In Vino Veritas

Bacchus would have been proud of us. Five wine tastings, a Bombay Sapphire cocktail, plus a tour around the different wine regions of the world – from Georgia, to Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire, and then to other parts of the world – the Antipodes, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, the US, and even China and Thailand.

Yup, you heard correctly. So it appears that the Huatongs and the Monsoon Valleys are here to challenge the supremacy of the various Chateaux in France. But I wouldn’t be too worried. SW tried the Chinese wine and almost had to spit it out. The equally adventurous BP had sampled a so-called organic wine earlier, and claims that his headache stemmed directly from it.

We were at the Vinopolis earlier this afternoon for an excellent wine tour. It's located at Bankside, near to Borough Market, within what appears to be old warehouses. Situated nearby was the Wine Wharf, where I had been to earlier, which seems to be part of the same company.

Compared to my two companions, I was decidedly less adventurous, and limited my tasting selections to more well-known varieties, including an Italian negroarmaro, which I have never heard of before, much less encountered. Indeed, apart from that, I certainly came away much better informed about wines and wine-making.

We ended our tour at their amazing shop, which has some of the widest selection of whiskies I’ve ever seen. Selections from all over Scotland, from the Lowlands to the Highlands, from the Speyside to Skye. Arrayed there on the shelves, it sure was a spectacular visual feast. Well, don’t just take my word for it. Professional whiskey drinker SW was bowled over by the entire place, and he’s certain to be back.

We moved next to the wine store, where we got a bottle of Chablis Grand Cru “Valmur” 2004 from Domaine Christian Moreau, which we intend to present to the SSG tomorrow as she moves out of Goodenough College to her new spanking apartment at Shad Thames across the river, to begin – sorry, to resume her life as a super-duper sibeh dualiap corporate lawyer.


Bankside had more to offer. After leaving Vinopolis, we headed into nearby Southwark Cathedral for a quick shuftie around the historic complex, and then settled down for dinner at the Anchor pub, accompanied by a jug of Pimms. But the day wasn’t at an end yet, for there was a screening of Ocean’s Thirteen waiting for us at the Cineworld Haymarket further away at Piccadilly.

It was pretty okay, but not as riveting or memorable as Ocean’s Eleven. The plot was less than gripping, the dialogue was vapid, and you know what the biggest problem was? The lack, except for a sagging Ellen Barkin, of any attractive female lead. No babes. None whatsoever. No wonder some critics panned it.