Ghalib, the great Urdu poet whose fondness for mangoes I have already written about earlier, was also extremely partial to the odd tipple. (It's probably fair to say his weakness was habitual as many of his contemporaries considered him a drunk!)
Ghalib was once asked whether he was a Muslim and he replied, 'I am half Muslim. I don't eat pork but I drink alcohol.'
I guess he is not alone in being half Muslim. I keep running into more and more of us half-Muslims out there.
I am no wine connoisseur but I can certainly appreciate a nice wine when I taste one. And recently, my (insubordinate) half discovered the joys of Muscat dessert wines.
The grape variety always fascinated me given my fondness of the Omani capital of Muscat. Even though I cannot find any link between Muscat, Oman and the origin of the Muscat grape, I still had to try the wine.
Being a tad stingy, I 'splurged' on a cheap Australian Long Flat Red Moscato 2008 a few days ago. It was not a chore to finish the bottle - I enjoy my desserts even in liquid form! Drinking varied types of Muscat grape wines is now on my 'to do' list.
I highly recommend trying Muscat grape juice to my non-Muslim, half-Muslim and, dare I say it, to my Muslim friends.
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Imran,
ReplyDeleteGet on facebook.
I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends...one of them is half muslim too!!
melvin noronha
Hi Melvin,
ReplyDeleteHow nice to hear from you and thanks for reading / commenting on my blog.
I am typically about 2-3 generations behind in adopting technology so getting onto facebook will be another serious exercise for me! Give me some time and I shall get there ... meanwhile, I am always ready to meet and make new friends.
Kind regards,
Imran
Ah Imran! You have discovered the joys of dessert wines! But there is so much more for you to get to know, beyond Muscat. I envy you. Kracher's trockenbeerenauslese, the late-harvest Rieslings and eisweins of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, the botrytis wines of Bordeaux..... having "sampled" the same, often extensively ;), I am in a position to reassure you that you are in for a treat.
ReplyDeleteHi Saadia,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit and the comment.
Slowly, slowly I am getting there! I have made a note of the grape names and will definitely be on the lookout for some of the wines that you mention (as hopefully will be a few other readers).
Unfortunately, like Ben and Jerry's ice cream good wine is pretty expensive in Singapore ... but these are life's little luxuries so like a good mango, a good wine is worth the fleeting ecstasy!
Maybe after Ramadan I will splurge on a few bottles ... ha ha ...
I hope you will keep visiting and I look forward to your comments (and recommendations) more often.
Kind regards,
Imran