Right, COVID-19, what are we drinking right now?

[sjw_11]

Well the board is pretty quiet right now, I guess we are all out hoarding toilet paper.

Here in Paris we have officially entered confinement. We need to mark on a form why we leave the house and carry it with us. There will be military and police check points and on the spot fines. We can only leave to buy groceries, go to work (if we have a good excuse to do so) or to take a small walk in our own neighbourhood. Tobacco and wine count as essential (naturally)

Pretty similar to Spain and Italy. Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Germany have all opted for slightly less restrictive measures (all non-essential stores and large gatherings banned, but no specific confinement yet.. Germany is yet to tell its big brother contestants about the Pandemic!). The UK is probably only a day or two away (I reckon) from admitting similar is needed not just asking nicely for people not to go to the pub (spoiler: they still went to the pub; the French angered Macron by picnicking on Sunday, so he called in the troops).
In the US, San Fran and NY are in some degree of lock down. NJ is closing shopping centres. And we all know the story in Asia.

So, I thought- a thread for solidarity in these challenging times. Somewhere to post tasting notes from self-isolation, glowing reviews of the two buck chuck we are left with if our cellars are behind strict check points, and with a special dispensation as well to allow NWR memes or anything funny to help us through.

There will of course be a mandatory cork vs screw cap debate, and one about whether Wendouree is good (as is the rule for all of our threads).
Let us know how you and your family are surviving these challenges.

All the best folks.

[sjw_11]

And to start us off, I have a pretty decent little Viognier from Stephane Real, its an IGT Urfe. I have no idea either, I picked up a sixer from a local company on the basis it was a) less than 10 euros and b) they haven't led me astray before. And it's not bad. Maybe a touch grippy (phenolic, coarse) but for the money I am happy.

[Wizz]

Good one Sam - strange times indeed. In Aus we're well behind that level of isolation, and everyone I talk to with young children, elderly parents or ill relatives wonders why we aren't doing more. But that's become typical of this government, half measures introduced too late. Bushfires were the same. Climate change response is is mindbogglingly daft. Oh well - lets not look to our leaders for leadership then.

Were not isolated yet but it seems imminent. The cellar is in the house so we're all good, and I think I'll be reaching for the top shelf when we do

There will of course be a mandatory cork vs screw cap debate, and one about whether Wendouree is good (as is the rule for all of our threads).

Amusing that this sort of shite is now normalised here.

[winetastic]

Tobacco and wine count as essential (naturally)

Gotta love the French

[phillisc]

Hi Sam, hope you are good and when in France last September, I enjoyed nothing more than playing international/variety/region, lottery at the supermarket, with wines that I knew nothing about. Some excellent whites reds and bubbles for just a few Euros each.
I am not drinking much at all really, apart from plenty of lager and experimentation with all sorts of cordials to go with Gin.

I'm waiting for Jamie to clean up and send a couple of shipping containers of all the bargain basement stuff from the fire sales back to OZ, so that he can invite the whole bloody Auswine community to a post Covid-19 knees up

Hoping to be in the UK in September for work and holiday...but looking increasingly unlikely. In Adelaide you can't even have a game of social lawn bowls anymore and we have a chap from marketing running the country through a do's and don'ts rule book .
Cheers and stay well
Craig.

[Redav]

Sam, it's interesting to hear from the inside. I hope it goes well and yes, strange times.

I have a bottle of 2019 Hand Sanitiser - jammy, too much length with notes of Aloe Vera and a hint of alcohol. Hopefully it is not over the hill yet

[Barney]

Had a QF flight to London booked over Easter to visit my Daughter who moved there earlier this year, fortuntely was able shift to October at no cost.... thanks Qantas !, hopefully the dust has settled by then.

My office is right next door to a Costco and as I type can see people streaming out with even the oversized Costco trolleys bulging and flowing over, for anyone in Melbourne seems if you get there early enough you can score what seems to be a pack of around 100 toilet rolls which are bigger in size than some of the perople carrying them. Live just out of Trentham a small country town in central Victoria, we have a small independant grocer in town that was denuded by Melbourne people that turned up in a bus yesterday for that specific purpose, seems has been happening all over.

The big issue is the high propotion of elderly pensioners in town that don't have cars or can't drive and are absolutely dependant on the supermaket for their groceries...some people really do suck !.

Personally had indirect contact with a then undiagnosed CV infected person last week, they attended a meeting in my office that fortunately I didn't need to attend, have effectively now self isolated as am now the only person in the office with the rest now working from home indefinately.

On a brighter note am downsizing my wine fridge capacity from 3 to 2 so have around 200 bottle of various Red's that wont fit into the 2 remaining fridges, in the event of extended home isolation think that will keep me going for some time.

[JamieBahrain]

And we all know the story in Asia.

I think there's many, many stories. Some very successful. Some impending disasters.

Hong Kong has had what seems to be amounting to a successful community led response prompting a lagging government ( Beijing central control ) to respond- though still in bumbling fashion. Personally I was critical of the paranoia at the onset but if it works culturally, so be it. The community does not trust the government and is scared by SARS and generations of pestilence in southern China ( I can move a crowd here with a poodle ).

Some Australian community responses we are seeing abroad, painted from various media sources, are devastatingly embarrassing. It does not even look like Australia. I'm about as interested in partisan politics as much as others don't want differing opinions on wine closures, but from where we are the government looks measured and moves fast when it has to. I do believe economic collapse will see more killed than the virus. So the economy is very important as is geo-politics. Sino-American conflict could play out over this with idiots at the helm.

So plenty to drink in Hong Kong. We had a gala packed month of world class Piedmont events drawing the winemakers from Italy. Who then cancelled when HKG had barely a case! Sadly, its gone terribly wrong in Italy since.

Some of our social events are seeing people demand to know where everyone's been in the last 14 days- commanded more in irrational panic than the logic of the well educated they are. Social media is kicking in- one Piedmont group coordinating tastings online which is just fantastic as a number of them locked up in the Langhe and wider Europe.

Wine dinners we have one a week organised. We aren't isolating so they will probably go ahead. If imported European cases increase, I expect draconian measures to follow from Carrie- because Beijing will OK this because they are European cases and not Chinese.

SARS saw folks stop hocking and spitting in the streets, Bird Flu most folks now washed their hands after shitting and hopefully this scare sees pressure on the horrific wildlife/domestic wet markets. I remote trek for a hobby and and have a lot of anecdotes and experience with mainland poachers. They are politically powerful monsters and I hope the crisis is promulgated better.

[felixp21]

4 new cases today in 1.4 billion people with a novel virus with high AR, severe virulence, and which originated in China.
4 new cases three months after origin. Doctors analysing this are seriously shaking their heads in disbelief.

Although the West seems incredibly reluctant to admit it, we in the medical circles think this might be the greatest achievement yet in mankind's long history. Chinese methods have been bizarrely draconian, but stunningly systematic for the past ten weeks, ruthless and absolutely correct in their method and execution. What should have been a death toll of around 500,000 people, calculated on any computer model you wish to name will, in the end, be less than 4,000.

Make no mistake, what has been done in China the past 10 weeks makes landing on the moon the equivalent of parking your car on Chapel Street.

The sad part? With the exception of several Asian countries, the rest of the World have largely ignored the Chinese experience and methodology. The coming 10 weeks will demonstrate what an horrendous mistake that was. Even sadder, Australia is one of the main culprits.

[Benchmark]

KL in lockdown. Shops are all still open for takeaway.

Supermarkets remain well stocked.

Working form home.

Religious festivals and shopping centres closed so we shall see how it goes.

[JamieBahrain]

KL in lockdown. Shops are all still open for takeaway.

Supermarkets remain well stocked.

Working form home.

Religious festivals and shopping centres closed so we shall see how it goes.

I found Malaysia blasé over the last few months. Having passengers from high risk areas and an immigration process which required placing your fingers on a glassware scanner! Then, absolutely zero hand sanitiser, anywhere in the airport.

But damn they were dillgent looking for my extra bottle of wine- and the "cash" fine.

[JamieBahrain]

4 new cases today in 1.4 billion people with a novel virus with high AR, severe virulence, and which originated in China.
4 new cases three months after origin. Doctors analysing this are seriously shaking their heads in disbelief.

Although the West seems incredibly reluctant to admit it, we in the medical circles think this might be the greatest achievement yet in mankind's long history. Chinese methods have been bizarrely draconian, but stunningly systematic for the past ten weeks, ruthless and absolutely correct in their method and execution. What should have been a death toll of around 500,000 people, calculated on any computer model you wish to name will, in the end, be less than 4,000.

Make no mistake, what has been done in China the past 10 weeks makes landing on the moon the equivalent of parking your car on Chapel Street.

The sad part? With the exception of several Asian countries, the rest of the World have largely ignored the Chinese experience and methodology. The coming 10 weeks will demonstrate what an horrendous mistake that was. Even sadder, Australia is one of the main culprits.

Do you buy their crap Felix? We don't know what really went on nor what is going on.

[felixp21]

absolutely 100% believe them, 100%

seen it in WuHan thru my brother in law, who is a doctor, and in SZ, where the Covid wards are now empty.

staggering success. Those temporary hospitals in WuHan are completely empty, and are being dismantled as we speak.

[JamieBahrain]

So you'll be back soon? I've a bunch of Cappellano Barolo coming for you soon.

A real mystery for me what happens. Need to know only I guess.




( photo removed )

[felixp21]

sweeeeeet!!!!
six months of pain.... my brother is in Singapore today, flying perhaps the last 380 back tomorrow, sounds like he'll be playing a lot of golf over the next few months!!!
it's interesting to see how well the Asian countries did with this whole disaster, HK, Singapore, China, Korea have thus far been fantastic in their response. A mixture of culture, experience (SARS), good medical systems, and decisive governments. Pretty much the opposite of Australia. I'm down in Aus atm, my wife still a week to go in quarantine in SZ. The lack of common sense and appreciation of our dire situation is palpable in the medical community, everyone nervous about a country that is headed in EXACTLY the same direction as the poor Italians.

PS if you want to know who is fudging the figures, look no further than Italy. They stopped testing the elderly deceased a week ago, so you can be sure the official number of deaths is much lower than the actual number.

[JamieBahrain]

Hong Kong doesn''t seem so draconian. Little difference to Australia? Except schools closed and a far more paranoid population. What am I missing?

Yes I feel so terrible for Italy.

[felixp21]

just drove down Chapel Street, crowds everywhere, mingling as if nothing has happened. Italy repeated. Watch this space.

[Benchmark]

KL in lockdown. Shops are all still open for takeaway.

Supermarkets remain well stocked.

Working form home.

Religious festivals and shopping centres closed so we shall see how it goes.

I found Malaysia blasé over the last few months. Having passengers from high risk areas and an immigration process which required placing your fingers on a glassware scanner! Then, absolutely zero hand sanitiser, anywhere in the airport.

But damn they were dillgent looking for my extra bottle of wine- and the "cash" fine.

This sums up Malaysia!

Obviously not in the next few months, but if you are ever about for a night or two let me know.

[Dragzworthy]

It's bouncing back in Singapore with a mini surge of reported cases...word is that it's people rushing back into the country from Malaysia (though I've lived here long enough to discount that talk).
I've been working from my clients makeshift office out of town and we have just learnt that someone had contracted the virus so have been sent home. Now I need to see if I'm asked to self isolate by the Government or if it's just a corporate thing.

What am I drinking? Nothing at the moment, trying to reduce consumption and stick to weekends though I'm mighty tempted by a Voyager Chardonnay 2011 in my fridge....

[sjw_11]

There will of course be a mandatory cork vs screw cap debate, and one about whether Wendouree is good (as is the rule for all of our threads).

Amusing that this sort of shite is now normalised here.

To be honest, it is often me who gets into the arguments so I can't really talk

[brodie]

So the situation in sleepy little NZ is like waiting for a huge storm to hit (but no one in NZ has ever prepared for a big storm before!). Rather than aggressively getting ahead of the curve, NZ seems to want to wait until it is too late before taking decisive action on mandatory social distancing. We have 20 cases but testing is limited so we don't really know.

Life is going on like normal mostly. Tourism is pretty much dead as it entertainment. Supermarkets are well stocked (apart from hand sanitiser). People here talk about it a lot but few are actually changing their behaviours in any meaningful way. I expect it all to start going badly here within a week or two. Meanwhile my cellar is fully stocked and food is not an issue here.

On the cork vs screw cap debate; had a 2011 Felton Rd Bannockburn PN last night. Under screw cap, just delicious showing some nice forest floor development and lovely silky tannins and plenty of red cherry fruit. Perfect for current drinking and a testimony to screw caps!

Brodie

[Chuck]

Wife is in Sydney and I'm self isolating at home by choice. Wallowing in it actually with dog and cat sleeping on the bed, dishes piling up and listening to Pink Floyd with volume up. Eating KFC and junk food. Plenty of toilet paper . Wife is not keen on tannic wines so I've taken the opportunity to bring some interesting wines up from the cellar to enjoy alone.

Marjico The Harvesters 2016 Barossa Valley Cabernet Franc. Made by Jim Irvine of Irvine merlot fame after he sold the winery. He was offered 2 batches of Cab Franc grapes that a grower could not sell. One from Coonawarra and the other from Barossa. The Barossa wine is a great expression of the grape and with the Barossa warmth the fruit could fully ripen avoiding those harsh green edges normally seen in this grape. The tannins were fierce a few years ago but have eased back allowing the fruit to shine. Should go for 5+years. The Coonawarra version lacked some of the sweet fruit and was more typical of the grape.

Springs Hill 2012 Blewitt Springs Mourvedre. From a sub region of McLaren Vale. A bit higher in altitude than the valley floor. Good fruit but not much in the sweet range and lively tannin and typical of the grape. 5+ years to go. A nice surprise

Not sure what's on the tasting bench tonight.

[Wizz]

last night we opened a wine which was directly a result of COVD19. Nerves are a little frayed as Brisbane city is a ghost town and we are wondering why we are both still being asked to work in our city offices.

2019 Yabby Lake Pinot Gris. A solid inoffensive wine. That could describe most properly made PGs, but there it is. Bought as a case filler and it did that job admirably

[JamieBahrain]

Obviously not in the next few months, but if you are ever about for a night or two let me know.

Yes, certainly hope to get back to Malaysia soon. I miss AEON and all those beautiful organic fruit and vege.

If we don't end up in an irrational economic collapse and depression I hope to return soon- I'll bring some nice Barolo.

[Dang]

At home a bit apprehensive to go about (my immune system is BAD) so what else but reorganizing the wine cellar! Found a bottle of Tahbilk Marsanne 2009 with deep gold colour. Ha, this should go well with fish soup with Argentinian shrimps. What a glorious nose of apple, apricot, lime and lime grass. And a long mouthfull of bitter apple, lime peel. That should with the Covid apprehension squarely!

[Rossco]

2018 Bowen Estate Chardonnay

You know what, this is a really good drink. Ticks all the boxes in what I want in a modern Australian Chardonnay.
Fruit is nice (stone fruits white & yellow peaches), lemon citrus acidity and touch of vanilla from the very well rounded oak. Some slight creamy cashews, good lenght, and wonderful texture (i wonder if they left it on lees for a bit)

You can do a LOT worse for more money. Its not going to win awards, but did help me reminisce for a while about
the last time I was in coonawarra (Winter 2012 for cellardwellers) and what a great time I had. Need to go back and visit Emma and Doug when all this blows over.

Went fantastically well with my home made Japanese Okonomiyaki Pancake. Lucky its vegetarian
as there isnt any meat in the shops to use or buy!

[Redav]

Moving on from the hand sanitiser, last night we cracked a 2015 Rockford Eden Valley Riesling. It was still fresh (under screw) so a while to go. It went well with the microwave bumpkin and bacon risotto . I've been slowly keeping a bottle per vintage to see how they go over time. I'll probably push the next one back a few years as I'm trying to see if / how they develop.

[swirler]

4 new cases today in 1.4 billion people with a novel virus with high AR, severe virulence, and which originated in China.
4 new cases three months after origin. Doctors analysing this are seriously shaking their heads in disbelief.

Although the West seems incredibly reluctant to admit it, we in the medical circles think this might be the greatest achievement yet in mankind's long history. Chinese methods have been bizarrely draconian, but stunningly systematic for the past ten weeks, ruthless and absolutely correct in their method and execution. What should have been a death toll of around 500,000 people, calculated on any computer model you wish to name will, in the end, be less than 4,000.

Make no mistake, what has been done in China the past 10 weeks makes landing on the moon the equivalent of parking your car on Chapel Street.

The sad part? With the exception of several Asian countries, the rest of the World have largely ignored the Chinese experience and methodology. The coming 10 weeks will demonstrate what an horrendous mistake that was. Even sadder, Australia is one of the main culprits.

What utter garbage.

You talk s**t at the best of times, but Google "HEALTHCAREInfection Trajectory: See Which Countries are Flattening Their COVID-19 Curve" and you'll see that your beloved PRC (who you fled from to one of the countries that are making a "horrendous mistake") is one of the worst countries at flattening the epidemic curve.

I can't believe that others have remained silent whilst you troll the country that you fled to at times of danger.

You are a f* disgrace of a human being.

[Benchmark]

That escalated quickly.

[mjs]

That escalated quickly.

pandemically