“Sod the wine, I want to suck on the writing. This man White is an instinctive writer, bloody rare to find one who actually pulls it off, as in still gets a meaning across with concision. Sharp arbitrage of speed and risk, closest thing I can think of to Cicero’s ‘motus continuum animi.’

Probably takes a drink or two to connect like that: he literally paints his senses on the page.”


DBC Pierre (Vernon God Little, Ludmila’s Broken English, Lights Out In Wonderland ... Winner: Booker prize; Whitbread prize; Bollinger Wodehouse Everyman prize; James Joyce Award from the Literary & Historical Society of University College Dublin)


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16 January 2012

McLEAN'S FARM HITS TWIN CRISIS PEAKS

STOP PRESS: 
TWIN CRISES HIT PEAK BAROSSA 
AS COOL VERAISON LOOMS

That's Stephen Henschke (left), making a neighbourly check on Bob and Wilma McLean at their McLean's Farm on the top of Mengler's Hill already.  The crises?  Bob's off the booze; Willie's off the smokes; the dogs sensibly hide under the tables. This situation is as treacherous as vintage 2011, when the second wettest vintage in history saw the killer moulds hit, destroying what began as a beautiful crop.  The McLeans have planted the biggest new dry-grown bush vine vineyard in the Barossa uplands since Peter Lehmann's old man was the first Barossa Lutheran Pastor to preach in Englitsch.  Go visit: you can tell they're open if the sign's up at the farmgate.  If it's not, put it up yourself, go inside, tell Bob he's open for business, drink in front of him, smoke in front of Willie, then ask for thirteen to the dozen.  I dare you!  Bob says the vineyard's looking tickety-boo this year, and the weather patterns are breezy and cool. DRINKSTER will report on progress after next week's stayover at Schloss McLeinig.



YOUNG DRY-GROWN BUSH VINES ON ANCIENT SANDSTONE, McLEAN'S FARM photos PHILIP WHITE

2 comments:

Sal said...

Ah, jealous as fuck ... have several decent-sized schlucks and smokes on my behalf, please. And love to 'em both. x

KARRA YERTA WINES said...

Jeez, all that healthy living will kill 'em...... Give them my regards, also:)