Blackberry - Bottle A3, 12th-26th November 2011

It is a rare thing indeed that I have a bottle open for a fortnight. However, so little of this was drunk at the Book Launch, that when I got it home I bunged in a cork and left it in the hallway.

This Saturday marked its re-opening and (naturally) completion. Between the four of us (Sooz and Andrew are her post-Thanksgiving) we made swift work of a bottle of Bonfire wine and needed something else to accompany our Turkey Thai Curry. In fact, we made swift work of this too - aided and abetted by a DVD of Ethel Merman and the Muppets, which was delightfully silly. Then someone suggested opening a bottle of Redcurrant ...

Bonfire Wine - Bottle 2, 26th November 2011

I blame Claire. This flavour should have been spaced evenly over a period of twelve months. Instead, we have now had three bottles in November. Sooz and Andrew are here, and Claire was keen to introduce them to chilli wine. In fact, this bottle has been less spicy than the other two, but is still good.

I have spent the day making beer, under strict supervision from Andrew. It is far more complicated than wine, and I suspect that this is a one-off. But then I thought a similar thing about making wine, and look where I am now.

When I have not been making beer, I have spent the day reading 'Pigeon English' in preparation for Book Group (good, but too derivative of 'The Curious Incident ...') and worrying about my future. Happy days.

[NB - There is a lacuna. I shall post Elderflower Bottle A3 when I feel able.]

Blackcurrant Wine - Bottle 5, 24th November 2011

This was our Thanksgiving bottle, although there were several other ones of the shop-bought grape variety. It was a lovely evening with plenty of food. Including Claire and me, we had nine people around the table - which is more than fits comfortably. Claire had spent all day at home cooking, and it was an amazing feast. All the usual suspects were there (turkey, sweet potatoes etc.) together with a wild rice and chestnut dish for the vegetarians amongst us (Richard) and (rather less traditionally) Yorkshire puddings.

I disgraced myself by going to bed far earlier than the guests were ready to leave. It was shortly after ten and I needed to sleep there and then. Social niceties had to take a back seat. Claire saw the guests out.

Orange wine - Bottle A4, 18th-22nd November 2011

I only had one glass from this bottle, so really I should be forcing Claire to write this entry.

On Friday I was out with the Emsleys crowd for Gemma's leaving do at Tiger Tiger. I am a grumpy old sod, though. The music was too loud and it was all too tightly packed with young people. Other than that, I enjoyed it. Then on Saturday I was in Manchester playing 'bumper bassoon' with the Yorkshire Wind Orchestra in a performance of Karl Jenkins's 'The Armed Man'. I was prepared to be sniffy and superior about this, but I loved it. The twenty second silence at the end, followed by a standing ovation, was a special, emotional moment.

My one glass of wine, therefore, was tonight whilst pretending to tidy in preparation for Thursday's Thanksgiving. The house will not be ready.

Bonfire Wine - Bottle 3, 20th November 2011

Suitably, Bonfire Wine has proved to be an explosive brew. This bottle woke Claire up on Thursday night as it popped its cork. Into the fridge it went, until tonight. Then, whilst I was bottling mhy rhubarb wine, it exploded again - causing a certain amount of jumping in surprise and looking for the gun shot.

This is a delicious wine, though. Fizzy (obviously) and fruity, but with a strong chilli taste. It went well with a sausage and brown lentil casserole, served with cabbage, artichoke & potato mash and a suitably hot horseradish sauce. This, after a lazy day of reading the latest P J Tracy, and watching the first episode of season 2 of 'The Killing'. Crime fiction is where it is at.

Elderberry - Bottle B5, 12th-16th November 2011

I could not have had a Book Launch without a bottle of elderberry. It was, after all, this flavour that started me down the river of wine making. However, the only comment I received about the elderberry was that this bottle was too young and it needs leaving a couple of years. That may be right, but I do not have the patience.

My Tuesday night glass was drunk whilst I was feeling sorry for myself. My final wisdom tooth - bottom left - is making its presence known. I had hoped this one would sit quietly in the background, but currently my mouth is in pain. I have made a dental appointment for Monday, and I know she will recommend extraction. At least this has to be the last time - I have no others.

Pumpkin - Bottle 6, 7th-13th November 2011

Pumpkin wine gets no better the longer one leaves it. This was just as disgusting as all other bottles.

I opened it at BBC Radio Leeds, on air, for a live tasting event. It was an example of my worst wine, and I could not have chosen better. The interviewer declared it 'foul' which pleased me mightily. He told me to serve blackberry instead for Saturday's book launch. Of course, I served both, along with many other flavours and dared the attendees to sample the Pumpkin. I think most refused, judging by how much is still left in the bottle (destination: down the sink) but some were brave souls. Apparently Lindsay was the least taken with it, pulling all manner of faces.

I did not drink any at the book launch, but had my obligatory taste (a glass would have been pure masochism) on Sunday night after returning from a fabulous Airedale Symphony Orchestra concert. We played Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony, and my adrenalin was up. Pumpkin wine did not take it down any - so I had a mug of bush tea and a slice of Judith's fruit cake instead.