Apple & Strawberry Wine - Second Bottle (4), 16th February 2019

This bottle accompanied an evening of games and hilarity. I took it to Ros's for a 'Games Evening', where we played Saboteur, Exploding Kittens, Bug in a Rug, Articulate and Blokus. All accompanied by cake and wine. In 'Articulate' Emma had to describe 'Rack' to me and all I could get was 'Breasts'. It took several minutes for the room to recover.

The wine was fabulous - even Alex, who has not been a fan of my wine in the past, thought so. It takes the best of both fruits, creating something refreshing and different.

Ros, Alex and Exploding Kittens

Prune & Parsnip Wine - Sixth Bottle (B2), 11th August 2016

Emma came round last night for a meal, mostly cooked by me. Actually, probably half cooked by me. Well, I did the beanburgers and sauce, and I boiled the potatoes. We haven't seen Emma since late June and it was a lovely evening, helped along by a bottle of Prune & Parsnip wine - which I felt was a bit sweet. There was nothing exciting about the evening, or the day that went before it (save that I was sharper than I intended to be with a young man who knocked on our door trying to raise funds for Bernardos) but it was a pleasant day, nonetheless.

Blackcurrant & Raspberry Wine - Fourth Bottle (A5), 12th March 2016

Eastern Europe was the theme of Saturday's Feast. Ros, Alex, Vicky and Emma came to ours - partly to eat lots of wonderful food and partly to examine the new house. Christian & Kate were invited but have split up (about which I am very sad) and neither came.

The food was, indeed, wonderful. We started with blinis and all sorts of exciting accompaniments mostly bought from a Polish shop (pink, salty fish-eggs are nasty). Next was a clear beetroot soup, followed by Bigos - apparently the national Polish dish with more meat than is sensible, including a spicy Polish sausage. We finished with Dobos Torte. Against all this, the wine was unremarkable, and in fact that was delicious too.

Half a Dobos Torte

Blackcurrant & Raspberry Wine - Second Bottle (A6), 15th August 2015

I took this bottle to a Feast at Ros's. Bob, Julia's brother, had come up from Kent and we spent much of the evening drinking far too much and talking about Julia. Her house has finally sold which means Emma will need somewhere to live. It was lovely to see Bob - there is a large amount of Piggott in him (which is unsurprising).

The wine was fruity and light and sweet and delicious, and I think most people agreed.

I disgraced myself at the end of the night by falling asleep in an armchair, waking only to apologise when the taxi arrived.

Derek Piggott - Julia and Bob's father

Julia's Wines - Elderflower 1993, 7th February 2015

Not one of Julia's best. This wine was drinkable but was thin and not very interesting. The elderflower taste was hardly there. I apologised to Julia (in absentia) as I reached for the Prosecco instead. The evening as a whole was fantastic, though. Claire cooked many curries and we feasted with Ros, Emma, Christian and Kate. There was much laughter, plenty to drink and we ended the night playing Ex Libris. Which I won convincingly (he said, smugly). Claire and I did not get to bed until well past midnight, and that never happens. We already setting dates for the next get together.

Crab Apple & Strawberry Wine - Second Bottle (4), 7th February 2015

I have just counted up. We got through seven bottles last night. Between six of us. No wonder my head is pounding. This Crab Apple & Strawberry was one of the early ones and the only one of mine. The occasion was a Feast for Julia - or at least for six of those who miss her. As well as us two, there was Ros, Emma, Christian and Katie.

We drank this bottle to the starters, which were puris filled with spicy potatoes and tamarind sauce, and a savoury cake made with yoghurt and gram flour, topped with chillies, coriander and mustard seeds. This was a tantalising hint for the food to come.

The crab apple & strawberry was a good bottle - dry and interesting, and I was gratified to see the guests having a second glass.

Crab Apple Wine - Second Bottle (B6), 23rd July 2014

We are very nearly on holiday, but perhaps not so close to justify a gin, the remnants of a bottle of Tutti Fruti and the whole of a bottle of crab apple. In my defence Emma was here, so there were three of us. And we had to celebrate the first proper courgette of the season. As usual courgette fortnight will coincide nicely with Rydal week.

The wine was lovely and complemented our meal of fish, fried tomatoes and peppers, griddled courgette, crispy potatoes, white sauce and salad from the garden. It was a good evening.

Julia's Wines - Cider 2013 (?), 18th-19th June 2014

It was Julia's birthday on Wednesday and therefore obligatory to have one of her wines. I picked an unlabelled bottle, which must have been made recently, judging by the amount of dust it wasn't covered in, and put it in the fridge. Turned out to be cider, and pretty vinegary at that. Claire didn't drink her glass, but Emma and I finished ours. Its most positive attribute was its clarity. On the whole a 'miss'.

Julia's Wine - Gooseberry 1996, 3rd-4th June 2014

We opened another of Julia's bottles on Tuesday after doing a 'top to bottom' inventory of her house with Ros, Emma and Alex. This was to check if there was anything else we wanted. I came away with a book about ferns, a Tom Lehrer CD and twelve more bottles of wine.

It was quite depressing seeing all this stuff. There was so much that Julia collected over the years to put to use on a day that never arrived.

Anyway, this bottle of gooseberry was not as good as the last but still perfectly drinkable with a taste of sherry. I wonder what will be next out of the box.

Some of Julia's wines (with authentic dust from her cellar)

Crab Apple Wine - Fifteenth Bottle (A2), 13th-14th April 2014

I opened this bottle on Sunday night after we had polished off a bottle of rhubarb. Emma was here and one bottle between three on a weekend is not enough (despite the gin & tonics). I can't remember what Emma thought of this, or even if she had any. In fact, Sunday evening remains a blur.

On Monday night I cooked sausages, mash & onion gravy, taking the opportunity of a week off Airedale to do more than heat something up and shovel it in.

There are still another three bottles of this vintage to go and I have yet to bottle 2013's. This is unusual for mid-April.

Rhubarb Wine - Eleventh Bottle (B3), 13th April 2014

J is not well and I fear she only has a couple of months left. After spending 45 minutes on her allotment digging, Emma and I went to visit her in hospital. Though better than she was on Saturday, J has physically diminished. Her eyes and teeth now look too large for the rest of her face. I will cope badly when she dies.

Anyway, Emma came back to ours for a short chamber music session (the poor neighbours - we sounded dire), lots of vegetarian curry, and a bottle of rhubarb wine. This rhubarb came from J's allotment and therefore seemed appropriate. It is a good bottle - one of my favourite whites.