Honeymoon's over

Over the last week I’ve done little but drink a fair amount of Mead, played games and written rambling blog posts. Ah holidays. Whether the blog, or I, survive into next week will be determined by the quest to find some more to drink.

In between to find out more, I’ve been trying to soak the label off a bottle of Lindisfarne. The writings on the wrong side see, and looking at it all curved makes my head hurt. In disgust I’ve given up and went to the website, to find this:

The word "honeymoon" is derived from the ancient Norse custom of having Newly-Weds drink Mead for a whole moon in order to increase their fertility and therefore their chances of a happy and fulfilled marriage. World famous Lindisfarne Mead is not only the connoisseur's choice but makes a supreme drink for young and old alike whatever the season. To many it is regarded the "nectar of the gods"

Now this is a delightful image, get married and then spend a month as newlyweds drinking nothing but Mead. But is it true? Wikipedia reckons not:

In many parts of Europe it was traditional to supply a newly married couple with enough mead for a month, ensuring happiness and fertility. Though some believe it is from this practice we get the word honeymoon[13][14], this etymology is not accepted by linguists[citation needed].

Although if I’m quoting from an un-cited reference from a Wiki, I must be loosing it, perhaps I have drunk too much Mead this week. No matter, I’d like to live in a world where it is true, so let’s make it so. In the unlikely circumstances I get married, I pledge to drink nothing but Mead for a month.

Lindisfarne Mead

A bit more of an effort Selfridges wine department stocks one variety of Mead, Lindisfarne. John Lewis doesn’t have anything, which again is probably a reflection of Waitrose failing on the Mead front which still surprises me.

Selfridges is a darn site more expensive at £10.99 for a 70cl bottle at 14.5% alcohol. Dull screw top lid, and a much lighter coloured liquid. I wonder why there is an absence of corks, is this a recent phenomenon or does Mead react badly to corks?

From what I understand the cork growers of Spain face economic extinction as wine producers move over the plastic caps and screw tops, which strikes me as odd.

Cork seem entirely fit for purpose and support a localised industry that’s good for people and the planet. It’s not dependant on the Petrochemical industry, and the challenge of avoiding corked wines adds to the ambiance. Plastic must have an effect on the flavour, and undoubtedly contains trace chemical excitement, Phthalates and the like.

A relevant piece in the Independent cites Dom Perignon spotting corks in the water containers carried by 17th century itinerant monks. Naturally it takes someone wealthy, famous and male to discover ‘corks’ unlike the folk who’ve been using them for years.

And to the Mead, a much lighter taste than Harvest Gold. Not so sweet or viscous, but with more of an alcohol taste, a bit of a tang like cheap white wine.

Quite how much of this is my perception, it’s listed as stronger, and the effect of reading various criticisms of Lindisfarne on the Mead forums. Ha that there is such a thing, reassures me I'm not alone in this obsession.

Still very pleasant to drink, and the lightness makes it an entertaining alternative to Harvest Mead. But at three times the price, probably not, even if cheaper at source on Holy Isle.