December 2004 : What's another Year?

As we start to think of a New Year, we've all got to transfer vital information from our 2004 diaries over to the 2005 version! I was just looking at my pocket diary and was very pleased to find in the contents a Vintage Chart - quite unusual these days. The question is, what help can a vintage chart actually give you? In fact it can be very useful in deciding what to purchase.

I mentioned in my previous column about the wine bargain offers after Christmas, which is where the chart can help in stating the good, bad and indifferent vintages. It is not rocket science to suppose that wine merchants will offload poor vintages at special prices on to the unsuspecting public!

Don't expect that every vintage is going to be exceptional. There are several contributory factors (climate just being one); all of you keen gardeners will know that your fruits and flowers don't produce bumper crops every year. But why do wine merchants purchase off-vintage wines then? The answer is that if they are the UK agency for a particular winery or producer, they will be expected to purchase their wines, both in good and bad vintages. In other words, they have no choice or they would lose the agency altogether. It doesn't matter how famous or popular a wine grower may be. They are unable to control the weather - that's in the hands of someone else altogether!

The moral of this month's column is : arm yourself with a vintage chart before purchasing quality wines, particularly if you intend keeping them for a few years.

Happy & Healthy Drinking!
Kenneth Harry Putt

This Month's Recipes :
Here are two simple recipes - both originating from Virginia, USA - to serve with your pre-dinner aperitifs.

Country Ham Butter

This can be made in 5 minutes in a food processor!

Ingredients :
Half pound of unsalted butter
Half pound of ham - minced and free of fat

Method :
Combine the butter and ham in a processor until perfectly smooth, chill in the fridge and then serve as a spread on crackers or hot toast.

Hot Dilled Olives

Ingredients :
Jar of large green olives (pitted)
2 x cloves garlic
2 x red chilli peppers
4 x tablespoons fresh chopped dill
2 x bay leaves
5 x tablespoons good quality olive oil
5 x tablespoons white wine vinegar

Method :
Drain the olives and place in bowl. Add spices, oil and vinegar. Allow to marinate in the fridge for two days. Ready to serve with any drinks - Dry Martinis especially!