Cricket and a strange Ridge

Played cricket today for the wine trade down in Keevil, Wiltshire, against Further Friars. The pitch was a little damp after all the recent rain, but we had good conditions to play in. Batting first, the wine trade team did well against some good bowling, and headed in to lunch at 80-3. After lunch, the wickets fell quite steadily, and I came in at no. 8 only to catch a ball full in the face off a top edge. There was quite a bit of blood, but fortunately I didn't lose any teeth, which would have been expensive. I carried on, but was last out bowled for 3, with our total at 126.

We then bowled well and got Further Friars out for just under 100. I had a long spell where despite my swollen face I was quite accurate, and came away with nice figures of 9-3-13-3. It was a good game on a tricky pitch. Afterwards Jasper Morris (who was captaining the wine trade side) opened several bottles, including a Ridge Alicante Bouschet 1995. It was dense, dark and incredibly intense, with some spicy American oak adding a rich, almost medicinal note to the bold fruit. Not terribly fine, but really striking, and potentially long lived. I don't think this wine was ever released commercially.

The state of my face plus bad traffic on the M3 meant that I wasn't able to make it for tonight's Roederer Awards ceremony at Somerset House. I was shortlisted for the online category, as was Jancis Robinson - but it was Tom Cannavan (of wine-pages.com) who won. Congratulations to him.

Shortlisted

The Louis Roederer shortlist is out today. I was shortlisted for the online category, which was nice. But I also entered three other categories, which I wasn't shortlisted for. A shame, but I guess I'm just not good enough. Here's the shortlist for the online category, which is new this year:

Louis Roederer Award for International Online Wine Writer of the Year 2008

Tom Cannavan for www.wine-pages.com
Jamie Goode for www.wineanorak.com and www.wineanorak.com/blog
Chris Losh for articles on www.just-drinks.com
Jancis Robinson for www.jancisrobinson.com

It's really good that there is an online category, but looking at the judging panel, it will be a miracle if Jancis doesn't win it.

No Glenfiddich Awards in 2008

Just heard this morning via a letter from Sally Gordon that there will be no Glenfiddich Awards in 2008. The celebrated awards, known as the 'Oscars of the food and drink world', have a history dating back 30 years, but they will be taking a break this year while options are being considered for the future. It's a shame - they've been a useful source of additional income over the last two years!

Glenfiddich Awards 2007

Time for a spot of shameless self promotion. Last night was the 2007 Glenfiddich awards, held at swanky Sketch and hosted very ably by Tim Atkin. I was shortlisted for winewriter of the year, and - amazingly - came away with the trophy. The Drinks book of the year award was won by Williamson and Moore's Wine Behind the Label.

To celebrate, Fiona and I sloped off to Gaucho Piccadilly. The decor is remarkable (right): lots of cowhide, on the seats, on the walls - but all done very tastefully in a striking modern style. As well as the buzzy ambience (this place was full on a Monday night), service was excellent and the food was superb. The steaks here are legendary, but everything else is done well, too. On the wine front, the expensive but extensive list of Argentinean wines is well chosen, and I picked the Amalaya 2004 from Colome high up in Salta, which was a really lovely vivid red blend. The only downsides were the long wait for our food (although there was an unsolicited apology) and the final bill (the food was worth it, but it was on the high side).

Glenfiddich shortlist

The Glenfiddich shortlist for 2007 is out!

GLENFIDDICH FOOD & DRINK AWARDS 07: SHORT LIST

FOOD BOOK
A Tale Of 12 Kitchens - Jake Tilson (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)
Made In Italy Food & Stories - Giorgio Locatelli (Fourth Estate London)
Bread Matters - Andrew Whitley (Fourth Estate London)
Relish - Ruth Cowen (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

DRINK BOOK
Wine Behind The Label - Philip Williamson & David Moore (Williamson Moore Publishing Limited)
Bordeaux - Oz Clarke (Little, Brown Book Group and Websters International Publishers Limited)
Wine Atlas Of Australia - James Halliday (Mitchell Beazley)
Bordeaux – Stephen Brook (Mitchell Beazley)

FOOD WRITER
Andrew Purvis – Observer Food Monthly
Christopher Hirst – The Independent
Clarissa Hyman – Financial Times

COOKERY WRITER
Elisabeth Luard – The Oldie
Mark Hix – The Independent Magazine
Angela Nilsen – BBC Good Food Magazine

DRINK/BAR WRITER
Roger Protz – What’s Brewing / Beers Of The World
Alastair Gilmour – The Journal, Newcastle / E-Magazine (Eastern Airways)
Simon Difford – diffordsguide to Cocktails #5.4 Liquor & City Drinking

WINE WRITER
Jane Anson – Wine& Spirit / Business Destinations (American Express)
Jamie Goode – World of Fine Wine / Harpers
Margaret Rand – Decanter

RESTAURANT CRITIC
Terry Durack – The Independent on Sunday: Review
Tracey MacLeod – The Independent Magazine
Joanna Blythman – Sunday Herald

REGIONAL WRITER
Alastair Gilmour – The Journal, Newcastle
Mark Taylor – Bristol Evening Post / West Country Life (Western Daily Press)
Andrew Hobbs – Pure Taste, bi-annual in Associate North West Fine Foods (covers Cheshire, Lancashire and the Lake District)

TV
Rick Stein and the Japanese Ambassador – BBC2
River Cottage – Channel 4
Heston Blumenthal: In Search of Perfection: Fish & Chips – BBC2
Hannah Glasse The First Domestic Goddess – BBC 2

RADIO
The Food Programme: The Jungle – BBC R4
The Coppy Perry Pear Tree – BBC Birmingham
The Food Programme: Food & Memory – BBC 4
The Food Programme: IRAN – BBC R4

PHOTOGRAPHY
David Cicconi – Conde Nast Traveller
Jonathan Lovekin - FeastsRoberto Frankenberg – Conde Nast Traveller

The 2007 panel of judges comprises Chez Bruce’s Bruce Poole, food writer Diana Henry, restaurant magazine editor Joe Warwick, food and drink writer Richard Ehrlich and leading wine experts Andrew Jefford and Sarah Jane Evans MW.

Results out on May 14th at a glitzy party somewhere in London.