A mixed case arrives from Corney & Barrow. My orders are to improvise so I pull out a bottle at random. Here it is. El Campesino, a 2013 Chardonnay (£7.13), from Chile, which has a full, direct flavour and a slightly bitter tang that cuts against the sweetness. The Dionysian experts who scour the earth on Corney & Barrow’s behalf describe it as ‘fresh’ and ‘modern’ but not ‘overly oaked’. That, I presume, is a reference to cheapskate vintners who chuck oak shavings into the barrel to enhance the flavour. No crime there, I’d say, if it produces results. Customising wine is as old as wine itself. The Romans used to lob all kinds of things into their plonk: honey and herbs, spring water, and even ice hauled down in blocks from the nearest mountain and stored underground. Today’s on-trend mixer is said to be Diet Coke.
Next up, Il Barroccio, Veneto, 2013 (£7.13),
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