Discretion decrees that I must not disclose my friend “la reine” Anne’s vintage but she celebrated her recent birthday in style.
The (mostly) socially-distanced celebrations took place at Ardington House near Wantage, a fine Georgian manor built 1719-1721.
I took a half-bottle of Pol Roger
When one of the (Swiss) guests – who knew Champagne and Burgundy well – told me that they had not heard of or tried Pol Roger (no, I couldn’t believe it either) a state of emergency was declared and the half was opened for strictly pedagogic purposes.
The writer and broadcaster Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984) lived in Wantage for 21 years.
His poem ”Wantage Bells” evokes the torpor of this part of Oxfordshire (formerly Berkshire) on a Sunday morning, after a champagne-filled Saturday…
Where are the words to express
Such a reckless bestowing? It’s always worth having a few Pol halves available for emergencies , so please drop us a line – email or WhatsApp or order online – and we’ll sort out some for you.
In the meantime, we wish you a Betjemanesque weekend…
Where the brook flows
Brick walls of rose
Send on the motionless meadow the bell notes rebounding…
