Rowing – Outdoorsy vs Outsidey
I have recently been made aware of the important difference between being “Outdoorsy” and being “Outsidey”. The main distinguishing factor here appears to be that the former requires some type of skill or capacity for endurance. It is the difference between enjoying a long countryside walk to a good pub for lunch and signing up to Tough Mudder. Having never had the remotest inclination for the latter, I fall into the “outsidey” category.
I have at times tried to get into the sportier side of things. Despite showing absolutely no prowess at tennis when I was young – my mother tells the story of how the childhood instructor, standing behind me at collection time, had mouthed “no” with a vigorous shaking of the head – I paid to be taught as an adult. During the first lesson I was the only one to throw my ball up to serve, miss it and get smacked on the head on its descent. Power was never a problem, but accuracy was and at the fourth lesson, when the neighbouring table tennis players complained about how many times I had managed to thwack the ball over the tennis court and into their game, the teacher suggested a refund might be best.
I quite like the idea of cycling but am forever haunted by the humiliating time at Primary School when the entire student body was doing the Cycling Proficiency test. Having no bike at home, my grandfather leant me his fold up one and, true to its name, it folded up right in the middle of my test to the hilarity of the whole school. I was the only person in 500 pupils not to pass but had to sit through a gruelling award ceremony where I clapped for hours for the other 499.
Outdoor activities have not always gone my way, so, though I love to be outside, I tend to relish awe-inspiring vistas from the white tablecloths of an alfresco restaurant and as happy as I am to hike, it is much more rewarding when it ends in a champagne picnic.
It appears, however, that I am now dating someone “outsidey”. The kind of person who voluntarily chooses to kayak the chilled fjords of Norway before trekking 3900 feet up a mountain for a bit of a laugh. (He did pack proper stemmed wine glasses for a drink at the top though, so we are not entirely different beasts).
These days I find myself doing far more actually “active” things outside. When the Significant Other suggested rowing I assumed it would be him at the oars and myself with the wine. At least one of those was true. I grabbed a bottle of the Stepp Cuvée Blanc 2022 (Naked Wines £13.99 Angel Price £11.99), a freshly floral blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer, and was ready to settle back and enjoy the ride when I was given an oar. A somewhat circuitous route ensued – I think I nearly drowned a swan – but with the wine it was more of a pleasure than an endurance test (for me, if not the swan). Cool, crisp and aromatic the wine was a treat as an aperitif and secured my belief that a good glass makes everything better – even my sporting abilities. Maybe next time I try my hand at tennis I shall bring a bottle of Naked’s finest along with me. Table tennis players, beware.
The Perfect Pair
A Naked Pairing: Savoie Abymes 2022 with scallops
A classic mountain wine, Savoie hails from the heart of the French Alps and the white wines are typically crisp with a bright, wet-stone minerality and fine floral notes.
The Savoie Abymes 2022 (Naked Wines £18.99: Angel price £12.99) is made by Gilles Perrier, a seventh-generation winemaker from the region who prioritises little-known indigenous grapes.
Made from the Jacquere grape, this bottle provides a fresh citrussy acidity that makes it ideal with fish and seafood. It also has a relatively low alcohol percentage of 11.5% making it an excellent, easy-drinking choice for a midweek supper.
I sauteed thinly sliced leeks with some diced pancetta for 5 minutes as I whipped up a pea puree in the blender with a spoonful of salted butter.
The Savoie Abymes 2022 (Naked Wines £18.99: Angel price £12.99) is made by Gilles Perrier, a seventh-generation winemaker from the region who prioritises little-known indigenous grapes. Made from the Jacquere grape, this bottle provides a fresh citrussy acidity that makes it ideal with fish and seafood. It also has a relatively low alcohol percentage of 11.5% making it an excellent, easy-drinking choice for a midweek supper. I sauteed thinly sliced leeks with some diced pancetta for 5 minutes as I whipped up a pea puree in the blender with a spoonful of salted butter.
The small scallops took 3 minutes in a hot pan with some olive oil and a squeeze of lemon and then I simply piled the scallops, pancetta and leeks on top of the puree. The silky delicate mineral notes created a perfect foil for the saltiness of the seafood and pork and the slick texture and freshness of the wine made the scallops shine. As the chilly nights close in, I can also imagine this being a fantastic pairing with a cheese fondue or baked, soft goats’ cheese though given this wine’s delicate nature it would be very enjoyable on its own as a refreshingly chilled glass.
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