Also, have got almost x30 chilli plants on the go in the poly-house.

Hot, hot!

You're such a tease.

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mel

Funnily enough I stored a red in the fridge for the first time last week. It was the Belleruche discussed before. I noticed on the bottle it recommended 15C and as it was quite warm I decided to keep in the fridge. Seems your "cellar" is perfect temp for this Duncan. What did you make of it?

We too picked our first PSB this weekend. I don't have an allotment, they are just in the garden and the plants are a little small. Its probably not the best location as it does not get much sun.
I don't think I've ever eaten it before and it was my first time growing it. The heads were a little bitter, not a great hit with the kids. But the stalks are so sweet, nearly as sweet as the carrots we had with them. I've only planted a few things in pots so far this year, as we are getting ready for the move. The new house has an area allocated for a fair size veg bed but there is a lot of work to do before I can start on it.

Allotments are like Rocking Horse **** round here. I am on the list for a local one but if they change hands at the rate they have in the last ten years, I shouldn't expect to get one until I'm in my 70's

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tribs

GK & Tribs - Shropshire & N. Yorks PSB

I'd forgotten GK - March is typical for normal land

When we lived in Lincolnshire, right on the edge of the Wolds, the very slight incline out of the Fens was quite fast and very strong land. Therefore you could grow a cauli with a solid curd before the heavy frosts in January and February.

My PSB was usually set out end of March, very maritime climate there, continual strong wind and very few frosts. I'd be eating it by November, and finishing it by Christmas, early January. Huge plants, 2ft 6" high and also 2ft wide. The tree trunk stalks had to be crushed with the back of an old splitting maul, before going on the compost heap ! Crazy, but grew great big long sweet corn there as well

We can't grow brasicca's here, even if we we had a large plot with few trees, the land is sandy and neutral / slightly acidic PH, and the still weather winters promote thick frosts, or drowning floods.

Tribs - The '07 Belleruche is a lovely wine for £6.99 today (was 5.99, and on Tuesday back to 7.99) more dimensional than the TTD. At 14C just as GK has said with chilled shiraz, infact he described the chilled effect perfectly. Bonpas was best at 14C. I liked the Belleruche better at 17C, where you could actually tell it was a CdR The garricke shrubland, herbie knarled brush and dusty boots flavours make a fleeting appearance

For £6.99 (5.99 was a snip) one of the best and most versatile of the ripe CdR's this Spring. Actually tastes more like a wine from the rural rhone valley at 17 / 18C !!!

It is spoken......Now everthing biodynamic at Chapoutier ....ground horn, rising moons, the plough, horse hair and goat dung

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Duncan

Yes. Stick the cork back in asap and put the bottle upright in fridge door.

It keeps longer cool for the very same reasons that you keep other thing sin the fridge.