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For Isabel / Xata

A long description follows. Sorry! But please bear with me.
I bought this excellent Portugese red (a good blend of the grapes stated on the label - an attractive label by the way!) at The Old Chapel Wine shop in Truro, Cornwall. They have an excellent range there. This shop used to be Laymont and Shaw, a well known firm back in the day, specialising in Spanish wines before they became fashionable. They actually had wine shipped in from Spain as the shop backs onto the tiny River Fal inlet that is the 'port' in Truro.
Anyway, in the early 1980s, I used to drive down to Cornwall from London to visit relatives in Zennor from time to time and on the way back would stop off here to pick up my Dad's annual allocation of Vega Sicilia Unico and Essencia. These are without doubt what are known as 'trophy wines' and are famous as being Spain's greatest reds. They were then (and I think still are) on special allocation only and my parents (who then owned the award-winning wine shop the Wine House in Wallington, Surrey) were fortunate enough to be allowed an allocation of 10 cases of each of these special wines!
I mentioned this to the current owner and we spent hours discussing all aspects of the wine trade these past 40 years!
I still have some Vega Sicilia here in my Dad's Cellar. I think it's the 1990 (I'll check tomorrow, as we have only recently disposed of the last of my 1970s on my mum's birthday - it was still fresh and lively and extremely complex and very rich; a wine hedonist's dream!!) My Dad still has a 67 but it's so low in the neck that it must have expired by now - a pity!
I'll take photos of my 'specials' and post them here one day.
Sorry to bore you non-wine lovers!
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34 comments

Jaap van 't Veen said:

Cheers !!
2 years ago ( translate )

Günter Klaus said:

Oh,da zeigst du einen feinen Wein lieber Andy :))

Wünsche noch einen schönen Wochenstart,ganz liebe Grüße Güni :))
2 years ago ( translate )

Jean Pierre Marcello said:

Couleur rouge fondamentale. Excellent.
2 years ago ( translate )

Andy Rodker replied to Jean Pierre Marcello:

The colour of my mum's kitchen work surface never fails to cheer! Thank you Jp! How are you keeping these days?
23 months ago

Xata said:

Great story for wine lovers as I am. And thanks for dedicating this bottle to me, sorry we are to far to drink it together. I didn't know about this wine, and the label is very elegant indeed.
Cheers Andy
2 years ago

Andy Rodker replied to Xata:

Thank you, Isabel,
We get a thousand times more Portugese wines in the UK than I have even seen in Spain!!
23 months ago

Mario Vargas said:

awesome description, cheers
23 months ago

Pearl said:

Je gouterai bien également car je ne connais pas les vins espagnols même réputés.
23 months ago ( translate )

Andy Rodker replied to Pearl:

We in the UK are fortunate in that our wine shops stock wine from every wine producing region on the planet! I mainly live in Spain and so the international range found there is extremely limited, but of course they do have their own wines to promote and I have to say that the quality of many Spanish wines is second to none and higher standards seem to be reached every year!
23 months ago

Ulrich John said:

Zum Wohle !
23 months ago

William Sutherland said:

Fabulous shot! Stay well!

Admired in: www.ipernity.com/group/tolerance
23 months ago

Gillian Everett said:

Cheers, hope you enjoy it. Love the colours and label design. Interesting story :-) Have not tried wine from Portugal but will look out for some. Nice that you dedicated it to Isabel.
23 months ago

Andy Rodker replied to Gillian Everett:

Thank you, Gillian. I'm never sure when I talk about wine or post the occasional photo of a bottle or three how many members are genuinely interested! I know some are so I will persevere. I'm soon to record a few of my 'specials' by photos on here, partly as a record for me; I live mainly in Madrid but my best wines are stored in Cornwall (my Dad's cellar).
23 months ago

Martin M. Miles said:

I like the story and would probably like the wine as well. I´m in Cuenca
right now and had a very agreeable Ribera del Duero last night. Cheers!
23 months ago

Andy Rodker replied to Martin M. Miles:

Sounds wonderful! What's the weather like in Cuenca?
23 months ago