This is what, as far as I know, is called an onomatopœia, ie, a word or a group of words that imitates the sound it is describing, such as “bang”, or “boom” for example. Please don’t worry, this will not be a boring lecture on vocabulary but I use this word for two reasons. Firstly, to pay homage to one of the very best teachers I ever came across, Mr Carr (whose first name I forget, anyone?). He taught me at SAC and he was tremendous fun, teaching us these particular words in his typically dry humour.
Secondly, however, because the words Blog! Blog! Blog! really do sound like wine pouring out of a bottle and into a crystal goblet, waiting for me to give it a firm swirl, draw its bouquet through my eager (often blocked) nostrils, and sip urgently onto a palate waiting to be impressed!
Blog! Blog! Blog!...as I gaze at a bottled of Chateau Kefraya, waiting…no, begging, to be blogged! But it’s still too early, on a working day, with tons of work sitting in my In Tray, which happens to fall right in the path of my right eye’s blind spot, conveniently.
A few of you might know me for my love for wine. Others, for being a Manchester United fan, and others for things I wouldn’t mention in this column. But surely my clichéd passion is wine, and I assure you that despite the frequent abuse of this word, my passion runs deep enough to seem almost petty to some. That I should get an almighty thrill from walking through vines, from breathing the damp, mouldy air of wine cellars, from reading about wine labels and cork stoppers, from sipping a glass of unknown wine, can justifiably be seen as strange, psychiatric symptoms. But I assure you that it is very sane and genuine to me, yet your comments would be very welcome.
No, won’t sip a glass of wine at this hour, but this evening, I will open a bottle of Mondavi Fume Blanc which I bought a few weeks ago, during a promotional celebration of Robert Mondavi’s passing. He was 93, and one of the epic heroes of the world of wine, particularly in California. I will enjoy his wine, in his memory, that of Mr Carr, and to your health!