The medics would have one believe that alcohol is a depressant. That may be their conclusion drawn from test tubes in laboratories. Fortunately, however, it bears little relation to real life, which is just as well. The world has rarely been in greater need of antidepressants, in every form. One tries to tease American friends out of their gloom, reproaching them for taking their independence too early. Last time I attempted that, it did not work. ‘If Washington and Jefferson had foreseen Trump vs Harris, they would have asked George III for forgiveness.’
The 2014 Hommage à Jacques Perrin was just about the finest Rhône I have ever tasted
In the rest of the world, there is a charming paradox. A few years ago, Signora Giorgia Meloni was reviled as a neo-fascist, and plenty of critics were ready to omit the ‘neo’. Now she deserves to be recognised as the strongest leader of any major western power. There is certainly no counter-claim from Sir Stumbler and his awkward squad of hypocrites and mediocrities (the weakest front bench since the ‘Who? Who?’ governments after the falls of Peel and Lloyd George). Yet we in the UK should moderate our complaints. The Stumbler-ites will surely become less spectacularly incompetent. All they need is a strategy, a vision, the ability to think through coherent policies, plus a sincere reverence for this country and its institutions. Is that too much to ask? We shall see.
So if you want real reasons for grief, forget the UK and switch on the television news. Poor Lebanon, poor Beirut: if ever a people deserved better. It is easy to understand why the Israelis are determined to rid southern Lebanon of Hezbollah, but when will this war end? How could it be replaced by something resembling a peace, so that women and children are no longer maimed and slaughtered?
Some friends of mine were planning a wine-based trip to Lebanon to take place after Easter next year. It might work, but even assuming that the airlines are flying, I would not spend much money on non-refundable tickets. The massacre of the innocents may not have ended by then. For the moment, organising such a trip sounds like the triumph of hope over experience.
When it comes to wine, however, there may be grounds for cautious hope at least in one respect. Prices seem set to fall. President Xi has clamped down on ostentatious banqueting and the Chinese rich are no longer shopping for Bordeaux and Burgundy. One great Burgundy house is said to be losing £10,000 a month. It can survive, but alas, that may not be true of several UK wine merchants.
That would be a grievous loss, because they are precisely the type of smaller firms with long-matured expertise and carefully nurtured customer relationships that are one of the delights of British wine culture. The supermarkets do a decent job, but it would be a pity if they were left in sole possession of the field. Diversity has its uses.
The Russians are also out of the market. Admittedly, the Saudis are now drinking more wine. Although they always enjoyed more than their laws permitted, they are now prepared to be more open about their pleasures. But in terms of sheer volume, they could not possibly replace China. We British oenophiles will just have to do our best.
The other evening, I was banishing dull care with the help of some Beaucastel from the Perrin family, who are superb wine-makers. Their red and white Beaucastels from the early 2020s were excellent, as was the Coudoulet de Beaucastel, though they could all have done with more time. But the 2014 Hommage à Jacques Perrin was just about the finest Rhône I have ever tasted. It would be fun to run it against a great Hermitage. There are grounds for grief in the world. There is also scope for pleasure.
Comments