Hello!
Welcome to my new blog, hope you enjoy it!
I say new because; thing is, I’ve started about 10 different blogs, and either lost interest or forgot the passwords for them, so I’m going to make an effort with this one.
Well, what’s this blog all about I wonder? Well, it’s simple really.
It’s Jan 2008, and a brand new year with loads of hope, promise and resolutions for new starts. Not that I personally thought I needed one, but I’ve sort of been forced into making a resolution of spending a hell of a lot less on wine, beer and spirits for the next year. It sounds like I’m an alki but I’m actually not.
I am in love with alcohol, the alcohol industry, the history of alcohol and all bits in between. Importantly, I (mostly) drink in moderation, and am even known to abstain from swallowing at a wine tasting evening if I’m being good. No Sir, no Frosty Jack drinking tramps on this blog. I’m ust a bloke with an appreciation of alcohol, not an addiction to it!
This is not just any drinks blog however, and to discover the reason for this, we need to go back to the waffle I mentioned before about new year and new starts. As mentioned, I’ve been forced to cut back on spending, as ‘I have wasted enough money this year to put my baby girl through uni’ according to my wife. I argued that I was surely doing her a favour, as so many graduates fail to gain jobs and waste three years of their lives getting pissed and eating beans on toast and kebabs (mmmm…….kebabs).
But no, I wasn’t going to win an arguement with a woman who makes a banshee seem like buddah, so I’ve had to cut back. However, I’m not going to be totally denied the pleasure of the gifts of Dionysis (that’s the Greek god of wine for all you oiks). I’ve been allowed to enjoy wine in ‘moderation’ and at ‘reasonable’ prices apparently.
So, I’ve decided to spend a year drinking nothing unless in comes from Aldi or Lidl. Both are local to our house, and the food there is cheap and not unreasonable quality. I’ve had the odd bottle of drinkable plonk there and a few of the beers (being German) have been good value….but I’m not 100% sure how I’m going to get on for 12 months.
I reckon I’ll be allowed the odd treat from my local vintners, but the majority will now come from these two German giants of retail efficiency. So, do feel free to join me in this tour de force and I’ll let you leave comments if a)They’re not abusive and b) They don’t disagree with my own (only joking).
Anyways, here’s to 12 months of getting to the bottom of whether the ‘value’ supermarkets can match the big boys. Time can only tell, but as a wise man once said …… In Vino Veritas! (In wine there is truth…..now go back to your tractor.)
