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.

Blackberry Wine - Bottle A5, 21st April 2012

Drunk in Spout Cottage, Derbyshire.

We are on holiday and spending a week in the Peak District with Rachel, Duncan, Nick and Nick's cousin Ann. I have brought six bottles of home brew with me, and this was the first - to accompany lamb koftas, rice and spinach. It was, however, not the only bottle of wine consumed and I am struggling to keep this diary in focus.

Shortly after arriving at the cottage (which was an adventure in itself - the narrow winding road approaching it went on beyond the "are you sure this is right?" point) the next door owner came over. I commented after he had gone "He sounds remarkably like Matthew Parris" and discovered he was. Which, as a meeting someone famous story, isn't all that impressive.

Christmas Tutti Fruti - Bottle A6, 19th-20th April 2012

I opened this bottle on Thursday night to celebrate being on holiday, rather than finish the indifferent redcurrant wine hanging around in the fridge. In fact, only Claire was on holiday Thursday night, but now we both are and eagerly anticipating a week in the Peak District. Never mind that the forecast is for continual heavy rain.

The wine was as delicious as ever, going well with Thursday night's bangers and mash and overly-butch cabbage, and finished on Friday before tucking into a goats' cheese, basil and caper pizza on a sour-dough base. We do eat well (he said, smugly).

Redcurrant Wine - Bottle A3, 17th-20th April 2012

Redcurrant has the appearance of wine for special occasions. It is dark pink with a more interesting hue than a shop bought rosé. Taste-wise, however, it falls squarely within the 'mid-week' category. And this was the fate of this bottle - opened on a Tuesday and strung out until Friday.

Wednesday's glass was drunk following WYSO, where we have bitten off rather more than we can chew. There are to be two concerts this term with different programmes and both difficult. The first is on 4 June as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Hence, on Wednesday I came home humming the gallop from The William Tell Overture. I can sing it far quicker than I can play it, which is depressing. Trying to tongue two semiquavers, quaver, two semiquavers, quaver repeatedly is exhausting and, at that speed, close to impossible.

Blogging - One Year On

This blog entry is more than a little self-referential, for which I apologise. However, I am about to disappear for a whole week without any new entries at all (though I think there will be two bottles posted before I do - the Redcurrant is currently in the fridge chilling). And my disappearance will coincide with having been keeping this blog for a year. 22nd April 2012 will be my blogaversary (sorry). In that time I have:

Posted 182 posts (if you don't count this), of which:
20 have been 'how to make wine'
2 have been 'random jobs involving wine'
3 (I think) have been nothing to do with drinking or making wine, which means ...
157 have been bottles of wine that I have drunk. Oh dear; but they have all been shared.

Had 8,540 hits counted by Blogger, of which:
283 were on 'Rose Petal Wine - the Making Of ...'
213 were on 'Quince Wine - the Making Of ...'
many, many were spam hits from Russia with website names like spandexpants.com or freemed.ru
an inconsequential few were me

28 Listed Followers, but:
there are 3 regular people whose ISP is in Leeds and I haven't identified who they are
there is a semi-regular follower whose ISP is in Ile-de-France, Paris
there is someone just listed as being in 'Europe' whose ISP is Oracle Svenska ab
I have one visit from 'Home Land Security' in Springfield Illinois (but have yet to receive my extradition papers)
there are several people who check in regularly who I correspond with from time to time

You all know who you are (even if I don't), and I am delighted that you take the time to visit. Thank you to the regulars and the one-offs for showing an interest in my hobby and (rather ordinary) life. This blog is dedicated to all of you.

Crab Apple Wine - Bottle B4, 14th April 2012

I am of the opinion that this year's crab apple wine is too sweet. It is a pudding wine, which is not good when you have 18 (now 17) bottles of it. The apple flavour is pronounced, which is a bonus, and the sharpness offsets its sugar, but on the whole I think I preferred the 2010 vintage. I shall try to remember this for October, when I make it again.

Today's notable activity was a trip to the cinema. I have not been for two years, and the last movie Claire saw was 'The Curse of the Were-Rabbit' in Salt Lake City in (I think) 2005. We went to see 'Pirates - In an Adventure with Scientists', and very silly it was too. Perfect Saturday afternoon viewing, with a villanous Queen Victoria and glorious anachronisms aplenty.