Something old, something new...

With the Celtic tiger having legged it off to wherever he wandered out from, everyone is keeping a tighter hold on their money and what they are getting for it. Gone are the days of the words"Feck it! It's our big day and it will only happen once!" and  couples seem to more involved than ever in the finer details of their weddings leaving an awful lot of unemployed Francks!

Me and the girls at Jennie & Kevin's

This has been my year for weddings - like the year of the 18ths,21st and 30ths so I have been in the company of many brides-to-be and have heard them swopping money-saving ideas such as DIY invitations and amature flower arrangements. The best of all I heard this week was a bride who really wanted The Dublin Gospel Choir during the ceremony but instead asked her pals to pull out some of the oldies from school and even though they were a bit rusty, these are the things that I think make a wedding really special. Now granted a lot of my friends do enjoy their wine along with the fact that if I am invited to your wedding I have a strict "you better have bought that from me, my family or close friend" policy but putting that all that to the side they have managed to select a wine they love, save money and also return any bottles that they have not used - it's a no brainer.

In the last year hotel's have become more open to the idea of bringing in your own wines and corkage although still high is more manageable as a result myself and the other three W.O.W.s have become experts in what wine goes with beef and salmon!! Two great little wines that are flying out the door for weddings are from Boschendal which is one of the oldest wine farms in South Africa and from Italy . They are both packaged beautifully(which is very important when sitting on a dressed table) but they also offer great value for money.

THE NEW(world) !

The red which is called The Pavillion is a Shiraz Viognier blend from the Boschendal range. Dark fruits on the nose especially plums and blackberries. The palate is very fruit forward but has a lingering spicy finish. Nicely balanced tannins means it works well with meat but the fruitiness of the wine allows it to be a real crowd-pleaser which is exactly what you want.

€7.99 per bottle

The white is a chenin blanc and viognier blend also from the same range. A golden colour with tropical fruits on the nose; melons and pears. This again is a real fruit explosion on the palate which makes for easy-drinking yet well-balanced acidity pairs it well to chicken dishes.

€7.99 per bottle

THE OLD(world)!

This Veneto red is full-bodied with luscious dark cherries and a smokiness on the nose. There is a lovely velvety mouth-feel to this with smooth tannins and a dry complex finish. It is a blend of Corvina(traditional Valpolicella grape) and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a more serious red than the Pavillion but still well priced.

€10 per bottle

The white in this is a pinot grigio and pinot nero blend. Pinot grigio is I think always a safe option for a wedding as it is a very inoffensive grape which sometimes works against it. With this blend thouigh there is more body than you would expect and a lovely creaminess to it. On the nose we have pears and white flowers and in the mouth a gorgeous freshness.

€10 per bottle

 The average corkage seems to be anything between €7 - €10 and with some persuasion it should be possible to bargain them down to the lower bracket. House wines in hotels generally tend to be about €20 so whether you are trying to save money or just get better value for your buck it is definitely something to consider. On The Pavillion range if you got the hotel down to even €8 corkage you could make a saving of nearly €5 per bottle when case dicounts are taken into consideration and when you put that across 100 bottles of wine you might even save your bridesmaids from the  papercuts and tears of DIYing invitations, sorry Celene!! Or if you are after quality you could end up paying the same for something you and your guests thoroughly enjoyed over some anaemic New World house wine.
 In Mary H's words "Shop around"...

Till next Time

Clare
CELLARS,NAAS ROAD

CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION
http://wowireland.blogspot.com/
CELLARS,NAAS ROAD:DEVENEYS DUNDRUM:JUS DE VINE PORTMARNOCK:THE VINTRY RATHGAR

Stop That Bus

LOVE BOX 2010

A hot English summer's day,Love Box,Victoria Park, London,Grace Jones and one essential drink... a glass of Pimm's.What more could we ask for?An English summer drink through and through.This drink is so popular  that it is often thought of as the number two English drink, tea of course being the first.

And I was in London after all so i decided to go native!


Recipe for Traditional Pimm's No 1
Easy - Take a jug or glass and fill it with ice, mix one part Pimm’s No. 1 with 3 parts chilled lemonade, add some mint, cucumber, orange and strawberry.

Bottoms Up

Julie

DEAR DOCTOR...let us solve your wine problems

Dr Hannah Our Resident Wine Therapist 

and Perfect Housewife

Dear  Dr Hannah,
I hope you can help me.

My husband Eamonn and I argue all the time about the best way to clean our wine glasses.He likes to use washing up liquid but I don`t and, every evening after dinner, we have terrible arguments about this and generally end up not talking to each other. We have been married for ten years and I am beginning to think our marriage is in crises.Things have got so bad that I cannot decide whether to give up wine, use disposable glasses or just leave him. Can you advise us as I want to save our marriage?  

                                                                                                                                                                          Yours in desperation,

                                                                                                     Carmel

Dear Carmel,

My, My, you and your  poor husband Eamonn do seem to have a serious problem here. Try as we might to ignore it, the truth is that wine glasses do need just a little bit more care in the washing arena than your average glass. Keep in mind that the liquid in the wine glass is typically a bit pricier than your glass of milk or orange juice, so the extra measures to ensure a clean glass could be viewed as merely protecting a valuable investment.

 Every marriage can have its problems however I must admit that yours is particularly complex and as such has several solutions.  My advice Carmel, to both you and Eamonn, is that you can take one of  the several approaches below which should help restore happiness in your marriage:

The Rinser Method

As easy as it sounds, just rinse, rinse and triple rinse your wine glasses with hot water. Make sure that all of the residual wine is removed and allow glasses to air dry, turned upside down on a clean towel.

The Washer Method

Using a very mild detergent, sparingly add a drop to each glass and sponge the soap around to remove all wine stain. Then rinse the heck out of the glass. Soap residue left on your wine glass will interfere with the flavor and aroma of wine.

The Soda Method

Often reserved for delicate crystal glasses, washing soda (or baking soda if you are hard pressed) will gently clean the glass and absorb residual wine. Washing soda is available in most grocery stores in the detergent section. Remember that crystal is much more porous than typical glass and is more likely to absorb odors from its surroundings, including storage companions - like a cupboard full of coffee or cleaning detergents used in the process.

Dishwasher Method

Wine glasses that have shorter stems and that are not made from crystal are ideal candidates for the good old dishwasher. Just use a bit less detergent than you would for a normal, full load and don't set the wash cycle on "heat dry," so that you avoid baking on detergent that has not washed clean. Once the cycle is complete, immediately remove glasses and hand dry with a cotton (lint-free) dish towel.

Why not try to introduce a bit of excitement into your marriage by taking turns with the various methods above.  The method may vary, but the result should be the same - a clean glass of wine, every time.

 Carmel, I hope this advice helps you and Eamonn resolve your difficulties.

Doctor Hannah

Wine Therapist


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

Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2006

Pierre, the export manager for Masi took time out last week to take Clare and I through some of the great wines of Masi.

Masi has been one of the historic interpreters of Amarone since 1772 when the Boscaini family (now the 6th generation) bought land in the heart of Valpolicella classico(near Lake Garda) and gained access to the most prestigious vineyards and best location for the appasimento.

Appasimento(drying of the grapes) is the traditional method used in the Veneto region to give the wines great aromas , concentration and flavour. The grapes, Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara are laid out to rest for a long time on bamboo racks to dry out before vinification.This can take up to 3/4 months When the semi dried grapes are ready, they produce a wonderful rich unique wine we all know as Amarone.

Masi Costasera Amarone Classico 2006
This deep dark ruby red wine wine has aromas of baked fruits, plums, cherries, with a touch of mocha. Soft tannins, good alcohol levels and a long velvety finish. Its a wine to be shared with good friends after dinner with some mature cheese or will stand up to any roasts.
This is one of the classic wines from the Masi range,and once you try it will understand why they are the leading premium Amarone producer accounting for 20% of the total production in the Veneto region. They have also ventured into making wines in Argentina which i will talk you through next week!
We managed to grab a few minutes with Pierre which you can see and he was able to explain the Amarone and Ripasso production method, as Masi was the first to make a Ripasso, no better man to ask! See our VBLOG in Clares post titled Masi Poderi del Bello Ovile 2007

Cheers, Julie
JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK

CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION

http://wowireland.blogspot.com

CELLARS,NAAS ROAD:DEVENEYS, DUNDRUM:JUS DE VINE, PORTMARNOCK:THE VINTRY,RATHGAR

Cuatro Pasos Bierzo 2008

 The name translates directly to Four Steps and is called after the four bear pawprints that were found in an ancient vineyard in the highest area of Bierzo, Spain where this wine is from.  Cuatro Pasos also relates to the four steps to making a beautiful wine according to producer Martin Codax which are; selection of the land, care for the vine, climate and vinification.

Bierzo Valley

El Bierzo region itself was only recognised as a D.O. in 1989 making it one of the newest in spain. It is situated 3 hours in-land from Rias Baixas in the Northwest just over Portugal. The main grape varity planted here is Mencia of which this wine is 100%. There has been much confusion to the origins of this grape which was once thought to be Cabernet Franc and later linked to the Portugese grape Jaen du Dao although lately Mencia has been recognised as an indigeneous grape of Spain. It is thought that this grape was brought to the area by pilgrims travelling on the nearby Camino de Santiago. El Bierzo sits in a valley and has it's own micro - climate which is a mix between humid Galicia and sunny Castille with the valley protecting it from harsh winter frosts. All grapes for this wine come from an  average of 80year old vines and is aged for 2 months in American and French oak. The result is a fresh cherry red with purplish hues and a nose of peppers, licquorice and red fruits. On the palate the wine is medium to full-bodied with smooth mouth-feel, plenty of red fruit flavours and subtle oak on the finish.

 Had three of my pals over for dinner on Sunday evening and as funds were tight after an eventful weekend, I trotted off to Dunnes with 23 euro coins in my pockets. They had a special going on mince meat and a two for three on the dolmio range so it was decided upon, my old favourite lasagne. Something very comforting about a sloppy plate of lasagne, salad and hot bread. Needless to say the wine was not included in the €23 but one of the girls who was obviously equally as strapped as myself brought Cuatro Pasos along. I say this as I had actally given this bottle to her as a present when she arrived back from completing the Camino de Santiago the month previous. Two of the girls were driving so myself and herself enjoyed a couple of glasses each and she took the empty bottle home with her as we decided it would be rude for her not to - I had bought it AND drank it so fair is fair!!

 I have a serious soft spot for Spanish wines after living in Madrid for a year and can be quite biased towards everything Spanish, this section in the shop is taking over! It is nice to try something other than Tempranillo from Spain and this is delicious and worth a try for €13.99.

Till Next time


Clare
CELLARS,NAAS ROAD

CONSUME AND ENJOY IN MODERATION
http://wowireland.blogspot.com/

CELLARS,NAAS ROAD:DEVENEYS DUNDRUM:JUS DE VINE PORTMARNOCK:THE VINTRY RATHGAR

Bastille Day Celebrations with Barton and Guestier

Kinara v Vintry

Peter, Evelyn and chief strategist Stephen

This year the Bastille day Petanque tournament was hosted by Barton and Guestier in the lovely gardens of the Raddisson St. Helans.We were the defending champions and missing the main man Gerry (I would say that!) due to Cork week so I was promoted  to the first team and was feeling the pressure. This was not helped by the fact that Stephen had had a party the night before and we were feeling a little bit "tired and emotional".

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud suggests pleasure to many but to Team Vintry it conjours up deadly fear as their teams are the standard bearers of this competition .We managed to beat them(just) in last years final so we were suitabley unimpressed when we drew the formidable opponents of Stephane Robin ,his son and a very brave employee in our group this year.In fact most of  the people in our group were excellent and it was a pleasure, after years of persisting at this tournament,to finally realise that we are not bad either. Speaking of bad ...Hollands of  Bray spring to mind.They reminded me of the lads on our team when we  first started out with this tournament..creating mayhem and comedy with every throw of the boule with the hope that the chaos would destabilise the opponents, and speaking from experience this worked for us for many years.So keep it up lads!

Peter tries in vain to save us from defeat to Dax

Anyway we won our group, so we still cannot dine in Guilbauds  for fear of death, and next thing we get Dax in the semi finals.Disaster(!).. because Dax is my favourite restaurant (sorry Stephane). So I quickly realize that  if we beat them I cannot go there again, except in disguise, and if we lose I will get indigestion every time I go there.
Need I say more ...I need to find a new  favourite or to invest in a large box of antacid tablets.

Speaking of antacid we had a lovely sparkling Chardonnay from the Loire, produced by Barton and Guestier which we tippled on throughout the day, for which no such tablet was required  despite the party the night before!
It was a real quaffer and I was seriously  impressed with it  as were my team mates .

Congrats to Barton and Guestier and all the team in Gilbeys as the total event raised €1000 euro for the Irish Wheelchair association.

Jusqu'à l'année prochaine!

Evelyn

The Vintry

La Chablisienne

Clare and I attended a tutored tasting presented by Herve Tucki of  La Chablisienne in the Conrad last Thursday.We tasted three basic Chablis, three single site 1er Cru and a mere five single site Grand Crus from various vintages from 2009 back to1994!

When I arrived, I told Christine Smyth of Mackenway, in a fit of the early morning blues(I am not a morning person) ,that the last thing I needed for The Vintry was more Chablis.

I was wrong as we tasted some really superb ones here!

What did I learn?

Firstly, that all Chablis needs some age to become really interesting .

Secondly, that Chardonnay grown on Kimmeridgian soil brings out the authentic minerality of true Chablis.It is a chalky limestone and clay consisting of an infinite number of oyster shell fossils left over from an ancient sea bed.

Thirdly, that very very few white wines offer up such beautiful concentration of fruit purity on the palate.

And finally ,the combination of the three elements above creates a wine of true tension yet balance and reminded me that  Chablis as a fine wine is truly mouthwatering stuff and highly highly underrated!

Meet Herve below..A little bit difficult to understand, at times ,but worth the effort as he is a true ambassador of these wines.

Evelyn

The Vintry ,Rathgar