But the court was told she had made remarkable progress, against medical expectations, and was now able to feel pleasure, had a good smile and a tolerable quality of life.After the couple's lawyers thanked the judge, he responded by asking those who were heading off for the birthday party to convey to Charlotte in "whatever way they could that others were thinking about her".Speaking outside the court, Darren Wyatt said: "This is the best birthday present she could ever want, because now Charlotte can get on with her life. We haven't got this huge black cloud hanging over us now."Yesterday's reversal of the court ruling came after a review last week in which the parents said their daughter had a real chance of longer-term survival that justified medical intervention to keep her alive.But the judge said doctors "did not take orders from the family" and could not be compelled to artificially ventilate her if that went against their conscience. They should act in Charlotte's best interests, "accommodating parental wishes as far as their professional judgement and conscience will permit, but no further," he said."I hope that the trust and confidence of which both Dr K [Charlotte's consultant] and the parents spoke can now develop with a view to securing the best for Charlotte, whether in life or death," the judge said.Under their ethical code, doctors have a duty only to treat patients where they believe it would be beneficial to the patient and would not unnecessarily prolong suffering. They can refuse to treat a person if they feel it serves no purpose or if the quality of life is deemed to be so low it is not in the patient's interest, but if the family and doctors disagree, the High Court must make a ruling.Charlotte was born three months prematurely on 21 October 2003 with brain, lung and kidney damage. European producers might use a single vineyard name to denote a location whose characteristics have been recognised over a period of time. The Vigna del Sorbo, for instance, in the 2001 Fontodi Chianti Classico Riserva (around £28.95, Bennetts Fine Wines,01386 840392; Noel Young Wines, 01223 844744; Reid Wines, 01761 452645) is a genuinely great, modern sangiovese-based chianti whose soils and southerly vineyard exposure bring richly concentrated, textured dark cherry fruitiness to this wine. With no such history, a single vineyard could be a vast block of young vines.
The term "old vines" is another offender, suggesting a wine with a level of concentration and quality derived from venerable, low-yielding old vines. A reputable producer such as California's Seghesio distinguishes its genuine old vine zinfandel from other bottlings because the grapes for the wine come from vines planted between 40 and 100 years ago. In the 2002 Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel (around £23.50, Bacchus Wine, 01234 711140; Bennetts Fine Wines; Noel Young Wines) you can taste that intense black cherry fruit richness with its pepper and spice. The problem is that there's no legal definition, so "old vines" are only as old as the first vine they planted. Europe's wine producers have resisted the New World's labelling freedom and winemaking flexibility, and as global competition hots up Europe is currently taking more steps to prevent Californian producers using strictly defined appellation names such as chianti and chablis.
As a trade-off, it's more willing to allow the New World to bandy about amorphous terms like "ch?au", "clos", "ruby", "sur lie" and "vintage". The irony is that California, and other New World countries who have had to promise not to use the European appellations, no longer need European traditions. Why would they want them when the marketing of appellations is so out of touch with the new world of wine?. Steak hach?or chopped steak, is the posh hamburger of France It owes everything to the quality and freshness of the meat. If you go to a good butcher's shop in France they will mince and mould it in front of you so all you need to do is season and cook it like a steak. I prefer to use minced rib of beef, although topside will work equally well as long as you add a bit of extra fat to keep it moist during cooking. You could ask the butcher to mince a bit of fat in with it, from a rib preferably. What you serve with your steak hach?s up to you.
