An Occasional Tipple: Fine wine and beer for the sporting hero
Enjoy authentic Italian living. Not my words, tipplers. It’s a marketing slogan for Birra Moretti who treated my darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G., myself and lots of other, erm, influencers to a fabulous evening of Italian food, Irish comedy and, naturally enough, lots of their newest product- Birra Moretti Sale di Mare at Orto on Bedford Street, Belfast last Tuesday evening.
Supplied by United Wine Merchants to many local bars and off-licences, this light and refreshing beer has slightly sweet malty and floral notes which are well balanced by understated bitterness and a hint, as one might expect, of sea salt which offsets the sweetness on the palate before a clean, tingly finish. It went wonderfully well with our delicious Italian nibbles, especially the nduja arancini and the crispy deep-fried lasagna.
Just one small quibble- the marketing spiel tells me that it's brewed with passion. This kind of madness has to stop. I don't want my beer to be brewed with passion or, heaven forfend, real love. I want it to be brewed with expertise. Happily, this quality is evident too so I'd heartily recommend that you drink one or two responsibly on a hot, sunny day.
I’d certainly earned one last Sunday after taking the anchor leg for my work’s team relay at the Belfast marathon in support of the Simon community. My team-mates were pitifully slow, leaving me much ground to make up. I dashed off from Duncairn Gardens, slicing through the field like a hot knife through butter apart from one very pretty young lady who stubbornly remained about 20 yards ahead of me.
Eventually, along the tow path I managed to nonchalantly breeze past her but on the Ormeau Bridge disaster struck. My headphones came undone and while I was re-attaching them and trying to get back to the right section of Vivaldi’s Sposa Son Disprezzata, she sped by. I caught up with her again at the top of the Ormeau Road and stretched away but as we neared the finish I suddenly realised I was running on empty and slowed to a pathetic trot. “Aren’t you the News Letter’s renowned gourmand, Raymond Gleug?” she asked as she caught up with me again. “You’re my marker, we keep passing each other”.
“I fear you’re passing me for the last time, sweet lady, for my goose is cooked,” I panted and watched her lithesome figure sprinting off into the distance.
Back at my lovely home, Rose Cottage, my darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G., was waiting for me with a beautiful creamy, sweet potato and peanut curry which she served with a glass of today’s WINE OF THE WEEK, the delightfully dry, elegant and gloriously refreshing 2023 Susumaniello (£9, M&S). This ancient, little-known Italian grape produces a stunning, well-rounded, refreshing splash of pink here which is packed with red berry and citrus flavours and lively floral aromatics. Well worth checking out!
As for this gourmand, at least there’s still one pretty lady who doesn’t seem to be sprinting away from me. As long as there’s one, I dimly remember telling myself, as my eyes closed and sleep descended. For there can be only one. Till next week, tipplers, sante!