Nulla in Mundo Pax Sincera

How are you dear reader! and welcome to 121 days of being ‘self-locked’ up for reasons political, medicinal? and plaguristical. Everyone seems to be becoming a funny guy/gal or an expert in something or other these days and quite frankly I am pretty fed up with all of it. It was my birthday last week (July 2020) and the boys from the Riesling promo office, in Germany had just announced 31 days of Riesling Motherland Fest! I approve, of course, 100% but the only problem is that down here I can only find six good examples of the world`s most regal white grape, four of them local Riesling, one from New Zealand and a great goddam noble Riesling from Alsace. Zeik heil!

Before we head off into the land of Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner & Shubert, Liszt and Riesling I want to share with you a bedtime story about Echo. Yes, Echo the loquacious nymph and lover of Zeus. Remember him? good, because Zeus used to love coming down to Earth and cohorting with the beautiful nymphs and would go up home for a good old ear wigging from his wife Hera.  One day, Hera became over suspicious and extremely jealous about one specific nymph, called Echo. When Hera confronted Echo for the truth, Echo, of course, denied all, as she was instructed to by her lover god Zeus and Hera flew into an enormous rage. The best way she could get her own back was by making Echo able only to speak the last few words spoken to her by another person. The best example of this was when she met Narcissus and fell very much in love with him. However, she was unable to tell him how she felt and was forced to watch him as he fell in love with himself. The day she first saw him out hunting for deer with his chums, she became infatuated and followed him quietly, unable to call out as she had been cursed with the silence.

Now during the hunt, Narcissus became separated from his buddies and called out, ‘is anyone there,’ and heard Echo repeat his words. Startled, Narcissus answered the voice, ‘come here,’ only to be told the same. When Narcissus saw that nobody had emerged from the glade, he concluded that the owner of the voice must be running away from him and called out again. Finally, he shouted, “This way, we must come together.” Taking this to be a reciprocation of her love, Echo concurred ecstatically, “We must come together!”

In her delight, Echo rushed to Narcissus ready to throw her arms around her beloved. Narcissus, however, was appalled and spurning her exclaimed, ‘Hands off! May I die before you enjoy my body.’ All Echo could whisper in reply was, ‘enjoy my body’ and having done so she fled, scorned, humiliated, and shamed.

Despite the harshness of his rejection, Echo’s love for Narcissus only grew. When Narcissus died, wasting away before his own reflection, and consumed by a love that could not be, Echo mourned over his body. When Narcissus, looking one last time into the pool uttered, “Oh marvellous boy, I loved you in vain, farewell”, Echo too chorused, “Farewell.”

Eventually, Echo, too, began to waste away. Her beauty faded, her skin shrivelled, and her bones turned to stone. Today, all that remains of Echo is the sound of her voice, that we are well aware of, and a good second wine made in Pauillac, Bordeaux, by the boys at Château Lynch Bages. It’s first showing was in 2008. Before this vintage we would know the wine as Haut Bages Averous, but now it’s called ECHO de Lynch Bages, Pauillac and it`s terrifique! It has a slightly higher proportion in Merlot and Cabernet Franc. than it`s sister Lunch Bags. It also benefits from a minimum stay of 12 months in oak barrels allowing it to acquire freshness and complexity from the beginning. The label pronounces that borrowing it`s name from a nymph, Echo, we (the drinker) wish it to inherit all her charm, her elegance and her power of seduction. The back label on the bottle of wine will tell you all:

2013 ECHO de Lynch Bages, Pauillac

There is a generous helping of dark forest fruits on the nose here and a very nice integration of spicy oak characters on the palate, followed by a pleasing acidity. Sweet cassis fruit also presents itself on the relatively long finish. The Second Wine of Ch. Lynch Bages with 70% Cabernet Sauvignon & 30% Merlot. Excellente!

The wine is available @ £39 per bottle + VAT/delivery within UK

Per Manendo Vincimus!