Pouilly-Fuisse

I wanted to avoid politics for a bit as it brings me down to see how little politicians care about the lives they cost. I'm thinking labour is out next election but that's a whole other story.

So I decided that wine would make a nice hobby. I like a drink, I already drink wine, why not encourage this by calling it a hobby. Yep, I don't have a drinking problem, I have a hobby, honest.

Now I am pretty far from being an expert but I have a small working knowledge of wine that I can build on. I have done some reading and have a better idea of what I am doing and choosing.

Bought myself some decent glasses for tasting, even got a carafe so I can decant reds. Hit the booze store and got myself a bottle of Pouilly-Fuisse. How the hell do you ask for that?

"Hi, I'd like a bottle of pooly... er.. poolay...erm oh fuck it pass me that chablis"

Anyway, I looked it up and now have a chance at pronouncing it correctly without sounding too much like I was dropped on my head as a baby.

So there we were. Glasses in hand. Wine slightly chilled. I pulled the cork and let it breathe for a bit (eh? eh? told you I know what I am about!).

I splash a little in each glass. We avoid looking each other in the eye as this is already becoming seriously poncy. The swirling commences. Followed by the nose in the glass and inhaling like a glue addict. I look a bit embarrassed and have another go.

Smells like wine to me.

Bugger.

You see the pro's on the TV talking about burnt toast and elderflower. Well I managed to identify it as wine. Not a promising start.

I take a sip. I do all the lip pursing and (while silently begging with my eyes that this will never be spoken of) allow the wine to travel my mouth.

Yep. There it is. It's definitely wine. The best I could come up with is that it was creamy. I have heard that you can train your palate. I hope so. Years of beers and curries and tequila and chillis seem to have trained my palate to overlook anything that doesn't come with a health warning or that could blister paint at ten paces.

This was a decent wine. I liked the wine. I would even recommend the brand but I couldn't identify what made up the bouquet (oh yes my friend) or the flavour. I think I need to practice more.

Let the training commence.