160Nights out don’t come much more lavish
than an evening of fine dining and wine
tasting – the perfect combination! I was
thrilled to be invited to a Gourmet Wine
Evening at the luxurious Galgorm Resort,
where I would be dining in the beautiful
River Room restaurant.
My friend and I were first of all greeted
by staff in the conservatory, where we
were given a refreshingly fizzy glass of
Casa Gheller Prosecco, which tasted
fruity and flavoursome. It was the perfect
accompaniment to the delicious canapés,
which gave us a taste of what was to come.
After enjoying our glass of authentic Italian
Prosecco, we were shown to our table in the
magnificent River Room. The dining room
was thriving with elegantly-set tables-for-
two, it seemed that this was the ideal nightout for friends, partners, spouses and of
course, romantic dates. The entire room gave
a seamless view of the scenic gardens and
spectacular River Maine that flows through
the grounds.
Robert Neill of Neill Wine, was the guest
speaker for the evening and he spoke
passionately about the Italian wines that
we would have the pleasure of tasting. Our
first course was cured scallops, served with
peas, radish and buttermilk, which was
accompanied with a glass of Cantine Neirano
Gavi. It was a white wine, which was very
mineral focused (a sign of the unique soil
designated for Gavi), with green citrus fruits
and distinctive in hints of almond. This wine
complemented the scallops to a tee, as they
were both delicate and light.
The second course was local quail,asparagus, mustard and tarragon, paired
with Nittardi Vigna Doghessa Chianti
Classico, a complex red wine, with an array
of both red and dark fruits present and notes
of spice. This course was a first for me, as it
was my first time sampling quail and also
my first time really enjoying a red wine! I
had never been a red wine drinker, I found it
too robust – but this glass changed my mind
entirely.
A fish course followed, comprising of
halibut, miso, courgette flower and chicken
skin. The halibut surprised me as it tasted
quite meaty and dense, and married with the
chicken skin, it was absolutely divine. This
was served with Greco di Tufo, a deeper, dry
white wine, with subtle tropical characters. In
fact, this turned out to be my favourite course
overall, with the fish and the wine proving to
be very moreish.
Four courses in and it was only getting
better. This time we were treated to Irish
lamb, tomato, artichoke and garlic scape,
served with another red wine, the Cantine
Torri Montepulciano D’Abbruzzo. Neil’s
expertise in the wine was extremely
enlightening and he explained that the
quality of the grape was due to its unqiue
location in Abruzzo, 400-500m above sea
level. It had a silky aroma and texture, which
mirrored the flavour and texture of the lamb.
Our final course was strawberry
sorbet with vanilla, pistachio and lemon,
paired with a dessert wine, Casa Gheller
Dolce. This particular wine was higher in
natural sugar
and had a fantastic fizz, therefore matched
the sweet and sour punch that came from the
strawberry and lemon. I have a undeniable
sweet tooth so both the dessert and the Casa
Gheller Dolce ticked all the boxes.
The whole evening felt like an ‘experience’
rather than just a typical meal out, something
that everyone should have on their bucket
list. My friend and I felt privileged to have
been able to sample the highest quality
Italian wines and accompanying menu
created by Head Chef, Chris Rees – Galgorm
really does serve up the best of the best!Galgorm Spa & Golf Resort
Galgorm, BT42 1EA
T: 028 2588 1001
http://www.galgorm.comULSTER TATLER’S JOANNE HARKNESS, EXPERIENCES A
GOURMET WINE EVENING IN THE RIVER ROOM AT GALGORM.Wine and Dine