An Occasional Tipple: The fantastical life and wines of a lucky aficionado

Swanning around various media functions, hobnobbing with bigwigs and celebs, gorging myself on the fanciest food, washing it down with barrelfuls of the finest wine and then rattling off a few pretentious paragraphs about how great it all is once a week.

Sadly, it doesn't pay very well, nothing like what it used to, and it's neither as glamorous nor as easy as you might think.

To illustrate, here’s what happened when I handed a glass of today's WINE OF THE WEEK, the pale, delightfully crisp and very elegant 2023 Sand Boy Rias Baixas Alborino (widely available in local wine merchants, generally £15-£18) - which I sampled last week at Belfast’s Shu restaurant as a guest of local wholesaler United Wines who were celebrating 40 years in business - to my darling wife, the redoubtable Madame G, and asked for her opinion.

"Hmm, quite nice" she replied.

"Just quite nice?" I probed.

"No, it's actually really, really nice", she enthused after another sip.

Well, dear tipplers, I don't think I'd get much of a column out of that, do you? So, here goes my best effort.

This aromatic Spanish white - think herbs and freshly-cut grass - has an intriguing palate with notes of citrus and stone fruit leading to a brisk, tingly finish with very mild acidity.

One to enjoy with fish - like my perfectly cooked Glenarm salmon in sauce Veronique which I had as a main course, or mildly spiced Asian cuisine such as the delicious crispy pork belly bites with pickles, sesame and sriracha which was my equally delicious starter.

A quick word about my hosts who basically started off by driving around the country, selling out of a van to off-licences and grew, during a turbulent time in our history, to become a leading player on the local drinks scene, employing 55 people in Cookstown and distributing major brands such as Heineken, McGuigan wines and Birra Moretti as well as some very interesting bottles such as the one mentioned above and today’s second selection, the impressively complex, supple and intensely fruity 2023 Cigar Box Old Vines Malbec (generally around £11.99, again widely available).

This opulent, beautifully structured red has wonderful violet aromatics leading to an exuberantly juicy palate full of plum, spice with a hint of vanilla.

It went very nicely with my dining partner’s succulent sirloin steak which she insisted on sharing with me for research purposes – thank you very much, Chloe.

Next week I’m off to Copenhagen to a family wedding and should any noteworthy tipples come my way then believe me, as Columbo has said to many a murderer, you’ll be the first to know.

As you may observe, my post is tough auld going, decidedly unglamorous and requires very specific talents. In conclusion, if you want to be jealous of me, don't envy my job. Rather, be jealous of the fact that I live in a very lovely house, Rose Cottage, with the best wife in the world, the enigmatic Madame G.

Till next week, tipplers, sante!