Wine
Sept 19, 2013 3:18:11 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2013 3:18:11 GMT -5
Gluttony is a deadly sin, Sydney! The seven deadly sins, also known as the capital vices or cardinal sins, is a classification of vices (part of Christian ethics) that has been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct Christians concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin. In the currently recognised version, the sins are usually given as wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Upon reflection, I plead guilty to all seven. If I may nevertheless quote Jamie Oliver directly:
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Jamie Oliver Food Foundation - Activities
What is as important as what one eats, however, Sydney, is what one drinks! Writing for the FT, Jancis Robinson reports not on masters of the universe, but masters of wine. This week the Institute of Masters of Wine celebrates its 60th anniversary. In the postwar years a few London wine merchants decided to instil a little rigour into wine trade education, which at the time entailed teaching young men in cellars the difference between an adze and a bung-tinner, since most wine was imported in barrels then. Twenty-one hopefuls took the first exam in 1953 and six “MWs” were the result.
Scroll forward 31 years and Jancis sat the MW exams, by now a full four days of them with both theoretical and practical (blind tasting) papers, thereby becoming the first of these rarefied beasts to have been recruited from outside the trade. The first woman, Sarah Morphew Stephen, had passed in 1976 but even the addition of women – Jancis was the 11th and almost a third of all MWs now are women – did not make up for the fact that MWs, however respected in the world of wine, were mortal. The institute had to recruit more members and in 1988 it further relaxed the rules to allow in foreigners. Michael Hill Smith of Australia was the first non-Brit MW, passing that year. Jancis concludes thus:
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I propose some toast: to Red, White and Sparkling Wine! Three cheers from kleines c and the gang (Thursday morning breakfast coffee)!
“If we can get gardens growing, food education in the classroom and better school dinners; if we can teach communities to cook and give young unemployed people the skills to succeed, we've got a really powerful, inspirational catalyst for change, both now and for generations to come. We all have the opportunity to come together and do something that really makes a difference.”
Jamie Oliver Food Foundation - Activities
What is as important as what one eats, however, Sydney, is what one drinks! Writing for the FT, Jancis Robinson reports not on masters of the universe, but masters of wine. This week the Institute of Masters of Wine celebrates its 60th anniversary. In the postwar years a few London wine merchants decided to instil a little rigour into wine trade education, which at the time entailed teaching young men in cellars the difference between an adze and a bung-tinner, since most wine was imported in barrels then. Twenty-one hopefuls took the first exam in 1953 and six “MWs” were the result.
Scroll forward 31 years and Jancis sat the MW exams, by now a full four days of them with both theoretical and practical (blind tasting) papers, thereby becoming the first of these rarefied beasts to have been recruited from outside the trade. The first woman, Sarah Morphew Stephen, had passed in 1976 but even the addition of women – Jancis was the 11th and almost a third of all MWs now are women – did not make up for the fact that MWs, however respected in the world of wine, were mortal. The institute had to recruit more members and in 1988 it further relaxed the rules to allow in foreigners. Michael Hill Smith of Australia was the first non-Brit MW, passing that year. Jancis concludes thus:
" ... Today the ethos of the institute is moving towards something much more inclusive, recognising that, as the wine world rapidly evolves, we all need to continue to learn and can hardly afford to sit on our laurels. This evolution has much to do with the fact that the institute is no longer run by and for the British wine trade. The last two chairmen were, respectively, Austrian and South African and the current one is Jean-Michel Valette MW, a successful businessman who commutes between the Bay Area and the Rhône Valley.
As he welcomes 150 MWs from as far afield as Hong Kong and New Zealand to the celebrations in London next week, Valette’s one big headache is the dissertation, a third and highly controversial requirement imposed since 1994 on those who pass the theory and practical papers before they are awarded the magic initials. That something is wrong with this is clear. More than 30 people have passed all the exams but may not call themselves MWs yet. This third requirement is being overhauled and is expected to be a hot topic, yet again, at Wednesday’s AGM."
As he welcomes 150 MWs from as far afield as Hong Kong and New Zealand to the celebrations in London next week, Valette’s one big headache is the dissertation, a third and highly controversial requirement imposed since 1994 on those who pass the theory and practical papers before they are awarded the magic initials. That something is wrong with this is clear. More than 30 people have passed all the exams but may not call themselves MWs yet. This third requirement is being overhauled and is expected to be a hot topic, yet again, at Wednesday’s AGM."
I propose some toast: to Red, White and Sparkling Wine! Three cheers from kleines c and the gang (Thursday morning breakfast coffee)!