Well, after fascinating April came hectic May, and hectic and then some. (I'm trying terribly not to use an exclamation mark - but I'm tempted, oh I can't help it! There!

There was one of those well-argued intellect-led article (may have been in The Telegraph) about the overuse of the! There's a deluge of !!! in emails and the internet it has been! Seems like we all want to emphasise. Or shout.  A bit like all the ludicrous, moronic screaming on reality TV and "The X Factor", "Britain has still a bit of talent"  and so on.

Boy, am I a grumpy old man or what?

The month started not so good. Took mum to GP who didn't seem to take her ailments seriously and suggested she take a bit more rest. Disappointed, we were polite, left and I took her to a specialist who's done wonders for me in the past. Took him 3 minutes to diagnose problem, another few minutes to do blood test and prescribe magic pills that would clear all symptoms in days.  And it did. (Nearly tripped up and used the dreaded excl. mk. Shhh) Doc is a great chap. Loves a drop of vino tinto , keeps fees to minimum, speaks to mum in her native Spanish. Yes, folks, there're some terrific people out there. So, with mum back to her charming self, time to celebrate with a 2008 Pouilly-Fuisse, Louis Jadot, Burgundy (white). Always a classy white, medium-bodied, it's easy to recommend. Louis Jadot has a well-deserved reputation and this wine enhances it. Citrus hints in a light oak, lovely finish. £14.49 at Tesco. My rating 92.

As soon as mum was her old self again we jetted off to Southern Spain with my sister. Icelandic volcanic ash everywhere except, thankfully, the day we flew off and the day we returned (See how I'm refraining from the exclamation mark?) Mostly tried the regular house wines wherever we went and mostly it was pretty good. At one tapas bar I was so taken aback by the quality of a glass of Rioja that I called over the barman. It was a 2006 Faustino, but so silky smooth I insisted on seeing the bottle. And, yep, it was Faustino VII - Rioja Tinto 2006. Superb. But, next day, I asked for a glass of the same and it was just not quite the same. Nonetheless, I've since had a bottle back in blighty and it is an elegant rioja. So go have a taste. Faustino VII Rioja Tinto from the Alavesa sub-region, (95% tempranillo and 5% mazuelo), aged in oak. Rich velvety red colour with the typical rioja hint of vanilla aroma. (Sells in the UK at about £8.75).

At another modest tapas bar we had a medium dry 2007 Codorniu Vintage Rosado(Monastrell and Pinot Noir) - classic  Cava from near Barcelona, a good sparkling rose with lots of  summer fruit flavours .I found this back home selling at half-price, a bargain in Tesco at £6.16. My rating 80.

I had not intended to bring back any wine as I'm too lazy to carry it all the way home. However, we were invited to a (for you Anglo-Saxons) very late lunch, 3.00pm, at my lovely cousin's pad in La Linea. Coming out of the stifling hot afternoon air and into the cool of her welcoming house it was already beginning to feel heaven. We were then ushered into the patio, under the shade of the climbing, trailing plants by her swimming pool, all empty, glimmering, shining and reflecting little thin shafts of sunbeams in the light breeze.  My eyes went straight to.. ...the table, set out with a delicious assortment of home-made food, fish as fresh as it gets, succulent olives, crispy salads. I like this. To top it all her husband took me to his little hoard and together we selected some wines. What a wonderful afternoon. Good food, good wine, lovely setting, gentle, attentive entertaining people .And their jewel of a gorgeous daughter with a smile all her own. Of course, they weren't going to let me go empty handed and not a few bottles were bestowed on me. I shall report on these in due course.

Back home and after a little, not too much work, a bit of golf (I was useless) and, then, meet up with youngest son to entrust him with my modest investments. He's only been at it for a few years but is showing promise. So after parting with the loot to him and his colleague James (annoying good golfer and every other sport going), I really needed a little pick-me-up. A good time to taste some samples sent to me. Here's the first five:

First off, Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois (Les Vignerons de la Mediterranee), from Languedoc, France. (Sweet white). A dessert wine from the south of France, a golden yellow colour and with a gorgeous fruit and floral nose, great with fruit desserts and cheese. I always intend to drink more dessert wines but after a greedy full repast, never leave sufficient room, so I frequently miss out. This one has more than reminded me to straighten myself out. Looks like I've come late to this one, a wonderful find. Serve it cold.  A bargain 37.5cl for £4.38 at Sainsbury. My rating 90.

Leasingham Wines Magnus Riesling (Clare Valley) 2009 (white) :The Riesling grape type, originating in the Rhine region of Germany, is almost lightly perfumed, with high acidity and is now widely used around the World. This wine is a fine, elegant Australian example, pale, with a barely green tinge, hint of fruits, pronounced acidity at the finish. Try it with Crayfish or crab or prawn salad. Carried by a number of supermarkets, including Sainsbury and Somerfield at about £7.99. My rating 84.

Ona (Anakena) Riesling Viognier Chardonnay 2008. Chile.I was new to this wine and as you'd expect with such a blend of grapes, I found it quite complex and not sure on first tasting it. A couple of gentle swigs later though I really got into it and found all sorts going on, tasting all three varieties but  balanced and fresh , and ended up enough of a convert to put it on my list for more in the future.  Light gold colour, citrusy, smooth. It's a match for a wide range of food; certainly chicken and all sorts of seafood.  £9.99 at Oddbins (incidentally, Oddbins is getting back in the groove). My rating 85.

Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2009 Coastal Region, South Africa. (White). I find it difficult to even begin to dissect chardonnays, its origins generally assumed in the Burgundy region, this grape type is now grown and used worldwide. Maybe Chardonnay lost a bit of its cachet in the 1980s when it was oh so trendy and Global. Anyway, here we have a super wine from South Africa where the quality for the price pushes it up the scale. I looked up the Boschendal Estate on the internet and it looks lush and with beautiful mountain scenery. I have several friends who visit South Africa taking in wine-tastings and I have to say I won't hold out long before taking a peek myself. This is a well-established Estate and the know-how must have built up because this is not the first of their excellent wines I've tasted. It's fresh, creamy and nutty .It will go well with fish, poultry and creamy sauces. A good buy £7.99 at Waitrose. My rating 85.

Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel 2007 California, USA (full bodied red). A good example of this widely grown grape-type in California. Californian zinfandel can come in strong with 15% content, this one weighs in at 13.5% which is how I like it. Distinctively rich, balanced with lots of hints of berry fruit, faintly sweet and lightly peppery, lightly oaked. A robust accompaniment to steaks, beefburgers and the like, it can also stand bring drunk on its own. At Waitrose, Tesco, Spar and others at about £7.99.My rating 82.

In between these labours of love, of course, all manner of things interfere; the odd job (though I'm mostly retired with minimum commitments),a little golf, a family BBQ,  and even a bit of horseracing at the golf club (no, I'm still holding back the excl.mks.).

Ah golf. I was drawn in a competition where one of the contenders was a 13 year old (handsome, refined lad is Olly). He was playing off a 12 handicap (no, I'm not telling but mine reverses that and adds a bit more). You don't need me telling you; he moved like Tiger (before his off-course adventures), played like Tiger, beat as hands-down (nay, annihilated us) and was a perfect gentleman in his triumph. Here's hoping my trio fruits of my loin read this. Olly, I want to be your manager and I'll carry your bag at the Ryder Cup.

A BBQ is not usually in my itinerary but this one was a sort of command you don't turn down. From the youngest son's girlfriend's mum,  'Nula. Not only did she chose the most perfect sunny day in between days of thunder and produced a sumptuous feast, but there it was, stretching in front of us across her extensive gardens , the Vale of the White Horse looking down from Oxon to Wiltshire . What a fab sight. What's to be done? How about a little of that Codorniu Rosado followed by the Californian zinfandel with the lamb chops and sausages?

Now I don't know if you'll believe this. There's a bit of a fray and politics and that sort of thing going on about the managing company's running of the block. So they called a meeting of residents, who rarely turn up for these orgies of debate, reminiscent of the worst of parliament's PM's questions. Ahah, cleverly they could only book a room at the Warrington saloon bar, ye local holstery. Yes, you're there before me. Hey presto, the best attendance yet. Isn't life grand?

Now, that's enough for now, see you soon. But let me leave you with this. As his first contribution has been universally acclaimed by my circle, my good friend Richard, news editor and raconteur, has sent me another recipe. He says it's best enjoyed in mid-February in front of a roaring log fire. So he's either terribly well organised in advance or

He knows the weather forecast better than the Met office (well, anybody could, I suppose) or he's just showing off his culinary prowess.

Oven baked sausage and bean pot.

1.) Cook four herby and/or garlicky sausages until browned.

Set aside.

2.) Finely chop three red onions and fry in an ovenproof pot until soft and golden brown.

3.) Add 200 mls of chicken or vegetable stock and 200mls of arrabbiata sauce

- not worth making, supermarket versions are fine -

2 tbls soft brown sugar, and 200mls of Guinness.

4.) Bring to boil and let bubble away for a few minutes before adding 400 g of rinsed mixed beans and the sausages.

5.) Cover and bake in oven, gas mark 6, for around 35 minutes.

6.) Season, scatter with chopped parsley and devour with plenty of crusty bread.

Best enjoyed in mid-February in front of a roaring log fire!

I'd say this calls for the Zinfandel, what say you?