When you go to expo's/trade shows etc and they have competitions, have
you ever wondered, who actually wins the prizes on offer?

Well, after enduring a shocking day in the shop last Monday, (beer
fridge breaking down 3 days before Christmas, cool room getting
flooded etc etc) you can imagine my delight when a senior rep from
Smith & Sons (Yalumba) entered the shop and said "Matt, we have some
good news". At a trade show, I had entered a competition, and won,
and he was here to present my prize....... a 6 litre Imperial of
Yalumba's 1998 Signature Cabernet - Shiraz. To look at this majestic
creature, (Temporarily displayed next to the 750Ml bottles of same
vintage selling for $36 each) was mind numbing, as thoughts of who to
drink it with, and for what occasion. We decided a 50th
birthday....mine... in about ...*cough cough* ...7 years....... would
be about right.

Now.... how DOES one open one of these giants?

Regards
Swooper

This one is genuinely from Anthony!

On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 07:45:51 +1100,
wrote:

>and he was here to present my prize....... a 6 litre Imperial of
>Yalumba's 1998 Signature Cabernet - Shiraz.

Bloody 'ell!

>Now.... how DOES one open one of these giants?

You put a corkscrew in and you twist!

(Reply after a nice meal out at the Wolseley in Piccadilly. VERY up
market brasserie.)


All the best
Ian
(To reply by email PLEASE don't use "Reply to" but
use my name at wanadoo.fr) Thanks.

Anthony Hoare > wrote:

>>Now.... how DOES one open one of these giants?
>
> You put a corkscrew in and you twist!

Exactly. A waiter's friend did the job without any problem on a
double magnum of Barolo 1985 (Marchesi di Barolo, standard annata
offering) I opened on my 50th birthday last July. Standard bottles
mouth width is 18mm, this had 25mm; I don't think it gets very
much wider.

M.

On 23 Dec 2003 11:09:40 GMT, Michael Pronay > wrote:

>Anthony Hoare > wrote:
>
>>>Now.... how DOES one open one of these giants?
>>
>> You put a corkscrew in and you twist!
>
>Exactly. A waiter's friend did the job without any problem on a
>double magnum of Barolo 1985 (Marchesi di Barolo, standard annata
>offering) I opened on my 50th birthday last July. Standard bottles
>mouth width is 18mm, this had 25mm; I don't think it gets very
>much wider.
>
>M.

Thanks Michael. My Q was a little tongue in cheek. I did open a 1979
Redman for a customer a few years ago. He had it put away for is
son's 21st. Patience, gritted teeth...... and a waiter's friend did
the job. I was rewarded when his wife returned with a decanter full
of the delightful cabernet for me to sip away during the evening
trade......... :>)

Regards Swooper