An Occasional Tipple: Magnificent wine and a mystery man

Ripe, muscular blackberry flavours, a warm, smoky palate and a spicy, judiciously oaked finish with hints of dark chocolate combine to create a robust, rustic and thoroughly satisfying South African red. One to savour alongside lamb livers, green peppers, sticky onions and a red wine vinegar gravy.

I never spoke to Jones directly though he intrigued me. He didn't deal drugs or tell fortunes and yet people visited him all day long. No obvious means of income, he nevertheless was always dressed immaculately. Handsome too - lean-jawed with piercing blue eyes and a full head of silvery hair. A distinctive birthmark, like a misshapen scarlet star on his left cheek. Jonesie never left his room. I only ever saw him when he answered his door.

A sober character, if he drank at all it would have been a no or low-alcohol wine (currently the fastest growing area for wine sales in the UK). Top of the zero-alcohol pops for me is the delicate, delightfully dry, salmon-pink McGuigan Zero Rose (widely available, generally £4 -£6). Teeming with bright redcurrant, raspberry and strawberry flavours, it will go wonderfully well with simply cooked fish.

Why did all those very ordinary-looking people visit him? Why did they only drink tea when they could have had so much more fun with me, knocking back today's final recommendation- the rustic, robust and delightfully savoury 2021 Beronia Rioja Reserva (£12, Sainsbury’s)?

A medium-bodied, lubricious palate full of dark cherry flavours before a lengthy finish with hints of black pepper. An ideal match to spicy meatballs in a rich tomato sauce. Enjoy on one of these mild Spring evenings which are surely coming our way.

I made my fortune on Wall Street, moved to Manhattan and thought no more of Jonesie until I returned months later to pick up some books. Chatting to Aggie and Evie, I asked after auld Jonesie. They'd reported him missing! One morning they'd brought up his breakfast (they never brought up mine!) and he wasn't there. How could a totally blind man, they asked me, a helpless cripple, just walk out and disappear? He hadn't been heard of since.

Years later, while visiting Moscow I noticed a familiar man sitting opposite me in the subway car. He wore a long, thick coat, a fur hat and had the same distinctive face with high cheekbones, stern blue eyes and that unmistakable birthmark. Suddenly he nodded at me. I was about to say hello when the train pulled in. Jonesie, if indeed it was he, stood up proudly and high on a pair of fine, sturdy legs and alighted from the train.

I never saw him again. Till next week, tipplers, sante!