Nature Notes

Joined: 15 Jul 2007 Posts: 623 Location: Bansko

The idea of the gin was purely to wipe down and steralise the open bits of bone , like the knuckle where the foot had been chopped off ( again an error as I think the feet should stay on) and the ball joint in the shoulder.

Bansko air is perfect for air dryed hams as it is 0% humidity in the winter and the "banski but" is famous throughout the balkans, unfortunately very few people still make it and what is for sale is really dear.

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

This is very much the time of year to discuss wine.
Bulgaria is missing out on selling its wine.
On other threads Bulgarian wine is being severely criticised.
The harvest is now over, the wine most of us will drink in Bulgaria next year is already fermenting.
If a country such as Chile can produce superb wines at cheap prices (involving transport costs and import duties into the E.U.) then Bulgaria (many of whose wines are excellent) needs to get its act together.
Wine news and views from Bulgaria would be very welcome.
Your man on the grassy knoll.

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

O.K., I am willing to give up this thread.
Through other threads and through lots of vile PM's I am abused for trying to maintain an interest in e.g. wildlife, food, ecology etc.
I notice how many "hits" this thread has and have been fascinated by how much I have learned about everything from cooking to birdlife.
I know I, personally, am a crashing bore (enough people tell me so), but I think many of you enjoy this thread as much as I do.
Come on, do not be shy, tell us your favourite e.g. scrambled eggs recipe.
The whole point of "Nature Notes" was that the "In Bansko Crowd" could carry on with their incomprehensible chatter, cruel jokes, personal abuse, recommendations to restaraunts none of the rest of us knew where they were etc.
The rest of us could marvel in nature, particularly Bulgaria, honing in on Bansko.
Please do not be shy,
Your man on the grassy knoll.

Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 351

Having tried both methods of curing hams, dry salt and brine, I go for brine every time, less salty taste in the end product and more reliable. Try a traditional wiltshire recipe using salt, brown sugar and beer for good flavour.

Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 432 Location: Bansko

harrowell wrote:

If a country such as Chile can produce superb wines at cheap prices (involving transport costs and import duties into the E.U.) then Bulgaria (many of whose wines are excellent) needs to get its act together.

I don't think Bulgaria actually has a problem selling the wine it produces and at the moment it is more a case of producing enough wine. Large vineyards bought by foreign companies in recent years will start yielding soon, and I am sure they already have their strategies worked out, and most likely need no advice from Talk Bansko!

Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 3662 Location: Bansko

Oh Chico.

You are always so entertaining with your funny statements

Quote:

I don't think Bulgaria actually has a problem selling the wine it produces and at the moment it is more a case of producing enough wine.

Ever thought of making money with this? You certainly have the talent for a comedian.

The Bulgarian wine industry is in a deep crisis. A lot of money has been invested in new vineyards and state-of-the-art technologies in the last years. As a consequence to this the general quality level of Bulgarian wine has gone up drastically. And so have prices as production costs have also risen. Most of the vineyards I know have tried to position themselves in the upper quintile of the market. But due to the crisis the market has broken away. Wine sales this year are down by about 40% (officially only 30%). Bulgaria never had a share in the European wine market. The odd bottle of Bulgarian wine you would have found in a supermarket shelf in the UK or Germany would be some plonk from a brand name that does not even exist in Bulgaria and would only sell because of its cheap price. The Bulgarian market used to be Russia. And there we have the biggest drops in sales.

All this has a variety of reasons. One of them is that the National branch organisation, Natsionalna lozaro-vinarska kamara, is a bunch of bureaucrats left over from the communist times. They have neither a concept, funds or even an idea to market Bulgarian wine. Another typical Bulgarian problem is that wine-producers don't cooperate. Everyone works only for himself. And none of them is strong enough to make a break-through on foreign markets. No wonder, all the (in addition cheap) wine flowing in from the New World, backed by government subsidies and advertising support leaves them no chance. If you take into account that in most of the New World countries wine is produced in a perfect climate in huge vineyards and on even ground - which substantially lowers production cost - niche markets like Bulgaria (which is very hilly and has rather small vineyards in comparison) have very little room for growth. You also should know that there is a massive overproduction on the planet, meaning that by far not all the wine that is being produced ends up being sold. Since many years the EU pays subsidies to the vintners to turn their wine into vinegar.

Well, the story goes on and on. What I can see is that Bulgarian wine prices will be going down in the foreseeable future - good for me as a professional alcoholic. But bad for the producers. A good friend of mine that runs one of the top vineyards in the country confided that since last year they don't have any Christmas business. Before, commercial clients and companies would buy a thousand bottles here and a thousand bottles there to hand them out to their clients as Christmas or New Year presents. This type of business would have accounted for maybe 25% of the annual revenues. This is all gone for the moment. I recently have been emailed offers from some top guns in the business (don't want to mention specific names here) that suggested me their top wines at 50% of the price that you still see in the shops. Their cellars are full. And all of them have loans to service - for investments they made over the last years. If Christmas this year does not pick up the situation will become desperate.

For me there are interesting times ahead and I believe the market is going to restructure. There will be bargains galore. And lots of good Bulgarian wines in the shops.

Now I just finished my bottle of Mavrud and will finally go to bed.

Have a nice one,

Frank

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

Last week I was in France.
Many French vineyards are being ploughed up (with an E.U. grant) because they just produced "vin ordinaire", which no-one wants to buy because other countries produce better wines cheaper.
I bought my "Winter Wine" selection before returning to the U.K.
I bought based on taste and price.
Following the above remarks I have just checked the case labels: Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Portugal and South Africa.
Only two of the above enjoy E.U. tax status.
I bought them in France (because wine attracts so much less tax there than in the U.K.).
My point is that the great traditional wine producers of Europe: France, Italy and Spain are being beaten out of the market by countries that do not care about tradition and "terroir" but produce good wine at good prices.
Bulgaria could do this.
Your man tending his vines on the grassy knoll.

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

I think Frank and my posts crossed without either of us seeing what we had posted.
I still maintain there is a huge market in Western Europe for good, cheap, wine.
Why would the "New World" waste its money on advertising if this were not true?
I happen to believe that some of my Portuguese friends produce some of the best wines in the world. But they say "why bother trying to produce and market it when the "Port" houses (mostly still British owned!) will buy any old crap to turn into "Port"."
I know "brand name" is vital, how many of us have drunk "Scotch Whisky" around the world that makes Bansko market rakiya taste like Armagnac?
Just remember:
"A day without wine is like a day without sunshine."
Your man on the grassy knoll.

Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 408

I have tasted some great bulgarian wine, but don't understand the marketing to comment on a wider playing field, we try hard to buy wines we like which are european or fair trade. Very Happy

Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 548

Oh my God I have just been to the Doctors, I cannot believe it I have just been told I have Gammon Flu, I thought I had Swine flu but the Doctor told me I was cured.

" Just a thought "
Laughing

Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 408

ha ha did THEY smoke it out of you, sorry not very funny but we had gammon for tea tonight..... hope it's not contaigious Very Happy

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

Trying to ignore the rising tide of "comedians".
Frank makes a lot of interesting points.
Of course, many of the world's "great wines" are produced right on the edge of wine producing climates, Champagne being the obvious one (Doesn't Germany produce "Eisswein" - I may have got the name wrong, where the grapes need A) To begin to rot and then B) Have just enough frost on them?
Anyone can plant a 1000 hectares in the Southern Mediterranean and produce a million gallons of cheap "plonk".
The niche markets are there.
It is the same with rakiya (one day we will all agree on how to spell the name).
Scotch whisky (as opposed to Irish Whiskey), depends on the water used with the malt (if you do not believe me, splash out on e.g. an Islay malt).
But you still have a rough, pale yellow liguid.
The Scotch distillers import the used "sherry" barrels from Jerez in Spain to age their whisky in, which adds flavour and colour.
Cheap "Scotch" around the world simply adds caramel to get the colour.
American Bourbon relies on fresh oak barrels that are scorched inside with a blow torch. Then they sell those barrels to Calvados distillers in Normandy.
I have worked in the Scotch industry and for Calvados producers. I know the Irish Whiskeys use a slightly different system don't know exactly what.
Your man on the grassy knoll.

Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 3662 Location: Bansko

Quote:

Doesn't Germany produce "Eisswein"

...indeed they do in certain areas. And it's really a niche market. It's labour intensive, only small quantities can be produced which makes it expensive. That's why "Eiswein" usually sells in half-bottles. But Eiswein is not really a wine. It's more like a liqueur: velvety, extremely rich in body but very sweet - what people call a dessert wine. I don't drink it for dessert but in sherry glasses with the foie gras that my Bulgarian better half loves so much and that I have to prepare for her "mi cuit" on a regular basis (one of the benefits of inexpensive - because underestimated - local luxury products in Bulgaria).

The concept of icewine is simple: you leave the grapes on the vine until they have sucked up the very last bit of sun. This sometimes takes till January. In addition the grapes have to be frozen to at least -7 degrees C. When you press them the crystallised water separates and only the water that is bound by the sugar remains. Which means there is less liquid but of greater richness.

Personally, I prefer Sauternes over icewine. Nothing compares to it. Sweet like icewine but such a depth of aromas. Ah... The concept is slightly different. Here the grapes stay on the vine for a long time as well but not until they freeze but until they start to rot. The "noble rot" that you can't find elsewhere. It makes the grapes concentrate flavours and sugar. Very labour intense. Because the vineyards have to checked everyday for those grapes that have reached the right stage and they have to be hand-picked. What a joy to savour!

Unfortunately, I can't afford a good bottle of Sauternes too often. Also because you can't find/buy it in Bulgaria. Chateu d'Yquem is a fantasy - and one of the most expensive "wines" on the planet. My personal runner-up and more affordable alternative (certain vintage years) is ChÃ¢teau Lafaurie-Peyraguey. The best value for money Sauternes one can find. You would not want to put more than a sip of it into your mouth at a time. I still have a very few bottles 1984 in my cellar in Germany that I had the great fortune to stumble across at a price of around 150 French Francs at the time. And the only time I open one of them is when I am with the dearest people in my life (can't drink a whole bottle on my own).

There are a few Bulgarian vineyards that produce dessert wines. They started this a few years ago( e.g. Svishtov winery). Their techniques are questionable and the results is mediocre and very expensive. Bulgaria has no tradition for this.

In Germany the two big discounters Aldi and Lidl offer icewine once a year. I don't know if they do this in your country. But if they do - go and buy some. While I was very sceptical I once bought a bottle (375ml) to try it - and I went back the next day to buy in bigger quantities. I have taken most of this to Bulgaria and, unfortunately, my darling has drunk it all up (well, I did help her a little bit). I was in Germany only in two years when these icewines were on offer but I will buy a lot more of them if I am lucky enough to catch the right time again. Can't remember the price exactly (maybe around 6 EUR) but great value for money. Worth every penny.

Let's not get into champagne because then I would not be able to stop this monologue Rolling Eyes

Happy sipping,

Frank

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

Thankyou for the information on "Eiswein" (sorry for poor spelling before).
I would (personally) be fascinated by your thoughts on Champagne.
In "blind tastings" for the last 2 years sparkling wine from Kent (U.K.) has beaten Champagne hands down. Possibly a result of global warming.
Sadly little is produced and U.K. taxes make it very expensive.
Many years ago I spent a dreadful 6 months in the Krug cellars under Rheims turning (a 1/4 of a turn each) about a million bottles of maturing Champagne. Now I am told they have a machine that does it!
Soon I can be replaced by a machine and then Pikey's sour sarcasm will not matter at all.
Your man on the grassy knoll.
A day without wine is a day without sunshine.

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 675

Just a thought (cue for all the "comedians" to jump in).
More and more wine now comes in bottles with metal screwcaps with plastic inserts.
People tell me this threatens the great cork producing areas such as Portugal. As well as threatening thousands of jobs in such areas, I am led to believe that the great cork tree forests and their totally unique wildlife are under threat.
Interested to know what people feel about this.
Guaranteed quality wine or a slight risk of the odd "corked" bottle.
Why does "Fairtrade" and natural always get so complicated?
Your man on the grassy knoll.
P.S. Yes I know Pikey, go away and post about sliding down hills.