A bottle of "Führerwein" from 1943, complete with picture of Adolf on the label, has just sold for a shade under £4,000 at auction down in Devon. A French 'bleu blanc rouge' riband is visible on the top left-hand corner of the label - this being during the occupation of France. The wine is described as 'undrinkable because of its age'... now, pardon me for being a nasty cynic, but I am tempted to wonder whether that would be the only reason. I mean, if you were a French viticulteur and you were told that part of this year's output was going to be crated up and shipped off to Berchtesgaden, don't tell me you wouldn't be tempted to hawk one into the vat. Or worse.
The news reports being silent on the matter, I am forced to speculate on what the tasting notes might be for such a bottle...
"An invasive little wine with a hint of barbed wire on the bouquet, and a lingering resentment in the aftertaste"... ?
Posted by racingsnake
@ 04:33 PM GMT+00:00
Today is the start of the Year of the Golden Pig; in the normal 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac it's the Year of the Pig, but there's another cycle based on the five traditional 'elements' (wood, fire, earth, metal and water), and apparently when the Pig and Fire co-incide, you get a Golden Pig Year.
It is said to be an especially auspicious sign, because it represents an enhancement of the already-favourable characteristics of those born in a normal Pig year: they are admirable, trusting, sincere, honourable and trustworthy; they are fun-loving, congenial epicureans. Add to that the 'Fire' qualities of dynamism, persistence and strength, and the good fortune associated with the fire colour, red, and you get a compelling picture.
Some predict that the birth rate in countries such as China and Korea could jump by 10%, as parents aim to endow their golden piglets with this legacy of good fortune. Of course, it's not an entirely altruistic move. Increasing the birth-rate now could mean that an aging population has more economically-active offspring to take care of it in years to come.
Baby-boomers in the West who expect to start drawing a pension in the next twenty years or so might want to reflect on that...
Posted by racingsnake
@ 01:44 PM GMT+00:00
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