An Occasional Tipple: Money-saving tips and tantalising tipples
As you read this, you may be thinking: ‘January pay cheque- nearly here, spring is coming, things are looking up’.
Don’t be fooled, tipplers. Check your bank balance. It’s worse than you feared, isn’t it? Nil desperandum- your old friend, Raymond Gleug, is here to ensure that you can have a few jars this weekend without having to sign into the poor house on Monday.
I’m in a very privileged position insofar as I get sent lots of wine which I can drink for free by people who are hoping that maybe, just maybe, I might give them a little nod in my esteemed column. And yes, applying for my job is definitely one way to save a few bob on the vino but it’s not really free wine, is it? Think how long it must have taken me to craft these two paragraphs, measure it against the minimum wage and then ask yourself, how much do I value my time? On which note, boss, perhaps it’s time to revisit my renumeration package. Enough about my problems, even I don’t want to hear about my problems. Ultimately, tipplers, I work for you. And I do it for love.
Late last year I was sent a “free” bottle of the smoky, supple and nicely balanced 2022 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (only £5.29, Lidl). Dark cherry and plum flavours dominate an exuberantly juicy palate before a lingering finish with hints of dried fruit, spice and toasted hazelnuts. A fabulous bargain- I served mine to my darling wife, the illustrious Madame G., last Sunday with an extravagantly flavoursome fried chicken and chips with chip-shop style curry sauce. A real winter warmer. Boy, did she enjoy it!
One way not to save money at this difficult time is to marry a woman- such as my Madame- who has her birthday on January 19. To celebrate we spent a day in Belfast eating delicious Ramen at Ragin’ Ramen before sinking back plenty of pool balls and two perfect Negronis at newest hotspot in town, The Watson (the old Frames). We then returned to our lovely home on the North Antrim coast, Rose Cottage, where having inspected the damage inflicted on my paltry bank balance, solace was sought in a glass of today’s WINE OF THE WEEK, the powerfully flavoured yet very approachable and easy-drinking 2022 Trivento Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (£8.50, Tesco). An impressive bouquet with lots of red fruit and delicate spicing leads to an opulent palate with cherry and blueberry flavours alongside gentle tannins before a satisfyingly savoury finish. We enjoyed ours with spaghetti and meatballs in a spicy, garlicky tomato sauce- plenty of parmesan on top.
Lovers of white, save dosh by splashing out on the zingy, zesty and gloriously refreshing 2023 Te Pa Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc (reduced to £9 from £10.50 at Tesco with Clubcard). This elegant, delicately scented Marlborough white has an impressively floral bouquet which leads to a lively, mineral-rich palate with pronounced notes of apple and elderflower before a brief, discreetly acidic finish.
Which is where I must finish today with the hope that my ramblings don’t inspire you, Yosser Hughes style, to think “I could do that” and come gunning for my job. Just remember, Yossers, it’s barely minimum wage. Till next week, tipplers!