AA Gill, anyone?

Is anyone here a fan of the Times (London) restaurant critic AA Gill? He doesn't often have that much to say about wine but this paragraph (from a review of London's Chez Bruce) recently made me chuckle. One has to wonder if a large portion of good wine isn't consumed by people like these:

Next to us, right next to us, was a table of four men who all appeared to know each other in some professional capacity, but hadn’t grown to like each other. They sat surrounded by glasses, and swilled and snorted and squelched and gargled and perused as the sommelier passed among them like Mr Bean doing Uriah Heep. The plates came and went without notice. They must have consumed a bottle and a half each. And as they settled into their brandies, I noticed their slack faces and squinty, dull eyes regarding each other with a collective, bibulous, self-pitying gloom. Each was thinking: “This is what I’ve come to. I’m balding, I’m paunchy, I’ve got a pathetic sports car, it’s 11.30pm and I’m on the outside of a couple of grands’ worth of posh plonk. And I’m seeing two of Kevin from conveyancing.” This table was the utter antithesis of everything gay Bacchus intended for the magic joy of the nobly fermented vine. They’d all have been better off, and far happier, with a £7 bottle of Asda vodka and a really expensive Ukrainian hooker.

Is anyone here a fan of the Times (London) restaurant critic AA Gill? He doesn't often have that much to say about wine but this paragraph (from a review of London's Chez Bruce) recently made me chuckle. One has to wonder if a large portion of good wine isn't consumed by people like these:

Next to us, right next to us, was a table of four men who all appeared to know each other in some professional capacity, but hadn’t grown to like each other. They sat surrounded by glasses, and swilled and snorted and squelched and gargled and perused as the sommelier passed among them like Mr Bean doing Uriah Heep. The plates came and went without notice. They must have consumed a bottle and a half each. And as they settled into their brandies, I noticed their slack faces and squinty, dull eyes regarding each other with a collective, bibulous, self-pitying gloom. Each was thinking: “This is what I’ve come to. I’m balding, I’m paunchy, I’ve got a pathetic sports car, it’s 11.30pm and I’m on the outside of a couple of grands’ worth of posh plonk. And I’m seeing two of Kevin from conveyancing.” This table was the utter antithesis of everything gay Bacchus intended for the magic joy of the nobly fermented vine. They’d all have been better off, and far happier, with a £7 bottle of Asda vodka and a really expensive Ukrainian hooker.

Joe-
Well done Mr. Gill. You made me feel as if I was actually there that evening.
FWIW, I think all the really expensive Ukrainian hookers are preparing for the 2010 PGA season.

He's always interesting to read. But not about wine since he is TT

I enjoy AA Gill enormously and have a bookmark that brings me to his latest review every week. However you need to be aware that he doesn't drink, so none of his reviews address wine as part of a meal. For more on this see http://www.lescaves.co.uk/wine_rack/fer ... sing_wine/

After his remark about the death of Keith Floyd (which I won't repeat), I don't think I'll ever have a positive thing to say about him. He's certainly ensured I won't buy the newspaper he writes for.

regards

Ian

It bothers me when reviewers either don't drink or entirely ignore the wine in restaurants where it is an important factor. For example, I just saw a review in a regional paper of a 'wine and tapas bar' where nothing at all was mentioned about the wine part.

Yeah, I knew Gill was on the wagon, and I certainly find him offensive from time to time. Ian: I had no idea who Keith Floyd was but googled him. Are you refering to Gill's recent comment about the Michelin star? If so, that was quite nasty. When I lived in the UK I didn't buy the Times because of its politics. That, and not wanting to give my money to Rupert Murdoch. But is seems that Floyd must have made a lot of enemies in his time, e.g. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/ ... .features1

Joe
Indeed that was the comment. Amongst ordinary food/drink enthusiasts there seemed to be a lot of goodwill towards Floyd and I wasn't aware of him making enemies. I saw a few comments about him being tetchy sometimes, but even those people still seemed to like him warmly. I don't know what Gill's issue with him was, and despite me being a firm believer that death doesn't transform someone into a saint, found that comment to be about as crass as they come.
regards
Ian

I have to agree with Ian. AA Gill is not a fave writer of mine nor that messed up Giles Coren of the Times. Must ask on UK forum who to follow for good restaurant write-ups.

Reading Victoria Moores wine tips in the Graniaud (!!), I just came across this little piece....>

Best wine to drink while wrapping presents: Oorain Victoria 2006 (£20, Hanging Ditch, Manchester, 0161-832 8222; Essentially Wine, Richmond or Chipstead, 020-8332 6233 or 01737 557737; 13% abv). This is a weird, weird wine. Made from syrah and a teeny bit of grenache in La Clape by Eric Fabre, a former technical director of Château Lafite, in partnership with Olivier Oorain, a designer of specialist chocolates, you smell fresh and dried figs, feel a hint of sweetness and… is that maple syrup? Yes, it is maple syrup. This is an aromatised wine, and it really does contain a small amount of pure Canadian maple syrup.

Sounds bl.... aweful! Oh, I am always a grump when sick. This time a very bad cold.