A conversation at with my favourite
British wine merchant, who just happens to have his store in
Hoylake:
So, where do you keep your Spanish
reds?
Ah, my speciality. Step this way.
Have you got a Vega Sicilia left?
Yes, I've got a couple. They're 200
quid each but I'll give you a 50 quid discount if I can come and
drink them with you.
Maybe next year.
Here's a bottle that comes from the
same area in the Ribera del Duero region and is very reasonably
priced.
OK. I'll take that on your
recommendation. And I need a bottle of Godello white.
How about one of these?
I bought a different one last
time.
Ah, I've gone none left. They've
stopped exporting. But this one is as good, called Crego e Monaguillo.
Do you know what monaguillo
means?
No, I speak Spanish but I must admit
I don't.
Well, it means 'altar boy'. And so
the picture is of a man with his arm round an altar boy.
God, no. I've been selling that for
more than 10 years! How embarrassing.
Actually, it could be worse since
the name of the wine isn't in Spanish; it's in Gallego. And I don't
know what 'Crego' means. Hang on! Using The Rule of L/R and The Rule
of the Missing Letter(s), my guess is it's the Gallego equivalent of
'Clerigo'. So the name of the wine is 'Cleric and Altar Boy'. Or
'Priest and Altar Boy'.
Oh, my God! It gets worse. This has
to go on my web page. My Spanish relatives will be highly amused.
And I have to put it in my blog .
. . .
No comments:
Post a Comment