Lock up your wine! Robbers are about!

You don’t say: “But Mammy, this week I wanted to write again about how much I’m still missing my darling wife, the illustrious Madame G., who is still away in her home country on business”.

Nor do you say: “But Mammy, I’m not sure if a wine column is the place for politics”.

And the final thing you definitely do not say is: “But Mammy, this has nothing to do with wine”.

You just do it...right?

Which I will, shortly.

And what does this all have to do with this week’s wine column, I hear you ask!

Well, as you all know, I’m missing my darling wife, the illustrious Madame G and my Mammy called over for a visit to see how I was getting on. During this unexpected visit, we had a lovely wee (or may not so wee) chat about all things and many things, including the delightful spell of summer weather, holidays/staycations and wine.

Oh, speaking of wine, I divert back to today’s Wine of the Week is the vibrantly aromatic, fabulously fresh and fragrant 2018 Nivei Cuvee Rioja (£6.99, Lidl).

This complex, superbly balanced Spanish white has a grassy, herbaceous bouquet which leads to a citrussy palate with notes of peach and passionfruit before a brisk, tingly and discreetly acidic finish.

One for your roast chicken this Sunday.

Whilst on the topic of peachy wines, today’s second recommendation is the ripe, zesty and fulsome 2020 Society’s Gruner Veltliner (visit thewinesociety.com or telephone 01438-741177).

This award-winning Austrian white has pronounced pear, peach and nectarine flavours which mingle most pleasingly with subtle spices on a delightfully tangy palate in this elegant, voluptuously perfumed drop which seems a natural match to mildly spiced Asian cuisine.

Don’t worry, Mammy, I’ll get round to it very soon.

My sister also made the very fair point to me during another visit that in this extraordinarily hot weather she prefers cheap uncomplicated whites to more fancy, sophisticated offerings.

Currently, I agree though my job does not.

Lovers of reds, you have not been forgotten either.

Today’s final selection is the supple, spicy and extravagantly flavoursome 2018 Luna de Finca la Anita (£7.99 in Lidl’s excellent July Wine Cellar promotion).

This opulent Argentinian red has a fruity nose with hints of oak and vanilla while its intriguing palate is dominated by rustic blackcurrant and bramble flavours before a lingering, peppery finish.

One to enjoy with the family and friends you love the most in the back garden with barbecued steaks or burgers on one of these glorious evenings.

So back to my Ma...one of our many chats was about Tory Island, off the coast of Donegal.

I explained to her that the word Tory was the Anglicised version of the Irish word “tóraigh” meaning robbers.

And that this was where the Tory party originally got their name (see Wikipedia for more details).

When they talk in the media about the Tories, they are actually literally saying the robbers.

In response to this ‘important’ piece of knowledge, my Ma said to her 59-year old son: “Raymond, dear child, use your good offices. More people should know this”.

Well, Mammy, now they do...take for it what you will good readers! Till next week, tipplers, sante!

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