So what is your New Year’s resolution for 2015? To eat a bit less, or more healthily? Perhaps drink a bit less?…. No doubt all the usual ideas spring easily to mind. I did however read an interesting article the other day about ‘what not to publish in your 2015 wine blog’, and whilst the language was sometimes a little colourful, it did include one or two very valid, or at least thought provoking ideas that could help form the basis of your 2015 resolution.

For example there was a very interesting paragraph about natural wines, some of which I agreed with, and other parts that just made me smile. I will modify an odd word here and there, if only to clean up the language a little…. on the subject of Natural Wine. “Let it die. Your concern for the Earth and the holy temple of your body is fascinating, don’t get me wrong. But you’re boring everyone to death. Really. I’m not kidding. You’re just another middle-class white person who feels the need to instruct all of us on morality and taste.  I get enough of that in the news every day of my life. I drink wine to escape from people preaching at me. Fine, I admire you. You’re a better wine drinker than I am, with an incredibly sensitive and refined palate. You’re saving the world, if only people would listen!”

OK, perhaps it’s a bit strong, but I did like the part about drinking wine to escape….. I imagine simply kicking back, relaxing, glass in hand, not a care in the world. It’s true, you really don’t need people lecturing you about the rights and wrongs of a product created purely for your enjoyment. Let’s not over complicate matters, and get too tied up in the detail…… just enjoy!

He goes on to finish (still about Natural Wine): “You bought that Natural Wine produced in France, it was shipped in an ocean-polluting tanker to a busy harbour, loaded on an exhaust-belching truck to be delivered to a warehouse, driven in a truck getting four miles per gallon to your local wine shop, and you feel good about it because the guy who made it didn’t spray Roundup? Thanks. Now I get it. You’re a saint.” (Roundup being a brand of weedkiller)

The article was written by the Hosemaster himself, ex-award winning sommelier, Ron Washam, a contributor to the website of my friend Tim Atkin MW.

So what is your New Year’s resolution for 2015? To eat a bit less, or more healthily? Perhaps drink a bit less?…. No doubt all the usual ideas spring easily to mind. I did however read an interesting article the other day about ‘what not to publish in your 2015 wine blog’, and whilst the language was sometimes a little colourful, it did include one or two very valid, or at least thought provoking ideas that could help form the basis of your 2015 resolution.

For example there was a very interesting paragraph about natural wines, some of which I agreed with, and other parts that just made me smile. I will modify an odd word here and there, if only to clean up the language a little…. on the subject of Natural Wine. “Let it die. Your concern for the Earth and the holy temple of your body is fascinating, don’t get me wrong. But you’re boring everyone to death. Really. I’m not kidding. You’re just another middle-class white person who feels the need to instruct all of us on morality and taste.  I get enough of that in the news every day of my life. I drink wine to escape from people preaching at me. Fine, I admire you. You’re a better wine drinker than I am, with an incredibly sensitive and refined palate. You’re saving the world, if only people would listen!”

OK, perhaps it’s a bit strong, but I did like the part about drinking wine to escape….. I imagine simply kicking back, relaxing, glass in hand, not a care in the world. It’s true, you really don’t need people lecturing you about the rights and wrongs of a product created purely for your enjoyment. Let’s not over complicate matters, and get too tied up in the detail….. just enjoy!

He goes on to finish (still about Natural Wine): “You bought that Natural Wine produced in France, it was shipped in an ocean-polluting tanker to a busy harbour, loaded on an exhaust-belching truck to be delivered to a warehouse, driven in a truck getting four miles per gallon to your local wine shop, and you feel good about it because the guy who made it didn’t spray Roundup? Thanks. Now I get it. You’re a saint.” (Roundup being a brand of weedkiller)

The article was written by the Hosemaster himself, ex-award winning sommelier, Ron Washam, a contributor to the website of my friend Tim Atkin MW.

Great news!…. This time researchers have found that three glasses of Champagne a day could help ward off brain disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. (Four glasses and you might start not to remember anything!) Unfortunately, for lovers of Blanc de Blancs Champagne, this is unlikely to produce the same benefits as the compound responsible for improving memory is only found in the black grapes – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Great news!…. This time researchers have found that three glasses of Champagne a day could help ward off brain disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. (Four glasses and you might start not to remember anything!) Unfortunately, for lovers of Blanc de Blancs Champagne, this is unlikely to produce the same benefits as the compound responsible for improving memory is only found in the black grapes – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.