I take a day off from the London Wine Trade Fair. It is not conducive to taking tasting notes professionally, although I must say, I never regret attending even if it is increasingly focused towards more consumer-orientated fare. But it is well organized, I always enjoy unexpected encounters and the eclecticism of the wines is to be applauded. No, instead I have a lunch meeting with Simon Tam at The Arches over a stunning DP Oenotheque ’95 (thanks Simon) and a Chateau Pavie 1970 that’s now getting long in tooth. I buy LCD Soundsystem’s new album on the way back home along with David Mitchell’s new novel “The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet”. I have been a massive fan of Mitchell since his debut “Ghostwritten” in the late-90s: a genius whose mind-expanding “Cloud Atlas” was nominated for a Booker Prize a few years ago. You know, it’s a beautiful object this book. I saw someone flicking pages on a ”Spindle” the other day: a neat piece of technology I admit. But it could never replace a book. This one just looks beautiful with its ornate Edo-period drawing. It has weight and gravitas. Its tactile sensation is life-affirming, makes you feel warm inside. It represents something you want to treasure. As usual, I read with a dictionary to learn new words, although my dictionary and I are defeated by “grumous” as early as page 5.
Filed under: bordeaux, london tastings Tagged: | david mitchell, london wine trade fair, pavie 1970, simon tam, the arches, the thousand autumns of jacob de zoet
Grumous – formed of clustered grains or granules, thick and lumpy; as clotted blood.
So there you have it!