An Occasional Tipple: Bonfires, birthdays and beautiful wine
It promises to be a great week ahead for drinkers both within and outwith the Gleug family.
Outwith my own noble clan, I've heard some people talking about building bonfires in their back yards on Thursday evening. Not too near the oil tank now!
Perhaps you're nervously checking the forecasts online and praying for a dry evening. If you are,
I wish you well and would urge you to stay safe, drink responsibly and only build fires in approved areas.
Those of you planning to drink al fresco, whether it's at the various cultural celebrations or simply at garden parties and barbecues etc., who fancy something a bit classier than the ubiquitous blue WKD or Buckfast, you may wish to try today's first selection, the taut, bone-dry and very elegant 2023 M&S Classics Gavi (£10).
This sophisticated Italian white has excellent complexity and depth with pear and subtle fennel flavours on the palate and an intensely fruity bouquet before a brief, tingly and discreetly acidic finish.
One for simple trout or salmon and some sunshine. It's worth noting that this selection comes from an extremely impressive range- M&S Classics- all your favourite classic grapes and blends- with many superb bottles at very competitive prices.
In the Gleug family we have even bigger fish to fry this week. None come bigger than the man at the head of the clan, my esteemed father, Cornelius Gleug, who turns 75 again on Wednesday and will no doubt be expecting a bit of a fuss.
He loves nothing better than a fine Barolo but I'm going to try to tempt him slightly off-piste this year with another Italian red, today's second selection, the bold, sleek and delicately spiced 2022 Corte Alle Mura Chianti (£5.99, Lidl).
This opulent yet supple drop has an intriguing palate full of ripe cherry flavours and earthy, pungent spices which are nicely balanced by firm tannins before a lingering finish with hints of vanilla, coriander and lick-your lips liquorice. One for rich meats like BBQ beef or smoky pork.
Last but not least, we have one for all you lovers out there.
After the old fella's birthday celebrations, my own lover and darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G., and I intend to flee the statelet and head down below to Co Carlow, the county of romance as I call it.
Before a turf fire, we shall spend our evenings canoodling, playing Gin Rummy and sharing today's WINE OF THE WEEK, the dark, decadent devillishly smooth and resoundingly fruity 2022 Tulga Toro Joven (£7.49, Lidl).
An abundance of muscular, ripe blackberry and plum flavours dominate its seductive, delicately spiced palate before a magnificently lengthy finish with beguiling notes of oak and black pepper.
I suspect we'll enjoy ours with lamb chops, fried capers, fried potatoes, green olives and, well, you can guess the rest.
I'm out of breath now so I think we'll leave it there for today. Have fun whatever and however you celebrate over the holiday period. Till next week, tipplers, sante!