Dutch courage

So my cellar was empty of sparkling wine just before Christmas, which given my house guests was a no no. I combined a trip to Tours airport with a visit to my regular cave in Vouvray to stock up. With Champagne becoming less and less a drink and increasingly a trophy for the over rich, it is worth finding an alternative sparkling wine. Especially if you are like me and need a regular little celebration as each hurdle or challenge in life is overcome.And challenge I had in front of me. It is not up to good Champagne (though Champagne is not all good) but at 5 euro 30 the bottle, it is good value. There are quite a number of sparkling wines around but I would rate Vouvray the best. It has a great tradition, and exceptionally for a Loire wine, a long cellar life. The chenin blanc gives it a distinct flavour. The point is it is not a competitor to Champagne but a great wine in its own right. Vouvray always has the reputation as a sweet drink, and most that is sold is indeed sweet. But that's just for historical reasons, Champagne started out that way too. If you take the right brut it is perfectly dry. Don't forget that 'sec' is of course not dry and even the brut needs checking because it can have that lingering sugaryflavour so frequently met with German wines.

No doubt to Anglo Saxon eyes Vouvray village looks hopelessly old fashioned. It is not, it is traditional. Everything is well maintained, the chais have the latest technology, but the marketing men and cost accountants have not moved in. When the Anglo Saxon hype merchants and bean counters come, you can be sure that Anglo Saxon prices and blandness are soon to follow.

Vouvray is near Tours airport and that was where I was going. First though, a light meal and a glass of Vouvray in a favourite restaurant. Now I was ready to humour my first English guest.