Chateau Camplazens Coteaux du Languedoc, La Clape.

Susan and Peter Close, a couple from the North of England, have always had a passion for good food and wine. After bringing up a family in New Orleans, Louisiana for twenty years they decided to follow a life long dream of owning a vineyard, and the challenge of producing good quality wines
Following several years of research Susan and Peter decided on the Languedoc region of Southern France, recognizing its great potential . At the start of the millennium  they found their  vineyard, Chateau Camplazens, in Coteaux du Languedoc, La Clape. The Close Family's mission is: "to develop the potential of La Clape to produce rich, full-bodied red wines that reflect the tastes and aromas of this special microclimate”

The first of their wines that I tasted was La Garrigue and it really does reflect the characteristics of southern France with its earthy flavours and floral aromas.Like the moors from which La Garrigue is named, hints of rosemary and thyme give way to soft red plums and a smooth gentle finish.Then I tasted the La Reserve which is a complex, quite full bodied and well balanced Syrah based wine, with flavours of red plums, crushed fruits, spicy notes, soft tannins, and hints of fresh herbs.
So if you cannot get to the Languedoc ,bring the Languedoc to you by trying one of these wines.

À votre santé,

Evelyn
THE VINTRY,RATHGAR

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Drouhin Makes You Tall ! Laforet Bourgogne Blanc 2007

Drouhin Makes You Tall !

For the last 130 years Maison Joseph Drouhin has been in the hands of the Drouhin family.Founded in 1880, today the fourth generation is at the helm.I caught up with the very charming and very tall (!)Christophe Thomas ,Sales Director, when he was in Dublin a few weeks ago.
Drouhin have taken a Biodynamic farming approach for the last 23  years. Only natural products are used in the vineyards and they show the utmost respect for the soil, vine and environment.
The family own 73 hectares, one of the largest holdings in the region with vineyards throughout  Burgundy which are of course planted with the two Burgundian grapes.Pinot Noir for reds and Chardonnay for whites.With close to 90 different appellations, Joseph Drouhin offer a great array of Burgundy coming from different  terroirs, (meaning soil in french)
I find with Burgundy that there is huge vintage variation , because the weather is so variable ,so I have decided to start with  their entry level white which is a very good example of where to start....Laforet Bourgogne Blanc 2007 is a lovely fresh wine made to be drank young , it has seen only 10% new oak with a nose of peaches, melon and nice flinty minerality coming through on the palate. It is well balanced and at  under  €15 I think a good example of a white Burgundy. Paired with any chicken or fish dish, Delicious!.....
Enjoy,

Julie
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Shoo Fly Chook Raffle Chardonnay 2008

 For all of you winedrinkers out there like myself who are just a little bit tired of all the unoaked Chardonnay on the market , this might be the perfect stepping stone back into the world of subtle spicy and nutty whites. This McLaren Vale white is made from predominantly Chardonnay grapes with "a dash" of Riesling and Verdelho with 10% of it matured in french barrells. The result is a wine which still has those tropical fruit aromas noticeably peaches with sweet satsuma also present but in the mouth the oak is evident adding complexity. It is a creamy buttery texture with some citrusy lemon flavours but some  spice on the finish. LOVE IT! I think this would be perfect with any grilled white fish in a buttery sauce or maybe a lemon chicken.

 The winemaker, Ben Riggs worked for over 20 years at various vineyards in both Australia and around Europe before putting his name to his own wines. There are 4 wines in the Shoofly collection with this and a Shiraz available in Ireland which is also seriously worth a try. The name itself comes from what the Australian's refer to as the "Aussie Salute" , Shoo Fly.  Chook Raffle refers to the Australian tradition in local pubs some what like our Sunday Draw here but instead of money you can win anything from a frozen bird to whatever else is put up by the locals each week!
Great buy for €13.99

Till Next Time
Clare
Cellars, Naas Road

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Pearl Cartoon Girl checks out Riedel Tasting

Pearl Cartoon Girl

Meet Pearl our cartoon girl. Yes! a cartoon girl ...who spends her time out and about, posing and air kissing with the best of them. She is not a real person and sometimes the people she hangs out with aren`t either! Because the WOW girls are far too busy to be out and about all the time, we have appointed Pearl our cartoon girl, to fill us in on what`s happening around town!

M`dears ...Just received a confidential note from my very good friend Günther Sucher,the Commercial Counsellor at the Austrian Embassy ,to alert me to the fact that another V.G.F.of mine is coming to town .The lovely Max Riedel...or  Maximilian J. Riedel  to you, of the famous Austrian glass dynasty is popping over to see me in Dublin. 

Max ,like myself,is a  regular on the more fashionable ski slopes of Austria where we often share the odd bottle of Sekt or two( using the flutes from the hand blown Sommelier range of course!).

He is quite the man around town, so while visiting me in Dublin I believe Max will find the time,between our numerous lunches etc, to host a unique comparative tasting on Friday, 17 September at The Convention Centre, Spencer Dock .

I don`t normally do convention centres ! but for the lovely Max i will make the exception.

See you there.

Kiss Kiss ,

Pearl

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

Dr Hannah wine therapist
and perfect housewife

Dear Dr Hannah,

I really hope you can help me as I have a serious problem regarding my sister and her choice in wine.For over fifteen years now she has consistently drank Errazuriz Merlot and refuses to drink any other wines at home.She does sometimes drink different ones when she goes to a restaurant ,but only because her lovely husband insists upon it. Her daughter ,who happens to be my  godchild, has just turned 18 and also seems  reluctant to try wines other than Errazuriz Merlot herself.

What can I do to prevent this legacy going forward.

A worried Godmother  from Dollymount

Dear Worried Godmother  from Dollymount.

Your letter throws up some very interesting issues.Firstly I note with interest that it is a Chilean Merlot that your sister drinks. This could actually be a good thing because Chilean Merlot may have the highest concentrations of polyphenols  which may reduce cardiovascular disease and protect ones memory into old age .While I am not a cardiologist perhaps your sisters lovely husband should not be so quick to order other wines when they go out.

You say that her daughter has just turned 18 and likes to drink Errazuriz Merlot as well.
Could I suggest here that both mother and daughter start keeping extensive notes on the various vintages that they drink. Between the 15 years that your sister has drank it and maybe the 70 or 80 years that her daughter will drink it ,this could form an important  study of Errazuriz  vintage variation which could be a great legacy in  the future.

I suggest the extensive notes just in case that polyphenol memory theory is incorrect.

I do hope that I have helped to solve your problem .

Dr Hannah
Wine therapist and perfect housewife

Lalama 2006 Bodega Dominio Do Bibei Ribeira Sacra

La Ribeira Sacra or Sacred hillside, a barely accessible rural wine region in Northwestern Spain's vast mountainous Galicia (350 miles northwest of Madrid) is a exciting emerging region, and one to keep your eye on.Lalama is made from the Mencia grape, which has been a grape to watch for some time now and finally they seem to be getting it right . I have high hopes for this grape variety and know we are going to see a lot more of it in the future .All the Lalma harvest was done by hand. The vines are from 15 to 100 years old all grown at high altitude.

We discovered this wine only a few months ago, and have sold out already but don't worry there is more due any minute.We are running a  promotion on it , down from €23.99 to €19.99 so it just flew out.

It reminds me of a mature red burgundy for half the price. Its crimson fruit with a savoury touch works really well with most red meats. The wine is one to decant as it just seems to get better the longer it is open and it is really well balanced with lots of fruit .
One to share with that someone special on a Saturday night  for sure.

Enjoy,

Julie
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Seifried Pinot Gris

New Zealand produces some of the most affordable, diverse and interesting whites the World over. As they are a relatively new wine producing country, they work hard at producing the best and know that the consumer is taking a risk when purchasing, so they’re keen to impress.

Tried this wine Seifried, Pinot Gris from the Nelson region on the South Island and became  a serious fan of this Kiwi white.

I took it in to sell in the shop about 5 years ago. It was when New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs were massively popular on the Irish market but we saw very little else that they produced. I totally fell in love with this wine

This pours a light apple juice/ pineapple juice colour with a slightly pink hue.

The nose displays ripe tropical fruit. Pineapple, dried mango, peach and pink grapefruit. If the wine remains in the glass for long enough, you can pick up aromas of aniseed and fresh basil.

The palate is quite different to the nose, Flavours of grapefruit, pineapple and some citrus along with candied fruit finishing in this lovely balanced acidity.

This is a wine for the warm weather. Ideal with meaty fish- monkfish or lemon sole, fresh garden salads or even just sausages on the barbeque with tomato relish.

O&O

Ruth

Deveneys Dundrum

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Pearl Cartoon Girl

Pearl Cartoon Girl

Meet Pearl our cartoon girl. Yes! a cartoon girl ...who spends her time out and about, posing and air kissing with the best of them. She is not a real person and sometimes the people she hangs out with aren`t either! Because the WOW girls are far too busy to be out and about all the time, we have appointed Pearl ,our cartoon girl, to fill us in on what`s happening  around town !

M`dears.... Let me tell you confidentially that absolutely every one who is anyone, is planning their social diary around the Lughnasa Beer Festival next Friday at The Pod. Even the WOW girls will find the time to attend as it  their own Wow Girl Ruth who is organizing it !
200 Premium Bottled Beers from around the world.Entertainment by ''Prison Love'' and Suzanne Purcell.A social must for any girl around town as it will attract only the most discerning tasters and not a larger lout in sight! 

See you there.

Kiss Kiss ,

Pearl

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Originel Sauvignon Blanc 2008

This is a French Sauvignon Blanc which comes from the Loire valley. It is described as Vin de Pays du Val de Loire and I must say I have been extremely impressed with many of the Vin de Pays Sauvignon Blancs that I have tasted out of this area recently.This particular wine is certified organic, meaning that only organically grown grapes were used.It is a very very modern style almost new worldly in terms of ripeness and concentration but with more nerve..obviously because of the cooler climate.The fruit is typical Sauvignon Blanc... granny smith meets elderflower and blackcurrant leaves. A tasty little number which won`t break the bank @ €10.95

Enjoy ,
Evelyn
THE VINTRY,RATHGAR

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DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

Dr Hannah wine therapist
and perfect housewife

Dear Dr. Hannah,
Is it possible to buy half decent wine in boxes anymore?
 I ask as I imagine it would keep for longer and I wouldn't mind having a box of it in the kitchen for the odd glass or two of red in the evenings.
 My wife has been either pregnant or breastfeeeding for the last 6 years so I have been the only one indulging for this length of time. I find when I do sit down for that much deserved glass of wine at the end of each evening, I end up polishing off the bottle. My reasoning behind this dreadful over-indulgence is that I feel it doesn't keep once open.  Some might see this as a rather inconsequential problem but my wife is getting a little sick and tired of having to manouever me up the staircase come the end of the bottle and as I have been brought up on the strong Irish belief of   "waste not want not" I am finding it difficult to change these habits as the wanting is definitely there.

         I wait in earnest for some much needed advice,

           Desperate Yet Hopeful in Tullamore.

Dear Desperate Yet Hopeful in Tullamore,

 You are not alone as this is a question I am asked about quite frequently. Bag-in-box often comes with the misperception that all to be found inside is cheap, undrinkable plonk whereas in countries such as Sweden and Denmark,  the quality of some of these wines is excellent as the demand is high. However the selection in Ireland generally does end up being exactly the forementioned as there is no real market for it here.  The choice is very limited and generally all that can be found is some inexpensive 5l. Aussie and American "God only knows what Blends" on the bottom shelf of your supermarket. .While there seems to be a market for such wines you do sound like a man who enjoys the finer things in life so these would only lead to disappontment. However don't despair as Dr. Hannah has two possible solutions for you. Firstly though before I start on these I need to set you straight on something you mentioned. Unless you are drinking vintage wines every night which I doubt you are as who is, there should be nothing wrong with replacing a cork on a half finished bottle of wine in fact just like my famous lasagne sometimes they taste even better on the second night. If you don't want to finish the entire bottle then recork it as quick as you can and even put the bottle upright in fridge door, this works for reds just as well as whites, you just have to remove it a few hours before drinking so it returns to room temperature.

An inexpensive fool-proof solution would be to invest in a gadget known as a Vacuvin pump(pictured left) which comes with two stoppers for around €12. You simply insert one of the stoppers into the bottle and pump out the oxeygen which is what causes the wine to deteriorate. This keeps an opened bottle of wine for up to 3 to 4 days.

The second solution requires a slight bit more investment but I did know someone suffering from the same complaint as yourself and this however expensive has actually saved their marriage. Gone are the days of your partner manouevering you up stairs as this chair lift does all the hard work and yes there is the expense of the fit-out but it will also add value to your property.




Hoping something here makes you more hopeful and less desperate.
Dr Hannah,

Wine Therapist
Email or comment back with your wine problems and let Dr Hannah solve them.

Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel

 An old favourite of mine is this Californian Zinfandel; a robust and full-bodied luscious red.  This is actually a blend of Zinfandel and  Petite Sirah, the fomer being the dominant grape at 76% means that it is complying with USA labelling laws by referring to itself as a single varietal.
 It has a nearly purple colour to it with a nose of juicy plums and blueberries with some spice and vanilla evident. It spends 18months in oak with 30% of it New and the balance being French. It is a big wine with buckets of soft fruit flavours yet the wood ageing brings plenty of complexity to it. At €14.99 this is an introduction to their range, they strive to make full-bodied reds with plenty of"zinfindelity" as they call it themselves. They are actually running a campaign at the moment called "No Wimpy Wines" which you can sign up to on facebook, this is a campaign to seek out "full-throttle, full-flavoured wines"!
 Ravenswood started up as a garage operation by a guy called Joel Peterson known affectionately as the "Godfather of Zin" . With a degree in microbiology he dabbled in wine-making as a hobby. It was in 1976 that he revealed two single vineyard Zinfandels to the world. With the help of Reed Foster who looked after the financial end of things, Ravenswood was born.

"The Godfather of Zin"

The name Ravenswood comes from a story Joel tells of his first ever vintage . The story goes that he arrived at Dry Creek on a wet and miserable day to collect the barrells of grapes just picked for his debut Zinfandel only to find they had fallen over and the grapes scattered everywhere. as he collected them all back up again, 2 ravens watched overhead cawing. It had started raining everywhere except in the small patch where he worked and as the sun came out a double rainbow set in the sky. He believed the ravens to be watching over him and cheering him on so they have become the company mascot ever since. After then seeing the opera Lucia de Lammermoor where he recognised a lot of himself in the main character, Lord Ravenswood. "All that passionate beauty and madness captured perfectly how I felt about my crazy hopes for a winery" Joel was quoted as saying, Ravenswood was born.
 Whatever way the name came about he is the biggest Zinfandel producer in the world and claims to be there for every bottle produced. He works with over 100 Californian growers to get the perfect grapes for each range and with 3 years behind him he manages to produce consistently super wines that are equally as delicious on their own as with food and definitely worth checking out .

Some overly-enthusiastic Ravenswood drinker!

 Strangely enough the logo (or totem as Joel refers to it) made up of three intertwined ravens which was designed by Californian artist, David Lance Goins is apparently the most tattooed  symbol in the wine business!! In fact so much so that the winery promises free-tasting for the rest of your life if you visit the winery and show your tattoo to them... it might just be worth it!

Till Next Time
Clare

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Wine & Health

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

Dr Hannah wine therapist 
and perfect housewife

Dear  Dr Hannah,
I was hoping you maybe able to shed some light on  my query. Myself and my girlfriend drink red wine a lot but occasionally we drink white. It strikes me there is clear difference between drinking white wine in a good wine bar or a good restaurant. The difference is not only the quality of the wine itself but the temperature it is served at .Firstly what is the correct temperature to serve white wine? Secondly its very hard to recreate to perfect temperature as enjoyed at a good restaurant or wine bar ,could this be because the wine has been stored at the correct temperature prior to drinking it? If both of these factors play important role in ones enjoyment is there a correct storage temperature or will it differ from bottle to bottle?

Daragh

Dear Daragh,

Thank you  for your inquiry

First off  your  letter would seem to suggest  that the quality of the white wine that you and your girlfriend consume in  good restaurants and wine bars is superior to that which you normally drink at home and elsewhere.This should not be the case as the mark up on restaurant and wine bar wines is in many cases double that of an off license or  wine shop.So in theory you should be able  to buy a wine just as good elsewhere for 50% less .

Why not try  to find a good off license or wine shop  to suit your needs and  that can help you choose the type  of wine you like.Get to know the people working there. Explain what you like and dislike and they will inevitably come up with something you like and  over time can guide you through a whole range of wine styles that will suit your particular taste.

Regarding temperature a lot of restaurants and wine bars actually serve  their wines too cold at  almost beer temperature. In terms of storage they often refrigerate the wines for several days even weeks and this tends to mute the flavour of wine.So Daragh it would appear that white wine is maybe not your thing and that is why you like to drink it so cold.
Temperature is probably the most crucial factor to appreciate any wine at its optimum best. Glass style & shape, food and environmental conditions all play a part but serve your wine at the wrong temperature and it just will not develop to its true potential.

Wine Temperature Guide

The following guidelines should provide the best starting points for your wines...

Young Whites : 10°-12° C
Mature Whites : 12°-14° C

Young and light Rosé : 10°-12° C
Mature and bodied Rosé : 12°-14° C

Nouveaux Reds : 10°-14° C
Young, light and slightly tannic Reds : 14°-16° C
Mature bodied Reds : 16°-18° C
Aged Reds : 18°-20° C

Sweet and aromatic Sparkling wines : 8° C
Charmat methode Sparkling wines : 8°-10° C

Champagne and vintage Sparkling : 8°-10° C

Sweet wines : 10°-18° C
Fortified wines : 10°-18° C


Each bottle of wine will have it's own characteristics and you have a unique palate so these guides are just that - guides. Experiment with the temperatures of your wines and you will soon build your own preference of service temperatures for your favourite wines. It's a good an excuse as any to try more wines!

My advise to you is to approach your choice in wine in a similar way as you approach your  choice in women.

Wines are very similar to women. There are many different types.Some are more complex than others.Some are bubbly others serious.Some are forward others shy.Some have very impressive packaging but this is not a guarantee that they will be enjoyable.Some are for immediate consumption others for keeping. Some need some age for their personalities to shine through and show their true potential.Others if not cared for correctly will not improve with age .For all these reasons, if you persist in your search ,one in particular will eventually appeal over all the others and you will  settle on your favourite.

I do hope this solves your problem.

Dr Hannah,

Wine Therapist


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Secreto Carmenere

For some strange reason I don't drink that much Chilean red these days .I think subconsciously it could be down to the alcohol levels which can be a bit high for my taste and, also to the fact that I would generally be having my red wine with food so, I tend to prefer styles that are not too forward and fruity.However for some reason the other night I brought home a bottle of Secreto Carmenere.



It is a wine that certainly grabs your attention with its rich full-bodied ripe black cherry fruits,coupled with lashings and lashings of creamy oak. (in a nice Famous Five, Enid Blyton kind of a way)




It reminded me of an ultra modern Amarone which is partly explained by its alcohol of 14.5%.Like Amarone with good chocolate(70%)in a bottle.... to be exact.So perfect in a decadent  stuff your face kind of a way which ,lets be honest,  is a need that cannot be denied from time to time!
.


This wine won the gold star award at the Irish wine show for New World Red  under 14 euro and given the fact that I liken it to Amarone would suggest it is really good value as it retails at €13.95.

The grape variety in this wine is Carmenere which originally came from Bordeaux  but it became virtually extinct in France when an insect,that came over on a vine cutting from America ,decided to munch its way through the vineyards of Europe.
However cuttings of Carmenere had already been brought to Chile and planted out but it was assumed to be  Merlot to which  it bears a close resemblance until it was genetically fingerprinted  in 1994. 
So for Chile this gave them a unique grape variety to work with and Carmenere  is now considered their flagship wine. So in terms of value you are looking at top of the range wine making at a value price because not too many people are familiar with the grape variety yet.

Enjoy

Evelyn 
THE VINTRY,RATHGAR

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