Ah ha ha! Likely due to the grapes grown at the relatively high altitude of plus 400 meters? Hello Mont St Victoire.. cheeky cin cin and fabulous views. Or the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon into the blend just to wang off the pink brigade? 🥀🌹💓 Tbf a very good party format in a jerry. Yummee.

An ultra banger. Go there. At England summer temperature it’s an oof. In a very good way. Got to love Levantine Hill. Yah.

And yet, on the upside, it’s home grown tomato season!

Which wine would you pair with this Argentinian flag? I’m thinking.. a white, watery, warm wine that lacks conviction when put to the palate. Oops that could be an English still wine.. COYS! Come on you Spain!! ♥️🇪🇸⚽️

Latest billing of the game..

A classic, ‘I’m having what she’s having’ evening din dins in the garden. With a wonderfully elevated, very fine Fiano and some beautifully bbq’ed sea bream. Heaven. ♥️🐟

Post match English fizz. A great result for England. Tbh I rather fancy our chances against either Argentina or Switzerland.

Pipistrel bats for England! ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️

It’s ‘all’ here if you squint a little!Even a Syrian wine which was vinified in Lebanon. And a very beautiful Israeli wine. Make wine not war.

Actually I love proper Soave - in weird and wonderful settings such as Calgary Stampede’s ‘Wine Bar’. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Why? What’s the problem? Always good to expand your skill set. Footballing isn’t forever is it? And yet this..

Inspired by Count Binface’s recent near-miss, I’m considering standing as The Incorkigible Vin de Plume. Policies inc: - Every 3rd Tuesday: water into wine. - 24/7 hotline for Brits suffering from: * Corked wine * Rellies bringing Blue Nun, The Mother-in-Law or Personal Fermentation to din-dins.

Praise be to The Wine Society for providing a perfectly adequate Greek rosé for a ‘school night’. Thems were the days. Ngl the wine has a touch of the boiled fruit pastels about it but in a semi-decent kind of way. Dry, refreshing and rather calming after that crazy Argentina v Morocco game.

‘Wine bar’ takes on a bit of a new meaning at the Calgary Stampede. With a surprisingly approachable wine list too. Go Canada!! ♥️🇨🇦

A grim wine. Sorry but far too everything including jam.

Kicking Horse in Golden, BC, has been a real eye opener. Heights, bikes, writes/rights and whites* (as in water rafting). *Fortunately my family do not mind getting occasionally wet. What a fantastic and seriously beautiful country Canada is. ♥️🇨🇦

Another Marmot. Cute or what?

A bonus animal. Canada invents animals for lools. 😉

That superb photograph calls for a cooling beer from Canada. With some added deep bitterness should you be a’sheltterin’ underneath that tree.

The Canadian Rockies Vin de Plume adventure begins with some beautiful Banff beer, a balanced Washington/Okanagan GSM, sliver of Lake Louise and a magnificent Elk. Got to love Canada. A very fine country indeed! ♥️🇨🇦🍺🍷🫎🏔️🦅

This RdD arrives like a Spanish bulldozer driven by a slightly tiddly Mariano Garcìa - loud, confident & unconcerned with his usual subtlety. 😉 Brimming with balanced acidity, dark fruits, spice & slight oak, it grabs this lamb shank by the scruff of the neck & refuses to let go. Yumminess.👍🏼 ♥️🇪🇸🍷

Two side wines this evening. One on song, one not. Which one’s which?!

Albariño: vino with more passports than a secret agent. In 🇪🇸 Galicia it kisses the Atlantic, in 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Kent it has an acidic accent & in 🇺🇾 Uruguay it dances to a different beat. Crisp, zesty, saline, tropical or floral - few grapes adapt so brilliantly while keeping their Albariño soul. ¡Gracias! ♥️🍋🍏🗿💎

Can you imagine being Bill Greenwood way back in the day? An Essex wine hero. C’mon England!💪🏼

Snap!

In a word.. bless. The English Pinot Noir makers are coming. Apparently. Just need some riper summers and less cola on the palate. Good effort though. And a new, way more refined yeast. C’mon on England! ♥️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🍾🍷

Much as I love wine. And I do love wine.. anybody like a Negroni?! 💪🏼 Here’s a twist: The Negrorange 🍊 It’s a Negroni that spent a fortnight on the Amalfi Coast & returned claiming vitamin C is a lifestyle. Equal parts Tanqueray, Cocchi, Campari & fresh squeezed OJ. With 3 dashes orange bitters.💥

Bluesky seems such a happier, more positive and generally way less toxic place than X. Just saying! Oh and here’s a fabulous wine and vintage and bottle from Château Musar! ♥️🇱🇧🍷💋

Your dear old cat reminds me a little bit of our late and much lamented Cleo. Cats are such special pets. ♥️😻

A v good indeed Saffer Sauv Blanc reminded me that prejudice is no substitute for tasting. Comando G’s Rozas 1er Vino de Paraje 2019 brought the grace and poise of Sierra de Gredos. And then some. Finally, Roger Groult’s 12 year old Calvados Pays d’Auge provided a fabulous finale.