Brett, The Wine Maestro

New Home for Brett’s Posts

Wink Lorch — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 14:18:44 +0000

This is Wink, Brett’s partner. It’s now more than four years since Brett died, but I still believe it’s good for the world to keep his entertaining blog posts and wonderful photographs.

So, I’ve moved Brett’s content onto this more inexpensive WordPress site. You should find most of his posts below and there is a search box in the header. The photo quality and layout are not always as good as before, and I have not been through all the links, so some will be outdated. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy what is here.

You can read about Brett’s career and life in wine here.

The photo below was taken by Christophe Martin of Château de Lucey in Savoie in summer 2017.

Brett’s Funeral and Celebration plus Donations In His Memory

Wink Lorch — Sun, 13 May 2018 08:30:31 +0000

Brett’s funeral will be on Friday 25th May at 12 noon at St. Marylebone Crematorium in Finchley, North London. All friends are welcome. There will be a celebration of his life afterwards where food will be served and wine will flow. In order to help with catering arrangements, please contact Wink Lorch for more details and to confirm attendance.

In lieu of flowers, we request donations to St. Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, London, where Brett spent the last weeks of his life and who looked after him so well. Please donate through the on-line Just Giving page linked to above.

Thank you for the outpouring of messages about Brett, so much appreciated.

The Last Cheers

Wink Lorch — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 17:16:56 +0000

Rather too soon after the last post, Wink is sad to report that Brett died this morning, Monday 30th April 2018 at St. Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney, London. He was 73.

Wink, his children and his sister were by his side.

For funeral details in due course, please contact Wink directly.

If you wish to make a donation in his memory, please donate to St. Joseph’s Hospice, who cared for him so very well for the last couple of months of his life.

Wink asks you to share a good wine in his honour.

From the Wine Maestro Bedside

Wink Lorch — Sun, 29 Apr 2018 19:01:09 +0000

These past few months have provided a rather unpleasant rollercoaster ride both for me and for Wink and all my family. As we seem to have reached the end of the road, I have asked Wink to write this blog post to bring you, my loyal readers, up to date.

The chemotherapy treatment, which I mentioned in my New Year post, was too much for me and the pains associated with my metastatic (advanced) prostate cancer continued to worsen. Finally, in the second week of February I was admitted into Lourdes Ward at St. Joseph’s Hospice in Hackney, not too far from home, for them to help manage the pain. I was expected to stay a couple of weeks. But, there I remain, almost three months later.

Unfortunately, shortly after arrival at the hospice, I suffered Spinal Cord Compression, which can lead to partial paralysis. Very quickly I was offered radiotherapy in five sessions at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital (Bart’s) over the following week, which was essential for any quality of life at all. The stress for Wink and I going back and forth between Bart’s and St. Joseph’s took its toll and I became in much poorer health, before getting any better.

Enjoying some time out of bed at St. Joseph’s Hospice. ©Wink Lorch

The good news was that eventually, by mid-March, the pain began to lessen, and I started to regain movement, but had to adapt to new realities. Due to my lack of mobility and our home in Limehouse being very small, we decided that when I left the hospice, a nursing home was the only possible place to go. We were assured that due to my rapidly deteriorating condition, the State would fund this (how lucky we are in the UK). Wink researched possibilities and together we decided on Aspen Court, close to Limehouse and with a good reputation. It would also enable me to stay in touch with the excellent medical team at the hospice as it falls in their geographic area. But there was one problem: they had no rooms available, so I had to go on the waiting list. And I remain on the waiting list.

Meantime, the oncology department had agreed that chemotherapy was not a good solution for me and had prescribed some extra-special hormone tablets to attempt to slow down the cancer progression and thus the inevitable symptoms, including pain.

The hospice team managed my pain well and once the good effects of the radiotherapy became apparent, they reduced the drug doses to allow me to feel human again; they also helped me with mobility and many other matters. So, from the end of March I have managed to enjoy visitors more and have enjoyed several excursions out in the car with Wink, and later with Helen, my sister, to a couple of restaurants and to spend a few hours back at home in Limehouse. Although I have lost my taste for wine, I appreciated being able to eat different food from the hospice, but I’ve realised that my taste changes on a regular basis, which also affects my appetite.

Following a bad couple of days a week ago, when my pain returned with a vengeance, we have made some momentous decisions to decline further treatment including the hormone tablets, which may be contributing to the extreme fatigue I am feeling.

I am now most likely to remain in St. Joseph’s until my days end and that may be in a matter of a weeks or less – it’s very hard for anyone to tell, least of all me. St Joseph’s have kindly moved me to a larger room, which is more comfortable for visitors and less noisy. They have all the skills to help me to adapt to this new phase and allow me to end life as comfortably as anyone in my situation can. Please do support them if you can – they are 50% funded by donations.

Feel free to email or contact me via Messenger – I am happy to read messages when I can, but may well not reply. Contact Wink with any specific questions. Wink will post a final message when the time comes.

Thank you for reading this and all my previous ramblings. And thank you for offering your friendship, from around the world.

Keep making the most of wine, travel and life for as long as you can.

With Wink and Arnot-Roberts Trousseau at Noble Rot, September 2017. ©André Ribeirinho

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With Wink and Arnot-Roberts Trousseau at Noble Rot, September 2017. ©André Ribeirinho

New Year 2018

Wink Lorch — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 18:24:38 +0000

It’s a brand new year, so here’s offering you all my best wishes for 2018 and my thanks for your support in person, through correspondence, and on social media, which has been my main form of contact these past few months.

Having failed to send out a Christmas message due to my health issues, now it’s high time I updated you on my situation, especially as right now, I’m enjoying a good few days, helping provide me with a positive start to the year.

The Aravis mountain range in Haute-Savoie in the autumn © Wink Lorch

Although we are now based in London we were able to spend a couple of weeks at our French home in early October, admiring the mountains’ autumn clothing.

From mid-October the furthest I managed to venture was to medical appointments and occasional forays to the local Yurt Café in Limehouse or once to the Victoria Park Market. Today I managed half an hour in The Narrow pub, so a New Year victory of sorts.

The cosy Yurt Café © Brett Jones

Becoming a semi-recluse was forced upon me by pain when sitting down or bending, something we all take too easily for granted. Short walks have been fine, but for a while only being supine provided real relief.

It became obvious that the new treatments I was given, which I wrote about in September, were not addressing the pain from my Metastatic Prostate Cancer. So, at the end of November the oncology department at Bart’s Hospital decided to admit me for further investigations.

After a few days, I agreed for the team to take my treatment a stage further with the start of a course of Chemotherapy, mainly to help with the pain control. The plan is to continue this treatment on a 3-weekly cycle until March, coming into Bart’s as an outpatient.

So far, the journey has been up and down, as everyone warns about chemotherapy treatments – I managed to catch mild pneumonia, involving another short hospital admission before Christmas, and more recently, I found my taste buds disappeared making eating and drinking difficult.

But, overall, I have been in less pain and sleeping well as the pain drugs were also adjusted.

The Bart’s Christmas tree © Brett Jones

Our National Health Service is a national treasure, albeit with some imperfections, and the care and attention the staff give to me, and patients everywhere, is tip-top. But, during our lifetimes we all must help ourselves as well – our bodies are precious, and we must look after them as best we can.

I am receiving great assistance and support from St. Joseph’s Hospice, Hackney, which among other help organised for an occupational therapist to visit supplying me with a variety of useful aids to make my days and nights more comfortable. Most importantly St. Joseph’s provide an advice line and a wonderful consultant nurse, who has time – that most rare commodity – to talk through problems and to advise. All these services are provided free of charge – as are most other health services in the UK; the hospice is funded part by the NHS and part by charitable donations.

Family and friends, of course, are loving and supportive as well. I am lucky to be able to live with my cancer cradled by all this care.

I enjoy social media, particularly Facebook, where I can easily participate in the big world outside, continuing to share my own photos from my limited excursions. I have made it a policy not to share anything about my illness on social media, hence why I’ve decided to write about it here on occasional posts. Please excuse the lack of wine and travel posts – there are thousands out there that can fill your reading gap and, after all, this remains my very personal blog.

Even if what is going on around us can be particularly unpleasant and, at times, an unconscionable mess, communicating with friends of all ages the world over, gives hope for a better future in 2018 and beyond.

On my way in 2018 at The Narrow, Limehouse! ©Wink Lorch

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On my way in 2018 at The Narrow, Limehouse! ©Wink Lorch

Victoria Park Market

Wink Lorch — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 07:54:14 +0000

It was Sunday, sunny and we were hungry.

Having missed visiting the Victoria Park Market over the last few weekends, I was envious of Wink’s weekly foray a couple of miles north of us but always excited as she returned with a selection of delicious foods. As we unloaded the bags I was reminded of unpacking Santa Claus’ stocking early, too early, on Christmas morning.

Having taken some prophylactic painkillers, and a pillow to make the raked car seat more comfortable, we drove ten minutes to park near the entrance to the handsome Victoria Park, crossed the Grand Union canal to reach the market where stalls loaded with all sorts enticing foods and smiles lured us in.

The first van greeted us with Tea and Crumpets.

Crumpets served, Good and Proper, with marmite and cheese.

And talking of correctness, the Welsh Rarebit recipe is spot on.

Buns lined up for real Burgers.

Salty Loins, better than Bacon Butty.

See what’s cooking at Dookies Grill.

Organic mulled wine – naturally accompanies the tasty food.

Now it was time to stock the larder.

Choosing from a boat load of fresh fish.

Bone broth, just what I need; the Victorian answer to Sudafed.

The bakers.

Be game – brace, brace, from Pick’s Organic Farm.

Colourful tomatoes from the Isle of Wight.

Cakes, pastries, pasteles abound – pop in to Popina’s,

Galeta entices too.

And, to finish off, Get Fudged!

With bags full of foodie delights and delighted I lasted the course, we returned home, to relive the pleasure when we unpacked the bags after our market shop.

All photos ©️Brett Jones

A Personal Update

Wink Lorch — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 17:00:45 +0000

Some of you may remember that nearly eight years ago on 18th September 2009, I spent an hour on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square where I was one of the 2,400 individuals who participated in Antony Gormley’s splendid One and Other Project.

Resplendent in gold pants and gold cape I was able to talk about two things close to my heart: raising awareness of prostate cancer and the enjoyment of wine.

Everyone knows of my love of wine but not everyone knows that in 2005 I was diagnosed with prostate cancer, discovered by taking regular PSA blood tests. I was given a 2-month radiotherapy course and regular hormone treatment until 2008 and this kept the cancer at bay.

During that time, I felt no pain nor discomfort, and I continued to take a regular PSA blood test which remained comfortingly very low for several years. With annual consultant appointments my condition was monitored so the cancer remained very much at the back of my mind.

However, last year, the PSA started to rise again and I began suffering from severe lower back pain. Scans this time last year showed that the prostate cancer had flared up again and was categorised as advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, since it had entered very slightly into the base of my spine.

I received a big dose of radiotherapy and re-started 3-monthly hormone injections to reduce the pain and to control the spread of the prostate cancer, with regular PSA tests to monitor this.

Official retirement?

The return of my cancer in its non-curable form encouraged me to make some changes. So, I have stopped my wine club and wine sales in general and only rarely do wine talks. However, this year I have been travelling widely with Wink in the French Alps wine regions in preparation for her new book. And, I invested in a new camera to contribute better photos for the book, too. Photography continues to give me huge enjoyment.

Vineyards above Jongieux, Savoie

For the last eleven months I was doing fine, though needing to rest now and then in the day, but suffering little pain or discomfort. But, from mid-August I started suffering pains again and it turned out that my PSA was going up.

At the end of August I spent four days in hospital in the Cancer Unit of Bart’s, London. They managed the pain and I had another scan which showed an increase of the bone metastases but fortunately no serious damage. I have started a series of bone-strengthening treatment and the hormone treatment has also been changed.

Now back home, I am able to do everything normally although I am now getting tired more often during the day, still suffering some pain and rattling with different medicaments.

Please accept my apologies if I have given you too much information but I did want to keep you informed and share some explanations. And for my male readers over 45, if you haven’t already, please do discuss with your doctor getting regular PSA tests.

As long as I can control my pain the future holds no fear for me, I am positive and will continue to enjoy life in the company of family and good friends. Although my medical care is in London, I plan to continue spending time at our home in the French Alps, and perhaps even enjoy some other travel adventures.

Ah, and I can enjoy my daily glass of wine (size of glass has not been specified…) which I will sniff, swirl, slurp and sip with my habitual relish.

Santé!

Kickstarting Wines of the French Alps Book

Wink Lorch — Tue, 02 May 2017 13:28:37 +0000

The last few months I have been very busy concentrating on research and photography for Wink’s new book, her second about the wine regions that are near to where we live part-time in France.

Following the success of her award winning book, Jura Wine, Wink will continue in the same thorough vein to explore not only the main French Alps region of Savoie but the other neighbouring regions of Bugey, Isère, Die and the Hautes-Alpes.

The wines from these regions have become more delicious as the years pass and are truly wines for today – light, flavourful and often from refreshingly obscure grapes.

She will write about not only the wines but the all-important producers, the grape varieties, geography and the history. There will also be food and travel tips to complete the picture.

And, talking of pictures, the book will be replete with photographs by Mick Rock and by me, as well as detailed maps prepared by Quentin Sadler.

Cerdon

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As with the Jura Wine book, Wink is using Kickstarter to raise funds to help with the costs in producing and publishing the book. Although the current campaign has reached its target she is still looking for support to try to meet the stretch target of £20,000.

The principal reward is a signed copy of the Wines of the French Alps book and your name as a backer listed in the book! There are other exciting rewards too.

With only 6 days to go there is still time to support Wines of the French Alps: Savoie, Bugey and beyond.

Merci!

Wink researching

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Wink researching

Resolutions for 2017

Wink Lorch — Mon, 02 Jan 2017 17:17:44 +0000

Looking back to this time last year I see that I have managed to keep some of my new year resolutions. As they were quite broad and not overly optimistic, it made the task easier. Although 2016 turned out to be a year of unpleasant surprises, upsets and many disappointments it wasn’t all bad. So with a backward glance here are my resolutions for 2017, in no particular order of importance.

Be happy

Aspire to great heights

Enjoy great heights

Relax at great heights

Chill at great heights Keep taking the tablets

Relish the caresses

Love without measure

Grow a beard?

Love wine

Embrace wine

Enjoy wine with friends

Respect wine

Discover rare grape varieties

Be natural

Never stop learning about wine

Choose wine carefully

Grow a beard?

Dress correctly to ski

Ski carefully

Ski with friends

Travel in style Keep car in good working order

Walk in the vineyards

Discover and explore different wine regions

Keep an eye open for a goddess amidst the vines

Discover lovely vignerons

Relish achievement

Be resourceful

Be ready to be in the spotlight

Be ready to be in the news

Don’t wait till it’s too late…

Keep an eye on convenience

Keep in touch with friends all over the world

Enjoy live music

Enjoy live sport

Enjoy live theatre

Enjoy art galleries

Enjoy dance

Honour our forefathers

Honour the fallen

Celebrate great, brave men

Love the EU

Keep up the charity work

Enjoy English with pleasure

Enjoy fooding

Be saucy

Eat healthy

Enjoy food alfresco

Enjoy formal meals

Fall in love with great chefs

Discover different restaurants

Enjoy lunch on a shady terrace

Enjoy lunch by the sea

Don’t overdo it

Say yes to pizza

Enjoy dessert, occasionally

But beware false blandishments

Never forget the nap after lunch. And grow a beard?

Enjoy gardening

Look for bluebells

Love to be beside the sea

Love to be in London

Keep an eye on the Fourth Plinth

Travel North

Enjoy sunrise

Be mooved at sunset

Enjoy a glass of wine at dusk

Embrace the full moon

Maintain good habits

Be colourful

Be cheerful

Make new friends

Enjoy old friends from faraway places

Be courageous

Do more

Onwards and upwards

I wish you a Happy, Healthy New Year!

Lake Festival in the Aravis

Wink Lorch — Wed, 03 Aug 2016 07:48:38 +0000

Le Lac de la Cour, Chinaillon

In the meadows above us in Chinaillon there are a couple of man-made lakes which store the water which is used, in the winter, to make artificial snow. However in the summer one of the lakes is put to good use for recreation, fishing and sailing. And for La Fête du Lac – a Lake Festival in the Aravis.

Although you can walk up to the lake it is fun to take the chair lift.

Keen mountain bikers take their bicycles with them on the chair lift and use the special bike tracks.

As with skiing there is a blue run and the gentler green track – however watch out for cows!

The short walk down to the lake.

As with many of the events in Le Grand Bornand there are welcoming smiles and an aperitif.

People started to arrive and make themselves comfortable around the lake.

There was a joyful bonus with music by the Flutes du Soleil, a group of flautists from the UK who have visited Chinaillon for a week in summer for the last few years to study, relax and share their talent.

Time for a glass of wine, a beer or a soft drink.

There was a short queue to get our food.

Local fare served seriously.

Trays are provided.

Time to dine and raise a glass to a lovely evening.

Time to enjoy the lake and its reflections.

Time to paddle.

Even time for a game of cards.

As dusk started to fall lily candles floated on the lake.

A chance to buy a marshmallow kebab and a Génépi, the local digestif.

Toasting the marshmallows on braziers.

Towards the end of the evening sky lanterns were lit to send wishes of hope and friendship.

All too soon the evening Lake Festival in the Aravis was over and torches were lit for the walk back down to the village.

This was the first of two Fêtes du Lac organised by the shopkeepers of Chinaillon who worked hard a lovely and special evening in their lovely part of the world. Merci beaucoup!

The second Fête du Lac will be on Tuesday August 9th and I look forward to visiting again with my family, who will be staying in Chinaillon that week.