I feel rather ashamed of my recent trip to inspect vineyards in the south of Russia. First, and most unusually, I went at the invitation of some wineries there. I usually insist on paying my own way but the FT had no qualms about my being a guest in this virtually uncharted corner of the wine world, where local knowledge is particularly useful. Second, I got into an unseemly tussle with my assistant as to who should accept this invitation from Fanagoria, Myskhako and Sauk Dere wineries. Both of us are keen travellers and were intrigued by the prospect of being the first western-based wine writer to look at post-Soviet viticulture on the Black Sea coast. I am afraid to say that I pulled rank.
最近對俄羅斯南部葡萄園的探訪令我深感羞愧。首先，最不同尋常的是，我去那里是受到當地一些葡萄酒廠的邀請。一般來說，我堅持以自己的方式付費，但英國《金融時報》對我前往這個葡萄酒世界實質上的未知角落作客卻毫無顧慮，在那里，對于當地知識的了解是極其有益的。其次，對于來自Fanagoria、Myskhako和Sauk Dere酒廠的邀請，我和助理產生了不大像樣的爭議。我們倆都是狂熱的旅行愛好者，都被能成為“第一個探訪后蘇聯黑海沿岸葡萄種植的西方紅酒作家”的光輝前景所吸引。我恐怕得說，我濫用了職權。