[Ansteorra] good norman blood--Norman wine

[Hugh & Belinda Niewoehner]

Herr Detlief,

I beg to differ with you.  I have tasted Norman wine that is quite 
acceptable.  My grandson's vineyards have exported wine to England for 
many years and the nobles there prize it dearly. Agreed, that it is not 
of the quality of Bordeaux or Burgundia, but still it is not "ghastly". 
   I, myself, grew up drinking the wine of my father's vineyards in 
Andalusia.  Though the Caliph, may Allah watch over him, did threaten to 
burn all the vineyards of the area because too many were over indulging, 
I am happy to say that this did not occur and Andalusia still produces 
wonderful wines.  My favorite wines of all, however, come from the 
southwestern region of France (Occitan) called Cahors.  They are often 
referred to as "black wine" because of their beautiful dark color.  They 
have an earthy richness from the Cot (also called Malbeck, Mabeck, 
Auxerrois and Pressac) grape.  In your own country (I presume Germany?) 
the region of the Ahr valley produces a legendary red wine.  I reference 
a song sung in our Society called "Knight's Leap".  Inspired by that 
song, my lord and I made a search in that region and were able to find 
what we believe may have been the cliff and ruins where the event 
occurred.  There we toasted the heroic Knight with a glass of the "fine 
Ahr wine".  Unfortunately the region does not produce enough wine for 
export so that most will never know it.

Again I must disagree with your assessment of the Mosel region.  
Although, I prefer red wine, with certain cheeses and when the weather 
is uncomfortably hot, the white wines of both the Mosel and Rhine 
regions can be delightful.

I will agree, that England is best suited for ales and not wines.  
However, I do remember reading in my father's library once that during 
the time of the Roman Empire the climate in England was much more 
conducive to viticulture.  I do believe this to be the truth because it 
has been noted that the Romans never conquered a land where they could 
not grow grapes.  Wise people, indeed.

I hope I do not offend, but I felt it necessary to come to the defense 
of the wines you attacked.  And I am quite puzzled by the fact that you 
claim "It's beer for me, all the way...if I were to acquire a taste for 
wine."  How, sir, do you presume to judge what you do not even like?  I 
would not judge beers and ales, I may comment about my preferences, but 
never would I tell a beer connoisseur  which beers were acceptable.

with respect,

Honorable Lady Rayya al Kurtibiyya, called Ismet
Burg Borrendöhl an der Weinstrasse


On 1/28/2011 11:17 PM, Herr Detlef wrote:
> Norman wine is ghastly. The only wine worth anything comes from the Loire
> valley or from the Arno valley. Some Provencal varieties are nice, but not
> all of them. There are some noble attempts in the Mosel region, but these
> are hit or miss at best.
>
> Norman wine is proffered by pretentious Vikings who think they're all that
> because they speak French.
>
> There is no such thing as English wine. Even the English know that. English
>
> drink Ale the way God himself intended them to. Any Englishman who calls his
> potable wares wine is only seeking to exploit the gullible.
>
> It's beer for me, all the way. The darker, the better. I have ancestors who
>
> would come out of the grave and hunt me down if I were to acquire a taste
> for wine.
>
> Detlef
>
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>
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