday evening while listening to a Dumteedum podcast on which Sooz appeared, comparing The Archers to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Blackcurrant & Red Gooseberry - First Bottle (3), 9-10th August 2014

Claire writes: I'm slightly disappointed with the wine - can't really taste blackcurrant. As I did nothing of note on the 9th, I will leave the rest of this entry to Ben, who can have some wine and then recount traveller's tales.

Ben writes: Well, I'm back from Wales having had a raucous, marvellous time. I have swum in the sea, played music to bats, walked in sunshine and stayed up well past my bedtime. It is, however, lovely to be home.

St Dogmaels Abbey, where I played

If you want to see how I made this wine, click here

Elderflower Wine - Eleventh Bottle (A6), 7th-9th August 2014

I shared this bottle with Sue Jones in St Dogmaels, over grilled mackrel caught the day before. It was a lovely meal and elderflower goes well with fish. I had spent the day at a beach near Cwmtydu, some of it being swept up and down by turquoise waves.

The wine did not affect my playing of incidental music to The Merchant of Venice which was performed in the grounds of St Dogmaels Abbey. Nor did it affect my ability to down a quick pint in The White Hart afterwards.

Being on holiday is excellent.

The beach with turquoise waves

Kiwi Fruit Wine - Third Bottle (2), 7th-10th August 2014

Claire writes:

This bottle was threatening to open itself on the day that we returned from Rydal. To my "joy", Ben declared it just about acceptable that I should drink it while he is in Wales. "Yippee". I had been studiously ignoring it, but fancied something cold and a bit fizzy tonight, so bit the bullet. It is bland, inoffensive and tastes nothing like kiwi fruit*.

Watched the fist episode of Bake Off 2014. One of the contestants looks horrifyingly like my PhD supervisor. Gave me quite a turn.

The annual courgette glut has started.

Ian Eperon - the PhD supervisor

A contestant on Great British Bake Off

* She lies

Blackberry Wine - 18th Bottle (D2), 3rd-5th August 2014

Well hello wine diary! Claire here. Ben is away in St Dogmaels playing in The Abbey Shakespeare and I have control of both diary and choice of wine. And what a good choice this is: clear ruby red, hint of fizz, fruity taste and perfect level of sweetness. An excellent wine and one that I richly deserve because I have just found out that I passed my grade 8 viola with distinction! Well done me.

Gooseberry Wine - Second Bottle (3), 2nd August 2014

Claire drinks beer at Rydal. Therefore on our first night home we traditionally open a bottle of wine. This is despite my weak protest that I have spent the week drinking too much. Tonight Claire asked for a sharp white, and gooseberry fits the bill precisely. It is a good bottle - dry with a hint of fizz. Now I need to start thinking about tomorrow. I am off for a further week of hedonism, but this time in Pembrokeshire and playing in an open-air production of 'The Merchant of Venice'.

Julia's Wine - Redcurrant 1996, 1st August 2014

It is the last night of Rydal and therefore an entirely suitable occasion for one of Julia's wines. I think she would be pleased to have made a contribution to the frivolities - some of which involved me spitting hotdogs into a bucket. I made sure that several people had a glass and we toasted Julia, for she is much missed.

The wine was definitely drinkable. It was too sweet for my liking and there was no taste of redcurrant. Leo enjoyed it, though, and compared it to a sherry.

The view from our bedroom window at Rydal Hall