Cousino Macul Sauvignon Blanc and Un-Wooded Chardonnay

A Chilean white that I like? My preference is generally a red regardless of food pairings, I will always seek out an appropriate red wine to accompany a white wine dish, unless of course an Alsace great or a fat Burgundy, I will definitely do. I am always the girl in the corner with the garnet gums. My mother tells me it's due to porous teeth. Either way I have grown to accept the side effects of being a red wine lover and a travel toothbrush in a zip lock bag is very fashionable, in my opinion.
Clare introduced me to Cousino Macul, Antiguas Reservas, Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an elegant 14% Valle Del Maipo Cabernet. Aged in French oak for 12 months and bottle rested for a further 6 months prior to release. When you're looking for a red that packs a punch on a piece of ripe, slightly high Saint Agur this is your team mate. At €14.99 it slots in somewhere on my top 30 reds of 2010.
Yesterday I sampled their whites. I am not a massive New World Sauvignon fan. I think that's due to a combination of reasons. Tom's brainwash and too many girl's nights with inexpensively produced and acidified ''Sauvignon'' generally from the Marlborough region. This was a surprise though.... Cousino Macul Sauvignon Blanc 2009 had a really interesting multi faceted nose displaying typical New World Sauvignon characteristics, fresh, clean cool climate fruit teamed with cucumber, fresh cut grass, pineapple, sherbet and mango- makes your mouth water!. The palate was equally as grown up, granny smith apple and fresh green asparagus, quite savoury flavours and finishing relatively dry. Try it with some SuperQuinn frozen tiger prawns in butter, lemon juice and cracked pepper on the barbecue. They're half price at the moment and worth getting up in the middle of the night for. Cousino Macul, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 €11.90.
I was really impressed with their un- wooded Chardonnay. As an Old World Chardonnay fan I am always interested in the New World attempt at recreating the fat creamy palate and elegance of a Burgundy or a rested Gruner, as I recently discovered. Cousino Macul have done a really good job. The nose is tropical with honeyed fruit and orange peel. The palate is clean, soft, creamy with some waxy fruit  flavours and good acidity. I would want to drink this with Trish Deveney's chicken and parmesan signatory dish or a nice piece of Brie de Meaux. Cousino Macul Un-Oaked Chardonnay 2009 €11.90.
All available to purchase in Deveney's of Dundrum.
I'm a massive fan!
Ruth.

GatoNegro Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, Central Valley Chile

 
GatoNegro’s history dates back to the 1960’s when it was first released in Chile and as such it is one of the country’s oldest and best known wines. 



 Surrounded by the Andes Mountains, the warm, sunny vineyards benefit from both coastal sea breezes as well as the cold air which sweeps down from the Andes ensuring that the grapes ripen slowly, developing maximum flavour potential.  The winemaker at GatoNegro is Carlos Chandía who worked several vintages in France before returning home to his native Chile in 2001

Displaying rich jammy summer berry fruits with nice smooth silky tannins.  A soft easy-drinking style with a creamy caramel edge.

“A well rounded wine that is a real quaffer and great value for money.”  €7.99

GatoNegro recently received a well deserved NOFFLA Gold Star Award in Ireland for 2009.

Adios,

Evelyn

THE VINTRY ,RATHGAR

 CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION

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Peter Lehmann 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon,Barossa , My Word is My Bond

I have chosen this wonderful wine from South Australia as one of my favourite BBQ wines.

It is really full bodied, with lovely jammy fruit and a dry edge that works great with any red meats and rich flavoured foods. 


Margaret,Doug and Peter Lehmann

I was lucky enough to have meet Peter and his lovely wife Margaret on my visit to Australia. He is known as the Baron of the Barossa, but to me he was more like the Godfather of the Barossa!. He has the same kinda presence as Marlon Brando, very tall strong charismatic gentleman, his eldest son Doug is now running the show but Peter is still entertaining visitors when they call. I know even when he visited Ireland he was the last to leave the Trocadero after meeting up with all are famous stars and he entertained them for the night!. There hospitality and cellar door is almost world famous!

My Word is My Bond  is how he started in business in the late 1980's. He promised to protect  quality independent growers wherever possible, there were no contracts drawn up just a hand shake and his word. When there was a surplus of grapes and the company he was working for refused to buy the grapes off the long established grape suppliers,  
                                                                                 Peter on the right with the lads at the Weigh Bridge Station  striking the deal.

Peter would not break his word, begged and borrowed and agreeing to pay his suppliers as soon as he sold on the wine. That’s the gamble he took and it worked for him. He founded his own company and never looked back...

Peter was awarded a lifetime achievement award for his wonderful contribution to the wine industry over the past 62 years in 2009 from the International wine challenge.

Colour. Rich dense red with a purple hue

Nose. Dark berries, black-currents, hint of violets, dark chocolate, vanilla essence

Palate. Silky rounded soft fruit, touch of spice with soft tannins.

Cheers,

Julie



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Perez Cruz Cabernet '08

The wow girls consists of 4 all- weather members but we do have quite a few honorary ladies that engage in light tasting and experimental work from time to time.

Agreed terms of a Pavilion membership – candidate must give 100% commitment to the tasting tasks in operation and be very discreet in disclosing results or aftermath of experiments to non members.

Louise Carpenter is our 5th member. Louise is my oldest school friend and she lives with Clare and I in 66. Working as a successful Project manager by day and moonlighting as a patron of wine after hours. She heads our communications department and often holds council during heated wine debates.

I drafted Louise in to do an exercise on Chilli Doritos and Perez Cruz, Friday night style.

Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2008 is an estate bottled wine from the Maipo Valley – Chile. Personally, Chilean wines are not a first choice of mine. I find it difficult to sell them and sometimes drink them, despite them being massively popular with the Irish consumer. This is one Chilean that I never have difficulty vending and one that I take home myself quite often. I needed a second opinion.

Got out our Schott glasses and pulled the cork. It pours this blackcurrant almost liquorice colour. The nose is blackcurrant fruit – cassis, mint, vanilla, some earthy notes and some liquorice – all-sorts.

The palate is silky and full bodied. Ripe dark berry fruit but not too sweet in comparison to other well known Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon’s. The liquorice aromas are there amongst the fruit with a little bit of earthiness – slightly unusual for Chilean Cabernet’s.

This Red is really well structured. Good firm tannins that stand up against the ripe fruit and a little acidity on the finish but all really balanced.

The results of the Chilli Dorito combination were all in all very favourable. The 400g bag was finished within the last glass and the spice and salt of the chips worked well with the fruit and slight residual sugars of the wine.

Great value meal consisting in total €13.00 for two.

Perez Cruz 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon €10.00

Chilli Doritos 400g €3.00

A reasonable Friday.

O&O

Ruth