Empty and Full; The Stop, Start Nature of Empty

[Hey there folks, we are having some issues with Empty on Wordpress, so just temporarily I will get this up here - Rob]

It’s been a long time since I’ve written in a way reminiscent of my old prolific empty self. There are a million excuses I could make as to why, but, very simply it boils down to one factor; passion. I have been working in ‘wine’ retail for quite a while now and if there is one thing I am certain of it is that there is a negative correlation between the amount of £6 wine one sells and your passion for wine. Thankfully, I am finding, there is a two step remedy; acceptance and focusing on the good wine in life. This leads me to writing this post; I have been really complacent with this passion of mine and I think it’s about time I start writing about it again.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

@Rob_Gilmour has been writing for Empty for too long to mention, he is currently working in wine in Edinburgh where he runs @Wine_Edinburgh and somehow has found time to be Vice-President of the @IWSScotland. Being a balanced multifaceted individual Rob's only interest in not wine, he is also interested in wine education as well having passed with distinction his WSET L3. If you'd like to contact him email: emptyglassie@gmail.com 

Pulp Fiction

The man above for those of you unfamiliar is one Alvaro Palacios, and if you're hip and stuff with the wine geeks you'll be all to familiar with his antics in sprucing up the Spanish wine scene. Having been privy to a dinner hosted by the man and having first hand seen the charm with which he presents his wines, I have to say were Quentin Tarantino to script a winemaker, it'd be right along the lines of this chap. Better still the Quentin Tarantino metaphor sticks for the wines he's behind too, they are a bunch of dynamic and individual wines that open in full throttle. 

The Blueberries (Empty Awards for 2011)

Here at team empty we have decided that we could kick off the new year by having ourselves a little bout of awards just to mention some of the best wines, people, producers, regions and wine businesses that we've come across over the 2011. Our format is very simple, there is a first, second and third place, see simple. That in mind, here are our Blueberry awards for 2011.

Conde De Valdemar Crianza 2007

Conde De Valdemar Crianza has long been a favourite of mine for many reasons. The has always been of exceptional quality, even in ropey vintages, such as 2006. When it returned to my local I wept with joy. Well, not really that would be a bit odd. I did however, purchase a bottle.

Gate 108 [Edinburgh Wine trip:Part I of II]

Gate 108, entrance to Edinburgh. Long a hold of cheap drink. Cheap drink means cheap wine. Now, unlike the Irish system which despite constant warning from the front-line wino's has  resisted price regulation until late, however even with the hikes in Scotland, they have cleverly decided not to squeeze the good out of the world of wine. For students with friends over there to whom they make constant visit too, this is good news.