A cup of tea if they are lucky, according to the charity Act for Peace.

I recently took part in their Ration Challenge – seven days of eating like a refugee. A bag of rice, flour, some lentils, chickpeas, a tin of Kidney beans and, praise the Lord, a tin of sardines. Salt was permitted, along with a small amount of cooking oil. The rations make sense from a ‘store and dispatch rapidly’ point of view and I’m sure it was a balanced diet, but it was still, as the name suggests, a challenge.

Fortunately, the more money you raised, the more perks you got. Before long I had added a vegetable of my choice – I chose a red onion – and later, a much-needed coffee. But no matter how much money I raised I would never earn a glass of wine.

Now, I wasn’t fleeing persecution, death and destruction and I wasn’t stuck in a tent, some distance from some presumably unpleasant plumbing. I was in the comfort of my own home, my only sacrifice was choosing to do it over my birthday. When it came to an end I celebrated with a bottle of Bollinger and a kilo of prawns. Not a bad combination.

I can thoroughly recommend taking the challenge. I’d encourage our politicians in particular. Perhaps it would make them more receptive to any Syrian refuges wishing to call Australia home.

Back to wine something that most Syrian refugees wouldn’t be looking forward to, although according to Wikipedia one in four are Christians so if any of you are reading this, pay attention. I have a feeling Assyrians drink too.

Here are a couple of wines worth a try. One pink, one red.

Chateau Riotor Côtes de Provence Rosé – I could drink this all day. Just the right balance of fruit and acid and alcohol. You can pay a lot for a good Provence rosé, this one proves you don’t have to, $25 at Chambers.

“Had a blind tasting last year with over 40 roses at all price points. And not only was this the best in show, it was also the least expensive.  Clean with the right amount of fruit matched with the right amount of acid. The type of rose that evaporates quickly.” Michael Madrigale | Head Sommelier, Bar Boulud and Boulud Sud, NYC

I found an interesting red at Chambers too. A 2014 Chateau de Brousse, Castillon from the Côtes de Bordeaux. It’s not often you find something with a bit of bottle age for just $30. It ain’t perfect, there’s a bit of a hole in the middle, but it is interesting – as is the history of Castillon, the battle for which led to the English losing their ownership of Aquitaine and the end of the 100 years war.

Finally, I would like to say how happy I am to learn that a wine I have enjoyed on this blog received more important adulation with Lightfoot & Sons ‘Myrtle Point’ Pinot Noir winning the best Pinot award at the Gippsland wine awards back in 2019. How did I miss that? I leave you with a professional analysis:

“Sturdy, almost beefy, with macerated cherry and woodsy spice characters pushing through. It’s a somewhat backward, earthen, more-bass than-treble wine with sweet, toasty, malty characters as highlights and good momentum through the finish Again you’d bet that it will age well.” 94 Points.  Campbell Mattinson, Halliday Wine Companion