We are sailing

This weekend went sailing with Menno (college buddy). His boat, an 11 m. steel yacht, is docked in the sticks (Ketelhaven in the Flevopolder, to be exactly). We only sailed on Saturday for lack of wind on Sunday. We went to and under Ketelbrug and tacked a bit before Urk (formerly an island but now part of the Noordoostpolder).

We did get 6.3 knots out of it which is not bad. On the way back it started raining and as we were going with the wind it blew right in. Luckily it only lasted 5 to 10 minutes.

Concerning wine my only activity was a visit to the ISPC (wholesaler to the hospitality industry). Robert Hoogland works there as a wine salesperson. He also teaches Alcoholic Beverages at the International Hotel Management School in Breda, where I teach Managerial Accounting.

I intended to buy a few sweet whites, which I had run out of, and some not too expensive but good burgundy. Good in this case for me means the nose should be what Robert calls "boers" (Du. for farmer-like): animal, or (again his words) like walking through a forest in autumn. What I expect is a dark aroma, maybe with some toast notes that remind me of driving past the coffee roasting plant in Dordrecht, leather maybe, and indeed animal smells.

I ended up buying a mixed case (prices ex VAT):

Monbazillac Chateau Montdoyen Part des Anges 2001 (11,99 1/2l.)
Gaillac Doux Prestige Meritz 2001 (6,75)
Moscato d'Asti Castello Poggio 2004 (5,99)
Bourgogne Dme. Leroy 1998 (17,20)
Savigny Planchots Thomas 2002 (12,95)
Chinon Marc Brédif 2001 (11,70)

Please note that the Leroy is indeed the 'base' wine of Madame Bize-Leroy. Of course you pay for the name on the label, but according to Robert this wine will 'deliver'. All critics agree that Leroy is one of the if not the best in Burgundy so we will see (this Christmas?).

This week I will start investigating possible wine rack solutions for my cellar.