Viinurin painajainen
A sommelier's nightmare
Alla oleva Jeremy Paxmanin pätkä lokakuun 7. päivän The Spectatorista oli sydäntäsärkevää luettavaa. En jaksa selittää, mitä varten meillä luetaan ko. lehteä, mutta siitä ei voi tehdä päätelmiä talouteen kuuluvien puoluepoliittisista kannoista.
Tuommoisia varten australialaiset kehittivät laatikkoviinit.
"I was talking the other day to a distinguished wine merchant who mournfully disclosed what had happened at the G8 dinner at Gleneagles last year. The British government treated the visiting heads of state to 1962 Château Latour, a wine which anyone with a functioning set of tastebuds would love to sample. Gerhard Schröder was the only one of the leaders who seemed to notice that they were drinking something special. Vladimir Putin gulped the stuff as if it were nothing out of the ordinary for him (as it probably wasn't). The teetotal George Bush ignored it completely. The sommelier turned to Jacques Chirac, who had just delivered himself of the characteristically disdainful and ill-informed remark that British food was the second worst in Europe. The French president swigged beer."
The heartbreaking quote above is from Jeremy Paxman's Diary in The Spectator magazine (7 October 2006). I won't try to explain why a certain someone subscribes to the Spectator, but one shouldn't jump into any ideological conclusions based on this.
Cask wine would have done just nicely. I think you can get 4 litres of fruity Moselle for just over $10.
Comments - Kommentit
Which country do you think would have come in at the very top of M. Chirac's "worst food in Europe" list?
Posted by: Angharad | October 14, 2006 05:18 PM
Angharad, I think you know perfectly well what the answer to that question is and it's cruel of you to raise it on this particular blog site. And anyway Chirac was wrong.
Posted by: Andy | October 14, 2006 06:12 PM
I can't do anything right this week...
Posted by: Angharad | October 15, 2006 01:35 PM
Andy, I think Angharad meant that Chirac's version of EU diplomacy consists of paying the same compliment to each European nation in turn. In addition to the British and the Finns, at least the Russians have 'the worst food in Europe'.
The compliment is usually uttered during international summits, at dinnertime, when the host nation is trying very hard to please the high-profile guests. I think Chirac's choice of beer over wine probably was meant to be an insult, clearly he didn't think any wine poured on the wrong side of the Channel was worth risking it.
There is a special treat in stock for Chirac - I can only assume he never dined in Austria.
Posted by: Anni | October 15, 2006 02:23 PM
Anni,
I know exactly what you are talking about!! Austrian wine in teh 80's could be used as anti-freeze in cars!! I have tasted much better stuff in recent years at functions when at CA, but only the red.
Posted by: don | October 16, 2006 10:42 PM
Disgusting. Sometimes I'm so ashamed to live in France...
Hyvä suomi !
Posted by: Miss Pligaa (ex Maurelita) | October 19, 2006 07:05 AM
Do you think Mr Bush might have preferred his coke in a nice straight line?
Love,
Cathy
Posted by: Cathy | October 26, 2006 05:46 PM
A nice, loving comment, Cathy.
Posted by: Anni | October 26, 2006 06:09 PM
Have I told you lately that I like your blog very much? And, of course, I love you. Are you allowed to say that on a blog?
Posted by: cathy | October 26, 2006 07:06 PM
Now you have embarrassed me and I have to stop blogging.
Posted by: Anni | October 26, 2006 11:47 PM
Oh dear. I hope you don't mean that. I promise not to stalk.
Posted by: cathy | October 27, 2006 07:21 PM