Wooden sailing freighter - IrenePosted: less than a minute ago
- 30 May 2011 23:06108253The 104 year old 121ft wooden sailing freighter Irene was berthed against the David Church today
Been nice knowing you :) - 30 May 2011 23:10108254http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1388469/Wine-merchant-recreates-centuries-old-shipping-route-deliver-claret-Bordeaux.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Centuries of London tradition came to an end today when Tower Bridge was raised to allow the last ever shipment of wine to pass into the city. A 100-year-old former wine cargo ship named The Irene was enlisted to recreate the centuries old shipping route from Bordeaux to London. And, after 14 days on the high seas recreating the historical Wine trade route from southern France, the extraordinary journey came to a close today when wine merchant Tony Laithwaite and his crew sailed the ship into the capital.
The 14-day journey to deliver a precious cargo of 9,072 bottles of a limited edition claret, began from Le Chai au Quai in Castillon, Bordeaux and finished at Butler's Wharf on the banks of the Thames. The Irene, a 103ft restored wooden sailing freighter, first carried cargos of wine on this route when she was launched in 1907. Over 100 years later she was resurrected to embark on the journey one last time, manned by wine merchant Tony Laithwaite.
Wine historians agree that Britain's more than 600-year love affair with Claret is a direct result of the opening up of the Bordeaux-London route in the 15th century. Sadly, the dawn of the railways in the 19th century signalled the end of the old traditional shipping route.
However it route has remained historically significant to wine historians and connoisseurs ever since, Previous attempts to recreate the sailing route have ended in failure however Mr Laithwaite, together with his friend and wine writer Hugh Johnson, and Castillon winemaker Mark Hoddy, spent months carefully planning the recreation of the journey with The Irene's skipper Sacha Hall.
And this month they eventually managed to fulfil a long historical dream of importing wine to Britain from Bordeaux the way the pioneers of the wine trade between the two regions did all those years ago.
The precious cargo will be transferred to Laithwaites' flagship London store, The Arch, at Vinopolis. Laithwaites will auction a selection of fine wines donated by some of the most famous names in wine, such as Château Lafite, and Château Ausone, together with a selection from their own cellars.Been nice knowing you :) - 31 May 2011 06:00108258Doesn't look big enough to be a freighter - wine or anything else, but historically romantic (I guess) to celebrate the centenary.
Hope the wine travels well, as it would have been a long 2 weeks if the waters off Dover are anything to go by.
Roger - 31 May 2011 07:04108268I think I saw this one languishing in the harbour on sunday. I noticed a schooner type ship in the wider harbour when I rose from overnight slumber. I ssumed it to be sheltering from the rough weather in the channel. Sorry now i didnt take a picture of it but the conditions were very gloomy.
That story there Scotchie seems like an early version of the Beaujolais run which was very popular in London when I lived there..dont know if it is popular any more. The thing was to get your Beaujolais tasted as early as possible and allsorts of weird vehicles rushed the bottles across the channel. Always tasted like cats piddle to me but one had to pretend it was all worthwhile..
email: dover7@msn.com - Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 May 2011 07:15108269i saw the irene yesterday tied up next to the david church,and thought what a nice ship.
paulb,be ashamed of yourself the beaujolais novoue is one of the better new red wines but matures nicely with age.
- 31 May 2011 07:17108270PaulB
I remember those 'runs' which were akin to the movie 'Monte Carlo or bust'. A number of hooray henrys and henriettas normally the worse for wear rushing back to London with the seasons first bottle of 'Beaujolais Noveau' which was opened amid a blaze of media coverage and sold for an exhorbitant price.
Like all wine it had good and bad years and was one of the only reds that should or is better served chilled.
''Are we the first back?'' they used to ask us as we checked their passports.
It was a good time to be on control as we were given bottles of the stuff by replying ..''Oh yes you are definitely the first ones to arrive back.'' regardless of whether it was true or not. Why spoil their day.Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter) - 31 May 2011 07:36108274Wasnt it the thing about Beaujolais that it just didnt keep, thats why such emphasis was placed on drinking it young and fresh and rushing it across from rural France at breakneck pace. I think Im remembering that right.
But yes Marek you're right there..it was all very Monte Carlo or Bust, a great big fuss was made of it by newspapers and TV and all about being the first bottle back. Very much a pursuit of the yuppies of Fulham and Chelsea at the time...not that I mingled with the Henrys and the Henriettas...couugh! ..oooh I say anyone for salmon and cue !!
email: dover7@msn.com - 31 May 2011 08:47108280Oooh very interesting.
- 31 May 2011 09:00108283We always used to buy one case every year. If it was poor it went in the cooking, if it was good, we kept it for Christmas.I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
- Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
31 May 2011 15:44108304on saying that in post 5,i do like a good claret to slerp over.with a nice steak of course. - 31 May 2011 15:47108307Lovely photo Paul, thanks for posting it. What a pretty little vessel she is, sorry I missed it.There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
- 31 May 2011 18:21108369I remember the commotion that went on in those heady yuppy days gone by
The yuppy uniform worn a string of pearls and turned up collar for the Henrietta's, striped shirt with white collar & cuffs for the Henrys. The 'Beaujolais Nouveau' sometimes was okay in a casserole or palatable if chilled.
