LBW

In life generally, I try to challenge my own innate prejudices and keep as open a mind as I can. I have to admit this is not always as open as it could be but I do try. I am not sure it is particularly healthy but I am one of those probably irritating people who instinctively checks electronically anything I am told, or read, that doesn't sound unshakably correct. This week, having checked that the name on the bottle was indeed referring to the famous cricketer and charity fundraiser, I was amused enough by the opportunity to title a post 'Ian' that I overcame my prejudice against celebrity wines and bought:

Week L (2015) Botham 80 Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. Tesco £11.

Sir Ian Botham has had a passion for wine for 40 years, it says on the bottle. Probably true, but I know people who have a passion for cricket but who would be unlikely to match this knight's performance in 1980 after which his 80 series wine is branded (a century with the bat and taking 10 wickets in one match, since you asked). That is to say having a passion for something doesn't necessarily make you any good at it. You should hear me play the banjo if you have any doubts.

Having now tasted the bottle to exhaustion I can confirm that this is a wine made by someone with both passion and skill. How much direct involvement Sir Ian has had I have no idea, but he has stuck his name on a very enjoyable bottle.

It is another of those big, bold fruit-driven wines, with high alcohol and plenty of tannin. It would certainly keep for a few years and quite probably mellow into something less, er 'Beefy'.

Not much more to say, other than it comes from Coonawarra in South Australia, but it does make me want to sample more of the Botham wines. Buy again? Why not.

Oh, incidentally, you may have noticed that above I wrote that I wanted to title this post 'Ian', it being Week I (2021), but in fact went for LBW. This is because whilst out shopping and keeping an eye open for next week's white I realised I had forgotten how the alphabet works and that I had already passed I a little while ago. This is week L (2021).  Ho hum.