👭NEW FRIENDS AND OLD FAITHFULS👭

What's up winos, 

Idk about you, but I've got a heavy week on the horizon. Since I am (spoiler: always am) writing to you from the past, it's currently T-minus three hours until the Marto dinner at Ken's, which I am graciously being allowed to attend on the proviso that I put the occasional plate on the occasional table. Good deal! At the time of publication, though, I'll be on the train to Brighton for a little lunch with I Vigneri. It's a tough life, I know. 

Nothing like rolling into a heavy week straight off the back of a heavy weekend! I spent mine in Bristol force-feeding my friends wine. They've just bought a house, and I'm about as likely to do that as I am to attempt dry January, so I had to flex on them in my own inimitable way. And no better way than with one of these brand new Manon whites - a Chardy/Savagnin Jura-esque blend from Australia, of all places. This is SO good, and it's SO limited, so be SO smart and pick one up before it's gone. Might as well round out the order with a bottle of their skin contact while you're at it - a gorgeous peachy blend of yet more unlikely varieties. 

Before Manon, though, there was this bottle of Chidaine. As far as sparkling Chenin goes, this is up there with the greats. Bone dry, apple-y, creamy - the perfect wine for people living a Champagne lifestyle on a Cava budget (people like me, for example). 

Speaking of budget - just got in the new vintage of this Chardy from Domaine de Thalie, which is the epitome of bang for your buck. It's so freakin' sharp, ripe-fruited and packing enough acidity to wake you up after a long day of falling asleep at your work laptop. 

In a seamless segway that truly only I am capable of, if you're after budget drinking, you could do a lot worse than buying a ticket to our Beaujo-day tasting next Thursday. Now, I hear what you're saying. £70? Budget? Okay Beyonce! But I think you're missing one important point - £70 gets you unlimited wine. As in, you show up, get given a glass, and then get to  ounce around from table to table getting said glass refilled all night. ALL NIGHT. Tell me that's not better than spending that same £70 on two glasses of wine and 1.5 small plates in Soho? You can't, it's not. C u there.

Gotta go, my train's pulling in. See the time-hop thing I did there? Heh.

xoxo

Megan