The 24th Loire Valley Wine Trade Fair/Salon des Vins de Loire ran over three days (1st - 3rd February 2010) last week. In addition to the great and the good of this oft ignored region offering their ranges to taste the Fair also hosts the Le Concours des Ligers competition. [Tweets from the Fair can be read via the #loiresalon tag]

"This competition is run by the Union des Oenologues de France and the Loire trade bodies. For the past 15 years, it has rewarded the finest Loire Valley Wines. More than 2,000 wines will be tasted by 300-plus professional tasters."

The gold medal winners were arrayed for sampling at the Palais des Ligers - a little side room to you and me - and while there I conducted a little tweeting. Rather than the 'normal' tasting note I endulged in a little creativity. This was inspired by a chat with Miss Bouquet. We both agreed that using traditional words such as acidity, tannin and so forth are an instant eye-glazing moment for the masses; so I decided to not use them.

As an experiment I'm not too sure that these 'work'; do these notes inspire people to try the wines, more so than the traditional mention of body, length, various flavours? Does the 140 character Twitter restriction mean they are fine for that medium but not suitable for 'proper' notes?

With wine in hand and mouth they made perfect sense at the time...

wine_scribbler: stand by for some unusual-for-spittoon tasting notes direct from the #loiresalon



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon just when the marmite tribe are safely tucked up in the cave berry throwing starts Bois Moze Anjou Villages 05 Cuvee Jean Joseph



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon Jean Christophe Misandeau Samur Champigny 07 a slither of liver served on a dusty roof tile, how do they balance it on a pebble?



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon Sabler Verts Saumur Champigny 06 Cuvee des Sages The Francs having a gay moment on the blackfruit beanbag



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon cht de la Bonneliere Chinon Rouge 08 stirring the berry compote with a chard green twig or three



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon roche honneur diamant prestige chinon rouge 08 - stoned on strawberries



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon Montgilet Coteaux de lAubonce Les 3 Schistes 08 single bee honey; poured over peachy peaches; pineapple et tangerine



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon moncontour nectar de montcontous vouvray doux 05 a teaspoon of pineapple juice sieved through adonis' golden locks



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon Gratien Meyer Saumur Brut Rosé - peachy cheecked milk maid frollacking in the hey barn; mind your head on the metal pale!



wine_scribbler: #loiresalon domaine de la Rouletière Vouvray Moussuex Brut 07 - bread rolling in spring meadowland; the pixie dust! the pixie dust!

Just back from France and the Loire Salon; time to catch up on the ol' emails... this press release caught the eye with its mention of a live webchat with a winemaker...

Ever stood in the wine aisle and felt lost in a sea of wine bottles, then help is at hand in the form of Philip Laffer, legendary winemaker at Jacob's Creek. With so many wines to choose from, how do you make sure that you find the wine to suit your taste?

Internationally renowned winemaker Philip Laffer has been at the forefront of Australian winemaking for over 40 years. He heads up a 20 strong winemaking team, and oversees the process from vineyard to bottle, capturing the essence of Australia in every varietal produced. He is a true ambassador for fine wine the world over.

So whether you want to know how to choose the best wine to accompany that special meal, know more about Philip's winemaking philosophy or get a heads up on what's new in the wine industry, here's your chance to log on and chat with Philip Laffer to find out all you need to know about great Australian Wines.

Philip Laffer is live online at http://www.webchats.tv/chat/true_character_of_the_wine_trader today, Thursday 4th February at 3pm UK time.

What is it with Grenache/Carignan/Syrah blends? Those deep savoury edged, black fruit wonders that make my heart quiver. And why is those from the South of France are simply the best; my favourite style of wine by far? You can pour those expensive clarets down the sink, keep those Burgundian Pinot Noirs in the rack thank you very much; for me a decent bottle from the Languedoc will do me fine. And it has to be the Languedoc, for you just don't find the same concentration and textural qualities from anywhere else. You can add a dash of Mouvèdre in the mix if you like, even better if you have a sun-baked plot of vines planted when rationing was still prevalent in the UK...

Last Tuesday saw me padding around in Lords Cricket Ground. We (myself and Densie the Wine Sleuth) hit on a little patch of red wines from the Southern reaches of France, all grouped on the Wine & Dine table. These are described as a "showcase of sophisticated wines for accompanying sit-down meals, which are, typically, served at table with food, thus defining a very different experience" (when compared to the Easy Drinking, informal wines for example). Perhaps this is why I enjoy them so much - their superb food-matching credentials

My Macaroni and Cheese recipe calls for cooked pasta, doused in cheese sauce, topped with a mix of fried pancetta cubes, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and parsley, then baked for twenty minutes. On removal top with a little sprinkling of parsley and grated lemon zest.

Not a dish I'd make that often, the diet ain't that great, but lapping up a tasty rich dish once in a while can't hurt (can it?). It's all part of the challenge put out some time ago by The Cheese Lover to find the ultimate Macaroni and Cheese recipe. A local dimension earns extra points but sadly a really local cheese was next to impossible to find; the wine though was local...

A new-to-me vineyard and wine - Oakengrove Vineyard Dry White 2006. It's an Oxfordshire based winery although the basic website is short on specifics mentioning that they are "a small family run vineyard nestled in the beautiful Chiltern Hills of South Oxfordshire".

Only this one wine is available at present (local Waitrose stores stock it) although plantings of Pinot Noir are coming on stream for a rosé wine to be released in the summer of 2010.

Also opened for a comparison and contrasting flavour combination was a Spanish red -

For a highly drinkable, highly enjoyed wine the red wins. It wasn't however my favourite match with the food. The red turned softer and hugely drinkable when combined with the food; the white however was the palate cleanser leaving the mouth crying out for replenishment.

Stephen Skelton MW has just released his latest, definitive and comprehensive guide to the industry: UK VINEYARDS GUIDE 2010, which is packed with detailed information and essential data on the British wine scene.

Chapters include an in-depth history of the industry, from pre-Roman Britain to the present day, charting the progress from the birth of the modern commercial wine industry post-war, and more latterly the surge of growth in the last decade. There is also a critical look into the crystal ball at the future of the industry and tackles the topical subject of the effects climate change on the UK's viticulture.

Viticulture, vinification and grape varieties are also covered in detail. The definitive list of almost all vineyards in England, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands provides the most comprehensive record available - extensively researched and featuring useful information on each. Additional lists identifying the organic and biodynamic vineyards, vineyards of 4 hectares and above and a breakdown of vineyards by country and size are also included, along with chapters recording the competition successes over the years and useful contacts relevant to the industry.

This book provides an essential reference book to all aspects of UK wines and their producers. Priced at £22.95 + postage and packing the UK VIneyards Guide 2010 is only available from www.lulu.com Reference: 7848482 or www.englishwine.com

Bill Bailey is one of my favourite comedians - his stand-ups, his role in Black Books, his piano endeavours never fail to make me laugh. This video is a little more hard hitting, but the message is important. We all enjoy a drink but as the Wine in Moderation chap demonstrated at the European Wine Bloggers Conference, everything in moderation...

It's all too easy to laugh off the effects of alcohol and forget that drink can put young people in vulnerable situations.

Recognising that alcohol is a serious issue and talking about the good and the bad sides can help young people stay safe, confident and responsible as they grow as teenagers.

Comedy legend Bill Bailey discusses his involvement with the Alcohol. It's no Joke campaign and shares his experiences of booze as a teenager. Bill talks about related dangers such as drugs, unprotected sex or becoming a victim of anti social behaviour.

The aim of this film is to show that alcohol can make young people vulnerable. Although parents worry about unprotected sex, drugs and crime, drinking alcohol is often not top of the list. Alcohol can be the thing which leaves young people vulnerable and in situations they might not know how to deal with.

This film is the one of a series featuring other comedians including Jo Brand, Russell Kane and Josie Long and is part of the build-up to a big campaign launch in mid-January.

In addition there is a 'behind the scenes' making off video: