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.

Dandelion Wine - Bottle 5, 23rd April 2012

Tired and drunk. I am struggling to keep my eyes open, yet it is only twenty past ten.

This first bottle of Dandelion wine has had mixed reviews. The assembled company agree, on the whole, that it is drinkable, and that it improves the longer one drinks it. The wine has a herby taste and I think it is one of my more successful attempts at this flavour, though I suspect that it will remain a mid-week bottle.

Dandelion wine was our reward for an eleven mile walk round the most pituresque parts of the Peak District. Lots of limestone outcroppings but equally lots of rain. We have chosen a wet week to be on holiday, but at least have a cottage rather than a tent.

And now I must sleep. Goodnight.

Gooseberry & Elderflower - Bottle 2, 22nd April 2012

Claire convinced me to open this bottle two months earlier than I would otherwise have done. We are staying in a cottage in the Peak District for a week, and this is one of the half dozen bottles that I have brought. It was to be an example of one of my best, and so it has proved. I thought elderflower dominated, but Claire disagreed - thinking gooseberry was just as prominent. Nick pointed out it had a subtle nutty flavour. Everyone liked it, and it was a suitable reward for a twelve mile walk, some of it in relentless rain, that took in forests, rivers, valley gorges and an ancient stone circle. By the end of the the walk our pace increased from 'dawdling' to 'determined' in our desire to reach the wherewithal for a cup of tea.