Crab Apple Wine - Third Bottle (C1), 29th July 2016

It has been a difficult, exhausting day. The final day at work before a week off is always fraught - trying to anticipate anything that might occur over the next seven days, and dealing with it there and then. Throw three completions into the mix, none of which are easy, and a bottle of crab apple wine is almost obligatory.

We are off to Rydal tomorrow, though not before we see Lambert and Christie get married, and I am just about unwound into the holiday mood.

The crab apple wine was delightful - as light and refreshing as ever - and an excellent way to start a week's holiday.

Prune & Parsnip Wine - Tenth Bottle (B4), 24th-27th April 2016

It is never a wise idea to open a third bottle on a Sunday night. Or, not when there are only four people in the house. But that is what I did because, essentially, I am a show-off. Lambert and Christy were here and I wanted something to go with dessert. Prune & Parsnip is a good choice - sweet with a suggestion of fortification. Sensibly we only had a small(ish) glass each.

Claire and I finished the bottle on Wednesday evening when we were both back late from work and WYSO had been cancelled. In typical living-on-the-edge fashion, I spent my evening watching a tribute to Victoria Wood and doing the washing up.

Crab Apple & Strawberry - Third Bottle (5), 24th April 2016

Lambert and his fiancee, Maria, came over for a meal on Sunday night. Claire thought that a glass of crab apple & strawberry in the garden would be a lovely start to the evening. The weather, though, thought otherwise, and we stayed in the house's warmth. Still, the wine was a decent aperitif - sweet, clear and fruity. Lambert said he detected a sparkle, but I did not.

Our meal was fabulous, with the main course being a fish and seafood stew. Maria said she had not had bettter since arriving from Greece in December. I suspect she is homesick and Lambert is forcing her to speak English, even when they are alone.

Blackberry Wine - Final Bottle (B6), 26th August 2013

I took this round to Lambert's for a bank holiday meal of Greek food and intense conversation. Unusually for a bank holiday the weather has been glorious all day and walking the two miles to and from Lambert's on a balmy late-summer night was pleasant. Although, the walk back was more of a stagger.

Lambert is an excellent cook. We started with several exciting salads and spreads, and I had to check that these were not the main course so that I could pace myself. These were followed by a cuttlefish stew, full of tentacles and spinach.

Lambert's mother rang mid-course and he left us to the food and wine while he had what sounded like a difficult conversation. But it was in Greek, so we couldn't eavesdrop even if we had wanted to. Instead we drank the blackberry, which was delicious, and, Best Beloved, tried to recall the Just So Stories.

Crab Apple & Strawberry Wine - Second Bottle (5), 26th August 2012

Claire said that we needed an aperitif bottle if the fridge for Lambert's visit on Sunday evening and I told her she had a free choice of flavour. She chose 'Crab Apple & Strawberry' and I felt a look of extreme anguish pass over my face. We weren't meant to start this wine until October, and here we are on the second bottle already.

Lambert has a sophisticated palate and took his tasting seriously. He commented on the wine's acidity, its metal and its bitterness. One might suspect that he didn't like it, but he had several glasses. This could have been good manners of course. But this is clearly one of Claire's favourite flavours and I already have strawberries in the freezer for later in the year.

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As a quick aside, and nothing to do with my wine, I have had an article published by the On-line magazine, The Foodie Bugle, all about vegan cake. Have a read by clicking here - and do feel free to tweet it!

Elderberry - Bottle B6, 14th January 2012 (sort of)

We went to Lambert's for a meal last night and took this bottle with us. Usually when I take my wine for a dinner party I expect to see it drunk then and there with guests and hosts making statements about what a taste sensation it has been. This bottle, however, sat in Lambert's kitchen remaining resolutely unopened. In its place, though, we had a fabulous Italian red and a shot each of Greek vodka, so I can't complain.

Lambert had mad a huge (and successful) effort with his cooking. We had a large starter of lentils, parsnips and cream cheese, which on paper sounds odd but was not, followed by hare and sprouts. I have never eaten hare before and enjoyed it. Unsurprisingly it is rather similar to rabbit. The sprouts could have been a disaster - Claire's least favourite foodstuff, even worse than marzipan. But having tried one out of politeness, she ate four more and said she liked them. Blimey.