Pearl Cartoon Girl checks out The Dublin Web Summit.

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,

I had hardly drawn breath from the The European Wine Bloggers Conference in Vienna when, low and behold, I start getting tweets from Jack Dorsey and skypes from Nicklas Zennstrom ,my new best "teckie" friends,to let me know they will be in town this weekend for the Dublin Web Summit 2010.
Jack has promised me his brand new app which will allow me send, and more importantly receive, money using my smart phone .He was telling me that this will revolutionize commerce, and despite the urge to nod off as he spoke, I vaguely recall him saying that it will end the need for cards,cheques and even cash.

However much more importantly,on the social front I am in deep trouble because bright and all as these boys are, they will not exactly help my street cred in the more fashionable clubs around town.They may be part of the "smart economy" and they definitely look smart ,but m`dears ,only in a embarrassingly brainy way!

I may appreciate that they are worth billions but try telling this to the doorman in Crystal on a busy Saturday night ,not to mention them trying to  pay for my Champagne by offering the barman their mobiles whilst naively imagining that this will be a first for him. Security!

  Wont see you there!

   Kiss, Kiss,

     Pearl

Allegrini,Palazzo della Torre ,Veronese IGT,2007

 Another star in the Alligrini stable!

To quote Matt Skinner:" Alligrini are to wine what Ferrari are to cars"!
I would have to agree, having visited  their winery in Fumane, that they are amongst the elite of the worlds red wine producers.
Palazzo Della Torre is made up of 70% Corvina and 25% Rondinella, 5% Sangiovese
It is more full bodied wine than the Le Grola(see previous post) due to the use of  the Ripasso method on 30% of the blend. Deep ruby in colour, it has a nose of forest fruits and a hint of dried grape giving a most pleasing  raisin character. It is ripe and rich on the palate with similar character to an Amarone style which is hardly surprising .
It pairs well with a wide range of dishes and dare I say it but it works great with Turkey!
Another gem worth seeking out at 20 Euro.

Enjoy Julie

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Allegrini ,La Grola,2006,Valpolicella

Silvia Allegrini shows us around the vineyard

The Allegrini family have played an important role in Valpolicella since the 16th Century. Giovanini Allegrini was one of the earliest pioneers of quality Valpolicella. In the early eighties he purchased the La Grola hill for the sole purpose of producing  the finest of Valpolicella wine. The chalky and stony soil in La Grola  is at an elevation of 1,000 feet above sea level which is a great  help in developing the natural acidity and aromatics in the grapes.Today Giovanini Allegrini`s children are following  through on their fathers vision.

La Grola is made up of 80% Corvina and 20% Syrah.The wine is a deep ruby colour with a robust nose of Christmas cake fruits, with hints of spice and tobacco. It has an elegant and lingering finish  with a wonderful concentration  which is attributed to the high plant density and low yields as well as the elevation.

I would pair this wine with roasted meats or any rich sauce dishes.We were lucky enough to enjoy it in a lovely little restaurant in nearby Fumane called Casale Spighetti with the most wonderful pasta with pan fried  mushrooms, Delicious. Apparently this is the very restaurant that Ruth Rodgers and Rose Grey of  River Cafe fame learned their pasta making in!
Well worth a Friday night treat at 25 Euro!

Enjoy Julie

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Chateau Yquem

September pre harvest and I find myself in Ch Cheval Blanc, not with the WOW girls but with the WOW " old boys"! aka Tom and Tommy ,fathers of Ruth/Clare and Julie respectively, and let me assure you that they are just as good fun as their daughters.

When you are in the wine business it can`t get any better than this can it? Yes it can! Dinner with Pierre Lurton  at Cheval Blanc and the invitation to visit Chateau Yquem the next day, extracted from him post dinner as we sipped on the Yquem 1995.This was a sublime wine(and I never use that word) and there was discussions of robbery when the boys observed that the Japanese girl who was with us was not drinking hers.They got all Catholic and words like mortal sin were used but they did not commit the crime .

To talk about botrytis with Yquem just does not explain it and the next day when I was  tasting the 2006 I knew for sure it was more than that that.It is a word the  French use ..botrytizine...or something like that(!) and to my understanding and put most simply, is a chemical reaction between  the yeasts and the botrytis creating a unique texture, likened to glycerine and a  flavour that has so many component parts yet merges together to form something also unique .
I am not for a minute suggesting that Yequem is value,as it costs an arm and a leg.I would not even recommend it for tasting as I have come across it a few times at tastings over the years.It is a wine that has to be drank,enjoyed,consumed ..it does not bear reverence but the word" raveged "springs to mind, in a slow way!
I started this post to talk about Cheval Blanc but I got side tracked ..so much wine, so little time so will follow up in a further post on that.
Evelyn 
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Evelyn

Tapas and a bottle of Rioja... Heaven!



The Port House, Pembroke District, Dundrum Town Centre



 Met Ruthie after work last night to try out a new haunt in Dundrum, The Port House. To be honest had tried out their branch in town when it first opened a couple of years ago and was not that impressed with it but maybe I was just unlucky as it had been a particularly busy night and a gang of us were squashed onto a table that should really only have sat half of us. Last night was a totally different experience though and the atmosphere seems way more chilled out from that of the one in town. Spread over two of the Pembroke cottages, unlike most of the restaurants in Dundrum there is plenty of room between tables and lit by candlelight with exposed brick walls it has a cellar feel to it. Loads to choose from on the menu but we settled for calamares with aioli mayo, bouquerones,  goats cheese salad and chorizo in a red wine sauce with onions. One nicer than the next! They have a pretty extensive wine list with most of the Spanish appelations covered. Good value also as we paid €26 for the Ibericos Rioja Crianza which I sell in Cellars for €12.99. This is Torres' Rioja and relatively new to Ireland. Everything you expect from a crianza from it's deep red appearance to the blackberries and blueberries on the nose with an oaky spiciness. Really velvety and round in the mouth and the spice coming through on the finish. A really great offering for house wine prices. Dessert was pretty amazing also; I went for home made doughnuts with hot chocolate and Ruthie had her all time favourite creme brulee. You won't be able to keep us away from this place now that we have found it and with a smoking area being finished off  in the next week or two it is like it was purpose built for us WOW girls. Have we found our new headquarters?!

Till Next time

Clare

Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Pezat 2006 Bordeaux Superieur

This is a modern style Bordeaux made by Jonathan Maltus in Chateau Teyssier, a  St Emilion Grand Cru which is located just beside the vineyards of Pezat...or should I really be saying Pezat is located just beside Chateau Teyssier a St Emilion Grand Cru ! Mr Maltus is considered quite an innovator when it comes to St Emilion wines and indeed wine in general with wines from his top sites fetching  up to a couple of  hundred euro.He is involved in  several other wine ventures around the world, including America and Australia.This cross fertilization of styles comes through in this Pezat 2006 .It is rich with stewed blackcurrant fruits ,a hint of cedar yet with that elusive structure which either works or fails miserably  in St Emilion wine.It works in this to perfection and offers a wine that delivers on quality well above its price at around  €16.

Evelyn 
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Pieropan"Calvarino" Soave Classico 2008

Andrea serves up the Calvarino

Calvarino Soave Classico is perhaps the purest expression of Soave made by Pieropan. Made of a blend of 80% Garganega and 20% Trebbiano di Soave. It was a vineyard planted by Nino's great great Granfather. It has a lovely perfumed nose with almondy character enhanced by a great minerality character with a lovely crisp finish. The wine sees no oak and therefore expresses the great purity of these old vineyards.
Another great Soave worth seeking out at €22.99. Works really well with the more meaty  type of fish dishes.

Enjoy Julie

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Pearl Cartoon Girl checks out The European Bloggers Conference

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 to let you know that I am off  to join bloggers, journalists,and social media innovators on October 22-24 in Vienna, at The European Wine Bloggers Conference.Rather technical for me I hear you say, but who can resist Vienna in October and anything that deals with social innovation is a must for me.I am told that this three day conference is a fantastic opportunity to expand, learn and debate about the intersection of wine on the internet with passionate wine lovers from around the world.

A girl has to keep up with the latest trends in socializing and who better to do it with than passionate wine lovers!

See you there.

Kiss Kiss ,

Pearl

Ca' Dei Frati Lugana 'Brolettino' 2008

Tasting at Ca' Dei Frati

Ca' Dei Frati are known to produce an outstanding Lugana, fresh and zesty with lovely weight on the palate. They also make a Lugana that sees french oak for 10 months called Brolettino which was the star of the show for me at the tasting at their winery. The oak is really well integrated in the wine and does not mask the fruit. The nose is quite biscuity and there is lovely viscosity on the palate with a long lingering finish.

Enjoy Julie
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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CATALDO, NERO D`AVOLA 2009,SICILY

Mazzaro, Taormina,Sicily

 I am a huge fan of  Nero D`Avola for everyday drinking.I only have to handle a bottle of it to conjure up fond memories of an idyllic holiday spent at Mazzaro in Taormina,Sicily.

This particular wine is produced by Cataldo  It is a fantastic Nero D'avola, and great value. A core of red and purple fruits with floral and mineral notes. Long, slightly dry finish with nice fruits.

Quite a few lunches,of wood fired pizza topped with vibrant rocket ,cured ham, parmesan cheese and a few glasses of Cataldo,were consumed in the little beach restaurant here!

Arrevaderchi ! 

Evelyn 
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Alpha Zeta "G" Garganega

Matt Thomson

Alpha Zeta wines have been made by Matt Thomson since 1999. You can see,all around you ,that a lot of investment has gone into this operation and the focus is on  producing  modern easy drinking wines. Matt is a kiwi who spends his time making wine between Italy, France and New Zealand. He is a very busy man but when he took time out to join us for lunch ,he spoke  passionately about stelvin closure verses cork closure. He works with two co-operatives whose vineyards cover 1,900 hectares in the hills of  Verona. All their wines are now under stelvin except for the Amarone and Ripasso, due to legal stipulations.

G is for Garganega.

All the wines are in ultra modern packaging with the initial of the wine standing out... G is for Garganega.

The wine sees a tiny amount of oak, a light easy drinking summer wine that shows a lovely fresh peach character and  it worked really well with risotto,a real quaffer.
An Italian wine that delivers for €8.99 . Old world wine with a new world wine maker.. says it all.!




Enjoy,

Julie
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Terre a Verre " Les Roches " Picpoul de Pinet

 My white grape of choice is always Chardonnay, preferably big and buttery and from Burgundy, this works well when out with Ruthie or Dad but with any of the girls it's anything but. I never have been the biggest advocate of Sauvignon Blanc however after a pretty gorgeous summer which was stuffed full of weddings, bbqs and hens I feel myself and this grape need some time apart.  It goes without saying that I love red wine but when it comes to one glass of vino after work or socially, white is generally my preference and sometimes big and buttery is just too much -  translating into a very unshareable wine!
Terre A Verre might have a little too much shareability and as I have got used to having a full bottle to myself when out with the girls this might take some getting used to!
In the glass it is straw colour with hints of green not unlike a sauvignon blanc in appearance. The nose is subtly floral with aromas of fresh pear. In the mouth it is dry yet surprisingly full-bodied and obvious that the wine spent time on it's lees but still has a gorgeous minerality to it with a good balance of fruit present.
 Picpoul de Pinet is the biggest white growing region in Languedoc with Picpoul itself being one of the oldest french varieties.  It is a fragile grape that was nearly completely destroyed by phylloxera but is becoming quite popular again. It is one of the varieties permitted in chateauneuf and is often used as a blending wine in the Rhone in both it's red and white forms(Picpoul Noir & Picpoul Blanc) but on it's own it makes for a perfect seafood accompaniment and with it's minerality possibly a good Loire substitute and at €12.99 definitely one we can work with.

Till Next Time
Clare

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

Dr Hannah Wine Therapist
and perfect housewife

Dear Dr Hannah,
 I do hope you can help me.My friend and I have been invited to go to a Debs dance with two nice girls from the Northside.My friend Lorcan,who is from Ranelagh, has never been over to that side of the city  before and is getting a bit nervous.I have tried to reassure him that there is nothing to worry about but he is convinced that we will be fed fish and chips and that they might only serve beer with the dinner.As he is a Coeliac ,he is unable to drink beer and obviously would have an intolerance for the flour in the fish batter.What would you advise we do?

                                           Ken from Kimmage.



Dear Ken,
My,my, you do appear to be in a dilemma here.
I suppose the first question that we need to clarify is what you mean by "nice girls"?Obviously if they are really nice... as in,handsome and good looking ...your friend Lorcan might be prepared to forego eating and drinking on the night in question if he is truly keen on his Debutante date.Another option would be to alert the girl in question to Lorcan`s special needs and maybe he could get fish without any batter..although I do believe this would be considered rather unusual on the Northside.As for beer, maybe they will have a gluten free one available,though again this would be considered unusual on that side of the city.However despair not! because as a coeliac Lorcan can drink cider without getting ill, and I know for a fact that it is extremely popular over there.
However a word of caution.Advise Lorcan not to drink too much as he might be tempted to make rash advances on his date, which could result in rejection..and that is not easy to bear on an empty stomach!

Ken, I do hope that my advice works out for both you, Lorcan and the two lucky girls.
Dr Hannah

My Visit to Verona, Italy :Pieropan Soave 2009,

I'm just back from a few days away in Italy. It was all business promise!
Liberty wines brought a group of us over to the Verona region to meet up with some of their wonderful producers. Pieropan, Allegrini, Franz Haas, Livio Felluga, Ca dei Frati, and Cantine di Valpanatena amongst others.
I have decided to feature a wine or two a week to give you a little taster of the region and some of the best wines it has to offer.

David Gleve & The Pieropan Sons in the vineyard.

Pieropan Soave 2009

There is lots of Soave on the market and then there is Pieropan Soave! The estate was founded in 1890.
The Pieropan family have decided to drop the classico from their label so they can bottle their wine in a stelvin closure (screwcap).  Made from the gargenega grape the wine shows a wild herb honey nose with great weight on the palate.A real classic well worth seeking out at €16.99.
Nino Pieropan also makes 2 cru Soaves from single estates. La Rocca and Calvarino. Before World War 2 and prior to Soave being designated a wine in its own right they were described as Petite Chablis and after tasting them you can see why, as they have a,lot of similar characteristics of a good white Burgundy.

Enjoy Julie
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