Friday, bright and early... well, after 10am.
It's tasting time at Frazier's.
An occasional office event that seems to attract anyone who's around at the time.
Every so often, a large number of potential new listings are gathered together for a grand "taste-off".
My list comes in at a staggering 75 different wines to try!
Prices range from £7 to £70 a bottle.
I think I counted 14 different countries, many with wines from numerous regions.
So, to begin ... everyone, grab a tasting glass and a notepad for scoring, and dive into the whites.
Round and round the table we go, circling like in an old Hollywood Western, reaching for the next wine.
Some are tiring, after just the whites, and retire to gather strength to attack the red selection, later in the morning.
For the "true professionals", it's a breeze.
Greek Assyrtiko, Washington Riesling, Oregon Chardonnay, classics from Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé; all have their followers and, sometimes, haters!
Even one of the most inexpensive wines, a Spanish "Pardina" variety, (a "never heard of this grape"), comes across well. You never know which wines will surprise.
The rosé are quickly tasted (some people just don't understand rosé, but that leaves more for those who do), and we move onto the reds.
At the lighter end of the spectrum, Pinot Noir from the USA is showing strongly. There are mutterings about, "where's the real Burgundy?", but good wine is good, no matter where it's made.
Organic Sicilian? An instant hit... and really good value!
Some young, but drinking now, vintages of Bordeaux. Frazier's do like Bordeaux, so these will, no doubt, be added to the range as soon as shipping can be arranged.
Another surprise... a silky-smooth Fitou; southern French, but from an established winemaker more associated with Chile & Bordeaux. Again, quality shines through, regardless of style, or price.
There were many "also rans" that failed to make the cut. Some were, just horrible!
But I prefer to concentrate on the wines that really stood out.
Yes, some were, as expected, expensive, but there were others that came close to the best for quality, but at much more affordable levels (I still love the pricey ones; it's just me).
Let's hope that all the tasty wines get onto the list. You can't have too much of good thing.
Now that it's Saturday, all the bottles have been cleared away, scores have been analysed, and thoughts move to the "big" tasting, next week!
But you're wondering about that photo?
I think some of us might look and feel a bit like the "Wine Taster", but it's all part of the effort that's put in to get you the best wines for #FraziersWineStudio
Come and see us, today. What have you got to lose?