Belated Xmas Greetings (plus a few wines)

[Skeeter]

Hey all,

Just sitting down, enjoying a very late post-work Grey Goose and Tonic (which tastes better when the sinfully priced-inflated hooch was gifted to you.) and thought I'd better weigh in with some belated Xmas wishes. It's been an age since my last post here, due to the time pressures of three part-time jobs (all selling wine in a variety of ways.) and... Fatherhood!

Yep, I joined the Dad Club back in September. I may be drinking the cheap stuff for a few years... baby stuff is exspensive.

But here's the run-down of the vino the family and I broke out to celebrate the Yuletide season.

Daniel le Brun Methode Traditionelle NV: Is there anything better than a champagne breakfast, even without splashing out on actual champagne? A nice dry, yeasty Malborough bubbly, accompanied by my home-made Eggs Bendict, bircher museli, berry tarts and vanilla syrup apricots.

2003 Matua Ararimu Chardonnay: My last bottle, broached with a lunch of turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Beautiful golden colour, toasty and developed on the nose. (Could have gone anothe ryear, but who's counting?) Very mellow by itself, but with food it exhibited a well-balanced body with rich butterscotch notes. I guess I'll have to keep a few '04s on hand for Xmas '09 and '10.

2003 Shingle Peak Botrytis Riesling: My second-to-last bottle of this trophy-winner stickie for afters. We actually had it between main and dessert, to "aid the digestion". It worked. Unbelieveably good... all the acidity had dropped away, leaving a super-smooth fruit salad of peach and nectarine, bathed in honey. I'll be sad to see the last one go to it's final resting place sometime in '09, but I feel it's time drink up or watch it go past its prime. And I'm a hedonist, not a horder. Maybe for my birthday.

Well, that was Xmas. It just rolled past midnight in New Zealand, making it Dec 31st. I'll be seeing in 2009 tonight by opening one of my "wish list" wines... a 2000 Villa Maria Reserve Merlot/Cab Sav I picked up at staff rates (read: Below half-price!) a few months back.

I love my job.

[winoweenie]

Happy And Merry to you Skeets! Glad to have you back adding your insightful posts on our mundane board. I'm a little shaky this morn as can be seen from my post above. Have a great Newbie! WW

[Innkeeper]

Thanks Skeets, and congrats on the youngun.

[hotwine]

Welcome back, Skeets, and congrats for joining the Dad's Club! Nothing like it. Guaranteed to keep you up nights for the next 20-odd years.