"Wine of the Sky; Wine of the Earth" Wine Tasting and Classic Cars at the Mielzynski Wine Complex, Warsaw, Poland - 25 September 2014

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Mr. Fincham together with his nose deeply involved in the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wine
Torre Dei Beati 2009 Cociapazza  (Crazy Head)

This event took quite some setting up but was well worth the effort. Mielzynski's is certainly one of the chicest places in Warsaw to imbibe the finest wine within a picturesque courtyard ambience. We had quite a large number of cars promised but uncertain weather always affects the turnout of immaculate cars and it was uncertain later in the day. Also a few CCC members were forced to fly out of Warsaw to attend short notice business meetings mainly in order to earn the money that feeds their consuming passion. All excused on this basis as we are a casual club both in name and nature. There was one unfortunate breakdown of a dear friend of mine and CCC member who was driving his MGA from Poznan. More on this later.

First arrivals - 1962 Fiat 1200 Spider owned by Edward Mier-Jędrzejowicz, Michael Moran's 
1949 MG TC 
and
Andy Fincham's MGC outside the Mielzynski Tasting Room.

I handed out some CCC badges I had made up at short notice and am not terribly happy with but there you are - fonts are controversial. The first part of the day began at 11.00 am with a professional vertical tasting of the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo wines of Torre Dei Beati. 'Vertical Tasting' does not indicate the drinker remains in manly fashion vertical rather than horizontal after large quantities of alcohol have been consumed. It merely means the comparison of different vintages of the same wine. Two of different years were offered - the “Cocciapazza” (Crazy Head) Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC and “Mazzamurello” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC.

I will not burden you with my tasting notes but there were remarkable differences in maturity in wines ranging from 2011 to 2007. Great label designs. The owner of the vineyard, the charming Fausto Albanesi, gave us a fascinating talk (in excellent English) on the terroir, climate, history, geography and vinfication methods of his wines.

Fausto Albanesi in lecture rather than viticultural mode at the Mielzynski Tasting Room

From the left CCC members Andy Fincham, Bill Flint, Dorota Flint, by an amazing coincidence a friend who broadcasts for Radio 2 (Dwojka) from the Duszniki Zdroj Chopin Festival each year and Robert Mielzynski. 
Unknown seated man.

Attached to this wine tasting there was also what must surely be unique, a tomato tasting! The company Langany under the direction of the owner brothers Dariusz and Andrew Strot have 18 hectares under tomatoes near the city of Olsztytn. There were many varieties on display to taste together with an excellent tomato soup and Focaccia.

Fausto Albanesi at the Langany tomato tasting stand

After a glass of excellent CAVA we then retired to lunch around 1.00 pm which was also particularly interesting based as it was entirely on tomatoes - the main course a brilliant Risotto (recipe please Robert!). This was accompanied by a white wine from Torre Dei Beati known as “Giocheremo con i fiori” Abruzzo DOC Pecorino. A perfect complement. The dessert was also most diverting - sheep's cheese with tomato 'jam'. I absolutely loved the naive label of this wine which was actually painted by Fausto's daughter.

The lunch table with an invisible Robert Mielzynski indicating a ski and food holiday - great idea!
CCC Members Przemek V and Erik Hallgren (who drove his superb modern Maserati quattroporte from the Cote d'Azur only the day before) in the immediate foreground with others in the dim distance

There was also an excellent complex and spicy red on offer, the first wine made by the company, simply named  Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC. The actual Tower is illustrated on this label.

The Torre Dei Beati website is so artistic and beautifully laid out I really recommend you look at it.    http://www.torredeibeati.it/en/

CCC members arrived in dribs and drabs throughout the afternoon until the second wine tasting and the concert by the famous and highly popular Polish singer Ania. Photographs and captions tell the story. 

But before we move on I received a phone call bearing sad news. One of the CCC members and good friend Roman Zoltowski was driving his MGA Coupe  from his home near Poznan and had broken down an hour out from the city. Desperately disappointing as it was his first attempt to attend one of our Warsaw events! We would have a line up of many MGs - the TC, A, B and C. This was the first time the car had been recovered in 40 years of ownership including his annual 850 mile journey in the car to the UK to set up a work bench behind Centre Court and engrave the Wimbledon Trophies. 

The MGA crippled by a failed output transistor in the alternator recovered by his son Alex who is an excellent prize-winning racing car driver

The offending part

Roman Zoltowski's MGA Coupe. Why is it open I hear you cry? Not normal!
This was a fascinating MGCC approved conversion.

He writes of the conversion: 

The “A” is a 1600 MkII,with a Burgess tuned B engine and a 5speed Sierra g’box. I bought it as a coupe in ‘69 and had the top chopped off in ‘81 under the supervision of the MG Car Club. They approved of the mod as it was apparently what its designer had intended to do. I drive it to the UK every year for the Wimbledon tennis; it is absolutely reliable and faster than a Twin Cam,in spite of a 3.9 axle. It was partly restored some 14 years ago.

Where this lucky MGA lives with Roman...

Yes, a quite an extraordinary gentleman who you can read more about here in the June FT Magazine. He really uses his classic as it was designed to be used!

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8d90b73e-f674-11e3-a038-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3EUZLpMDW

and this delightful animation introduces him perfectly

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2014/july/ad-of-the-week-stella-artois-wimbledon-perfectionists

Robert Mielzynski achieves immortality between Jaguar E-Type and MG TC.
Note the FRTs worn by the photographer Erik Hallgren

Our photographer Blazej Zulawski spectacularly dressed for the occasion (and for Goodwood later in the day) in blinding white overalls with pipe in gloved hand. He arrived in the superb E-type he drives. He is a card! Oh, he changed later into warmer kit as a chill set in to the weather.

Anita Fincham as proud of the freshly restored and sublimely coloured MGC as Andy 

Period luggage on the MG TC - much used by photographers at the scene to add 'atmosphere' to bottles of excellent wine placed upon it. In the background Moran roots around in the tonneau. 

Moran, greatly in need of a haircut and a face lift, opens the bonnet of the MG TC for
Erik Hallgren and cigar to admire. 
A  rather different motor both in power and appearance to his Maserati quattroporte !

Paul Ayre's fine Triumph TR 6
Watch out! Stand back! He plans to supercharge it!

Blazej Zulawski E-Type and Artur Gabor MGB meet for the first time

And so the evening wore on as we waited for the Polish celebrity singer and songwriter Ania Dabrowska to burst into song. The cars were moved closer to the stage and arranged decoratively with lighting. It was getting very cold and Robert Mielzynski thoughtfully provided red shawls for the shiverers. By this time Artur Gabor had arrived in his MGB.

From the left Bill Flint's Jaguar XJR. Unusually with all hoods up as it was now raining on and off  
Moran's 1949 MG TC , Blazej Zulawski's E-Type, Artur Gabor's MGB and Andy Fincham's MGC (Paul Blackman appears to be attempting entry)

But who is the blondynka in boots?

Waiting for the concert.
From the middle standing men - Paul Ayre dressed in bank robber headgear, Andy Fincham, dapper Paul Blackman. Seated at ladies tables in the middle I recognise Anita Fincham but not the others. Moving to the left the men seated are Michael Wrobel, Blazej Zulawski and 
Artur Gabor who was as freezing as I felt

CCC Chairman Michel Moran and his 1949 MG TC

Such a charming and civilised venue is Mielzynki's.
In the background the cupola of the St. Charles Borromeo Church designed by the distinguished Italian architect Domenico Merlini from 1790-92 in the historic Powazki Cemetery, Warsaw.
Near the casks the statuesque Solveiga chats to the Torre Dei Beati agent

The Concert.
Glamorous singer and songwriter Ania Dabrowska in full voice - very enthusiastic applause and multiple encores

And so we made our weary way home - such a long day of sybaritic pleasures so exhausts one!

It rained shortly after I left (when the entertaining concert ended) and I drove home in the open car through unbelievable conditions, sewerage road works in Marymoncka Street where there is no lighting, mud and constantly ill-conceived changes of direction and camber. And those tiddly  MG TC wipers! As I write I have not yet had the courage to go and have a look at the state of the car!

CCC members who attended:

Paul Ayre                                      (Triumph TR 6)
Artur Gabor                                  (MGB)
Blazej Zulawski                             (Jaguar E-Type)
Andy Fincham                               (MGC)
Michael Moran                              (MG TC)
George Makowski                         (Porsche 911)
Paul Blackman
Edward Mier-Jędrzejowicz        (Fiat 1200 Spider)
Michael and Jan Motz
Przemyslaw Vonau                        (Mercedes  1996 500 SL)
Kuba Owoc                                      (BMW 635 csi E24)
Bill Flint                                           (Jaguar XJR)
Erik Hallgren                                   (Maserati quattroporte)
Michael Wrobel

Michael Moran (Chairman)