Savoy Cork

Back to Caravans

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 23:03:26 +0000

When I go on holiday, I usually like to feel pampered; stay in nice hotels with spa facilities and get a massage; enjoy a pre-dinner drink in a cocktail bar that has a real piano player; perhaps even splash out and order a bit of room service one evening. I certainly do not enjoy sharing hostel rooms with strangers, staying anywhere you have to provide your own towels or camping. So why, I hear you ask, am I heading to Savoy in a couple of months to stay in a caravan?

The basic answer is that funds are tight and a caravanning holiday is a much cheaper option than my usual accommodation when I visit Savoy, which is to hire a cottage for the length of my trip. In fact, the most expensive part of the trip is the caravan insurance, as the camp site itself is cheap as chips and, seeing as we’re driving all the way from the UK, we don’t have any expensive air fares to pay for. I was having a real sulk about the whole exercise until my friend pointed out that we could use the money we saved to buy more Savoy wine, and with an empty caravan behind us we can bring back dozens more bottles than usual!

So, slowly but surely, I’m coming round to the idea. After all, the caravan has its own toilet and even its own shower; no need to head out into the night when I need my usual 2am pee. Best of all I won’t be sleeping on the rough ground or even on a slowly deflating air bed, which is usually what happened to me as a kid. My friend has even promised that, seeing as the whole trip was his idea, he will conduct the nightly insect check, making sure my sleeping bag is free from bugs before I settle down to sleep…

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Savoy wine in Savoy

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:33:10 +0000

If you’re a fan of the wines from a particular region, there is nothing better than taking a holiday there so you can visit all your favourite vineyards and sample the finest wines fresh from the grape. The Savoy region is no exception; and as an added bonus the area is home to some of the most stunning scenery, perched on the foothills of the Alps on the border between France and Italy.

Obviously, if you’re on a wine holiday to Savoy then you’re going to be spending most of your time taking tours of vineyards, attending tasting, enjoying meals complimented by local wines – and then recovering from all that drinking in the morning until it starts up again in the afternoon! However, visitors to Savoy should try and take a couple of afternoons off from the wine to appreciate some of the area’s top tourist attractions, most of which seem to involve eating! Local restaurants aren’t just proud of Savoy wines; most also have a cheese list as long as your arm and the Savoy speciality of tartiflette, a sort of stew made with potatoes, cheese and bacon, is a delight.

Although the area is usually more popular with tourists in the winter months, thanks to the proximity of famous ski resorts like Courchevel and Meribal, that doesn’t mean there is nothing to see when the weather turns warmer. In fact, summer is the perfect time for wine lovers to visit Savoy – leaving behind the miserable British weather and all thoughts of double glazing Surrey! After all the mountains that look so spectacular in the winter are still there in the summer; if anything it’s easier to get up and down when there is no snow getting in your way. Plus many of the ski lifts operate all year round so you don’t even need to get out of breath to enjoy the breathtaking views from the top.

Wine Review: Picpoul de pinet

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 19:33:05 +0000

Chances are Picpoul de pinet is not be the wine on your lips if you are thinking about buying a wine or looking for something to have with your dinner when you go out to a restaurant. Well you need to remember the name and get on the band wagon, because this is a wine everyone who loves or almost loves wine should know and know well.

I know you might think that this wine will cost thousands of dollars and that your meagre salary from your teaching English jobs won’t afford you the pleasure. Well think again, this wine is not cheap but it is more than affordable, and if you want quality you are going to have to pay for it.

The Picpoul de pinet wine comes in green bottles that are slim and tall. All of this helps to add to the appeal of this white wine that has a wiff of smoke to it added to a hint of white pepper, and a grapefruit and mineral tang. That’s what I taste at least, you be your own judge.

This French wine would fool any wine expert in believing that it was brewed from the cold climatic regions but it is from Languedoc where the sun is king.

Picpoul de pinet prior to its solo release was a wine that was regularly blended with others. It has now achieved the level of respect it truly deserves and can stand on its own without fear.

Now this wine is great with fish no matter how you prepare it, white fillets or pan fried. Some people love it with their smoked prawns and oysters.

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Why wine drinking is not pretentious

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:18:51 +0000

I’m opening myself up for abuse and attack here, but I don’t care. This needs to be said, and said it will be!

Just as those searching for english teacher jobs get it in the neck when they get a job and then go immediately on strike, so the wine lover gets it in the neck when he or she fights back against those who call it pretentious. The point, really, is that drinking wine is a fascinating and enjoyable thing to do. And how people can call it pretentious and snobbish, in regard to the monetary aspect of how much wine costs, I don’t know: here are people who go to support their football team, overlooking players who earn more every month than streets of people earn every year. Now, to me that’s more disgusting than enjoying a nice glass of wine and settling down with a nice cheeseboard.

I suppose another reason why wine lovers come under attack is the terminology used to describe wine. It can sound quite alien to many people – what with talk of nose, for example – so I suppose we shouldn’t be surprised when people pick up on this. But really, what difference is our terminology in comparison to those who repair cars? The only difference, I suppose, is that ours is something which is done in dinner parties, whereas cars are something which we all have some association with, however tenuous.

If you get the chance, come and sample some decent wine and revel in the sensory aspects

If you’re reading this and you’ve found this page accidentally, have no fear of wine drinkers! We’re not a load of pompous old gits. Actually, wine drinkers come in many shapes and sizes and from all walks of life. If you get the chance, come and sample some decent wine and revel in the sensory aspects of it. Then, when you do that, I have no doubt in my mind that you will experience a facet of wine that before you had absolutely no idea of.

Lastly, forget about this idea that wine tasting is so specialist, and that it’s closed off from the general public. There are many opportunities for you to taste wine at supermarkets and shows, so take advantage and maybe we can rid the world of these untrue preconceptions which have taken such a hold. (Update: a friend of mine who held just such preconceptions recently did just this and had a whale of a time. Don’t think that can’t be you. I think you’d be surprised just how much you might enjoy it!)

Trying out different kinds of drink

admin — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:50:58 +0000

Mood. It’s a funny fella, isn’t it? One day you feel fantastic and the next you feel…well, different. One thing I’ve found that always helps is drinking various different alcoholic beverages and seeing how your mood is. And now I will give you some examples:

1) I used to drink a lot of Vodka. I wasn’t an alcoholic or anything, but I did like a few shots of the stuff every Friday night. The problem was that it made me feel quite happy at the time and then depressed almost immediately after. I soon learned that Vodka was best avoided in large quantities…

2) Champagne, on the other hand, is a different thing completely: I always feel great after drinking this, and like my head is sparking – the best way I can describe it – when I drink it. I would recommend it wholeheartedly, except for the price…

3) Now, when we come to Jack Daniels and Coke, this is my favourite: this always puts me in a great mood immediately. Weirdly I also never get a hangover with this, even when I have a number all in a row. Although I wouldn’t suggest that…it’ll break the bank and make you act a bit funny…

4) Really, though, nothing beats a nice cold beer for putting me in a good Friday night mood. It’s crisp, it’s tasty, it’s fun and everyone loves it. Plus it makes a really nice clink (even if Derek from apple mac support does say that it’s far too fizzy for him; you just can’t please Derek, the dork).

Avoiding the Morning After

admin — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:33:06 +0000

Hanging out with friends drinking wine sounds like a lot of fun, right? But the thought to avoid overindulging never really enters our mind until we have already done so. Just like when you work in human resources you would need good software, perhaps software from Octopus HR to help you; you also need to use good sense when drinking wine to help you wake up next morning without a bad hangover.

These following tips will help protect you from the hangover of drinking wine:

· Eat: Before you drink with your friends eat a meal. Don’t worry about how many calories or carbohydrates are in the meal, just eat. Eating pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, and other types of starch will help you from getting a hangover. If you are not able to have a meal before you drink with your friends at least make sure to have some starchy snacks.

· Drink Water: Drinking water will help prevent a wine hangover in several ways. The first way is that water quenches thirst. Second is that alcoholic beverages tend to dehydrate the body and water will keep you hydrated.

· Drink milk: Having some milk before drinking alcohol helps the body absorb alcohol and provides a coating around that the stomach that protects it from the effects of alcohol.

· Avoid mixing drinks: When drinks are mixed it can lead to disastrous consequences. This doesn’t mean that you can’t drink both white and red wines but you should avoid mixing wine with whiskey, scotch and bourbon.

If you follow the above tips you will be able to enjoy the drink without having the hangover later on. Just monitor how many drinks you are having because wine isn’t about the quantity consumed but the quality consumed.

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What is you flavour?

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:03:07 +0000

I take wine but I am not really a fan neither do I know much about it. We all have our preferences and this is why I hardly buy wines for myself. I take red wine once in a while but I that happens very rarely. A discussion necessitated talking to postgraduate colleagues about their choice of drinks. The outcome of this discussion was surprising because we all found out that ladies know more about wines than men. They know the big names and even have information on celebrities who are into wine production. It is easier to come across a Hovis farmer ad in the media than it is to see a commercial about wines. Speaking about drinks, I sought to know if people preferred beer, wine or spirits. Most of the male colleagues I asked easily chose beer and spirits over wine.

Guys have a good knowledge of spirits just like the way the ladies appear to know more about wines. This does not necessarily mean that ladies know nothing about spirits; of course a few do. It was also discovered that all respondents have tasted spirits, beer and wines. A very unique few do not have favourites and they claim to take everything and anything depending on the occasion. A young lady who knows a lot about wines said she usually drinks wines with friends while she prefers to have spirits in clubs. She added that she takes beer with course mates after exams, tests or on any other random day. Whichever way you like it, remember that responsibility and moderation are very important.

Wine Tasting

admin — Fri, 20 May 2011 10:03:06 +0000

Most wine lovers can spend a whole evening with their friends and sipping away their favorite wine. They also love to try different types of wine, however the process of tasting wine is not the same. It requires you to be concentrated, have good memory, and special tools.

The process can be considered boring but it also can be satisfying, even more than just drinking wine. Those who truly love wine can enjoy tasting wine because it is an experience that engages you completely. When you begin to understand the wine and share your knowledge with others, it is a pleasurable experience. Let us take a look at the process of wine tasting. In this process every wine you feel tastes good is a good wine, but the goal is to understand that wine. Then you can show others why a particular wine is best.

The main features that are examined during wine tasting are appearance, aroma, and of course how it tastes. So when you taste the wine you must focus on how it looks, how it smells, and then you take a taste of it. Also when tasting wine don’t overindulge, you may get high which is not the goal of wine tasting process.

Step one in tasting wine is to look at it closely. Use a wine glass that doesn’t have any patters so that you can see clearly through. Fill the glass about one third of the way up. Pick up and examine the concentration, the shade and the clarity of the wine. Red wines will lighten over time and white wines will darken. The wine needs to be clear and not cloudy like beer. Swirl the wine to the mouth of the glass and notice the bubbles it has. This shows how much alcohol is in the wine, the more bubbles the more alcohol it contains.

The next step in the process is to smell the aroma of the wine. Hold the glass up to your nose and let your nostrils whiff the smell. Wine should be smelt deeply so that your nose registers the smell of the wine. There are different types of aromas of wine like fruity, herbal, earthy woodsy and flowery.

The final step is to taste the wine. Make sure you do not swallow the wine quickly but let the wine set on the mouth and taste the various flavors in the wine.

The process of wine tasting can be very simple unlike human resource software. You just have to carefully look, smell and sip it, then you can tell the difference between a good and a bad wine.

Ski and sup

admin — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 22:03:05 +0000

Of course, the Savoy region isn’t all about wine and vineyards. The area is popular with tourists from all over Europe for its historic cities, beautiful scenery and, in the winter months, its ski slopes.
I wouldn’t advocate drinking and skiing – though I have to admit I’m not sure if it’s illegal and have never seen any custom signs warning against it– mainly because I’m a pretty poor skier when sober. A few glasses of wine before I strap on my skis or snowboard is bound to end in disaster. Whenever I go skiing, I prefer to leave my alcohol consumption until apres ski; a nice Irish coffee to warm up in the hotel, a few glasses of local wine with dinner before we go and get a nightcap in one of the fancy ski resort bars.
If you decide to go skiing in the Savoy region, though, you’d be crazy to ignore all those wonderful vineyards and spend all your time on the slopes. There are even some holiday companies that run organised trips that combine the two; you spend the morning skiing or boarding, whatever your choice, before you are bussed to a nearby vineyard for lunch and the chance to sample some of their products. The group is then poured back onto the minibus for the sleepy ride home and the whole thing starts again the next morning!
Sounds like my idea of heaven, especially the fact that transportation is arranged to and from all of the vineyard visits and tastings. As anyone who has tried to organised their own wine-based holiday will know, making sure that everyone gets to try the local wine, while staying on the right side of the law, is always a tricky problem to solve!

The Savoy Alps and Lake Annecy - the perfect Alpine tour

admin — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 08:33:09 +0000

The scene of the Dramatic backdrop of the Savoy Alps in Western Europe is hard to describe in words. The emerald waters, the snow-capped peaks and the lush vegetation make this an ideal destination for a rural retreat.

A typical tour would begin at Annecy in France, which boasts a number of prestigious hotels with luxury showers, sofas and toasters. The town is located at the banks of Europe’s purest lake, which is a popular place for romantic boat trips between spring and autumn. The ’Little Venice'quarter is a gorgeous spot for an afternoon tea or coffee or a glass of wine; the beautiful narrow streets are also aligned with plenty of elegant shops and restaurants. For culture seekers, a visit to the Palais de l’Isle, which dates back to the 12th century, is a must.

After visiting Annecy, you could travel to Lake Geneva and visit the resort of Vevey in Switzerland, which is famous for being the home of the celebrity Charlie Chaplin, which boasts plenty of historic architecture and classic Alpine character. After this, an excursion to the Savoy Alps could include a trip to the exclusive resort of Chamonix, which is one of the world’s most prestigious skiing locations. From here you can take a cable car to the mountain of Aiguille du Midi or take the historic railway to the Mer de Glace glacier. In both trips you will witness what could arguably be described as the most breath-taking views on the European continent. However, bear in mind that in the winter temperatures in the Savoy Alps can be excruciatingly cold. The best time to visit is during the spring, summer or autumn.