… have we all gone totally Bonkers?

Appearances can of course be deceiving, we all know that already, but sometimes things are not quite what they seem at first glance! That of course does not necessarily mean that it’s going to be worst, it can also mean or offer something that can be better than originally thought, however mad or bonkers things look. Oh la la! Recently, I purchased a book with a cover so boring that if I had seen it on the shelf of a bookshop I would have passed it by. Alas, a literary chum recommended it to me so I went off and bought a copy, A.N.Wilson´s ´Scandal´. The cover is blanck-white and yet the contents of this book are rich, drily witty, deliciously nasty and downbeat compassionate. This almost reads like a tasting note for a top Vin de Paille, Cotes du Jura. Each sip is so intriguing that you will probably remember the wine, in a good way, for the rest of your life.

The British actor Michael Caine (you know who I mean. Harry Palmer, Lt.Bromhead in Zulu and ´Hang on a minute, Lads. I´ve got a great idea´ .. fame.) told the audience, some years back, that he had met most of the world´s most beautiful women (he was meaning super models and actresses of course), and he found them stunning, yet when they finally got to conversing ´face to face´ as it where, he said that they all started to become quite ugly. When he met his wife, Shakira, of course she was beautiful as she had been a dam Miss World back in 1967 (the good old days), but when they spoke together, on all matters, she actually became more beautiful as she had something inside that was beautiful, more beautiful and interesting than what was to be seen originally on the outside. Living today in generic, rapid and over stimulated and super judge-mental times, we can miss so much of these inner gems as there seems so little space and time to actually touch base with the spirit (content) of what it is that is right in front of us, and our NOSE (s)! Perhaps discernment would become a new subject to study for the next generation of wine drinker and lover of all things good! Most people north of 33 years of age who watch Netflix and study for Sommelier examinations etc. have, alas, already missed this opportunity. Sorry about that!

The nose, le nez, is what brings me to the second version of Bodega Sugrue´s Bonkers V2 (the vines are to be found somewhere in The South Downs, England), please see the label for their full explanation. The wine is made from a blend of three vintages of their Chardonnay under a Solera (Flor) system: 2022, 2023 and 2024. Open the bottle, if you can find one that is, and pour a glass. On the nose you will find a Citrusy, Brioche and a white flowerish nose. On the palate, you will come across a texture that reminds me of a fine Chevalier-Montrachet (God only knows why) I drank recently in London. Heaps of fine Maldon salt finishing with a desperate need to drink more of the same, as if this Bonkers V2 was actually made by some Froggie cousins across Le Manche (the channel) at Maison Davissaut a la Chablis villages. Just my opinion of course.

I am, naturally, as judge-mental as the fellow next to me, and I can tell you that I really did not get any of this extreme label nonsense. But I pursued a bit, I took off my poncho del critique and invested in some Bonkers V2. I recommend you do the same, buy a bottle. It maybe too late of course as their are more Aliens out there than you can imagine. We have 11 bottles of Bonkers V2 in stock today (Bonfire Night 2025) @ GBP29.00 per bottle (ex London City Bond VT/usual terms apply).

So, the show goes on. I still did not try the new 2019 vintage of Catena Zapata ´tattooed´ Malbec Argentino, and I really do not want to. 100% judge a book by it’s cover on this one. ´It´s not how you sell it, it´s how you tell it´. I hate the label and yet I know the wine is more or less drinkable. If you want to buy me a bottle for us to drink together in the future, super! i’ll see you at the bar. Adios!

A Martian goes to lunch at Tour d´Argent (Paris)

Waiter: ´Would monsieur care for another bottle of Chateau Latour´?

Martian: ´Ah yes, but no more 1966. Let´s splurge! Bring me some fresh wine! 

WPH 2025 (..and the madness continues)