This weekend I hopped on a plane – destination: Qingdao.
As a rule Farr Vintners sells wines that we know well from famous producers with famous vineyards in famous wine regions. Just now and again, something comes along from off the beaten track that really takes us by surprise...
A new feature at Crystal Palace this season will be the presentation of a bottle of Champagne to the Man of the Match courtesy of our friends at Moet et Chandon. The first bottle was presented on September 14th 2010 to James Vaughan (who had just joined the club on loan from Everton). James scored a brilliant hat-trick on his home debut at Selhurst Park, against Portsmouth. This was the first hat trick by a player making his debut at Selhurst Park since Peter Simpson in September 1929 against Norwich. Football was different in those days and Mr Simpson was probably lucky to celebrate with a bottle of brown ale.
The Crystal Palace Suite Last night was that great annual event - getting the dinner jacket out of the cupboard. With bow ties tied, George, Henry and I headed off to the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane for the International Wine Challenge's 2010 awards dinner. Before the dinner itself in the ballroom, the Merchant Awards were presented in the Crystal Palace Suite overlooking Hyde Park. With a name like Crystal Palace, it just had to be a lucky night!
