Henry of Pelham Baco 2013

Ready, or keep?

I've found a great local steak house with a zero-corkage on Mondays. Thinking the HoP Baco will go well with the steak.

Where is Paul B.? Not posted here since Feb or updated his blog since Jan....

He posts frequently on FB. I just messaged him regarding this post.

Have rather neglected BN as of late so thanks for the reminder!

Thanks, Howie

Hi Peter, I hope all is well.

Howie alerted me to your message; I don't stop by here as often these days!

So, first off, yes—that Baco will go splendidly with steak. Quality Baco has the acidity and laser-sharp heft to stand up to thick cuts of meat very well. 2013 was an OK year in Ontario, but what you have probably noticed is that hybrid reds do well year in, year out: so you can keep the 2013, but personally I would just pop it and enjoy life.

Cheers

Many thanks, Paul

It's my only BN and in the past you've recommended keeping. But I drank a lot of young HoP BN in restaurants when I was last in Ontario and greatly enjoyed them.

There's a strange feeling about broaching the last of any wine...

Hope you come back here more often

What is the home-grown wine scene like in England nowadays, Peter? Have you tried any interesting wines? About a decade ago, I recall there being some talk of fine English Seyvals, among others.

Home grown wine?

English wine is on a roll. Sparkling is where it's mostly at. Champagne Taittinger have bought 69ha in Kent to grow and make sparkling wine. see https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... ne-in-kent

Last week Downing Street appointed Chapel Down & Ridgeview as official suppliers of sparkling wine for government functions

And, according to the Guardian this weekend
Last year 37 new winemakers started in business in England, according to accountants UHY Hacker Young. Over the past five years 170 new producers have been licensed by HM Revenue & Customs.

But what is being planted are the three champagne varieties. Camel Valley, a pioneer of sparkling wine, have an old vineyard of Seyval and it makes an excellent fizz, but alone of Camel Valley's wines the variety isn'y named on the label.

I think the most common hybrids planted now are those black ones bred especially to give a deep red colour in our climate; unfortunately I've not found any that make good wine.

For an overview see https://www.theguardian.com/business/20 ... -a-sparkle