A Belated Tribute to the Wintry Months.

& would you look at that? Already, January has been and gone; her little sister February held us under her chilly, misty sway and now 2011 has moved off into a thus far bright and beamish (if a little crisp at night) March. The daffs are out in force, crocus bedeck every scrap of common and municipal lawn and I’ve even seen people drinking rosé in the pub. Spring is on the way gentleladies and men!

But... (and this has nothing to do with the fact that I am an early month baby)I do feel for January and February. The first is a little-loved month all too susceptible to gloom, be it born of the weather or that general miasma that grips humanity post Christmas. People are a bit dejected, a bit jaded in Jan; bills and credit statements rear their ugly heads, scales tell tales of festive excess and every other person seems to be doing battle of King Arthur / Black Knight proportions with their conscience, after solemnly pledging themselves to the life of Benedictine Monk via this absurd tradition of ‘New Years Resolutions.’

Then February roles around, usually with a tantalising rise in the mercury and sunlight hours that raises hopes and hearts nationwide, only to dash them one final time against the craggy peaks of pure winter. There’s always the Valentines question, which rears the Hamlet in all of us, be we single or turtle-doved up. General rancor accompanied by chronic indigestion if you’re part of the first party versus those frantic ‘ohmygod’ feelings that always accompany a big test (remember school exams?) if you’re part of the second. And still, for most, those ABSURD resolutions continue to play despot with our lives.

Yes, absurd. I throw the word around liberally. No, I’m not being deliberately obtuse or controversial, poking a sleeping crocodile in the eye with a toothpick just to have everyone’s unequivocal attention. I have a genuine, intellectual disagreement with NYR’s as opposed to a woolly antagonism borne more of a desire to be contrary than fact. Let me explain.

I agree that post-Christmas, we all probably need to drink less and exercise more - but isn’t that what the festive holidays are all about? Eat, drink and be merry good people - you have toiled and sweated for your family and selves this long year. These brief few weeks in December are for your, so enjoy - especially as the rest of winter is yet to come. & yet, at the ringing in of the new year (& perhaps spurred on by an ill-advised Countdown snog) people are swearing off (usually cold turkey) everything they’ve indulged to excess in.

I am not advocating a continuance of Christmas excess: champagne popped before your soft egg is boiled; rich lunches that roll into tactical afternoon ‘breaks’ (a.k.a. nap-time); goose, stuffing and flaming puddings for dinner; for breakfast; crass cracker jokes, cigars and cognac only, after 9p.m. My beef is with those that martyr themselves through celery-stick diets and crack-of-dawn fitness regimes on par with a spartan soldiers who then have the cheek to spend the term of these early months so crotchety that they could have been knitted by the witch in the gingerbread house into the most hideous, itchiest woolly jumper going. You are only reaping what you sow, fools!

Surely, it makes far more sense to wait for spring, when the evenings are lighter, the mornings warmer and the need for hearty warming food has fallen away a bit, to commence on the old body overhaul? & in the meantime, to simply put Falstaff back in his cupboard and enjoy a very continental attitude to wine and food? I.E. Never deny, but draw the line between indulgence and gorging. I thoroughly enjoyed the last breath of winter (apart from when I was rained on, which with my lack of umbrella, was rather a lot). There was nothing like coming home to my cosy house after a good day’s work, brisk walk from the bustop to the door and having a lovely glass of Mas d’Intras waiting for me. Antioxidants, hear me roar!

Here’s to Enjoying The Latter Winter Months. January and now February have been and gone and I hope you enjoyed your time together; March and Spring are now knocking on 2011’s door. Even with all the wind and grey we’ve had some dazzling blue days and arch Spring is around the corner. Here’s to January and February; months that are as delightful as those latter summer ones, you just have to get to know them without wearing those depressing New Years Resolution-tinted glasses.

Why Hello There 2011! Howdy-do-Dee & Nice to Meet You

Now, because it’s been so very long since I’ve written to you all, my fingers are full of more vim and vigour than a Disney sing-a-long. So before the deluge of witty babble carries my typing away, let’s get one thing and one thing only straight...

HERE’S TO YOU, LOVELY READER AND A GLORIOUS 2011; A YEAR WHERE LAUGHTER IS YOUR DAILY BREAD AND GOOD WINE IS NEVER FAR AWAY.

Hope you all had a Christmas that put the ding dong into the merrily on high and the egg in the nog. & that your cracker jokes were, well, crackers. Got to love a cracker joke. (Who hides in the bakery at Christmas? A mince spy! Well, it made me laugh.)

So, now that our cup of good will that has been brimming over with jollity and merriment has finally (if belatedly) been given voice, we can commence on this latest and greatest editorial on the grand and thrilling life Hix & Buck leads. Did someone mention V.I.P trips to Tuscany, guest of the Italian Wine Commission, to sip stunning Italian wines? How about appearing at the 2010 Taste of Christmas? Yes, we’ve been busy little bees - but that’s the way we like it. People to meet, friends to make, wine to drink. Life is too short and this style of living is too fun, so why stop?

Let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start - oh goodness. It’s the Christmas cracker quip from earlier. I seem to have jinxed myself. I do apologise but it appears that this is to be a punster blog where the word play is dancing faster than a feline Flatley on a hot tin roof. Oh gawd.)

It was Wednesday, November 24th, 2010. The snow had not yet fallen, but it was imminent. The nation had been giddily reeling under the happy Kate/Wills news for almost a week & commemorative dinner sets were already on sale, just in time for December. The first of that questionable tradition of ‘Office Christmas Parties’ had begun to appear; Santa Hats, red teeth and flushed cheeks jauntily setting off workday suits and large gatherings could be seen prowling the streets for the next public house circa 7p.m. This penultimate month of the decade was hotting up.

This was all by-the-by for Chix though. Bigger fish to fry (or should that be more important grapes to ponder?) She was zooming off par avion, special guest of the Selezione Vini di Toscana, a.k.a. an all-expenses paid trip to Tuscany. One of fifty international importers (proper global. We’re skipping from Poland to Korea, to Canada, to Finland, to India, to Ireland... you get the picture) invited to a showcase of Tuscan wines. All of which were, without exception, medalwinners from small producers; some organic, most not; some had already debuted on the UK market, but most not; but, most importantly, all were delicious. An essay in exceptional wine-making.

Tuscany is the region of the Sangiovese grape and that perennial British favourite (and key staple on any self-respecting Italian wine list), Chianti. For those that are not currently up and on it with their latin, Sangiovese comes from the words Sangius (blood) & Jove (Roman King of the Gods; identity later intermingled/transferable with Jupiter). Sangiovese is thus, in literal translation: the blood of Jove! For good reasons too: it is the key component in its two well-known, well-loved and avidly consumed prodigies: Chianti and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It’s a noble grape that revels in fresh and fruity flavours, strawberry and red cherry being its favourite robe it dons. There’s also spice as well, the underscore the berries and emphasise its power. Oak aging is common; it produces a wine that can be very long-lived and brings to the forefront more savoury/herby characteristics on the palate.

Chix came back glowing. & not from all the God’s Grape Juice she’d been drinking. She was inspired. As you would be, I suppose, if you’d been wined and dined magnificently and let loose with a group just as fruity about wine as Hix & Buck is. A veritable coterie that enjoyed three days of gorgeous wine, stimulating conversation and Italian hospitality. A brilliant way to see the year out.

(Oh, and how could I go on without mentioning one particular restaurant, that was more 70s than a Fondue set that got together with psychedelic printed flares. The waiter looked just like Basil Fawlty from Fawlty tours. & there was a photographer who was far to interested in decolletage than was appropriate. One word: Hilarious.)

The spitting image of one very happy oenophile, living the high (Roman) life.

Then there was the very merry London Taste of Christmas Show (2 - 4 December). Held at the Excel Centre and on an exceedingly cold December weekend, it was all turtle doves, calling birds and french hens. A whirlwind weekend, which we - as we always do - absolutely loved. Why? Again, don’t be bashful dear reader. It’s always such a buzz to meet new faces and introduce them to the Mas d’Intras sextet; our bubblies wine from Cognac (not to mention the one and only, Sparkling XO); and, our charming, sophisticated whites from Mainart. So to all the latest to join this greatest of wine movements - WELCOME FOLKS! & to all that picked up a case for the festive period - we trust you enjoyed your purchases!

So, this has been rather a long post. Thanks for reading kind sirs and gentle ladies. Once more, brightest and happiest wishes from us to you for a brilliant 2011. & we hope your Christmas was merrier than Santa, post-delivery, sitting by a roaring fire with stilton and mince pies to hand and a ‘68 Port sniffter not far away. Our glass is raised to you and the new year!

Sante!

Dominique, Hix & Buck

Brut Rose bringing Christmas Cheer to London.

(Left to Right) Merry New Friends No. 1 - 5; Merry(Messy) New Friend No. 6. Brilliant.

Twas lovely to meet you guys, hope you had a grand one!

& they said, “let the Good Wine Flow.”

Phew. What a weekend. We’ve been gearing up for the 2010 Good Wine Show for quite a while now, especially as this year it was to be held in tandem with Masterchef Live at Kensington Olympia for the very first time. What if we caught a glimpse of Greg Wallace’s bald pate and send him stratospheric with a taste of our Sparkling XO ... & then we found out about various wine industry big names gracing the show! But did we let our heads be turned by the prospect of these gastro grandees wandering up to our stall? No, not at all. Well, one did cross our path on Sunday (& you’ll have to keep reading before I tell you who!) but overall, were we bothered? Nah. What? Why ever so I hear you asking? What ever could have us casting off the indomitable “I just want to take a running jump into it” Wallace? Oh you coy thing. Give yourself more credit. It was you fine people that made our weekend, of course!

Friday - Sunday: a whirlwind of new faces and our ‘Bucket of Glory’ was overflowing with new names keen for our newsletter (and to win not one, but TWO, bottles of our superb bubbly.) One

word. Amazing. We’ve had a rip-roaring time meeting so many new faces and introducing them to our wines. Everyone was so enthusiastic, excited and interested, which just adds fuel to the old wine fire that burns in our breast and sends our eager-meter into overdrive. On top of that, there were a number of old faces from last year’s Wine Show that popped by for a chat. How cool is that? Special shout out to you guys: you rock our socks! Back to our self-induced hyperactivity: it turned out to be a good thing, because we were working like Snow White’s seven dwarves on fast forward. More and more faces just kept appearing, wave after wave asking questions and wanting to learn more about this Ardeche region we were exhibiting, or our wines from Cognac. Chix was eventually holding court, Queen of the Vin Rouge, educating her followers in ten-minute slots! Their rapt faces as they made their way from velvety Merlot, to debonair Grenache, to lionhearted Syrah - if only we’d had the time to take a photo!

Sunday rolled round, much the same merry madness we’d enjoyed over the last two days. Only the 14th distinguished itself on another level. We met Oz Clarke! Well, Chix did at least. Twice! He didn’t make it to our stand, but we made it to him and over the next week (two weeks? How many bottles does a wine wordsmith and aficionado get through per seven days?) will be enjoying a selection from the Hix & Buck list. We know Mr. Clarke is a busy man, but that doesn’t stop us crossing all fingers and toes in hopes that we might just feature in the Good Wine Guide this Christmas. Thus, a small por favor amigos: if anyone else fancies tweeting him about the fantastic weekend they had at our stall, extolling the virtues of the Cuveé Ferdinand or rhapsodising over our 1921 Charlamagne bubbly - that would be nice.

So, here’s to a successful - if different - Wine Show for 2010. It may have looked a lot different to the kind of event we’ve come to know and love over the years, but over at the Hix & Buck corner the bubbly was flowing, the compliments flying and high-fives cracking: because we really were the stand that rocked the show. So cheers guys for a rip-roaring weekend and don’t forget the following golden rule you all should have learnt over the last three days:

If you want good wine

In your neighbourhood

Who are you going to call?

HIX & BUCK!

Sante!

Dominique, Hix & Buck

To Broadstairs We Shall Go

Thursday the 30th arrived. The last day of September (& the best day that ever there was, i.e. Chix’s “Happy Birthday!”). There we were: two girls, one guy, one white van and a whole lot of wine. Kent was calling. We had the Broadstairs Food Festival to get to: the debut of our Bubbly & Oyster Bar was nigh! More bivalve mollusk, exquisite French sparkling wine and battle of marquee v.s. the elements than sex, drugs and rock ‘roll. That’s how we do it at Hix & Buck (H&B) - and by that mighty, always brimming chalice of Bacchus did we have fun! Read on for a firsthand account of the bon vivant life of wine folk on the road...

Broadstairs, along with the more well known Ramsgate and Margate, makes up the seaside locale known as Thanet. After running to rip roaring success last year, the Broadstairs Food Festival was back in 2010, bigger and better than ever with over 70 stalls celebrating the vibrant gastronomic scene, from producers to restaurants, that imbues this corner of Kent. Those familiar with H&B will know that we are a London based company at present. What most don’t know is that we have a firm and growing fan base down in Thanet. So the festival was the perfect opportunity to let the corks pop and the rest of Kent flow in our home away from home! It was beyond brilliant to be working alongside such great names that we’ve paired up with, like the team from the phenomenal Age & Sons (who, alongside great food,

mix a mean Bloody Mary), and The Ambrette’s Dev Biswal - the passion behind the culinary half of our recent (and bloody tasty!) tasting menu collaboration. A particular highlight for us was a local couple who regularly dine at Peens (of Broadstairs) and were chuffed to find that their favourite rosé on the wine list was our Isidora - and now a whole wealth of wine to discover within our coffers.

But what is a Bubbly & Oyster Bar without its oysters? Shout out to our partner in crime for the weekend Eddie Gilbert’s of Ramsgate, who know all things fish according to the critics - and the locals. Owner Jonny Dunhill grooved his way through the weekend with us, shucking here there and everywhere, and developing a particular penchant for the Brut Rosé! Thanks to him, we now know the difference between Rock and Native oysters (that being while both are delicious, one salty, slimy creature of the sea is insanely better than the other. Like to know which? Well pop down to Eddie’s, see what you think and wash them down with a glass of our chardonnay. All in the name of science, of course.)

So, to come to the festival itself. Our corner charmed, it delighted, it conquered. We were sophistication meets good times and when we had the music going, bubbly flowing and oysters shucked, it was the bee’s knees. Thank goodness because the weather left a lot to be desired on the Friday! Wet, grey and blustery were the three words that described that day. Nonetheless, intrepid souls braved the elements and we had a great time chatting to them as they revived themselves over a glass of our award-winning Mas d’Intras Grenache, or Helvien 50% of that wonderful red fruit & liquorice complemented by 50% Syrah: if Mr. Darcy was a wine, it’d be this bad boy). Yes, we know it was a ‘Bubbly & Oyster Bar,’ but we’re so smitten with the rest of our list - and not everyone is a fan of effervescence - that we thought we’d better bring the others along for the ride.

Everyone knows about the marriage of whites and seafood and our Mainart Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc proved the dictum to the letter. It was all down to personal preference in the end; whether you preferred the green apple notes and full, rounded flavour of the Chardonnay, or perhaps the zesty, fresh fruit of Sauvignon to sip on whilst you enjoyed your briny bounty. Even our Isidora Rosé (if the Helviens is Darcy, than this pellucid, strawberry and summer suffused tipple is the exceedingly pretty, exceedingly good Jane Bennet) was popular - especially with the prawns. But, as good as these wines are, we were a Bubbly Bar that weekend, and the bubblies were, without a doubt, the stars of the show...

We decided on taking the Brut Rosé, Brut Chardonnay and Sparkling XO from our J&L Charlemagne range. Pink bubbles, Silver bubbles and Cognac infused bubbles: the perfect trifecta for the various ‘research’ parties that sprang up around our bar over the course of the festival! All our bubblies are made in the Methode Traditionelle (the established method for creating sparkling wine, including champagne) and all are gorgeous examples of why there’s so much more to sparkling wine than a Reims post code. J&L Charlemagne’s vines grow across the Petite and Grande cognac terroirs, where the soil and climate of the region is regarded as the very best. So, what with their exceptional terroir and ancestral expertise in Methode Traditionelle, it is little surprise that they are very good at making very good bubbly. The well-balanced, hazelnut meets plum, Merlot-Cabernet-Chardonnay blend that is the Brut Rosé wooed many a party with its deep pink hues. Then there was the Brut Chardonnay showing off its grape’s typical full, rounded flavour complemented by a freshness and delightfully long finish. But the standout performer was the Sparkling XO, a bubbly where innovation is perfectly balanced against tradition. J&L take their own Ugni Blanc grapes to make their XO cognac and then blend 1% with 99% chardonnay. The result? A sparkling wine that distinguishes itself by its difference; an excellent aperitif and special moment bubbly that took the festival by storm. We’d sold out by the end of Saturday!

Overall, it was a great weekend, showcasing our gorgeous wines to interested people. The vibe was buzzing and the number of new friends we made (especially those that just kept coming back over the three days) was brilliant. Completely made our festival. Now autumn’s here, watch this space for our next event and get thinking about what you want to be drinking this festive season. With six different reds to choose from; bubbly that continues to be almost to hot to handle at our pop-up events; a rosé that thrills regardless of the weather; and whites that deserve their own James Bond alias, you know who to call. What’s more, if you just don’t know what you want, despair not! Because you’ve got all the time in the world to, like our research friends, make your way at your leisure through our bubblies and find your favourite before Christmas is upon us! Is there a better way to spend the upcoming autumn nights? We think not.

Sante!

Dominique, Hix & Buck