British Government cellar list

Fun to peruse the inventory (link at bottom of article) which includes quality ratings and some interesting comments.
Not much German, perhaps unsurprisingly, though what's there is largely Prum and Grunhauser, and not much Italian. Just 1 so-so wine from the Piedmont. Nice cache of vintage Cognac.

http://www.wine-searcher.com/m/2014/02/ ... good-wines

[David M. Bueker]

I like this line from the article: Many of the notes have an enthusiasm which suggests that their writer enjoys the job very much.

Sir, what do you do for a living?

Why I write tasting notes for Her Majesty, the Queen of England.

Easy to be happy with that sort of job.

[Jenise]

Enjoyed that a lot, thanks. Interesting job, managing a cellar like that. Looking over the Bordeauxs, I was actually surprised by how few wines they've bought in recent vintages.

Enjoyed that a lot, thanks. Interesting job, managing a cellar like that. Looking over the Bordeauxs, I was actually surprised by how few wines they've bought in recent vintages.

Isn't that likely more to do with the economy/austerity and not anything about the wines, per se?

My uncle for many years had the privilege of overseeing the wine cellar of his College at Cambridge, which from his accounts would dwarf that of the government, and choosing the wines for service at High Table. I got the impression from him, too, that it was not a very onerous job

Mark Lipton

[Jenise]

Enjoyed that a lot, thanks. Interesting job, managing a cellar like that. Looking over the Bordeauxs, I was actually surprised by how few wines they've bought in recent vintages.

Isn't that likely more to do with the economy/austerity and not anything about the wines, per se?

Maybe, or maybe that's all they ever do. Of recent vintages 2000 thru 2006, they only skipped 2002, so they've purchased regularly, but only 8-10 different wines from each vintage. Perhaps all they need, but it didn't strike me as much breadth.

"The wines are bought when young and cellared until they are deemed ready, and tasted regularly along the way."

It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it!

Looking over the Bordeauxs, I was actually surprised by how few wines they've bought in recent vintages.

Maybe they feel the same way I do, that the prices have gone up and the Empire is old.
Charles