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Spainish Wine Evening with Simon Tyrrell at Jus De Vine

2011-10-12T22:31:00.001+01:00

Simon Tyrrell

A date for your diary any Spainish wine lovers out there!.

Monday 24th October Jus De Vine will have the pleasure of Simon Tyrrell from Tyrrell & Co Wine Importers who specialise in Spanish wines. The evening runs from 7.30pm sharp till 10.00pm bringing you through a tutored tasting of the vineyards.

In this short time we hope to cover all regions from the well known Rioja region to some of the up and coming areas like Costers del Segre (north east Spain).

It promises to be a enjoyable evening.

Tickets are limited to 25 places and are 25 Euro each. To book your place call into Jus De Vine Portmarnock or you can phone us on 01 8461192 or info@jusdevine.ie

Looking forward to seeing you on Monday 24th at Jus De Vine.

Julie

Vanya Cullen visits Jus De Vine, A Great Day for the Cullen Clan!

2011-10-07T22:13:00.000+01:00

One of the most inspiring women I have met in the wine business has to be Vanya Cullen from the Cullen Estate in Margaret River, Western Australia. We in Jus De Vine had the pleasure of her company a few weeks ago when she popped into the shop en route to a trade tasting in Dublin. Needless to say Tommy Cullen and Vanya really hit it off! , He had to remind her she had an appointment and tasting in town, but we could have listened to her all day.

Vanya is the wine maker for her family estate which was est. in 1966 by her parents Di and Kevin Cullen. They farm Organic and Biodynamic, while pioneering environmental initiatives which has led Cullen to becoming Australia's first carbon neutral winery in 2007.

Vanya has such a strong sense of responsibility to the land and talks about always giving back to the vineyards what they take from it. One of my all time favourites is the Kevin John Chardonnay which is named after her Dad, Vanya spoke about the Kevin John vineyard being a place to go to revive and refresh as it is so alive with healthy vines. Her philosophy is to make wines that express the vineyard and believe me it doesn't get much better then this Wonderful Chardonnay. It is elegant with tropical notes as well as lemon and citrus, well refined oak beautifully integrated into the wine and a lingering finish.

We are currently waiting on the new vintage to arrive, hoping to have it in time for Christmas!
Seek it out!

Julie
Jus De Vine

Mr Alvaro Palacios

2011-10-03T23:11:00.000+01:00

Classic drinks held a wonderful lunch to show case the wonderful wines of Alvaro Palacios in the Residence on the Green last week. It was great to meet the man himself who gave us all insight into how he is at the helm of Spainish winemaking in three different areas within Spain.To follow a little taster of the food and wines we got to try....

On Arrival
Placet Rioja Baja 2007
La Verdimia Rioja Baja 2009

Free range chicken and wild mushroom tortellini and a tomato concentrate
La Montesa, Rioja Baja 2007 ( Family run estate )

Beef with creamed celeriac and truffles
Petalos del Bierzo 2008 (Alvaros Palacios along with his nephew Ricardo Perez have been making wine here since 1999)

Loin and shoulder of Wexford lamb with local organic beetroot and a paloise sauce
Villa de Corcullon, Bierzo 2007

Wines from Priorat ( Alvaro Palacios had been making wine here since 1989, monks have history of wine making in the area as far back as the 6 centuries)
Gratalops Vi de Vila, Priorat 2008
Finca Dofi, Priorat 2008

Needless to say, it was a very memorable lunch, hard to pick out which wine was the star as they all had a certain charm. All the wines have a sense of place within the different regions and that is the only way to understand the spirit and character of Alvaro Palacios wines...

Seek them out
Julie

Vinos Tito Tasting

2011-09-14T18:32:00.002+01:00

Vinos Tito are a Spainish wine company run by Raffa Salazar and Antonio Lorente. Two Spanish men who fell in love with two Irish women and never left Ireland! Their sole ambition now is to source some of the more diverse styles of Spanish wines to bring into Ireland. I was at their portfolio tasting recently and here are some of their wines that really shined for me..

Valdesil. Vilamartin De Valdeorras
Montenova 2010
Made from the Godello grape in the Galicia region this wine is a great alternative to a Albarino .The unique climate and diverse range of soils in Valdeorras show in the style of their wines giving them a lovely mineral quality.Nice body and lingering finish.Try in with shell fish or tapas. Worth seeking out at 14.99

Vina Cubillo Crianza
Rioja 2005
This Rioja house was founded in 1877 and is one of the oldest in Haro. The wine spends 36 months in oak barrels before it has bottle ageing. It is one of the most traditional Rioja I have ever tried as you can almost smell the cellar from the wine. It is dry with a touch of spice and needs red meat to be appreciated. They have changed very little in how it is made over the last 137 years many conditions are fulfilled for their wine to retain the quality which makes them live on in the memory of those who have tasted them in the past
Worth seeking out at 18.99

Bodega Jimenez Landi
Mentrida
Sotorronderos 2009
Mentrida is a short distance southeast of Madrid where they have started producing some wonderful Garnacha based wines. Jose and Daniel Jimenez Landi are two very talented wine makers who took over this property in 2004. They farm biodynamic and Sotorronderos is a great example of what this area is all about. The wine shows wonderful dark fruits and elegant tannins with a lingering finish
Works great with any lamb dish.
Worth seeking out at 21.99

Enjoy,
Julie
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1996 Chateau Gruaud Larose

2011-08-19T14:10:00.002+01:00

Although I am in the wine business it is not that often that I get to try older vintages of top class Bordeaux wines. However it was my birthday last week and I chose 1996 Chateau Gruaud Larose to celebrate.This wine does not necessarily need to be decanted, just opened for 20 minutes beforehand. It has lovely aromas of cedar and roasted herb intermixed with incense like smells.On the palate it is medium bodied with lovely blackcurrant and meaty flavours. This wine is drinking now and complimented my fillet steak perfectly.
We have this wine at €79.00 in Jus De Vine .

Seek it Out

Julie

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Deveney's of Dundrum Lughnasa Beer Festival

2011-08-18T19:28:00.000+01:00

Promises to be a great evening tomorrow Friday 19th August 5.30 till 10.30. Any Beer fans out there it is a must do with over 300 beers from around the world on tasting and over 1,500 people gathered together to join in on one of the best Festivals of the Summer.

Good Luck Ruth..

What/Why

300 Bottled beers from around the World, Music by ''Prison Love'' and Suzanne Purcell.

Artisan Food vendors on site to enhance the authentic beer festival atmosphere. 1 x ''Beer Punt'' = 1 x 140ml serve of beer of choice. All beers available at same fixed price point. Additional ''Beer Punts'' available to purchase through the ''Beer Bank'' at €1.50 each. Tickets available to purchase through: Deveney's of Dundrum or via PayPal on the Deveney's Blog http://deveneysbeer.bl... or through selected specialist retailers - Redmond's of Ranelagh - Jus de Vin, Portmarnock - The Vintry, Rathgar - Deveney's of Rathmines - Sweeney's of Phibsboro Tickets also available through http://EventElephant.com See us on Facebook and follow on Twitter@ Ruth Deveney

Masi Tupungato Pinot Grigio-Torrontes equals "Argentinian soul, Venetian style"

2011-08-06T19:29:00.003+01:00

I had this Pinot Grigio-Torrontes blend last night and very tasty it was too.I have had this wine a couple of times before and I seem to choose it when I am looking for something with good definition of fruit and a full- bodied yet steely backbone.It reminds me of a fat Riesling with an intense lime backbone.Torrentes generally vinifies into a wine with a distinctively perfumed bouquet but this is not the case with this particular wine.Yes it has concentration, but it is not the intensely floral style that one expects, so the Pinot Grigio obviously tames it .On reflection this wine could be described as a Pinot Gris in the Alsace style as opposed to a Pinot Grigio in the Italian style.
It is a memorable wine for the money@ €12

Evelyn
The Vintry

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Peter Lehmann, Mudflat Shiraz 2005

2011-08-02T18:56:00.002+01:00

PL’s well lived in countenance

Mudflat is a nickname given to Peter Lehmann by his great friend the late Len Evans, in reference to PL’s well lived in countenance!, and this 87% Shiraz and 13% Muscadelle is a wine quite unique to the Lehmann portfolio.Peter was one of the first to blend these 2 grape varieties together with the white grape adding elegance and floral aromas to the Barossa Shiraz
Deep purple in colour, the nose appealing of raspberry and plum, richly flavoured but with a soft ,intriguingly spicy lift and smooth finish.
Jus De Vine have this wine on special down from €16.99 to €10.99.

Seek it out while stocks last.

Julie
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Bastille day Petanque Tournament for Charity hosted by Barton and Guestier

2011-07-21T20:52:00.001+01:00

This year the Bastille day Petanque tournament was hosted by Barton and Guestier in association with Gleesons incorporating Gilbeys and was managed by Jean and Sally Anne so as you can imagine it was very well run.The venue ,as usual was the lovely garden of the Raddisson St. Helen's and despite the weather(very overcast) you couldn't help but enjoy yourself This year we were missing Stephen and that was a big worry as he is our chief strategist. However we battled on irregardless with myself, Peter and Gerry coming up against, amongst others, the Hollands of Bray gang and the Residence boys.

Peter(iphone) Fitzpatrick,Evelyn and this years hero Gerry.

We had a rough start losing our first game 5- nil but as it is first to 7 overall we managed somehow to claw our way back, when I got Peter to put away his iphone thereby stopping the incessant checking of golf scores."Darren! Darren who...we have a boules tournament to win." Anyway after several top notch games we managed to win the final by one point which we were pleased with as we were 4- nil down at one stage.

In the interests of research I had a "little" taster of all the wines.
The B&G Rose sparkler is a lovely off dry style which was particularly enjoyed by my 19 year old goddaughter who has only being drinking for a year now.The white sparkler is drier and has more weight but they both had excellent persistence.The Thomas Barton white Grave had nice weight and just the right amount of Semillon in the blend to give it complexity and as for the the Thomas Barton Bordeaux red all i can say is that several in our group commented on how nice it was and I agree.For those of you that have not tried this range in a while I suggest that you do .

Thanks to all involved.

Evelyn

Bardolino, a perfect summer wine...

2011-07-15T11:31:00.003+01:00

Just a small selection of those available in the town itself.

Bardolino is a beautiful little town on the shores of Lake Garda that produces wonderful light summer wines. On a recent visit there I took upon myself the tough job of trying a variety of local producers! After extensive research I decided that Zenato Bardolino was one of my personal favourites.
Bardolino is one of the few styles of red wines that is best served lightly chilled,in particular while drinking it in the sun overlooking the lake, in good company. Light poppy red in the glass, showing pure cherry fruits and at 12% alcohol just the perfect match for an alfresco lunch of salad, fish and pasta.
Zenato Bardolino is available at Jus De Vine at 10.99 Seek it out while the sun is shining!

Enjoy,
Julie
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IRISH OFF LICENCES AND WINE SHOPS TO BE TREATED LIKE SEX SHOPS?

2011-07-06T17:57:00.009+01:00

The RRAI (mixed traders) are calling on Minister Shatter to enact the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill (Codes of Practice in regard to the sale of alcohol) in order to ensure that mixed traders comply with the RRAI voluntary Code, because if they do not the Minister for Justice will sign in Section 8. This means that mixed traders would have to structurally separate their off licences from their grocery etc.

All of the above is understandable because they have a lot to lose as this structural changeover would be expensive.

However they are now disingenuously seeking to use the acceptance of Codes of Practice as a means to draw specialist alcohol retailers into this melee, by advocating the removal of the display and merchandising of products in the windows of specialist shops, holding a licence to sell alcohol.

Do they not recognize that:

Independent specialist outlets display alcohol because that is the only product they sell.
They are trained specialist retailers who trade responsibly.
They do not price promote alcohol merely to drive foot-fall into their shops to sell other dearer grocery products.

Will we have to black out our windows? Will our customers be required to wear rain macs?!

See excerpt from the latest RRAI report written by Mr Padraic White "Independent" Chairperson.

7.3 Promotion and Merchandising of Alcohol Products

by Stand-Alone Off-Licences

As indicated in my First Compliance Report, the RRAI members regard the exclusion of stand-alone off-licences from compliance with an agreed Code as an increasingly apparent anomaly. They have pointed to the fact that, while the Code prohibits the display or merchandising of alcoholic products in the window of mixed trader’s premises, there is no such restriction on stand-alone off-licence stores.

The RRAI expects that relevant aspects of an approved Code of compliance under the proposed legislation would apply to these off-licences.

Sell Out food and Wine Night with Leslie Williams

2011-06-29T18:34:00.004+01:00

A couple of weeks back Jus De Vine held one of our Food and Wine nights in the shop, Leslie Williams (who writes about food for the Evening Herald) cooked up a storm while we matched his dishes with some suitable wines.
We kicked off the evening with a Rose Spanish Cava by Peralada, which was the Cava chosen for the Spanish Royal wedding a few years ago, we served this with some Smoked Salmon Paté on crusty bread and it went down a treat.

Domaine St. Vincent 2009 Touraine from the Loire in France was next and we matched this with some Ste. Maure de Touraine Goats Cheese from the Loire Valley (served au naturel); and also some Slow Roasted Pork Chops cooked in a sauce made from Dijon Mustard, Crème Fraiche, Rosemary and topped with more Goats Cheese.

EQ Chardonnay 2006 from San Antonio in Chile we matched with a Thai Chicken Curry containing lemon grass, coconut milk and fresh coriander.

EQ Pinot Noir 2006 likewise from San Antonio in Chile we matched with two types of duck with a tangy fresh plum sauce (containing some Chinese influences). Leslie cooked both a standard farmed Barbary Duck and a Wild Mallard (which he had frozen during the shooting season in January). Both were cooked quite rare and those brave enough to try the wild duck pronounced it the easy winner in terms of taste.

Campos De Viento 2009, an old vine Tempranillo from Spain matched with a classic Tortilla Espagnole (Spanish Omelette - just eggs, potatoes and onions) and some crispy Chorizo to pick out the spice in the Tempranillo.

Terrazas Reserva Malbec 2008 Mendoza from Argentina was matched with some spicy beef.

Finally to finish we had some East India Lustau Sherry from Spain with Stewed Rhubarb and Blackberry topped with an Amaretto and Chocolate Biscuit Crumble and grated 100% Cacao Chocolate!

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and went home fed and watered just before midnight, will keep you posted for our next wine night coming soon!

Julie

JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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2007 Vintage Guigal Rhone Wines on tasting with Pat Smith

2011-06-21T15:02:00.005+01:00

Pat Smith kindly gave up his weekend to show the 2007 Guigal wines which have just landed into Jus De Vine. There is no one in Ireland that knows Guigals wines better. Pat is a Rhone specialist who lived and worked there for 6 years. He was also decorated by the French Government for all his work in the business. He is now semi retired but when he tastes anything exceptional he will let us know and loves to come into our shop and talk about the wines and winemaker. He has promised another weekend in October when Pierre Amadieus Eagle's Pass 2007 Gigondas and Vacqueyras become available

2007 Vintage from Maison E. GUIGAL
In the Rhone Valley and in particular the Southern Rhone, the 2007 vintage is the vintage of the decade. Robert Parker has backed this up by stating that the Cotes-du-Rhone red 2007 and Gigondas 2007 are the best ever made by Marcel Guigal for these appellations.

MAISON E. GUIGAL
The premier wine producer in the Rhone Valley. For decades now they are producing wine of the highest quality, with consistency the by-word to success. You will never be disappointed with a bottle of Guigal--the Guigal label is a stamp of quality whether a top Cote-Rotie or a basic Cotes-du-Rhone.

COTES-du-RHONE (Blanc) 2009
With 52% Viognier this wine is not unlike Condrieu. It is medium-dry with tropical fruit flavours and floral hints in the bouquet. It is fresh and crisp, ideal with any fish dish or just perfect on its own.
Available at Jus De Vine for 12.99

COTES-du-RHONE (Rouge) 2007
Parker says that this is the best Cotes-du-Rhone that Guigal has ever made. Judging by the reaction during the tasting, he's probably right. 50% Syrah (body & tannin), 40% Grenache (fruitiness), 10% Mourvedre (spicy/peppery). The wine is medium to full-bodied, silky smooth with a round fruity flavour--simply delicious.
Available at Jus De Vine for 12.99

GIGONDAS 2007
Big and full-bodied, a step and a half up on the Cotes-du-Rhone. The wine tastes of black cherries and ripe plums with still enough tannin to hold it together for at least 10 years. It has a nice smooth peppery finish--great food wine.
Available at Jus De Vine for 24.99

CROZES-HERMITAGE 2007
Made from 100% Syrah.This tannic grape variety makes this wine earthy with a mix of brambly fruit flavours. Big and full-bodied with tannin that is not too harsh--the result of oak ageing. Fantastic wine to have with goats Cheese, salami, lamb etc.

Available at Jus De Vine for 19.99

Julie

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Random Bloomers Enjoy Cotes de Beaune Villages and Gorgonzola Sandwiches

2011-06-17T13:12:00.014+01:00

RANDOM BLOOMERS JOIN LESLIE FOR A READING.

We had a great bit of fun in the Vintry yesterday celebrating Bloomsday. This was a first for us but seeing as Joyce was born just down the road in Brighton Sq. we decided join in the fun that is Bloomsday . We did no pre-publicity yet Joyce fans appeared like magic from nowhere and we all had a great laugh. People often regard Ulysses as high brow even posh but based on the number of raucous readings that took place outside the shop I can assure you it is anything but. Like the Burgundy that we chose to serve, a Louis Latour Beaune 2007....it is simple,light and above all fun but with several layers which you can choose to merely enjoy or to over analyse.

Leslie(Leopold) Williams does a reading.

Someone forgot the baby!

Blooms Burgundy not logwood

2011-06-16T14:41:00.000+01:00

Ulysses, James Joyce's novel is set in Dublin on June 16^th, 1904

In chapter eight, Leopold Bloom’s lunch, was a Gorgonzola sandwich and a glass of red burgundy at Davy Byrne’s pub in Duke Street

‘Mr Bloom ate his strips of sandwich, fresh clean bread, with relish of disgust, pungent mustard, the feety savour of green cheese. Sips of his wine soothed his palate. Not logwood that. Tastes fuller this weather with the chill off.’

The reference to logwood refers to the colour of the Burgundy wine and is the equivalent to the modern use of the word plonk.The hard, brownish-red wood of this tropical tree yields a dye used in dyeing fabrics. In 1904 the alleged use of this dye to colour spurious or adulterated wine was frequent, and so the usage of the term logwood to describe dodgy wine came into the vocabulary of that time.

So toast James Joyce tomorrow with something tasty not logwood.
Evelyn
The Vintry

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Aperol Spritz....Ultra Cool Italian

2011-06-10T12:02:00.002+01:00

Am just back from a break in Italy where I was introduced to a very fashionable drink ,the perfect spritz prepared in a wine glass.

All you need is....
2oz Prosecco
1.5oz Aperol, ( substitute Campari)
Soda
Ice
Add ice to large wine glass, then Prosecco, a dash of soda and finally top up with the Aperol last ,as this will avoid it settling on the bottom of the glass. Garnish with a slice of orange.

The origin of this delicious drink is not known exactly but it is widely believed that it was born during the Austrian occupation of Italy.
It is fresh, sparkling and light and the ideal early evening drink or to use as a aperitif, and is considered ultra cool in Italy at the minute.
Aperol is not being imported into Ireland just yet, but after doing some research, I have discovered that it is made by the Campari company and tastes much like it except it has a slightly higher sugar content and therefore less alcohol.

Try it out on our next sunny day, it's the new way to drink Prosecco!

Enjoy.
Julie

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Savennieres,Clos de St Yves, Baumard 2004..A Classic!

2011-05-31T12:48:00.003+01:00

Read with enjoyment John Wilson`s article in the Times on Saturday featuring Loire Chenin Blanc ,and on foot of it decided to remind myself of the allure of this often strangely performing grape variety.
Too often when we think Chenin Blanc nowadays we think of South Africa and its variable quality ranging from excellent to mediocre.Even I, a huge Loire Chenin fan, sometimes let it fall off my radar and literally forget to drink it, even though I have just to reach for the shelf and a choice of about six different examples.Savennieres is particularly neglected because you have to be so patient with it.Drink it too young and it is bone dry and quite acidic and that can put you off it for a while, but when you get it with the right bottle age, it is a supreme example of complex elegance combined with viscosity in the mouth.It evolves on the palate like a good Agatha Christie murder mystery on a Sunday ,taking many little twists and turns but always interesting ones.The Baumard Clos de Saint Yves 2004 is a cracker.It costs €21.95 and is a classic of its style and a fine wine by any standards.

A must for any true wine lover.

TRY IT ....YOU WONT BE SORRY!

Evelyn
The Vintry

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Chateau Montesquieu Cotes du Rousillon

2011-05-27T15:33:00.000+01:00

After 4 years in 66, I upped sticks this week and moved abode to across the city. Now living in "a mixed bathing" situation my wine choices had to be re-thought and wanting to make a good impression on my first night but with little or no money to my name I decided to opt for a Southern French that we have on special at the moment for a reasonable €9.99.

This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan from close to Perpignan. It was a lovely rich ruby red with a purple rim and a gorgeous nose of blackberries, cloves and violets. A good weighty palate with juicy dark fruit flavours and fine silky tannins. We had it with simple lamb chops, roast potatoes, carrots and a dash of gravy which worked really well. The only complaint being that there wasn't enough... We're all gonna get on fabulously well!!

Till Next time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

A toast to you Barack Obama

2011-05-21T14:24:00.002+01:00

Barack Obama is by all accounts a discerning wine drinker, and from inside information (aka Pearl) I know his choice on election night to celebrate was not champagne but Graham Beck Brut N/V from South Africa.

The same beverage with which Nelson Mandela toasted his inauguration in 1994. So it's Friday night and I decided no better way to celebrate that Friday feeling but try a bottle and get ready for the President of America to arrive in Dublin this Monday!
Graham Beck Brut is Method Cap Classique and made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine is left for 24 months on its lees to undergo second fermentation in the bottle.

It shows light yeasty aromas with a nice creamy richness, the fine bubbles give it freshness and finesse, with a lovely clean finish.

It was voted by Decanter Magazine into the top 10 value fizz ratings.

It is worth 24.99 in Jus De Vine, and I will be looking for plenty of other reasons to enjoy this fizz over the Summer months!

A Toast to Barack Obama,

Enjoy

Julie

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Alcohol in Red Wine... How little is too little?

2011-05-07T13:43:00.005+01:00

There appears to be a serious desire by consumers to find red wines with lower alcohol and at The Vintry we are finding that many of our customers just do not want to drink wines that are over 13.5% or so,unless it is something special like an Amarone.
So cool climate red wines tend to dominate for this type of purchase and in my experience the consumer will not go back to the higher alcohol styles.I suppose its a bit like giving up salt on your food.You miss it for a few weeks but then you forget about it and eventually develop a dislike of over salted food.
So I am always on the look out for something decent in a red and the lower the better alcohol wise as long as it is in balance. Anyway this led me to the worst bottle of wine tasted in a long long time..and this dubious honour went to a bottle of B& G Merlot called 9 as it is only 9% alcohol. Talk about being caught unawares ! I was cooking our dinner on Friday evening and I fancied a glass of wine, spotted the bottle and remembered that I had to try it. To be honest, because I was cooking at the same time, I wasn't really paying close attention and just poured it, immediately smelling (nice forward uncomplicated black fruits) and then quickly tasted it while glancing at the cooking food..WHOOAH, as my mouth puckered and my head spun around to stare in disbelief at the bottle.. Off dry, with a saccharine like impact, combined with a bitter tartness yet lowish acidity...Very strange indeed. So 9% is far too low for reds. Maybe this wine was developed for another market, far far away that maybe(!) possibly(!) though hopefully not(!) might like this red wine style.
.

So the search continues!

Evelyn
The Vintry

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Sparkling Mojito Spanish Style

2011-05-04T19:34:00.003+01:00

The Summer is almost here so lets hope all this fine weather lasts, as it sure makes one thirsty .Over the the weekend I discovered a great new refreshing drink that is not as heavy in alcohol as the familiar rum based Mojito because you use Cava instead. It sure was a big hit at our brunch as it`s much lighter and not nearly as pricey as a bottle of rum. I used my favourite Cava called Maria Casanova, which has a lovely rich palate, fine bubbles and a touch of nuttiness that reminds me of a vintage champagne.

It could not be easier to make this cocktail: all you will need is crushed ice, fresh mint, some Cava and sugar syrup. Add mint to glass, muddle it until it is crushed and will therefore infuse the rest of your drink.Add a dash of sugar syrup then fill with the crushed ice to the top of a high ball glass, and add Cava.

Serve with a cocktail umbrella and a straw.

Julie

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Gout sufferers "toe" the line when it comes to wines low in purines

2011-04-29T19:15:00.000+01:00

As I mentioned in my last post we get a lot of unusual wine requests in Jus de Vine.The latest,just last week,was a request for wines that are low in purines in order to keep some of our customers gout at bay!

Most food and alcohol that cause gout contain high amounts of purines.Put as non medically as possible, purine is a substance that is found in our diet and is also produced naturally by the body. Purines are generally broken down by the body, and its failure to do so adequately may produce symptoms of gout.

White wine that is high in acidity and not over 13% in alcohol is ok such as New World Sauvignon Blanc and most dry whites are fine. Red wine is a little more tricky because you have to avoid wine that is high in tannin and all heavy rich full bodied reds,so for example Amarone and any Port is out. Reds from Montapulciano and Beaujolais are a good place to start once they are under 13% in alcohol. Hope this is of some help to any gouty wine lovers out there.

Julie

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Simonsig Shiraz 2004...A tasty bargain.

2011-04-26T17:46:00.005+01:00

We at The Vintry have stocked several vintages of this wine over the years because, it always appeared on the market drinking perfectly, it generally had a nice few years of bottle age under its belt before release which made it a real bargain.
The last vintage 2003 was €13.95.and the current vintage 2004 is selling at €9.95, because the main agent was unloading a parcel and we snapped it up.Tasty stuff with excellent concentration of ripe black fruits ,a little black pepper and a creamy influence all in lovely balance due to its age.

At 14.5% it is not for the faint hearted but again the lovely bottle age serves to mellow out the alcohol,and there is tonnes of fruit, giving it perfect balance.The Shiraz vines used in this wine are obviously very healthy as there is no sign of the signature elastoplast aromas that one ofter associates with certain wines from South Africa.It is a modern yet authentic South African wine that is a pleasure to drink with or without food.

Evelyn
The Vintry

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La Romanée-Conti ..Ransom of the Vineyard

2011-04-21T14:44:00.006+01:00

Who would poison the vines of La Romanée-Conti, the centuries-old vineyard that produces Burgundy’s rarest, and most expensive wine? When Aubert de Villaine received an anonymous note, in January 2010, threatening the destruction of DCR unless he paid a ransom, he thought it was a sick joke.

Aubert de Villaine, proprietor of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti,

The night sky above the Côte d’Or countryside is cloudless and from dense woods over Vosne-Romanée a man emerges.At this late hour, in early January 2010 no one stirs in the village below.

As the man descends the hill through the vines, he has the air of someone who knows precisely where he’s headed and what must be done when he gets there. At one particular vineyard, the man stops. Unlike the vineyards around it, this one is marked by a monument: a tall, gray, stone cross that towers over the vines.

Here, in the vineyard called La Romanée-Conti, the man gets to his knees , reaches to his forehead, and a headlamp flicks on. He produces a drill and a syringe and begins to drill into the foot of the vine. He moves to a neighboring vine and does the same.
He takes up the syringe and injects its contents into the hole he has drilled in the vine and does the same to the other vine. The man collects his drill and syringe, turns off his headlamp, and makes his way back up the hill and disappears back into the trees.

Shortly thereafter Aubert de Villaine found himself reading an unsigned note informing him that the D.R.C. must prepare to pay a ransom or Romanée-Conti would be destroyed.With the note was a cylindrical container was a detailed drawing of Romanée-Conti. While the 4.46-acre vineyard is a rectangle, there are oddities to its shape. De Villaine noticed that whoever had sent this letter and sketched the vineyard knew its every contour, and what’s more, the author had noted every single one 20,000 vines. In the centre of the vineyard sketch was drawn a circle. The note stated that the vineyard would be destroyed unless demands were met and further instructions would be coming in 10 to 15 days.
De Villaine chose to view the letter as a hoax, a kind of sick joke.Then, in mid-January 2010, he received another cylindrical container, and inside was the same sketch of the vineyard. Only this time there were two circles. In addition to the circle in the centre, there was another, much smaller circle in the upper left corner of the vineyard.
The note instructed de Villaine to leave one million euros in a suitcase in the corner of the Romanée-Conti vineyard, right near the area represented by the small circle on the drawing. The letter informed de Villaine that some 82 vines of Romanée-Conti had already been poisoned. According to the note, the two vines in the area marked on the sketch by two X’s in the small circle had been killed by poison. The other 80 vines were marked by X’s in the much larger, centre circle; however, those could be spared with an antidote—if de Villaine paid up.
De Villaine called the authorities. He did not call the local police. Burgundy is too small, and full of competitors who might use this against his Domaine. Investigators arrived at the D.R.C from Paris. The two vines supposedly poisoned were removed and it was verified they had been poisoned, and were dying. The other 80 or so vines in the large circle ,while they had been drilled had not been poisoned. That part, at least so far, was a bluff.

On the advice of investigators, de Villaine did not drop off the money . Instead, a employee left a note in the vineyard on the specified day, February 4. In the note, de Villaine relayed that he would pay as demanded, but it would take time to arrange the euros. Within days, de Villaine received another mailing which instructed him to deliver the money in a case to the cemetery of Chambolle-Musigny. The suitcase was to be left inside the cemetery gates at 11 P.M. on February 12, 2010.
The week of the arranged drop-off, de Villaine was scheduled to be out of the country and the investigators encouraged de Villaine to go about his normal business and to act as if nothing unusual were afoot. They reminded him, too, that the same D.R.C. employee who had left the note at the vineyard could serve as the drop-off man .This was Jean-Charles Cuvelier, the deputy manager of the D.R.C.

On the delivery day of February 12, 2010 Cuvelier traveled to the police station in Dijon, where he was briefed on the night’s plan. There would be about a dozen armed police officers hidden around the cemetery. In the bag, along with a million fake euro, there’d be a tracking device.be activated when the bag passed by a sensor embedded in the threshold of the cemetery archway. Cuvelier was instructed to keep the earpiece for his mobile phone in his ear as a police officer would be in constant communication with him. Cuvelier dropped the bag in the flower box just inside the cemetery gate and left.
30 minutes later the would be blackmailer was apprehended.The man’s name was Jacques Soltys; he was in his late 50s.After Cuvelier left the bag, police spotted Soltys coming down a hillside on foot and heading to the cemetery. He retrieved the bag and was caught less than 200 meters from the cemetery, on his way to a nearby train station. The police learned that D.R.C. had not been Soltys’s only mark. He had arranged a similar plot against another highly regarded vineyard, Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, in Chambolle-Musigny. Police discovered this because the package mailed to de Villaine had a Paris postmark. Footage from the surveillance cameras at that Paris post office revealed that another package, similar to the ones mailed to de Villaine, had been mailed to de Vogüé. That vineyard, too, had lost two of its vines to poison.

Soltys had built a shack deep in the woods atop the hills overlooking the vineyards. In the shack police found a sleeping bag, a couch, a hot plate, a change of clothes—the clothes of a vineyard laborer—batteries, a headlamp, a cordless-drill kit, syringes, many bottles of the weed killer , and a handgun.
Soltys had not been operating alone. He’d been able to mail the package to de Villaine’s home because Soltys had his son, Cédric, follow the wine-maker to learn his address. .

To show his thanks to the investigators, when de Villaine returned from his trip to America he invited them to the Domaine and uncorked a few bottles of 2006 Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru—along with a tasting of a 1961 Romanée-Conti—to toast their work.
As word of the crime leaked into the French press, de Villaine was hoping that the matter could be tied up quietly, and that the criminal proceedings would be resolved without trial.De Villaine was concerned that a trial would generate media attention, which in turn might inspire copycat crimes. Also, why would he want the world to think about the fact that weed killer had been injected into vines of Romanée-Conti? Five months after the arrests, the prosecution’s case against Jacques and Cédric Soltys became extremely difficult to pursue, because in July 2010, Soltys hung himself in the prison bathroom.

Very little news of the incident had been reported in the French media. In the United States, there was small accounts in the wine press.No one in Burgundy wanted to talk about it publicly.
By way of explaining the silence, a former mayor from the Côte and a wine-maker there, Jeanine Gros, summed it up succinctly: “ ‘Wine’ and ‘poison,’ these two words do not belong in the same sentence.”

They certainly do not.
Evelyn

Domaine de Fondreche Nature 2009, Sulphur Free.

2011-04-18T12:41:00.000+01:00

We get a lot of unusual requests in our shop on a daily basis. Customers wanting wines low in alcohol, organic, bio dynamic and wines with no sulphur.

Nearly every wine made has some sulphur in it as winemakers may use sulphur dioxide at four stages of wine production – harvesting, crushing, fermentation and bottling.

Harvesting – sulphur dioxide may be applied to inhibit an uncontrolled fermentation caused by wild yeasts.

Crushing – sulphur dioxide may be added to prevent wild yeasts from interfering with fermentation.
Winemakers prefer cultured yeasts, which are sulphur dioxide resistant.

Fermentation – sulphur dioxide may be added at any time to stop or prevent malolactic fermentation.

Bottling – sulphur dioxide is added during bottling to prevent oxidation and an accidental fermentation in the bottle.

Allergies to SO2 are quite common and, as a result there are now a few sulphur free wines available. But these wines are fragile and have a fairly short life span, so you'll want to drink them pretty quickly.

Nature 2009 is a Rhone wine made by Domaine de Fonderche, it is very fruity and light on the palate, reminds me more of a Beaujolais than a full bodied Rhone. A Summer wine and one to seek out for those who are told to keep away from sulphur
Available at €14.99

Julie

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La Cruz Tempranillo-Syrah 2008

2011-04-15T20:34:00.000+01:00

There are some really great value red wines coming out of Spain at the moment. Quaffable,soft, fruity and ready-to-drink Tempranillos are everywhere and are giving New World wines a run for their money as crowd pleasers.
However if like myself you prefer more to a red wine than strawberry and jam flavours alone, this is well worth a try. A blend of 70% Tempranillo and 30 % Syrah this has a lot more going on than you would expect for the price tag actually about €4 to €5 more. It has all the red fruit aromas and flavours you would expect from the tempranillo grape but a gorgeous earthiness and spice backs it up. Aged for 4 months in oak givng it gorgeous vanilla complexity. The grapes come from all their own vineyards which surround their 100 year old cellar just 10 km outside Toledo which was once the capital of Spain. During my year in Spain we visited this stunning walled city which is situated about an hour south of Madrid. The Díaz Bermejo family have been making wine since 1996 when they took over Finca Loranque. This red is their entry level wine and if you can get past the hideous label, worth every penny of the €9.49 price tag.

Till Next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Frederic Emile 2004...Seriously good gear!

2011-04-11T12:35:00.005+01:00

The problem with the recession is that we have to think really hard when we want to treat ourselves to a truly fine bottle of wine.The choice becomes more a responsibility than the pleasure it was in the past, as it cannot disappoint or you will be fit to kill.
So in that frame of mind I elected for a safe bet and returned once again to my favourite white wine of all time Trimbach Riesling Cuvee Fredric Emile .This particular wine has it all as far as I am concerned and the variation in its style, year on year, though subtle makes it all the more intriguing.

2004 was the vintage this time around and as always I was not disappointed.Concentration is the name of the game here, from the moment you inhale the tangy complex nose to the lovely reminder of sheer quality that the intense finish leaves when the wine is long gone from your mouth.

Lovely lovely weight with a tangy limey backbone surrounded by sweet red apple,candle wax,Arran sweater and so many other ethereal nuances delivering a delicate, elegant, yet powerful wine .If you have not tried this wine you should.Don't worry about the vintage as long as it is five years old minimum. They are all fantastic expressions of Riesling and the weather of that particular year.It is not cheap at around €35 to €40 depending on the vintage, but I tell you what... you will know you have just drank something really special and will recall that pleasure in your mind long after the bottle is in the recycling plant.

Til the next time Frederic.

Evelyn
The Vintry

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El Lagar de Isilla Verdejo 2010

2011-04-01T14:03:00.000+01:00

New to Cellars this week is this 100% Verdejo from Rueda. This winery focuses mainly on Ribera del Duero wines and this white is new to their portfolio. In fact we have stocked their Joven for the last few years so I was looking forward to trying this. Rueda is just south west of Ribera with the Duero river flowing into it.It is a relatively new DO, only receiving it's status in 1980. An area that is famous for it's white wines with Verdejo being the most widely planted variety although Sauvignon blanc and Viura are also quite common.
Opened it for tasting in Blanchardstown last sunny Friday and it walked out of the shop. Pale gold with green flecks and a very aromatic nose; full of pears and apples. Tingly fresh on the palate with tropical fruit flvours and red apples. Clean and crisp with great finish. Try with chicken salad, crab, prawns or any shell fish. Only €12.99 and "My Choice of the Week"
Till Next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Mumm is the Word!

2011-03-31T13:50:00.001+01:00

Yep you guessed it, it's Mothers Day, so don't forget to spoil her a little this Sunday April 3rd.

No 1 Mum

I will be heading out with my Mam for one of our favourite things to do together, Sunday brunch. We have also got on board her two sisters and their daughters and our drink of choice to start the brunch off is of course Mumm Champagne! Fizz is great for all celebrations and compliments most brunch dishes. So make your Mam feel that extra little bit special and seek out something a little extra this Sunday.

Happy Mothers Day

Julie

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Macon Uchizy Wins Gold in Le Concours de Paris

2011-03-29T14:14:00.003+01:00

News just in ,that Cave Talmard have picked up the gold medal for their white Burgundy Macon Uchizy 2009. The wine is made by Paul Talmard and his daughter Mallory and has been one of our biggest sellers here in Jus De Vine for quite a while now.
Macon Uchizy is 100% Chardonnay and this particular one does not see any oak. It is pale yellow in the glass with aromas of fresh green apples, nut flavours and showing just a touch of honey on the finish. This is the the ultimate all rounder and fantastic value at €13.99, so seek it out!

Enjoy,

Julie
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Pearl Cartoon Girl Turns Pro Wein

2011-03-23T14:44:00.004Z

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 are not 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,
Now you all know how fond I am of going to events, but I fear the WOW girls have overstepped the mark this time by sending me to ProWein, in the Dusseldorf Exhibition Center, under false pretenses.

Apparently the entire world of wine and spirits gets together here for three days to taste an extensive, international range of wines and spirits.....YAWN....But the girls told me that there was a special exhibition called "Wine‘s Best Friends"and this caught my attention. Considering my life long fidelity to the grape I just assumed it would be full of like minded hedonists.It was after all, promoted as the place to find the right specialties to go with wine in order to make its enjoyment perfect! Imagine my horror when I realized they were talking food matching as opposed to people matching.
M`dears,when it comes to wine...give me a selection of tasty company as opposed to tasty food...Every Time!

PROWINE 27/29 MARCH 2011

Out of here ,

Kiss,Kiss,

Pearl

There are several reasons why alcohol might help women stay trim.

2011-03-14T19:55:00.001Z

Light to moderate alcohol consumption, especially red wine, is not only good for a woman's heart, it's also good for her waistline.
The study started out with nearly 20,000 trim middle-aged and older women. Over time, women who drank alcohol in moderation put on less weight and were less apt to become overweight compared to non-drinkers.
This was true even after taking into account various lifestyle and dietary factors that might influence a woman's weight.
Red wine seemed best at keeping weight in check, but white wine, beer and spirits also had some benefit.

"Our study results showed that middle-aged and older women who have normal body weight initially and consume light-to-moderate amount of alcohol could maintain their drinking habits without gaining more weight compared with similar women who did not drink any alcohol," Dr. Lu Wang from the division of preventive medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, noted

The new study, published in the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, is the first to examine ties between alcohol consumption by a normal-weight individual and the risk of becoming overweight or obese.

The women were all at least 39 years old when the study began.
Approximately:
38 percent said they did not drink alcohol;
33 percent said they drank less than 5 grams daily (a standard drink has about 10 grams of alcohol);
20 percent drank 5 to less than 15 grams daily;
6 percent drank 15 to less than 30 grams daily; and
3 percent downed 30 grams of alcohol or more daily (about 2 to 3 drinks per day or more).

During the 13 years the initially normal-weight women were followed,
41 percent became overweight or obese. .However, the teetotalers gained the most weight, with weight gain decreasing with increasing amount of alcohol consumed.
Women who did not drink gained an average of 3.63 kilograms (8 pounds) compared with 1.55 kilograms (3.4 pounds) for those who consumed 30 grams of alcohol or more each day.Women who drank 15 to less than 30 grams per day had the lowest risk of becoming overweight or obese, which was 30 percent less than that of non-drinkers.

Put another way, Wang said an initially trim woman who did not drink alcohol had about a 43 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese over 13 years. Her risk fell to 33 percent if she drank 15 to 30 grams of alcohol a day.

There are several reasons why alcohol might help women stay trim, Wang says. In the current study, women consuming more alcohol ate less, particularly carbohydrates -- a finding seen in other studies. Moreover, it's been shown that women tend to expend more energy after drinking alcohol -- more so than that contained in the alcohol. "Taken together, regular alcohol consumption in light-to-moderate amount may lead to a net energy loss among women," Wang said.

SOURCE: Archives of Internal Medicine, March 8, 2010.

15 to 30 grams it is so.Doctors orders!

Evelyn

Setanta - Cuchulainn Shiraz 2007

2011-03-10T15:29:00.000Z

As the name suggests, this family run business has Irish blood running through it's veins. First generation Australians, Sheilagh and Bernard had grown up listening to folklore from their Irish born parents and when Sheilagh married Kiwi, Tony, also of Irish descent, there was no getting away from their heritage. Despite the fact that between the three of them, they had absolutely no wine knowledge apart from appreciation they realised their dream of making wine and with James Halliday rating their winery in the top ten and regularily receiving 5 stars they were obviously born to it.
Tony and Sheilagh look after the marketing of the company and when it came to naming it , they wanted to keep hold of their Irish connections, Setanta was the obvious choice. Each varietal in the range is named after a mythical character from these yarns. The shiraz I tasted last night is called Cuchulainn but we also stock an Emer Chardonnay and Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon. Love them or hate them their labels are very distinctive, with each label depicting one of the adventures of Setanta.
Bernard acts as viticulturist and also winemaker which after going back to do a post grad in viticulture and spending time in cooler climate winemaking countries, he seems to have mastered the technique of winemaking in Adelaide Hills.
It had been a few years since I had tried these wines so decided last night was as good a night as any to be good to myself! Not as dark in the glass as you would expect from an Aussie Shiraz actually more ruby red. Christmas cake fruits were the first thing that jumped out at me from this very aromatic nose with some plums and black licquorice. On the palate, the black licquorice is still there with some complex fruity undertones of plums and prunes. Really good length. This vintage was rated 93 Points with Halliday.

Selling for €21.99 in our Blanchardstown store now.

Till Next Time

Clare
Cellars, the Big WIne Warehouse

Picarana 2009, Abillo Grape Variety from Madrid

2011-03-10T13:49:00.001Z

The Terroir Fanatics

Last week Raffa from Vinos Tito (Spanish wine specialists) popped into the shop with Fernando Garcia the wine maker from Bodega Maranones (and a big Amelda May fan!) to show me some of their exciting range of wines from Madrid, all made in very small quantities. Fernando belongs to a group of young Spanish wine makers known as the Terroir Fanatics. He farms organically, picks all the grapes by hand and works with old vines up to 80 years old.

We tasted the Picarana(name of a bird) 2009 white wine, made from 100% Albillo grape.This is a relatively neutral grape variety with an interesting glycerol level that brings smoothness to the wines in which it is used. He makes about 5,000 bottles and ages the wine in big oak barrels and leaves it on the lees for 7 months. The wine has lots of body and structure and is very well balanced with a nutty dry finish . For me, it is definitely is one of the most serious Spanish white wines that I have tasted this year, and I was not surprised to hear that Jancis Robinson gave it wine of the week recently.
A classy wine worth seeking out for €17.99. The wine will work well with most meaty sea food or a nice roast chicken.

Enjoy,

Julie
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Oriel, 2000 ,Barolo...A steal for the money!

2011-02-25T14:02:00.003Z

Oriel describes itself as a new kind of wine company and their strategy is that by cutting out the middleman and never owning vineyards, they can offer you a €25 wine for €15 and a €45 wine for €25 etc.
They maintain that the reason this is possible is because, some wine prices are driven by some unnecessary overhead and marketing costs rather than the cost of grapes and wine making.Their wines apparently are made by some of the most celebrated winemakers who have made some of the greatest wines ,from Petrus to Penfolds Grange.
Interesting Concept!

Their Barolo is made in small quantities in a area Northwest of Italy in the Piedmont region, getting its name from the Village of Barolo.The wine is made form 100% Nebbiolo. In its youth this wine style can be hard and tannic and can often need at least a decade to become approachable.
When I tasted the complex 2000 vintage it t had been opened for 20 hours and I was overcome by its richness and power .It was dark rich cherry red in the glass with lots of rich Christmas cake aromas, mocca and spice with firm yet elegant tannins.

This wine would work really well with a good steak, just be sure to decant it and it will show you what a well made Barolo that is drinking well is all about.A true expression of one of the great wines regions of the world. Seek it out ... for €35 its a steal.

Enjoy,

Julie

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A Vote for Chateau Lafite

2011-02-22T13:53:00.003Z

Emmeline Pankhurst

It is over 150 years since the birth of Emmeline Pankhurst – the outspoken reformer committed to securing women’s right to vote in Great Britain(including Ireland). She was jailed on numerous occasions for her protests at the lack of political rights for women in the UK.On one occasion, while in prison on a conspiracy charge, she was allowed supply her own food and on the advise of her medical attendant drank wine every day.Her favourite wine was Chateau Lafite and her pal Ethel Smyth, another activist , sent four bottles of it to her at the prison.

The universal right to vote in Britain was granted only in the year of Pankhurst’s death, 1928.

Emmeline and her daughter Christabel led militant suffragists in a campaign which gripped Britain between 1905 and 1914. The government’s reaction seems incomprehensible today, and it provoked furious and passionate protests.

Women were battered in demonstrations and, on hunger strikes, brutally force-fed in prison. When the brutality nearly killed the prisoners, the Cat & Mouse Act was passed so that a hunger striker would be released and rearrested to continue her sentence. Under its terms, Mrs. Pankhurst, age 54 in 1912, went to prison 12 times that year.
Emmeline married Richard Pankhurst in 1879 – when she was 20 and he was 40. He was a brilliant lawyer and the author of the Married Women’s Property Acts of 1870 and 1882, which allowed women to keep earnings or property acquired before and after marriage.

Emmeline bore five children but lost two sons, and when she was widowed in 1898, she became a single mother without any inheritance.

In 1903 the Pankhurst women founded the Women’s Social and Political Union.
By 1905 the media had lost interest in the struggle for women’s rights. Newspapers rarely reported meetings and usually refused to publish articles and letters written by supporters of women’s suffrage.

In 1905 the WSPU decided to use different methods to obtain the publicity they thought would be needed in order to obtain the vote.
On 13th October 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney attended a meeting in London to hear Sir Edward Grey, a minister in the British government. When Grey was talking, the two women constantly shouted out, “Will the Liberal Government give votes to women?” When the women refused to stop shouting the police were called to evict them from the meeting. Pankhurst and Kenney refused to leave and during the struggle a policeman claimed the two women kicked him.
Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were found guilty of assault and fined five shillings each. When the women refused to pay the fine they were sent to prison. The case shocked the nation. For the first time in Britain women had used violence in an attempt to win the vote.

In 1907 Emmeline moved to London and joined her two daughters in the militant struggle for the vote. For the next seven years she was imprisoned repeatedly. Pankhurst wrote:

We want to help women…We want to gain for them all the rights and protection that laws can give them. And, above all, we want the good influence of women to tell to its greatest extent in the social and moral questions of the time. But we cannot do this unless we have the vote and are recognised as citizens and voices to be listened to.

On 4th August, 1914, England declared war on Germany. Two days later the NUWSS announced that it was suspending all political activity until the war was over.
On the 10th August the government announced it was releasing all suffragettes from prison. In return, the WSPU agreed to end their militant activities and help the war effort.

WSPU organised a demonstration in London. Members carried banners with slogans such as ‘We Demand the Right to Serve’, ‘For Men Must Fight and Women Must work’
At the meeting, attended by 30,000 people, Emmeline Pankhurst called on trade unions to let women work in those industries traditionally dominated by men.

In 1918 the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women over 30.

Emmeline died on 14 June 1928, shortly after women were granted equal voting rights with men (at 21).

Evelyn

BAD NEWS FOR WINE DRINKERS PROPOSED!

2011-02-17T14:52:00.000Z

Here are the extracts from the relevant manifestos:

Fine Gael

a) Increases in standard rate of VAT to 22% in 2012 and 23% in 2013

b) €1 increase in excise duty on a bottle of wine by 2014

Labour

“Labour is proposing a 1% increase in the standard rate of VAT that will raise €310 million in a full year. Labour's proposals include modest increases in excise on wine and cigarettes.

Evelyn

Pearl Cartoon Girl Finally Gets A Winner At The Hennessy Gold Cup.

2011-02-15T21:38:00.002Z


Pearl Cartoon Girl

M`dears,

Had the great pleasure of being invited to The Hennessy Gold Cup in Leopardstown this weekend by a dear old family friend Maurice Hennessy.A few years ago Maurice( on behalf of my parents) managed to prevent me from eloping with a rather unsavoury character that I had met in Monte Carlo,and as such is considered quite the hero by the parents.

So we got the old Range Rover out and headed along to what was a most enjoyable day at the races with delicious food and wine, not to mention the lovely little Hennessy cocktails which went down a treat.

Caroline Sleiman &Aishling Kilduff

Absolutely stunning couture on the ladies ,and that is saying something coming from me! I really will have to up my game on the style stakes this season after seeing the array of beautifully dressed girls who attended on the day.

M`dears, let me tell you that on the male front there was plenty to entertain.Obviously the urbane city slickers were well in attendance but,by way of a change ,there were also lots of skinny, athletic but slightly red faced(could have been The Hennessy!) horsey types with huge strong handshakes, who were strangely attractive in an rural kind of a way!

Had to be careful not to be too forward ,because the parents were watching, but did manage to nab a few mobile numbers when their backs were turned .

Tally Ho!

Kiss,Kiss,

Pearl

Bisol Jeio Cuvee Rose Brut Prosecco, Say Be my Valentine in Style...

2011-02-14T13:20:00.001Z

If you cannot afford to treat your sweetheart to a romantic visit to Valdobbiadene in the heart of Prosecco country were the Bisol family run Foresteria Duca Di Dolle, a beautiful restored monastery and farmhouse property an hour outside of Venice.Indulging them in some of the best food and wine the area has to offer along with lots of R&;R and quality hospitality at its best.
Try the next best thing! Bisol Jeio Cuvee Rose.

Roberto Cremonese was in town last week showcasing their wonderful Prosecco, although this family run property have been making some of the finest Prosecco since 1542 it is only their third year of the Cuvee Rose. The Prosecco is a blend of Pinot Noir and Merlot, a delicate pink colour with fine persistent bubbles, a hint of fresh red fruit , good acidity, light body with a crisp dry finish.

It is half the price of a good Rose Champagne and worth seeking out at 16.99.

Feel The Love!

Julie

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Lingenfelder Scheurebe 2004

2011-02-11T16:43:00.000Z

Rainer Lingenfelder

Attended a trade tasting yesterday where I had the pleasure of meeting this 13th generation winemaker from the Pfalz region of Germany. Rainer Lingenfelder was in Dublin to showcase his wines with his 16 year old son who seems to be following in his father's footsteps.

"Bird label"

Their introductory range, Vineyard Creatures, is available here in a Riesling and Gewurztraminer and although serious wines showing great varietal flavours, Rainer told me that with this range he has removed the "Wine Speak" as he calls it from the label in the hope that it will make it more consumer-friendly. Each wine from this range is also called after an animal from the vineyard and have a very distinctive label designed by atirst, Chuck House. The Riesling or Bird label pictured here is an off-dry riesling yet crisp and fresh and tastes anything but introductory.

My firm favourite is still their Scheurebe which is an unusual grape variety ( a cross between Riesling and Sylvaner) however apparently widely planted in this region. The name comes from the man who invented it in 1916 called Scheu with Rebe literally translating into vine. Rainer told me how it was a difficult grape to cultivate and unless handled with care can result in an acidic sharp wine. In contrast this a highly aromatic wine with aromas of star fruit and passion fruit. A lovely full bodied white with exotic fruit flavours and some nutmeg present. No oak used in this wine and medium to slightly sweet finish. Give this a try with some asian food as an alternative to Gewurztraminer, it's also only 10.5% alcohol so a good lunching wine. Sells for €17.99

Till Next time

Clare

Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Farnese Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Colline Teremane 2005

2011-02-05T13:06:00.001Z

A double whammy of disappointment this week as not only did I have to miss wine club on Monday but it was also Italian night but thanks to Bren who kindly dropped myself and Ruth over the remains of all 15 reds tasted on the night all was not lost.

Difficult to choose a favourite to be honest but really loved this top class Montepulciano. From the Abruzzo region, on the leg of Italy, this is Farnese's star wine and is only made in good years from carefully selected Montepulciano grapes. Aged for a total of 16 months in oak, 10 in barriques and a further 4 in barrell and from the best Montepulciano growing region in Abruzzo which in 2003 gaind the prestigious DOCG appellation.

Did not get around to trying it till the Wednesday so at that stage had been opened 2 nights but still had a delicious fruit filled nose of dark plums with a touch of sweet dried fruits yet an earthiness underneath. Really smooth with a delicious velvety mouth, dry, well structured red with a complex spicy finish. Stood up really well with the coq au vin I'd made with the remains of the tasting bottles from the night before which I didn't expect as Montepulciano can often result in a lighter style of Italian red which would be swallowed up by this flavoursome dish. Dinner guest, Liam, even went in for seconds despite it being a school night and even the lumpy mash seemed to be forgiven.

Sells for about €16.99 and due into us next week.
Till Next Time
Clare

Maurice Hennessy fund raises for the South Asia Initiative in Ananda Restaurant

2011-02-03T15:56:00.004Z

Last night Julie and I had the pleasure of attending a dinner in Ananda Restaurant for the South Asia Initiative ,hosted by Mr Maurice Hennessy who is over for the Hennessy Gold Cup on the weekend.
The goal of the Trinity South Asia Initiative is to make Trinity College the centre for South Asian Studies in Ireland, so we were in very good company.

What a delicious meal ! The menu was specially created by Sunil Ghai,Executive chef at Anada and Chef David Fransoret from Maison Hennessy.It was obvious from reading the menu that a lot of thought had gone into it, and the delivery of the actual concept was equally good.
I have rarely seen such apt food and drink pairings, which cannot have been easy ,with so many complex flavours involved.

The food quality was superb and the highlights for me were the tandoor smoked aubergine,the lovely fresh plump halibut, and the pink tender lamb.

What didn't I like I hear you ask? To be honest, it was all pretty damn good(understatement!).
See the menu and comments below.

Amuse Bouche

This was a little pastry bowl filled with chick peas sitting on top of a little glass of aromatic fresh mango and carrot juice...yum!

Starter

Trio of vegetables

Vegetables cooked three ways, 4 hour hand pounded Lentil and vegetable kebab, tandoor smoked aubergine crush (divine)and crispy rice cakes dusted with goan five spice.

Wine: Penfolds Autumn Reisling 2008(Lovely intensity and weight with a delicious limey backbone, which acted as a foil to some of the creamy textures on offer.)

Fish course

Halibut, fennel

Pan seared fillet(nicest I ever had!) with lime infused coconut sauce, with Asian greens ,tomato & fennel jelly.

Wine: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010(perfectly picked up on the vibrant Asian greens)

Sorbet

Blood orange Sorbet poured with V.S.O.P.

With Himalayan salt

(a tincture of the delicious VSOP was actually poured onto the sorbet! and I love the inky flavors in blood oranges)

Meat courses

Lamb, apricot

Spice crusted lamb cutlet(really good meat, cooked to perfection) with Hennessy glazed apricots; curry leaf and mustard mash with onion and tomato masala with kashmiri chilly.

Wine: Penfolds Bin 128 Shiraz 2008
(bold enough to match this dish without overpowering it.)

Chicken sandalwood

Stuffed free range chicken breast with peppers, courgette & pistachio, Sandalwood flavoured korma served with cardamom and saffron biriyani.

Wine: Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2007(rich ,creamy ,nutty and not overshadowed by the red before it ,which is saying something!)

Dessert

Nougat Glace

A classic French dessert with Hennessy and tutty fruity.

Hennessy Paradis(perfect with the crunchy nutty base and the nougat flavours.Paradis is a seriously good Cognac)

Tea/coffee(no way !)

Petit Fours(ok, just a few)

Thank to the Trinity South Asia Initiative ,Hennessy Cognac and Ananda Restaurant for a really special event.

Evelyn & Julie

Sally Williams from Wither Hills pops in to say Hello!

2011-01-24T12:40:00.000Z

Sally & I working hard!

After meeting up at the New Zealand tasting, Sally Williams, Wither Hills winemaker popped into the shop to show me the new Wither Hills single estate wines that they are launching onto the market this year. The wines are a true expression of the different terroirs that they have in the different parts of their property and worth the small premium for their wonderful quality.

Wither Hills Single Vineyard Rarangi Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009

The wine has lovely vibrant herbaceous notes, passion fruit and tropical fruit with great concentration and richness on the palate balanced with seamless acidity, retailing at a Euro more then their basic Sauvignon it is well worth €14.99 Euro. Try this with some goats cheese and digestive biscuits, Heaven!

Wither Hills Single vineyard Taylor River Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007

This part of the property as the name suggests, is full of silt from an old river bed and has a lovely complex character. Bramble fruits, full pure flavour , a subtle influence of french oak and a lingering finish and at €23 it is worth seeking out for any Pinot Fans.

Wither Hills Single vineyard Ben Morven Pinot Noir Marlborough 2007

This Pinot Noir comes from clay soil and is more elegant then Taylor River Pinot Noir, full of delicate cherry,strawberry bramble fruits with great finesse. This Pinot has more perfumed and floral notes which will appeal to those who prefer a lighter style. With a price of €23 it offers true finesse

It was amazing to see how different these Pinot Noirs were and how they managed to reflect the different soil types within this one property

Enjoy,
Julie.

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Muga Reserva Especial 2005

2011-01-21T19:54:00.001Z

Arriving to the New Zealand wine fair with only an hour to go, it was a bit of a dash trying to get around to as many suppliers as possible to try new vintages and offerings for the coming year so a relaxing glass of wine was well deserved come six o clock! Thankfully as a result of many rubberarmed colleagues, a gang of us ended up in Olesya's wine bar, Exchequer Streeet. It was my first time here but I had heard plenty of great things about this place and judging from the full tables on a Monday night in January the rumours had spread. Looking around the tables, the food looked delicious and the antipasti plate we ordered was probably the best I have had in Dublin.

The wine was a little harder to make a decision on as the wine list is so extensive and includes a great selection of wine by the glass which is a good one to note for future visits. We eventually settled on a bottle of Muga Seleccion Especial 2005 from Rioja, €49 on their list. It is a Tempranillo based wine but there is a small proportion of Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano in it also. It spends 6 months in oak vats, 30 months in wooden barrell and a further year in bottle before being released resulting in a huge big compex wine. Toasty and nutty with tempranillo aromas of dark cherries and red fruits. In the mouth it was velevty smooth and had great weight to it. The smokiness and spiciness complimented the fresh fruit flavours and went on long after the last drop. As I was the only female there I managed to pull the chivalry card and grab the last glass which might not be very new -womanish but a girls got to do what a girls gotta do!
Till Next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Macon- Villages BUT made by Pierrette and Marc Guillemot-Michel

2011-01-21T13:05:00.002Z

Marc and Pierrette Guillemot own a Domaine of 7 hectares in the commune of Quintaine, adjacent to the village of Clesse.They took over the domaine from Pierette’s parents in 1985. Both are oenolgists from the school of Beaune and post-graduates from Montpellier and they have applied their studies to combine both scientific and homeopathic principles in their wine making.
On taking over the vineyard Marc and Pierrette left the Cave Co-operative system.Organic methods of production were used for the first three years as they believed this system made finer, more characterful wines. They use no artificial herbicides or pesticides and produce their own compost for the vines from a blend of marc (the cake of skins and pips left after the grapes are pressed) and manure from organically reared animals.
During the harvest, they systematically taste their way through the vineyards, tagging those vines whose fruit they think have markedly interesting characteristics and concentration. In February cuttings from these are taken to graft onto root stock and, gradually, the vineyards will be replanted with these homegrown, especially selected vines.

Limiting the size of the crop is one of the most important factors in the production of exceptional wines in the Maconnais. To restrict quantities, Marc and Pierrette only leave one main stalk when pruning, rather than two as is traditional. This automatically cuts their potential crop in half.

Since 1991 the Guillemots have been bio-dynamic producers. Bio-dynamic production is basically governed by the movements of the moon. For example, weeding at certain times in the cycle of the moon results in the weeds reappearing less quickly, an important factor when herbicides are not used. Bio-dynamics also involves putting back into the plant part of its production, hence the production of a compost from the marc of grape skins and pips left after pressing.
By far the major proportion of the Guillemots' production is of Macon Clesse, Quintaine. This lovely dry white wine has concentrated fruit and complexity and a richness and depth rarely found in this region. They have experimented with using oak, but feel that even five year old barrels give too much wood flavour to the wine. They prefer to allow the purity of the Chardonnay fruit to shine through.

The current vintage is 2008 ,however I always try to stash a few bottles of the older vintages away when I notice the vintage is changing and they truly show their full character when about five years old. Even in relative youth it is a very fine Burgundy at €23.

Delicious, serious, attention grabbing wines.... in a contemplative kind of a way..... a bit like the people who make it I suspect!.

Sante,

Evelyn
The Vintry

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New Zealand Annual Tasting 2011

2011-01-20T15:55:00.002Z

Jean Smullen

New Zealand winegrowers returned to Dublin on Monday January 17th for the annual tasting in the Radisson Hotel, Golden Lane which is run every year by the indomitable Jean Smullen.
New Zealand is regarded by many as the most exciting wine brand in the trade today, with exports to Ireland of New Zealand wines up by 12% in 2010, not bad considering the economic climate.
Although there are a vast array of styles available, Syrah is being noted as the one to watch but their signature grape variety is still Sauvignon Blanc.
All the 2010 whites were on show and the stars of the show for me were...

Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010

Made by Kevin Judd who is formerly chef winemaker at Cloudy Bay, Greywacke is the name of the silver stones in the soil of the vineyard.This is only his second vintage and it is everything one would expect to find in a classy Sauvignon with lovely citrus fruit,wonderful balance and a lovely lingering finish. The wine retails around €20 and is showing better, to my mind then the iconic Cloudy Bay which sells at around €28 .. Seek it out!

Saint Clair Marlborough Riesling 2008

A wine that won a Gold Star Award in the Irish wine show last year, it shows that lovely distinct Riesling character of ripe lime and grapefruit with subtle hints of honeysuckle yet most refreshing and a very easy drinking style. This wine is an ideal match for spicy food, pork with apple sauce and any fish dish and retails around €16.

Yealands Estate Pinot Gris Marlborough 2009

This is a young winery practising sustainable wine production and is one of the few Carbon neutral winery's. The Pinot Gris is a rich style with lovely pear fruit and great minerality coming through on the palate. Well worth seeking out at €16.99

Enjoy,
Julie.

JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Chateau Le Coteau Margaux 2003

2011-01-14T18:14:00.002Z

After escaping the flu all Christmas and feeling pretty invincible, I woke up feeling lousy on Tuesday morning and after two days of sleep and bad daytime tv, I could take no more so armed with a packet of Neurofen Cold & Flu I coughed and spluttered my way into work yesterday. By 4.30 I was dreaming of re-runs of "The Good Life" and my hot water bottle - a sure sign that all was not right! Throwing the towel in I headed home but not before one of my suppliers made me a present of a bottle of this Margaux on his list to cheer me up.

A wine we stock in Cellars but unfortunately had not tried in a good while so all was definitely not a loss for the day. It's from the left bank so Cabernet Sauvignon based but wines from this appellation are typically not as full-bodied as it's neighbours. Considering the other two Margauxs we stock are Chateau Palmer and Chateau Brane-Cantenac, this is a great introduction to this area at only €29.99.

Feeling mildly better by dinner time I treated myself to a glass of it with some steak and mushrooms and although my senses were not at their best, it was delicious. A verdict seconded by Ruth when she came home.

In the glass it is not as dark as you might expect from a bordeaux blend but on the nose it has tobacco, green peppers and blackcherries. Plenty of fruit on the palate; again cherries and some blackcurrants and a lovely long vanilla finish. After two glasses of this and an early night I felt brand new today and it tasted way better than any lemsip I've ever had.

Till next Time

Clare

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Bernard Defaix Chablis

2011-01-11T12:41:00.000Z

Chablis is a wine all us Irish love to drink and with all the different producers and styles of Chablis on the market it can be confusing. If I was to think of one that is a true expression of what a good fruit friendly Chablis is all about, with a nice streak of minerality and at the right price point, I will go straight to Bernard Defaix Chablis. It is a small family run winery in Burgundy with a dynamic young couple running the show, Helen Defaix popped into the shop a few weeks ago to show us her vast array of fine wines which, I must say, each one was better then the next. The 2009 Chablis has the classic nose of citrus and honey. The palate is medium body with great purity and minerality on the finish. One of the purest Chardonnay I have tried in a long time, and coming in at €14.99 is well worth a try. I had this with some fresh sea bass and it worked wonders for my cooking!

Enjoy,
Julie.

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Martin Codax Albarino in Berlin!

2011-01-08T15:31:00.007Z

"Not another Riesling, pleease!"

After a busy month of all work and no play, a weekend away was badly needed so a last minute brainwave saw us booked onto a flight to Berlin to ring in the New Year. Determined to try to get to the end of as many bottles of Riesling as possible over the weekend and with my two trusted and willing comrades in tow by the Sunday we were Riesling-ed and Schnitzel-ed out of it! A change of tack was needed so we headed to the nearest tapas bar in Mitte and settled in for the night. Still happy to veer away from Sauvignon Blanc(their tipple of choice) but on the condition that neither the word trocken or halbtrocken be seen anywhere near the bottle... we really had over done the "when in Rome". It was one of those amazing dark taverns lit solely by candlelight with tiles on the walls and napkins all over the floor, ironically typically Spanish! It would have seemed weird to order anything from their extensive list but a Spanish wine. We went for the Martin Codax Albarino which was ridiculously good value on their list at €20 and one we sell in Cellars so knew it would put a smile on the girls' faces! Straw yellow and bright in colour. A nose full of apples which I thought might be a problem as slightly reminiscent of the last Riesling we had drunk but had a lovely vegetal or herbal undertone. On the palate it was so fresh there was a slight zing to it. Full-bodied with some lemon flavours and minerality on the finish. Quite dry but lovely balanced acidity which worked really well with the tonne of seafood we ordered!

Feeling a little tender on our way home we decided our next weekender might be to Spain and an authentic Spanish tapas bar. Definitely more a patatas bravas than a sauerkraut kind of girl...

Great start to 2011, thanks girls xx

Till Next time

Clare

Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Wynns,Coonawarra Riesling 2004 reveals all it was made for.

2011-01-06T20:26:00.001Z

Have been tippling away on this lovely Riesling recently and with great satisfaction I might add.It is drinking really well, with a lovely combination of that classic Vaseline complexity and limey freshness.I personally am a big fan of bottle age on whites,that have enough acidity to bear the years.I would not really thank you for a young version of this Riesling or probably any really young Riesling for that matter,Granted I enjoy the fact that, in youth they are always fresh,tangy quaffers but so are many other wines.

I suppose for me it is the knowledge of what these wines have the potential to become that proves the irritant to drinking them young.Its like seeing a brilliant sports person who goes off the rails ,giving us glimpses of but never achieving their full genius.

Enjoy,

Evelyn

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Super Tuscans

2010-12-30T14:50:00.000Z

Our shop is close to Dublin Airport therefore we are lucky to get to meet a lot of wine makers just as they arrive into Dublin or just before they catch the plane onto their next business meeting. Last week Noel Tynan popped in with the export director of Ornellaia for us to try their current vintage of 2007 along with the second wine Le Serre Nuove 2007. These wines are a true expression of good Tuscan land. They make limited quantities but of maximum quality and the wines do everything right in my opinion, they just sang!

Ornellaia was first produced in 1985 and is a blend of predominately Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It has aromas of dark berry fruits, a touch of balsamic, silky elegant smooth tannins and great depth. I feel this wine will be showing at its best in another few years.
The second wine Le Serre Nuove was drinking now and at €50 is a text book example of what these wines are all about. The wine is a blend of Merlot along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. and has scents of mocha, dark berries and spice. It is full bodied, with soft velvety tannins and immediately impressive. After trying these wines one cannot doubt their passion for excellence and understand what the word Super Tuscan is all about!

Seek them out!

Enjoy,
Julie.

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Lets try a Mull n Rouge?

2010-12-27T19:22:00.001Z

Something I sampled at the German Market in the IFSC the other day. It is a little different to mulled wine and hot ports and well worth trying at home. All you need is a bottle of Dubonnet, honey cloves and some orange bitters. Hope it keeps you warm and puts the colour back into your cheeks. It certainly worked wonder for us last week after doing our Christmas shopping in the market. Next week i hope to hit the market in Fitzwilliam Square and discover a few more new winter drinks, Egg nog maybe!?

Enjoy,
Julie.

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Chateau Gloria St Julien 2004 versus Ch Talbot 2004

2010-12-27T18:30:00.004Z

Tried both these wines over the Christmas and very tasty they were too.While I have tasted many of the 2004`s I had not actually sat down to drink a bottle with a nice meal as I have tended to concentrate on the 2001`s, because of their great drinkability and value.Unfortunately the 2001`s are getting quite hard to find so it is time to move on.

Of the two wines mentioned I thought the Gloria(€35) was actually drinking better than the Talbot(€60).Don't get me wrong ,the Talbot has everything that one would expect of a fine Bordeaux but it is still a bit young and did not have the lovely balance of the Gloria which is drinking perfectly now.In the long term the Talbot has more guts and with the passage of time will far outshine the Gloria but not just yet!

Sante,

Evelyn
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Chateau d`Orignac ,Pineau des Charantes the tipple to beat the winter blues!

2010-12-07T21:52:00.003Z

The Ten year old Tawny did the trick week one of this Arctic weather but desperate times call for desperate measures and it is time to move on to the Pineau Des Charentes..Chateau d`Orignac to be exact ,which is a blend of aged Cognac,Merlot and Cabernet juice aged in oak barrels for several years.It is a fortified wine,a Mistelle made from a blend of lightly-fermented grape must and old Cognac. It, like the tawny port is the colour of fire, amber with golden tints, it has a powerful aromatic palate, with subtle hints of succulent dried fruits like apricot, honey and raisins.
It is pleasantly sweet yet refreshing and there is a great harmony between the grape flavours and Cognac aromas. Very warming and just the job on arriving home with damp feet breathing a sigh of relief that you managed not to fall on the way home today!

Château d'Orignac has been a family estate for several generations, the owners have always been devoted to producing high quality products.This 20 hectare vineyard is located in the heart of the appellation Cognac and Pineau des Charentes 'Fin Bois' on the limestone slopes near the Gironde estuary, 50 kms north of Bordeaux.The soil, the average age of the vineyard (more than 30 years) low yields and the care brought to the cultivation, of the vines help this search of excellence.
The grape varieties planted for the production of the Pineau d'Orignac are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and for the Cognac, Colombard and Ugni-Blanc.

Sante,

Evelyn

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The Colonial Estate Old Vine Shiraz 2005

2010-12-03T12:40:00.002Z

This wine from iconic winemaker, Johnathan Malthus is from the Barossa Valley. Malthus who got himself quite a name after himself and his wife bought Chateau Teyssier back in 1994. Originally from England with an engineering background and little winemaking experience, Malthus was part of the whole "garage" movement in Bordeaux which originally was meant as a derogatory thing refering to the size of their set up and their low yields but now deemed as a more complimentary and boutique-style of winemaking. Seeing the success of his wines and the techniques he used in France he bought vineyards in Australia and imployed the same techniques there including using the same equipment, winemaker and methods as used in Bordeaux and if Parker is anything to go by with resounding results!

Johnathan Malthus

Myself and Ruth had a couple of glasses of the Shiraz last night after we eventually manouevered our way home from the shops. A deep, dark purple in colour with sweet plum and dried fruits on the nose. This is a huge wine with loads of fruit flavours on the palate yet some pepper and licquorice undertones. It spends 12 months in french casks ( identical to the ones he uses in his Saint Emilion operation) The wine is also unfiltered so there is sediment in the bottles which is not the norm in Australian wines and some find off putting but does nothing to effect the flavours to this rich, elegant and complex wine. The even better news is that this and the rest of his single varietal range which normally sell for about €24.99 are LESS THAN HALF PRICE WITH ALL THE WOW GIRLS THIS CHRISTMAS coming in between €11.99 and €12.99... Allowing you to drink fine wines at affordable prices. Finally a plus to the big "R"
Till Next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Livio Felluga Lets Us Taste His Wonderful Italian Whites

2010-12-01T12:33:00.003Z

Andrea Felluga

After meeting up with wine maker Andrea Felluga in Friuli and tasting three of his wonderful white wines in his house over a fantastic dinner our last night in Italy was a real WOW night!.
The Pinot Grigio 2008 which is on the gold list for the Sommelier Wine Awards for its food friendliness and character was drinking really well with lots of floral notes and great intensity of flavour. This to me is what great Pinot Grigio is all all about, well worth the money at €25.99 (a text book example).
The 2007 Ilivio, Pinot Bianco is named after his father ,who started making wine in the 1950's in the hills of Friuli, and is aged in understated oak with a little spice and nuttiness coming through on the palate at €33.99 it is a alternative to a good white Burgundy and won a gold medal in Decanter magazine this year.
Saving the best of the best till last the 2008 Terre Alte ,which is regarded as one of the top white wines from Italy , was the star of the show and at €50.00 you get what you pay for. This wine is from a single vineyard and displays honeyed and floral notes, wonderful balance and great length.
I must admit I have a whole new understanding now of what amazing, intense,focused flavoured yet greatly scented whites this family are producing.

Seek them out!
All available at Jus De Vine

Enjoy,
Julie.

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TEN YEAR OLD TAWNY WILL THAW YOU OUT!

2010-11-29T19:54:00.013Z

Talk about appalling weather! It`s at times like this that the Irish population falls into two distinct camps.Those who have to get to work no matter what and those who don't.Before we workers succumb to jealousy, think of those people stuck at home in this weather in many cases with young kids, bored out of their minds and screaming the house down.
Both scenarios are enough to drive one to drink and for the workers who traipse home on slippy footpaths wearing all kinds of sturdy foot ware that doesn't really work may I suggest a little nip of Warres 10 year old tawny port on arriving home prior to peeling off the layers of clothing.This should be closely followed by a little glass of same when you have stacked the damp clothing in the hot press.Its colour alone is that of smouldering fire and its beautifully smooth comforting flavours of raisins,sultanas,orange peel and good black chocolate are the essence of winter flavours.
Central heating in a bottle!

Get the Slippers out,

Evelyn

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Woop Woop Shiraz 2008

2010-11-27T16:59:00.000Z

We've taken to keeping the door open in the shop, even in the extremities of minus, minus degree Celsius.
Thursday felt like a 12 hour shift in the cold-room of a 1980's ''Super Crazy Prices''. I ventured home to my mums house for dinner.
I brought a bottle of Woop Woop Shiraz 2008. This is made my my new favourite Australian wine producer - Ben Riggs. This man is the wine genius behind The Black Chook, the Award winning ShooFly and the blockbuster Gold Star Red- Mr.Riggs and this is his entrant level wine.
The Woop Woop punches way above it's weight for the €10 price point.
It pours a rich deep red almost black colour.
The nose is a mix of ripe berry and plum fruit, black pepper and liquorice.
The palate has this lovely ripe fruit but not overly sweet, quite elegant for an Aussie Shiraz at this price point. Spice and liquorice are both evident on the finish. It has this rich long finish. I did question whether it was a smaller bottle size, it didn't seem to last as long as a standard 750ml.
In fact, it took approximately 25 minutes to drain it.
I have to say one of the best quality Australian reds at this price point that I have tasted of late.
Well worth traipsing out in the cold weather to purchase.
WoopWoop Shiraz 2008 @ €10... Buy it!!
Ruth.

Franz Haas Pinot Nero 2008

2010-11-23T13:20:00.001Z

Pinot Nero on the Vine

In the foothill of the Alps you will find Franz Haas making one of the purest and well balanced Pinot Nero from the unique terroir of the Alto Adige.
The Pinot Nero 2008, is considered by Franz as a white wine equivalent amongst his reds as it is light and transparent in the glass, shows strawberries blackberry and raspberries, plum and a touch of spice.It is fresh and lively on the palate with a wonderful berry finish that lasts and lasts. This wine was served to us with roast duck and worked magnificently. The current vintage is served under stelvin and is worth seeking out for those who enjoy a light elegant wine with great flavours.

The wine is available at Jus De Vine for 26.99 Euro

1865 Carmenere

2010-11-21T16:38:00.000Z

Tried this wine a few months ago in our wine club and loved it's spicy flavours and the typical green pepper aromas of this variety. It had beautiful silky tannins and a vanilla smoky finish. It was the wine that stood out for me that night and a couple of days later we listed it on the Naas road. This is from the same producer as Gato Negro which Ev previously blogged about as a great value red but at €14.99 it is more of a treat!

When one of my oldest pals,Shell, came out to visit me in our new store in Blanchardstown village and asked me to reccommend her a nice bottle of red for a romantic meal in that night I knew it would be right up her street.

Always nice to get a bit of feed back on any recommendations so I asked her to scribble down a small tasting note on the wine. So after our ritual Monday morning phone call discussing all the important issues of the world including who wore what out on Saturday night, how Wagner as making a mockery of our sacred X factor, blah blah... You get the idea! She finally got around to the 1865 Carmenere with a glowing report!

Appearance: dark purple

Nose: she thought the nose was quite sweet and woody aromas

Palate: much drier than she thought it would be which surprised her after the nose. She thought there was cherrry flavours to it.

Verdict: Really smooth and definitely a wine she will look out for again.

Satisfied customer!

Till Next Time

Clare

Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

Pearl Cartoon Girl Visits The Dail For Budget Discussions

2010-11-20T21:10:00.005Z


Pearl Cartoon Girl

M`dears,

Imagine my horror when the WOW girls asked me to hang around the Dail to see if I could nab the minister of Finance in order to slip him their budget submission.What would I even wear to the Dail? Did I own any cloths awful enough? How long would it take me to get my hair looking bad enough to fit in with the people that I have seen wandering through those gates? As it transpired, I just stayed out on the town for the entire weekend and headed straight for the Dail bar on Monday morning .I grabbed a particularly naff cardi and fake pearls in Marks & Sparks on the way,and to my credit I think I fitted in quite nicely!

My Sleeping Chamber

Obviously I had no idea what the minister looks like as I don`t do newspapers...far too depressing...however the dishy little barman Sean said he would point him out to me when he arrived in .Three hours later and a similar number of glasses of wine, still no sign, and fatigue from the long weekend started to kick in. I decided to have a little mooch for somewhere quiet to grab forty winks and found just the place on a balcony with benches that I could stretch out on.

I had no problem drifting off but was awoken to a persistent high pitched droning noise which turned out to be several badly dressed people shouting at each other across the room below.

Now here is the interesting part M`dears ,I distinctly heard them shouting something like the tax revenue on drink is down and that only wine volumes are up. While this meant absolutely nothing to me this news sent the WOW girls into wine buying mode, as they reckon the minister will have to get duty from somewhere in the budget .Personally I found the whole discussion very distasteful as I don't like to have to think about money let alone talk about it ,I just enjoy spending it.

Kiss,Kiss,

Pearl

Durbanville Hills AttractsThe Girls

2010-11-17T13:30:00.006Z


Anne,Karen aka Kevin,Evelyn,Reggie,Martina aka Martin,Siobhain,Darina &Oonagh.

No one who knows him can accuse Kevin Behan from Edward Dillon & Co.of being sexist,as it was he who suggested to Oonagh Gildea, brand manager ,to get Durbanville Hills wine maker Martin Moore to host a tasting for the ladies in the wine trade.
Now anyone who has ever met Martin Moore is probably reeling with shock at the idea of putting him into such a scenario because he really is a mans man ,in a true South African rugby hooker kind of a way.However thus the smarts of Kevin and Oonagh ,as it really was a great success.

Maybe we got to see his softer side because it quickly became clear that Martin is truly committed to sustainable farming using the principles of integrated production and has a genuine interest in working with his growers on projects that promote the preservation of the land such as water recycling. He is also deeply involved in the promotion of further education by way of scholarship out of the farm schools in his area.

Like all men, he is into machines and gadgets but in his case it extends beyond the car ,tractor and wine making gizmo's into ice cream and bread making equipment.A keen cook since the age of 13, his empathy with food clearly comes through on the styles of wine that he creates A.Sauvignon Blanc for quaffing. Pinotage for lighter and/or spicy food styles such as chicken,duck and pheasant. Merlot for slow cooked red meats such as beef, lamb,and venison casseroles and Shiraz for the big roasts. He also recommends that his Pinotage be served chilled with berry pear and/or white chocolate desserts. We tried this combination and he was not wrong!

I must say it was a little strange to spend an evening talking wine without having to listen to the golf and soccer gossip that generally punctuates a wine evening but not in a bad way!

Thanks to All

Evelyn

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Super Sommielier Damien!

2010-11-16T14:27:00.006Z

The WOW girls would like to thank Damien Corr for the very instructive comparative tasting he gave us on Domaine Chandon last night in the Merrion hotel.As you can see from this picture we were spellbound(!) by his level of knowledge.With all the hype about the recession the Merrion was a haven of true comfort and its suave professionalism is tempered by a lovely friendliness, which makes me understand why tourists fall in love with Ireland.
Anyway Domaine Chandon was established by French champagne house Moët & Chandon in 1986 and is dedicated to the production of méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine and premium quality, cool-climate still wines in the hills of Victoria’s beautiful Yarra Valley, near Melbourne .These are premium wines yet really good value for the quality, even in the Merrion, with the sparkler served up to you with as much care and style as a bottle of Cristal for around €40.
Go on treat yourself, you know you deserve it!
Thanks Damien.

Evelyn
THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR

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My Visit to Franz Haas

2010-11-15T15:54:00.011Z

High in the Dolomites in Montagna, about 3 hours by car from Verona and up to 800 meters above sea level you will find the wonderful Mr Franz Haas. The scenery is stunning as the winery is surrounded by lush green mountains which are not far away from the ski resorts. When I first met Mr Haas my first thoughts where that he resembled Groucho Marks in appearance. Charming and all as he was, this winery is serious business, his family have been making wine since 1880. When we visited ,although the vintage was in full swing, they pulled out all the stops for us and gave us a great feel for the vineyards and their philosophy on wine production.

Andrea his right had man is a guy who just loves what he does, from the moment we met him you just understood their passion and drive to make the very best wines. Andrea had worked with Cloudy Bay in New Zealand for a vintage and was exposed to the New World production experience. At Franz Haas he has managed to produce the perfect combination.

Manna Cru 2008

This is a very individual wine made from all the cool climate grapes, a blend of four different grape varieties, Riesling, 20% barrel fermented Chardonny, Gewurtraiminer and Sauvignon. This versatile wine is a result of trying to create a wine tooptimize general food pairing by accentuating the different flavors instead of having to order a different wine for each dish. The wine is also dedicated to his wife Maria, who comes from a restaurant family herself.

The wine is a wonderful fusion of flavors, with great aromas of elder-flower and rose petals along with the weight on the palate of the Chardonnay and purity of the Riesling. It has a great finish and is a wine that will age well and evolve beautifully. For me this is a wine for Japanese food for sure.

Worth seeking out at 27 Euro, a little treat on a Friday!

Enjoy!

Julie

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Ruinart Champagne Blanc de Blancs NV

2010-11-13T07:30:00.002Z

The highlight of the drinks industry social calendar for me is always the first weekend in November when I throw on my glad rags and head for the Four Seasons and the Irish Champagne Academy Dinner. After a quick glass of chardonnay, we hit the hard stuff! As usual there was the pre-dinner tasting of the 16 Grand marque champagnes in magnums... you might have stopped wondering why this is the highlight of my year at this stage! The biggest conundrum of the night is generally deciding over a glass of Krug or Pol Roger! Champagne never fails to impress me and not in a pretentious Celtic Tigeress way but in a true appreciation for the houses and their different styles. There is always one that steals the night for me every year and hands down it was Ruinart last Friday. Made from 100% Chardonnay. Pale gold in colour with delicate fine bubbles. On the nose there is citrus fruits and apple aromas. Gorgeous lively palate. Smooth and elegant with subtle honey flavours and citrus fruits. There is a certain smokiness on the finish. Almost Ladylike in style!

Till Next Time

Clare

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Celeste by Miguel Torres

2010-11-11T20:27:00.001Z

I had been neglecting my mother for the last couple of weeks so to make amends we went for a bottle of wine after work in The PortHouse, Dundrum - as posted on previously by Evelyn. It was heaving for a Wednesday night and a combination of bad eye sight and a dark corner seat led me to a hasty decision on the wine list but a very hasty beneficial one.
Celeste by Miguel Torres, Ribera del Duero, Crianza was a wine I stocked about 3 Decembers ago and had forgotten. Not for any other reason that the selection of wines from this region has become quite broad and prices more affordable.
We drank the 2006 Celeste. It pours this rick blackberry colour. The nose is an array of dark berry fruit, cherry, blackberry with tobacco, vanilla and liquorice.

Trish Deveney aka: Mum

The palate starts like a fruit bomb and falls off to elegant tannin, dark chocolate and some oak.
It went great with the complimentary Pinchos especially the tortilla on French stick???.. Not sure what the Spanish equivalent is but it tastes delicious.
Celeste Crianza 2006 will be available in Deveney's as a result of a Wednesday night in The PortHouse.
Definitely one for the Tempranillo club.
O&O
Ruth.

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Champagne Academy 2010

2010-11-06T13:54:00.006Z

Gary ,Pommery &Evelyn

Sales of Champagne in Ireland are up 44% on 2009 so said Frederick Heidsieck of Louis Roderer at the Champagne Academy last night.Yes ponder that! Up 44%... off a base of what I ask myself?

Anyway, flying the Off Licence Association flag ,Gary O Donovan and myself took the opportunity to check out the Pommery at the pre dinner tasting.This particular Champagne was a Gold Star Award Winner at the Irish Wine Show recently .Elegant and lively,rich,nicely rounded with good persistence and very well balanced.The Champagne I mean as opposed to Gary!

Cheers,

Evelyn

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Pearl Cartoon Girl checks out The Dublin Web Summit.

2010-10-30T14:49:00.012+01:00

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

2010-10-30T11:03:00.004+01:00

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

JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Allegrini ,La Grola,2006,Valpolicella

2010-10-28T18:26:00.002+01:00

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

JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Chateau Yquem

2010-10-25T21:11:00.004+01:00

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
THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR

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Evelyn

Tapas and a bottle of Rioja... Heaven!

2010-10-23T15:42:00.002+01:00

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

2010-10-23T11:06:00.005+01:00

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
THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR

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Pieropan"Calvarino" Soave Classico 2008

2010-10-20T12:19:00.003+01:00

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

JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Pearl Cartoon Girl checks out The European Bloggers Conference

2010-10-18T13:34:00.005+01:00

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

2010-10-15T11:46:00.005+01:00

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
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CATALDO, NERO D`AVOLA 2009,SICILY

2010-10-14T11:23:00.001+01:00

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
THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR

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Alpha Zeta "G" Garganega

2010-10-13T12:15:00.007+01:00

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

2010-10-08T16:17:00.006+01:00

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

2010-10-07T15:32:00.006+01:00

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,

2010-10-07T13:34:00.004+01:00

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
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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Protos Joven, Ribera del Duero '07

2010-09-29T16:13:00.000+01:00

Nerja is beautiful, great weather, quaint Spanish streets, very few tacky nightclubs or aprons displaying the female anatomy.
Despite all of the above, the holiday was a bit of a disaster. David had forgotten to pack some good humour, I had forgotten my patience and Declan had forgotten his immune system - maybe a holiday wasn't such a great idea!!!
There's always a silver lining - Coto de Imaz Reserva was €16 a bottle in a restaurant and Protos was a couple of Euro less.
Protos Roble '07, Ribera del Duero is a great value Northern Spanish red that offers almost everything - in my opinion.
A big but classy red. Black dark berry fruit - cherries and blackberry with a mild smokiness and a black liquorice twist. The finish is meaty and smooth with no harsh tannins.
This is an ideal roast meat red but try it with manchego cheese and chorizo sausage.
Available in Deveney's of Dundrum @ €15.00
Ruth.

Santa Rita Pehuén Carmenère

2010-09-25T17:04:00.004+01:00

Myself, Ruth and Ev recently attended the Santa Rita "Local Heroes" dinner in the Merrion hotel where along with other members of the trade, journalists and restaurateurs we sat down to an unbelievable meal cooked by Sebastian Maturara, the Chilean chef, flown over especially and all accompanied by some of their finest wines. Nights like these I forget about the long hours, harsh duty rates and anything else that bothers me about the wine business and I figure we have THE BEST jobs in the world!
Santa Rita launched this campaign last year to honour the heroes who fought for their independence from Spain in the Civil war. One of these heroes, Bernard O'Higgins and his 120 man army sought refuge in the cellars of Santa Rita and after resting up went on to win independence for Chile. It was because of Bernard O'Higgins' Irish connections that Santa Rita launched this campaign here in the hope of finding more brave Irishmen and women of the more local kind. The 120 range is so called after these brave men but it is their more premium wines that really impressed on the night.

The star of the night for me was the Pehuén Carmenère. This is a single vineyard Carmenère from the Apalta region. This grape needs a long growing period to ripen fully so the Apalta valley is perfect for this. The wine is called after the native Chilean tree better known to us as the monkey puzzle tree. A deep, dark and luscious colour displaying chocolate, dark cassis, spices, coffee and plenty of fruit on the nose. Big and robust in the mouth with beautiful complexity and a smoky finish that went on long after the last drop. This retails for €54.99 but worth every cent so maybe (dare I say it) a Christmas treat! It needs full-flavoured foods to work with as Sebastian showed us with delicately cooked lamb served with a traditional Chilean corn based salsa. The flavours worked beautifully with this wine.

Beautiful match

A memorable night with great food and beautiful wine but seriously suffered the next morning even though we sensibly dragged ourselves home after the dinner. Recommended Copper Face Jacks to Sebastian... I wonder how that worked out!
Till next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse

CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

2010-09-24T12:51:00.000+01:00

Dear Dr.Hannah.

I am suffering a critical food pairing dilemma. My mother passed away 12 months ago, just after my 37th Birthday. On realising how spacious the family home had become without the chair lift and shower seat etc. I set about rectifying my space issues. I thus met a lovely girl via the World Wide Web on a friendly chat room. A nice pleasant young lady from Chang Mai.
She arrived and her cooking skills were far from bacon and cabbage. I am having difficulties with matching the fish curries or noodle soup that we are substituting for my mother's mash and gravy.
None of these dishes seem to work with Guinness, could you please offer me an alternative.
Desperate for some wine advise in the West.
Anon.

Dear Anon,
I'm delighted to hear of your new companion. Amorous advice is not my forte. On a wine front my advice would be to stick to New World, traditional German grape varieties. If your preference is red I would suggest a fruity un-wooded pinot noir. Ideally a Margaret River or a Hawkes Bay. There are more reasonable alternatives from Chile and Argentina. Ask in your local wine specialist for un-oaked options.
Whites are much easier to acquire. New World Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer or Riesling are ideal accompaniments but equally a decent German Riesling such as Dr.Loosen which is relatively widely available. My preference would be a Nelson Pinot Gris and these are becoming quite popular as aperitifs but also great with an Indian or Chinese take-away. Do your research in your local Off-Licence and explore your options.
Hope this helps the food pairing dilemma and hoping that the language barrier is a little easier to live with.
Dr.Hannah.

MADEMOISELLE L ,2005, HAUT MEDOC

2010-09-23T20:25:00.003+01:00

Caroline Frey is a lucky lady.She trained in college as a wine maker and lucky for her ,her dad was able to afford to buy Ch La Lagune ,a 3rd classed growth in the Haut- Medoc, just down the road from Margaux. So she took this historically highly regarded Chateau and completely revamped the wine making facilities using state of the art gravity based design,and if you could ever call the actual inside of a winery beautiful(other than the always atmospheric barrel rooms) you could actually consider using that word here.Every little detail is thought of , attractive curved guttering to allow spilt juice and water to run off ,elevated control panels like something out of a lunar module, and stainless steel gravity feeders suspended high above the ceiling over spotless stainless steel tanks.Then you go outside and there is a lovely little chateau with attractive courtyards and outbuildings.It really must be a winemakers heaven.
Mademoiselle L is her more mainstream product retailing at around €18 a blend of Cabernet and Merlot from vineyards sourced adjacent to La Lagune with similar terraine.A wine which is fruit driven by Bordeaux standards but with lovely structure and balance and the current vintage of 2005 reflects the excellence of this vintage.

Sante

Evelyn
THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR.

http://www.chateau-lalagune.com/chateau-la-lagune-en.html

Cheers

Evelyn

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Coto De Imaz ,Rioja, Reserva 2004

2010-09-18T21:52:00.003+01:00

Bren & David..Los Dos Muchachos!

September 9th 2010, it was the annual wine trade show from Spain which was on in the Shelbourne Hotel .Twenty of our Irish suppliers were showcasing their wines form all the different regions in Spain. More about that later.
David Losantos,who is the export manager from El Coto, Rioja kindly took time out with Bren Smith, their Irish wine importer, after the show to visit our shop and take me through the wonderful range of wines that El Coto make.
The bodega was founded in the early 1970's by a group of friends and as the story goes they have gone from strength to strength and never looked back. I tasted all their wines and I must say I thought they were all showing really well but the one that really stood out for me was the Coto De Imaz, Reserva, Roija 2004. Made from 100% Tempranillo. The grapes come from their own estate mainly in Rioja Alta, which is where some of the best fruit in Rioja is grown. The wine being a Reserva meaning it is aged for a minimum of 12 months in oak and 36 months between barrique and bottle before being released onto the market. On the nose the wine was full of red fruit aromas (cherries and strawberries) with a touch of spice the new American oak coming through, the wine has lovely velvety character on the palate with good ripe tannins and very well balanced leaving a lovely lingering finish. It will work really well with Tapas. Sausage or peppery dishes, also lamb is one of the classic food and wine pairing for me with this Rioja.

The wine retails under 20 Euro and well worth seeking out. Also I know there is a special on the basic El Coto, Rioja with all NoffLA members for the month of October at a steal for 10 Euro, which is a great introduction into classic Rioja.

Le Voyage d'Ulysse 2006

2010-09-15T10:24:00.001+01:00

This gorgeous Cotes du Rhone Villages would be a lovely accompaniment to Roast Lamb this Sunday. It's a blend of Syrah, Carrignan and Mouvedre. It is a gorgeous ruby red in the glass with aromas cherries and vanilla from the oak ageing. Cherries follow through to the palate with some raspberry flavours also present. The finish is typically Rhone; spicy with fine tannins.

The name of the wine means “The Journey of Ulisses”. Frederic David, the winemaker, named the wine after his 7 year old son, Ulisses and runs the vineyard with his father who bought it on his retirement in 1991 and moved the whole family down from Paris. I actually met Frederic when he was over in Dublin before Christmas and he spoke so passionately about not only his wines but the land itself that it would be difficult not to get enthused about them. He is very conscious about pesticides and trying to minimise the amounts used in the winemaking process as much for the wine he makes as for the land he is farming. He was telling me the property itself has a beautiful 16^th century chapel on it which he is renovating at the moment in the hope that they can eventually accommodate weddings on the vineyard. Can you imagine getting married amongst the vines and olive trees….?!

His best pal actually owns an Irish bar in nearby Nimes which he goes every Thursday for live trad sessions and to watch the rugby even admitting to donning our green jersey for some matches so there seems to be a bit of Irish in him!

He is a rather small producer, making only 5 wines..3 reds - one of them actually being a Kosher wine, a sauvignon blanc and a gorgeous rose. This is his top wine and on special in Cellars for the month of September at €11.99

Till next time

Clare

Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse, Naas Road

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

2010-09-14T13:45:00.007+01:00

Dr Hannah Wine Therapist
and perfect housewife.

Dear Dr Hannah,
I do hope you can help me.My sister is getting married on Saturday and while she was out with her fiancee last night ,I crept up to her bedroom and tried on her wedding dress.I know! I know ! What was I thinking of? Well actually I wasn't thinking because, I was having a glass of wine and as I have been dieting to fit into my bridesmaid dress ,the alcohol went straight to my head. Anyway there I was,swirling around in front of the mirror admiring myself ,when I managed to knock over the remainder of my glass, which was on the floor beside the mirror. I nearly died in fright, as this is a really expensive wedding dress and you can clearly see the pink stains around the hem. I did not have a clue what to do about the stain so I just crammed the dress back in its carrier and ran.
Please can you help me .Can you tell me how to remove red wine stains.I really do not want to tell my sister what I have done, as she is marrying my ex boyfriend and might think I did it on purpose.Which of course I didn't!

Upset from Ulster

Dear Upset from Ulster.
My my you are in a pickle here.First off can I point out that excessive dieting prior to a special event can be disastrous for the very reason mentioned by you. I have been to several weddings where the bridesmaids have been quite tipsy because they have not been eating properly prior to the wedding. Secondly to avoid long-term damage to your sisters wedding dress you should have acted as fast as possible by blotting the stains to remove any excess wine ,using a white cloth as the dye from coloured cloth could leak into the fabric and cause further damage. You should have run cold water over the stain immediately to dilute it. If the red wine has dried in it will be much harder to get it out now.
Given that you have done none of the above, it is highly unlikely that the stain can be got out of your sisters wedding dress . My best advice to you, is to suggest that you do a runner before the wedding ,preferable with your ex boyfriend/her fiance ...that way she will probably just burn the dress without looking at it and so will not be angry with you about the red wine stain.

I do hope that my advice works out for both you and your sister.
Dr Hannah

HUGEL PINOT BLANC 2007 CUVEE LES AMOURS

2010-09-11T19:59:00.007+01:00

What do you get when you cross the flavours of a very good Riesling with the flavours of a very good Pinot Gris.......Hugel Pinot Blanc 2007.
This is a wine that I seem to drink quite frequently, which is unusual given that I have, an entire shop to choose from every time I want a bottle of wine and, all day to ponder that choice..
It really is delicious and the fact that it has bottle age even more so.In fact I think Pinot Blanc ages better than Pinot Gris because it has that lovely limey backbone that one often finds in a Riesling.
So take that backbone and surround it with that fleshy yet elusive cool climate ripeness one encounters in Pinot Gris and there you have it.
A truly interesting wine @€14.95.

Prost!

Evelyn

THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR.

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Doña Paula Malbec 2008

2010-09-09T22:05:00.001+01:00

In the words of Mika... Big and beautiful comes to mind when you take a sip of this luscious deep coloured red. There are plums, blackberries and some coffee aromas. On the palate it is soft and round with sweet tannins. Malbec is a real favourite with a lot of my customers and for all those red meat eaters out there you need to try it with a juicy sirloin steak.... There is a reason why it is known as the "Original Steak Wine"

From the Mendoza region of Argentina this is 100% Malbec and a true expression of what the grape can produce. Argentina have really taken Malbec as their own even though it has a long history in the Cahors region just south of Bordeaux. Here the grape produces a highly tannic wine with black fruit and violet aromas. It only reached Argentina in the late ninteenth century where originally due to high yields it was served as a mediocre table wine. As winemaking techniques improved and yields controlled, it has gained worldwide recognition and deservedly so.

The Claro group which are the Chilean company behind Santa Rita and Terra Andina to name but a few acquired vineyards in the late 1990s in Argentina and Doña Paula was founded. As winemakers they believe in protecting the environment and try to do their utmost to ensure that neither the environment or their workers are at any risk by avoiding pesticides and allowing natural processes to control pests.

Give this a try for €13.99 and you won't be disappointed.
Till next Time
Clare
Cellars, the Big Wine Warehouse
CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION

Chateau Marsau 2003

2010-09-06T11:59:00.005+01:00

This excellent small property in the Cotes De Francs, lying beside St Emilion on the right bank is producing some delicious wine. Owned by a Bordeaux wine merchant and producing less then 5,000 cases a year made up mostly from the merlot grape.Chateau Marsau has been heralded as the Petrus of the Cotes De Franc by none other then Robert Parker, who by the way is the most influential wine critic in the world! The property has a little mircoclimate of its own with great sunshine and perfect soil for merlot. This property has been recognised as one of the rising stars of the Cotes De Franc and one to seek out when looking for a good value Bordeaux. I had the Marsau 2003 recently which was a hot vintage in Bordeaux, the wine offers real deep red sumptuous dark berry fruit.It is full bodied, soft round rich opulent and elegant with and touch of mint and eucalyptus on the nose, its well balanced and drinking now.
I produced this wine recently at my friends dinner party and it impressed everyone, worked really well with lamb and at a fraction of the price of a bottle of Chateau Petrus it sure is a way to impress!
The wine is €23.99 but for the month September we have it at €16.99... that is while stocks last!

Enjoy,

Julie
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

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