Frasier and Niles were always guzzling some presumably upmarket tipple in the famous sitcom. But what exactly were they drinking? Henry can reveal the shocking truth…
The sherry marketing board should have made more of the Crane brothers’ love of sherry. In every episode of the long-running sitcom Frasier there they were with their decanter and little glasses. There wasn’t a problem that couldn’t be solved by a drink and some up-market badinage. I occasionally used to speculate about what sort of sherry they would drink. The quality would be impeccable of course; Frasier only drinks the best wine. They do, however, get through a lot of it so that would rule out the more austere amontillados. It would have to be something fine but extremely drinkable with an amber burnish.
I can now reveal what they were actually drinking. . . it’s Harvey’s Bristol Cream! In Season 6 episode 9 Frasier decants a distinctive blue bottle. No wonder he decanted it. I cannot see that bottle going down well at his wine club. It seems odd that someone as pretentious as Frasier would drink something as everyday as Bristol Cream. There can be three possible answers: 1) Daphne bought it in place of his usual sherry and Frasier and Niles cannot tell the difference; 2) the producers of the show just assumed that all sherry is the same; 3) Frasier likes Bristol Cream.
I like to think it’s number three. Bristol Cream is a comforting drink that invites conviviality rather than reflection. No wonder it is always served at funerals. Apparently if you cellar it for 5 years, it loses its slightly cloying initial taste and becomes rather elegant. I haven’t tried it though I did try something similar a few years ago when my grandfather died.
In his cellar, amongst the half bottle of 1937 Army & Navy claret, a 1982 Mouton Cadet and an ancient Beaujolais Villages (all vinegar), we found a magnum of Williams & Humbert Dry Sack. My father estimated it had been there for 20 years at least. There was a lot of sediment but the wine once decanted was lovely – gently fruity, nutty and off dry. Just the kind of thing I imagine Frasier would have taken comfort in after another humiliating date.
erk, all this talk of booze is making me dizzy as I have rather a hefty hangover, caused in no small part by the amontillado I was ploughing through last night. Im a big sherry drinker, yet have never tried Harveys Bristol Cream, I imagine its sort of like a sweet pale amontillado?
I’m sorry but there’s just no way in the world that Niles would drink Harvey’s Bristol Cream…
…perhaps in America it’s considered a classy tipple? In much the same way that Albanians love Norman Wisdom
Don’t forget that they think Daphne’s Lancashire accent is sophisticated…
Whereas her brother’s Lancashire Cockney accent is one of the most ridiculous ever. Up there with Dick Van Dyke. The actor’s an Aussie which makes it even more inexcusable.
BTW how is it possible never to have even tasted Harvey’s Bristol Cream, worm? I can’t believe you never raided the drinks cabinets of elderly relatives as a boy.
Oh there was frequent raiding going on, but a blue bottle never appeared! I had never tried any sherry at all until about 5 years ago, and now I drink it nearly every day
It is a bit like a sweet amontillado. Once you get used to the rather sugary sweetness, you can enjoy the mellow richness of the, rather good, sherries that go into it. It’s really not a bad drink at all. Much much better-balanced than Croft which tastes like a cheap fino with lots of sugar poured in it.
Er….Daphne’s accent is sophisticated in my fantasy world; am I alone?
It took the purchase of small apartment in the south of Spain fifteen years ago, followed by many journeys to Jerez and Cadiz, for me to appreciate the mysterious qualities of Finos and the sweet desert wines that you can buy locally down there for a few Euros.
Even at this time of year, after a hard day tidying my sock drawer, and before the footballer’s wives and drug-barons arrive, there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to watch the turds float onto the beach, with a nice glass of amondillado and a packet of pork scratchings. Sometimes I think life can’t get any better…..
Bristol cream shot itself in the stopper when it was sold in blue bottles, just like milk of magnesia, apt really, the taste being similar. “Make mine a small one” was the mater’s favourite cry, no doubt leaving room for the copious amounts of Remy that followed.
I just don’t think there’s enough time and space for me to go into my unfortunate encounter with sherry at the ‘Freshers’ Arts Reception’ at University. Giving 18 year olds fortified wine was interesting. I have since learnt to respect sherry, vermouth, madeira and not forgetting the marvellous marsala. Have some Madeira m’dear?