Beerio Coolio!

[Lord Steve]

Tres Hombres number seven this year in three cars, none of which are big enough to get a fridge and generator in. Teensy problemmetto then as your truly has been given the unenviable task of finding a way to keep the beer cold.
Apart from nipping off to the supermarket in Arnage every 10 minutes, after eleven trips to Maison Blanche I still haven't cracked this one.

Prize (unspecified at this stage) for the person who comes up with the most ingenious (and practical) solution to this most irritating of problems.

[Robspot]

There's some useful info here

http://www.clubarnage.com/yabbse/index.php?board=2;action=display;threadid=2845

If you can wade through the insane ramblings!

[jpchenet]

Get there in time to get a plug in to one of the "golden triangle" power supplies and get Gilles to obtain you a second hand "disposable" fridge.

[Robspot]

What is the golden triangle?

[jpchenet]

What is the golden triangle?

An area of unknown happenings in the centre of Maison Blanche. A bit like the Bermuda Triangle, people who walk through there have strange things happen to them.

I walked through it last year at about 11am one day and came out the other side at about 1pm half pissed!!!

[Robspot]

JP

In you role as professional beer and wine sampler, have you come across a decent sancerre or pouilly fume for a reasonable cost in France (and assuming of course that you do drink things apart from JPC!)

Yours toffily
Colonel Spot

[jpchenet]

You are spoilt for choice robspot!

That said, I couldn't tell you which ones I'd recommend by name/producer as it tends to be that I recognise them by label!! I therefore have to ensure that I shop for them at the same time each year to ensure that the level of blurred vision is the same as the previous year so that they look similar. On site we do tend to stick to JP Chenet, mainly because after the second bottle we wouldn't taste the difference between a Premier Cru Puligny-Montrachet and a Muscadet.

JP Chenet isn't the best wine in the world (or Le Mans for that matter) but it's quaffable, and it's incredibly good value for money (6 bottle for about £10)

It's a bit like holidaying abroad. I can drink Raki, Ouzo and Retsina when I'm in Crete, but the stuff tastes awful when you try it at home!

[Neal]

Bit worried JP I can still drink all that stuff when I get home

[jpchenet]

Bit worried JP I can still drink all that stuff when I get home

Ah, but there is a difference in being able to drink it, and how it tastes.

I remember one night staying at a mates house several years ago and after a lock in at his local we headed back to crash at his place and decided a night cap was in order. We were met with a choice of Advocaat or Creme De Menthe, both of which looked, by the depth of the layer of dust on them, as though they had been at the abck of the cupboard for at least a decade. They didn't mix together very well, but the Creme De Menthe was quite refreshing.

[Robspot]

A mate brought back some Metaxa once (greek brandy). With the benefit of hindsight he probably shouldn't have come home at all.

[Bobblehat]

JP

In you role as professional beer and wine sampler, have you come across a decent sancerre or pouilly fume for a reasonable cost in France (and assuming of course that you do drink things apart from JPC!)

Yours toffily
Colonel Spot

As LM is not to far from the Loir Valley, there is a good range in most of the supermarkets.  Look for on the label "bottled by the produce" or "bottled in the chataue" (in french obviously).
But as there is always a problem keeping beer & wine cold, and I like my Sancerre very very cold, I find that Chablis is a better bet, OK so its Burgundy, but hey. But if you are looking for reds, look for Chinnon, but pay maybe a euro more than you would for the whites.

Not that I now anything about french wines, I only import Italian wines..........

Do have a spiffing time dear chap, happy quaffing!

[jpchenet]

Not that I now anything about french wines, I only import Italian wines..........

So what should I be looking out for when I go to Rome next weekend Bobblehat??

[Bobblehat]

So what should I be looking out for when I go to Rome next weekend Bobblehat??

As Italy is the 2nd largest wine producing nation, to give you an idea how big Scilly produces more wine than Australia! plus over 700 differant grape verieties growing in its vineyards. So there is a lot of wine to chose from!!!!

As Rome is in the Lazio region most of the wine will be from Frascati plus a few other regions a lot of them, well know for white wines. Est Est Est is another. There should be some good 2004 whites avalible. Try to find the smaller producers

If you get the chance look out for sighns "Enoteca" these are wine shop/wine bars.

Two Lazio producers to look out for "Piero Costantini , Villa Simone"  and " Cantina Cerqueta" both make good wines the Piero Costantini make more the top end wines. As for reds most will be made from Sangiovese. If you like a few bubbles try some Prosecco.

I have a rule of thumb in resturants that I will spend the same amout on wine as in the UK, say 15/16 then I will get a cracker in Italy.

I know itas a blatent plug but have a look at

www.i-love-wine.co.uk

Have fun, oh and mind the vespas.

[jpchenet]

Thanks Bobblehat, I'll let you know how I get on.  Thanks for the tips, we'll be certain to try some!!!

So....which one are you on the web site???

[Jem]

Your graciousness nice to see that you are still about !! and that your LM court has grown to 7 number.

The simplest way to overcome keeping your beer cold is................not to drink beer at all and drink cocktails.  Then all you need is a couple of bags of ice from Carrefour and you're away.  Then by the time you are arsed and fancy a beer you won't really care if its on the warmish side of cold !!

Jem