WINES OF THE WEEK

BAROSSA CHARDONNAY 2017

Australia (13%, M&S, £10)

Grown in the warm Barossa and reminiscent of iced pineapple, white peaches, fresh lime and caramelised sugar, this would be lovely with fruity chicken salads or roast chicken with corn on the cob and sweet potato.

DEFINITION CÔTES DU RHÔNE MAGNUM 2015

France (13.5%, Majestic, £17.99/19.99 mix six/single bottle price – note this is a magnum)

wines are planned for next year, including a pinot noir from the extremely good Paringa Estate on the Mornington Peninsula. That’s quite a coup. But does he really like pinot? Yes, is the answer, but he likes it plush and ripe.

“We’ve got another coming from Maude in Central Otago, New

Zealand. They’ve got a vineyard called Sitting Bull. I tasted the wine and thought, ‘This is great, wow, it’s like a monster. HUGE.’ In the end we blended it with a bit from two other blocks, to take some of the fire out of it. It’s my style of

pinot, France (12.5%, Yapp.co.uk, £11.95)

Streamlined syrah that smells of stone and dark fruit.

Elegant and satisfying.

not like” – his voice takes on a whine – “Burgundy, twirl around and put a cherry on it.”

Botham cheerfully says he’s upset a few winemakers along this epic road, plane and wine trip. I can imagine the talented Marty Edwards at The Lane might have had to bite his tongue when Botham asked for “six weeks’ more oak” on his Adelaide Hills chardonnay. Were there any difficult moments? “Paul’s driving can be a bit difficult at times…” Schaafsma looks genuinely taken aback.

Botham retired from cricket in 1993 and never played again, “I didn’t miss it when I stopped, not at all.” He might have that iron constitution, but he sometimes also takes a month or two or five off alcohol altogether: “It doesn’t bother me, I just go on the wagon.”

Now he has flung heart (and liver) into the wines with his name on. And they’re pretty good; I think those who share Botham’s taste will like them. He says that wine has become a serious thing, and that he wants to do more. “I’ve got my eye on a Spanish project. My daughter’s fluent in Spanish, so she can come along. And she can drive,” – he looks at Schaafsma with a grin He’s clearly happy as a pig in the proverbial. Let’s see what he makes next.