by Fergal Gleeson
Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard, Henty Victoria Pinot Noir 2013.

Last week it was digital disruption. This week we turn the bazooka of disdain on that most hackneyed of business expressions Touching Base.

Everybody knows that touching base is a lazy, banal and alien expression. It’s been around for the last 20 years at least but it shows no signs of clearing off.

Financial Services Sales people can’t get through a phone call anymore without slipping it in.

The fake Apologist says “I’m just touching base..”

The sham Polite one says “Do you mind if I touch base?

The phony Consensus Builder says ‘’Why don’t we touch base?”

The accursed expression does occasionally slip from my mouth and I feel ashamed. Like a weightwatcher who has supersized at McDonalds… after they’ve eaten a 10 course Degustation from Tetsuya Restaurant…. and a bag of doughnuts from the petrol station.

The origins of Touching base are in Baseball. Google says when a batter hits a fly ball that is caught, any base runners have to return to the original base that they were on and touch it. Helpful? Hmm.

Something that is much more pleasant in the mouth is Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013. An exemplary Australian pinot that smelled so good I almost didn’t want to drink it.

After overcoming that ludicrous idea I tucked into this medium bodied, savoury beauty. It has a lovely blend of fruit, fine tannins and some smoky, old wood flavours.

It’s origin is Henty in South Victoria, which is the coolest wine region in Australia. It’s colder even than the vineyards of Van Diemen’s Land which is the reason for the subtle flavours. Drink now or leave for years, either way you are on a winner.

More than enough to calm the nerves after you’ve the put down the phone from someone who has just tried to touch your base.

Rating: 4/5. RRP $50. For more Wine Reviews read and follow www.greatwineblog.wordpress.com  Drink and be merry!