miles 21.08; Bike Miles 1; Units 20 excluding Saturday which was far too many!

"a happy weekend is one with more miles on my shoes than my car tyres"

Another week of just two runs - but both good quality, including some tough hills. So I am not unhappy with that - would have been good to crack 30 miles this week, though! The Sunday run was out with the running club, as before from St Catherine's in Winchester. It was crisp, dry, and everything that makes a wintry run truly great. You do just feel absolutely alive after that. It also included a rather random piece of pathway that was covered in cows, which needed shooing off the path..slightly worrying. It was along the water meadows at St. Cross - always feels very medieval at that spot, as if you could be seeing a scene that a monk would have encountered 500 years ago. There is something about these old towns that embody and then exude the years of history. I have included a photo of these meadows at St. Cross because I find it truly enigmatic, evocative...and frankly all a bit Cadfael, if you remember the monkish detective series by Ellis Peters. Indeed it is rumoured that the mist on these meadows inspired Keats to write about Autumn. Today I definitely saw that. It really was a sensational day to go out for a run!

In the week I received the annual copy of the old School magazine The Bloxhamist, and was most surprised to read that there is a Wine Society! Where was that when I was at School, eh? Actually, come to think of it, I was reminded of incidents involving raids on Mr. Bell's study, bottles of sherry and the Great Hall roof..so, maybe I did have a Wine education after all, albeit one that was more about quantity than quality. Some refinement was necessary after that whilst at University, delving into the college cellars and the local Oddbins.

Some lovely wines on Friday night, having had Keith and Pete round for dinner. I shall mention the Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Vignes Frances 2006 by Potel as particularly fine. It's classified as a Monopole, which means, unusually for Burgundy, only one person can make this wine. Elegant raspberry fruit on the nose, with a bit of earthy meatiness. Quite subtle. On the palate, gentle, tart red fruit, not too strong a tannic bite, and a bit herby. A gentle wine but with enough power and length, just altogether matching the reputation of Burgundy for ethereal wines. Quite in tune with the St. Cross mistiness above, actually - one for the Abbot's table.

And on to my new video venture - "1 wine, 60 seconds" - this time for Brunello di Montalcino Brunelli, Riserva 2001. Keep the feedback coming, I am trying to take it all on board!