Goodbye 2019

Goodbye 2019

A wedding:
Toby and Emma in September

And two funerals:
John Jones - October
Brian May - December

Travel:
Criccieth -January
Cape Winelands – March
Viking, Budapest to Bucharest – June
Viking Ukraine, Odessa to Kiev – July
Criccieth - July
Verona Winelands -September
Naples & St Pete Beach - October
Las Vegas - November

Christmas Day

Christmas Day: Peter and Sue arrived 16:10 and dinner was on the table an hour later

Aperitif with nibbles
Champagne Lanson Black Label Brut NV (this was disgorged 6/16 and I’ve cellared it since I bought it in 2016)
Main Course - Roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast parsnip and potatoes, brussels sprouts (which we all love), carrots, cauliflower
Jim Barry ‘McRae Wood’ Clare Valley Shiraz 2012
St Hallett ‘Old Block’ Barossa Shiraz 1993
Dessert - Individual Christmas Puddings or Apricot Tart with custard
Pillitteri Icewine Vidal 2016, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake

afterwards Trivial Pursuit with James Bond 007 question pack 

Blandy's Madeira Malmsey 15 Years Old NV

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Probus Christmas Lunch

Probus's 35th annual Christmas lunch was held at Belvedere Restaurant.

Santa helped Chairman Steve Gildersleve draw the raffle prizes

and Ann Jones told him that she had been a good girl.

Sandie, Mike, Peter

Christmas Pudding

As  usual the food was good. White wine was Elodie Dupres Cuvee Prestige Mâcon-Villages 2018 and the red Errazuriz Estate Carménère 2017 from Chile's Valle de Aconcagua , and a great time was enjoyed by all.

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CWW Xmas Party

Circle of Wine Writers Christmas Party, hosted by New Zealand Wine Growers, was held in the 17th floor Penthouse at New Zealand House in Haymarket.

It is the 200th anniversary of the first vines being planted in New Zealand on 25 September 1819, by Reverend Samuel Marsden, Chaplain to New South Wales.

Welcome address by CWW President Rosemary George

There's a walkway all round outside the top floor of New Zealand House with great views of London.

London Eye

Haymarket

The Mall

Xmas Postboxes Yarnbombed

For the second year St Alban's postboxes have had a Christmassy lid knitted by the Yarnbombers. This year 54 postboxes have been decorated.

Sandridge Road

Beech Road

St Peter's Street

Sadly, the St Peter's Street top was stolen shortly after this picture was taken....

Last years box photo's here.

Story in Herts Advertiser here.

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U3A Wine Group Christmas Meet

Stewart's idea, and he hosted; each member to bring a favourite bottle and food to match it.

We had
2009Vintage Champagne, 
Premier Cru Chablis
Pecorino Abruzzo
Cote du Rhône white
Barbera d’Asti
Château Tayac Margaux 2012
Barolo 2015
Ch Myratt Sauternes
My wine was Henry of Pelham Family Estate 'Old Vines' Baco Noir 2017 Ontario VQA

An excellent evening

Toby, Emma and New Phone

First photo's taken with new phone, Huawei P31, bought to replace Sony Camera lost on was to Las Vegas. Toby and Emma came for dinner and Toby set up the phone, and the Amazon Dot they gave us as a Christmas present.