dappled missives from David Parkinson

dappled

The word "dappled" is commonly used to describe the play of light on a surface, such as the dappled sunshine through the leaves of a tree, or the dappled coat of a horse. It can evoke a sense of beauty, nature, and movement, and in writing is frequently employed to paint vivid imagery by adding a sensory depth to descriptions, capturing the reader's imagination to create a more immersive experience.

missives

The word "missives" is a term commonly used in English literature to refer to written letters or messages. It carries a certain elegance and formality, often associated with correspondence exchanged between individuals. In literary works, the use of the word "missives" can evoke a sense of nostalgia, harking back to a time when communication relied heavily on handwritten letters and the anticipation of receiving or sending news from afar, adding depth and significance to the act of written communication.

David Parkinson

Providing advice on wines has been a thoroughly enjoyable part of my life since I joined the Wine Trade in 1977.

During the first COVID lockdown in 2020, when we only communicated with friends via the 'zoom' link, sharing a bottle and nattering away for an hour or so, I started a series of missives - aka blogs - that were titled 'Wines For The Self-Isolating'.

As friends responded positively to my words and thoughts on vinous matters and the list of recipients grew via recommendations, it was not a tricky decision to develop this web site and hence the idea of producing missives was born.

The wines listed on these pages have been tasted and researched by me, with an ongoing, selfless input from a panel of like-minded-souls who generously give their time to assist in the selection on these web pages. I pay for all of the wines tasted.

Wherever possible, wines listed on these web pages can be bought by the bottle so making it easy to try a bottle before buying a case.

A seasonal food focus has become an integral part of the equation, marrying wines to the foods available as the year unfolds.  A section covering wines for seasonal foods will be added in January and highlights wines that would marry with dishes created from those local ingredients.

The restaurants and hotels that are reviewed have been visited, and paid for, by me.

I left the Wine Trade in 1987, returning in 2017 when I joined Wines of Great Britain, the trade organisation responsible for the growth of English and Welsh sparkling wine production.  You might detect an occasional bias in this direction!

During the intervening years, I retained a dedicated and focused enthusiasm for wine, travelling extensively around the world to visit wine regions and meet winemakers, developing and extending my knowledge of the industry.

Thoughts on what else might be included amongst these pages is always very welcome - david@dappledmissives.com.

I hope you enjoy the missives!

à votre santé - David