Celebrating a grand affair with fabulous wine

Yes, one sweet day we’ll die, my love, and reach the end of life’s grand ride.” Don’t worry, tipplers, I’m not about to murder my Madame. Honestly. I’m just trying to prepare you and her and us for the inevitable. “Ah, twas a grand affair indeed, a sad affair to be sure in its ending, but magnificent nonetheless.”

That’s what I plan to tell my beloved wife, the illustrious Madame G., just before we simultaneously expire and depart this vale of tears. And our lovely home, Rose Cottage. In about 50 or 70 years time should all go to plan. Maria Callas shall, I like to imagine, be singing Caro Nome in the background.

A bit grim and morbid, you say? Perhaps, but the first noble truth, according to Buddhists, is that life is suffering, folks, largely on account of its impermanence. Which we all know about and pretend to accept and yet how desperately we cling. Whereas the first noble truth of your wine correspondent, Raymond Gleug, is that the best way to alleviate such suffering is to knock back a glass or two of that what does you good. Get it down you while you still can, I say!

And what’s been doing my Madame and I the most good this past few days is today’s Wine of the Week, the dry, zesty and thoroughly refreshing 2020 Domaine Michel Dutarte Pouilly Fume (£13.99, Lidl). This elegant, delicately scented Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc has an impressively floral bouquet which leads to a smoky, mineral-rich palate with pronounced notes of apple and elderflower before a brief, discreetly acidic finish. One for lazy, languorous evenings on the patio watching the sun set, as it must, with someone you love. Serve lightly chilled with seafood or salad.

Just pipped at the post for today’s Wine of the Week award, and possibly a tad unlucky to lose out, like far too many of my Cheltenham selections is the fabulously fresh, fragrant and exceptionally lively 2020 M&S Classics Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (currently £9). This zingy, expressive, easy-drinking New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc bursts with sharp lime and kiwi flavours alongside elderflower and passionfruit aromatics with backnotes of almond and a clean, tingly finish.One for grilled fish or mildly spiced vegetarian cuisine.

Lovers of reds, I cannot forget you. I am you. Today’s final selection is one to order in for Easter and have with your roast lamb- the superbly balanced, exuberantly juicy and delicately spiced 2019 Koyle Reserva Carmenere (currently £8.25, The Wine Society, visit www.thewinesociety.com or telephone 01438-741177). Well-defined, ripe blackcurrant and plum flavours, a lean, muscular body and an intensely expressive deep garnet hue combine to create a memorably elegant and mellow drop.

Personally, I never would have started the whole miserable business of life if I’d known that it would end this way, that’s one possible final thought when we’re drinking our parting glass. Life, hey? Lived forwards, understood backwards. Funny thing though, we’re unlikely to be sad that it stops like this. Glass in hand, at least half full, one’s treasured woman by one’s side. All that love. Let it go, as the song says. For you are not alone in leaving this world, it happens to everyone and it can either be a stultifyingly frightening thought or an invitation to transition, transcendence and transformation. I’ll drink to the latter. Till next week, tipplers, sante!

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