Monday, December 26th: This week between Christmas and New Year is usually a lost week, no deadlines, so I got to concentrate on the book. Went over to Michael Vaughan’s to do a wine tasting exercise – tasting the same series of wines from six different glasses. I’m writing an article about this for Grapevine magazine.
Tuesday, December 27th: Worked on the book. Dinner at Steve Elphick’s photographic studio with Lindsay Groves. Oysters, smoked salmon, lobster bisque, filet steak, cheeses and dessert. The wines:
- Henry of Pelham Rosé Sparkling
- Malivoire Moira Vineyard Chardonnay 1999
- Malivoire Viognier 2015
- Tarragona Aveno de Muller 1954
- Gascon Barbadillo 15 yr old Palo Cortado Obispo
- Faustino 1 Rioja 2004
- Vina Ardanza Rioja 2007
- JM Boillot Pommard Jarollieres 1996
- M&C Lapierre Morgon 2013
Wednesday, December 28th: Went to the LCBO to pick up a case of KWV Cathedral Cellars Blanc de Blancs 2010 – best bargain all year: $16.95 a bottle. Went to the sleep clinic for a sleep apnea test. They asked me to arrive at 9 pm. I wasn’t wired up till 11:45 pm. My room was like a 1950s Best Western. Had difficulty falling asleep and called to the nurse at 3 am that I needed to pee. This meant detaching me from the complex of wires. Same thing happened at 5 am only the nurse when I called out went to the wrong room and woke up the poor fellow next to me. By 5:45 am I gave up on the idea of sleep and made my way home in a snow storm. An experience I never want to repeat.
Thursday, December 29th: Slept for a couple of hours in my own bed. Deborah and I went to the Rogers store to buy me an iPhone 6S with thumbprint identification. Looking forward to meeting Siri.
Friday, December 30th: Spent the day writing but found I hadn’t saved the two short chapters I had written yesterday so I had to recreate them from memory. It’s called “instant rewriting” and I’m sure it’s better than the original version, having marinated in the subconscious for twenty-four hours.
Saturday, December 31st: Deborah and I spent New Year’s Eve at Michael Vaughan’s house with Rosie and the Elphicks. We took the TTC there and back (it’s free tonight). Smoked salmon, pâtés, shrimps with a 1987 Grüner Veltliner which was remarkably alive. We started with lobster bisque, followed by Michael’s roast turkey stuffing and Steve’s roast beef and Deborah’s tourtière, accompanied by roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrot and sweet potato mash and gravy. Desssert: Dufflet chocolate bomb.
The wines:
- KWV Cathedral Cellars Blanc de Blancs 2010
- Henry of Pelham Sparkling Rosé
- Culmina Decora Riesling 2014
- Bouchard Père et Fils Santenay 1989
- Château de Pez 1966
- Van Zeller Vintage Port 1980
