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  • Welcome To Spittoon

    We Spit So You Can Swallow!

    Wine, food, travel and a little photography thrown in for those who just like looking at pictures...

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    • From The Etymologicon
    • Raimat Vineyard
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    • Andrew Barrow on Sunset Over Italian Vineyards
    • Michael Horne on Sunset Over Italian Vineyards
    • Andrew Barrow on A Vintage Wine List Circa 1956
    • Rob H on A Vintage Wine List Circa 1956
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    • Robert Giorgione on Every Wine Tells A Story
    • Jeanne @ CookSister! on Essencia Do Vinho, Portugal
    • César Castro on How To Photograph Wine Bottles – 10 tips
    • Ritchie on In the Kante Cellar
    • Michael Horne on Grape Stucco, Cividale, Italy
    • Stewart on Domaine Seguela Les Candalieres 2007
    • Andrew Barrow on Mas Amiel 2008 Vin Doux Natural
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    • From The Etymologicon

      Posted on January 23, 2012
      Not having given it that much contemplation I always assumed that Marvin Gaye was walking through a vineyard for his 1968 song. But apparently not. And, while I was aware that the word alcohol was Arabic in origin, I didn’t know it was a kind of make-up al kuhul. As kohl is an extract and a dye, alcohol began to mean the pure essence of anything (the alcohol of an ass’s spleen anyone?) and only from the 1750’s did (wine) alcohol become what it means today. Just two snippets from the amazing The Etymologicon that now resides in my Kindle ap.

      Elsewhere there is also a superb explanation of why George Washington’s plantation is named after British Admiral Edward Vernon, who, incidentally led a 1739 British assault on Porto Bello in Panama and how, to the west of London a farm was named in honour of the attacks success. The road to the, long vanished farm, is now home to Portobello antiques market. Old Vernon’s nickname (from his thick coat made from grogram) also came to mean the watered down rum he served to the seamen (grog) and lent, eventually, to how alcohol makes you groggy. I mean, you just got to love this stuff!

      To avoid being groggy perhaps make today and tomorrow a non-drink day. For these, according to the latest edition of When Wine Tastes Best (a biodynamic calendar for wine drinkers), these are Root days and not good for wine tasting. Not good also, for celebrating today’s Chinese New Year although Burns night on the 25th is a Flower day – they thus recommend substituting wine for the traditional whisky!

      “Vodka, whisky [aqua vitae – water of life], aquavit, balderdash [wine mixed with beer or water that could be sold cheap] and rum are just enough to make the sort of punch that will knock you out. Only just, mind you, because punch comes from the Hindi word for five: panch. That’s because, technically, a punch should contain five different ingredients: spirits, water, lemon juice, sugar and spice. That’s also the reason that the area of India that contains five rivers is called the Punjab”

      the etymologicon

      The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language is available in book form from Amazon for £7.99 and as a Kindle download for £1.99.

      The booklet When Wine Tastes Best: 2012 is available from Amazon for £2.99.

      Continue reading this entry →
    • Raimat Vineyard

      Raimat Vineyard

      It's a mammoth operation, industrial in scale, but the Raimat estate in Spain operates within strict environmental constraints and practises. Here, between the vines, are freely growing cover...

      Continue reading this entry →
    • Cognac Masterclass Live WebTV Show

      Cognac Masterclass Live WebTV Show

      Cognac Masterclass The video below is the result of the live webTV show held on Wednesday 18th January 2012 Whether it’s drunk neat or in a cocktail, cognac lovers everywhere...

      Continue reading this entry →
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  • Latest Wine Recommendations

    • Tramin Winery, Alto Adige, Italy
      Tramin Winery, Alto Adige, Italy
      Posted on December 16, 2011 in Vineyard Visits, Wine Notes
    • Maynard’s Port
      Maynard’s Port
      Posted on December 6, 2011 in Wine Notes
    • Domaine Seguela Les Candalieres 2007
      Domaine Seguela Les Candalieres 2007
      Posted on November 29, 2011 in Food and Wine, Wine Notes
    • Mas Amiel 2008 Vin Doux Natural
      Mas Amiel 2008 Vin Doux Natural
      Posted on November 26, 2011 in Food and Wine, Wine Notes
    • Schioppettino, Ribolla Gialla and Vitovska – Three Terribly Obscure Italian Grapes
      Schioppettino, Ribolla Gialla and Vitovska – Three Terribly Obscure Italian Grapes
      Posted on November 12, 2011 in Wine Notes
  • Vineyard Visits

    • Coopers, Raimat Winery, Spain
      Coopers, Raimat Winery, Spain
      Posted on November 6, 2011 in Photographs, Vineyard Visits
    • Bastianich, Friulano
      Bastianich, Friulano
      Posted on October 31, 2011 in Vineyard Visits, Wine Notes
    • Apples and Vines – Hush Heath Vineyard
      Apples and Vines – Hush Heath Vineyard
      Posted on October 3, 2011 in Vineyard Visits
    • Vina Pomol, Rioja, Spain
      Vina Pomol, Rioja, Spain
      Posted on August 1, 2011 in Vineyard Visits, Wine Notes
    • Visiting Raimat
      Visiting Raimat
      Posted on July 7, 2011 in Vineyard Visits
  • Recent Posts

    • From The Etymologicon
    • Raimat Vineyard
    • Cognac Masterclass Live WebTV Show
    • Why You Will Be Drinking Tonight
    • Sunset Over Italian Vineyards
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