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Dessert Wines For Christmas

Posted by on December 19, 2016

First published in The Irish Times, December 20th, 2016

If you still have room for Christmas pudding after the turkey, tawny or vintage character port compliment it very well; all of those spices and dried fruits work perfectly together. I will certainly crack open a bottle of vintage port on Christmas Day and, in the unlikely event that it is not finished, I will polish it off over the next few days. However, I am not a great fan of sweet foods, so I am happy to leave the pudding to others. Instead, I will also open a bottle or half-bottle of sweet wine and have a liquid dessert instead. A good dessert wine should never taste cloying; it is all about the fine balance of acidity and sweetness.

Many producers vie to make wines with the highest levels of extraction and a hefty concentration of residual sugar. This may be impressive at the tasting table, but such wines can bully rather than charm. Lighter – and often cheaper – sweet wines can be much more refreshing. They go really well with fruit salads and fruit tarts, both lighter alternatives to Christmas puddings, and blue cheese too. Half-bottles are a very good idea, as one glass is usually enough, and if your partner (like mine) doesn’t like dessert wine, a bottle might linger too long in the fridge door. I bought a batch of mixed Sauternes many years ago, and occasionally dip into my stash for a treat. An open bottle or half-bottle will keep in the fridge for a week or more. Moscato d’Asti is a simple but delicious dessert wine. Low in alcohol, it is exuberant, refreshing and sweet, all at the same time. It is possibly a little too light for Christmas pudding but goes really well with fruit salads and tarts, as well as creamy desserts such as panna cotta and pavlova. It is heavenly with some very unseasonal strawberries and cream.

Ice wine is made by crushing still-frozen grapes, leaving behind the water content.  Originally a German rarity, they are now routinely made in Canada. They have very high levels of residual sugar and acidity, but I find them overwhelming and enamel stripping. Aldi have a good example if you want to experiment. Sauternes, southwest France and Alsace are just three sources of good French dessert wines. You will also find some superb sweet Rieslings from Germany, Austria, Australia and South Africa.Vin Santo from Tuscany is delicious but very intense, and a 5 Putts Tokaji from Hungary one of the finest of all.

 Mitchell & Son have a fine selection of dessert wines in all price brackets from €15 upwards, including a half-bottle of Chateau d’Yquem 2006 for €284.99 if you are feeling flush. I have also recently tried the delicious Castelnau de Suduiraut (€32.99, half-bottles €18.99) from Jus de Vine and Wines on the Green.

My  bargain bottle this week is a bit if a cheat – it is a 1/2 bottle. It was too good to leave out and finding a good sweet wine for less than €15 proved beyond me on this occasion.

DSCF7093Petit Guiraud 2012, Sauternes

13.5%

½ bottle €18, Full bottle €39.99

Very attractive medium-bodied wine with light barley sugar and peaches.

Stockists: Mitchell & Son, chq, Sandycove & Avoca, Kilmacanogue

 

 

 

 

Image 4Max Richter Veldenzer Elisenberg Riesling Auslese 2006

€39.95

8.5%

Delectable honey and exotic fruits with a balanced long elegant sweet finish.

Stockists: Redmond’s, Ranelagh; The Corkscrew, Chatham St.; 64 Wine, Glasthule.

 

 

 

Image 1Viajra Moscato d’Asti 2015

€16.99

5.5%

 

Exuberant fragrant light wine with intense Muscat grapes on nose and palate.

 

Stockists: Fresh Outlets; Jus de Vine; The Corkscrew; Mitchell & Son; Wicklow Wine Co; Donnybrook Fair Baggot St. Wines; Blackrock Cellar; Martins.

 

Bargain Bottle

Image 2Ch. Jolys Cuvée Jean 2013 Jurancon

12.5%

€13.95 per ½ bottle

 

Delicious refreshing dessert wine with luscious pineapple and apricot fruits.

 

Stockists: Wines Direct Mullingar winesdirect.ie

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Christmas – The Big Feast

Posted by on December 11, 2016

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 10th December, 2016

 I covered Christmas dinner in the Irish Times Winter Food and Drink magazine in November. But for those who may have lost their copy, to reiterate, I would suggest a Pinot Noir, Syrah (from the Northern Rhône) or Shiraz, or Grenache to go with turkey. From Spain, a Rioja Reserva will do nicely, although I would be tempted to try a lighter red from Bierzo. I know many of you will ignore me completely, but a tannic Bordeaux is not the ideal partner for turkey.

Do start the day with something nice – Champagne is great if numbers and budget permit. A Chardonnay of some sort would be the traditional white option, and most work very well with a fishy starter and the turkey, too, if required. But this year, why not experiment a little with a Godello from Galicia in Spain, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, or a Chenin Blanc from South Africa? All three offer great alternatives. A Soave or Vermentino from Italy would also do very nicely. However, I have a bottle of the Viognier, pictured on the page, stashed away for our Christmas dinner.

Roast beef is popular for post-Christmas get-togethers. A rib roast is a brilliant partner for most reds, Cabernets and Bordeaux in particular. Jus de Vine has the lovely Château d’Angludet 2012 for a very competitive €40. Alternatively, the delicious concentrated tannic Nebbiolo (below) would be fantastic. The wines of Viajra, from the same region are also worth looking out for in independents. Just don’t try them without food. Both Cabernet and Nebbiolo go very nicely with that other seasonal favourite, roast goose. If you are serving something sweet, such as red cabbage or an apple stuffing, then Pinot Noir or Rioja is a better bet. If you only drink white wine, go for a really good Riesling from Alsace or Germany, or a rich Pinot Gris.

Turkey curry is traditional in some households, and here I would go for a Pinot Gris or good Pinot Grigio, a Grüner Veltliner from Austria, or maybe a rich Garnacha from Spain. I like my turkey and stuffing sandwiches accompanied by a light refreshing Beaujolais or a Mencía from Bierzo.

A few last minute buys: Mail order company Wines Direct has two Chardonnays, the excellent Chablis Moreau 2015 (€23.15) and the delicious Maillet Macon-Villages 2014 (€23.25). Whelehan’s has the lovely rich Bierzo Godello Luna Bebride (€19.95) and O’Briens has the very keenly-priced Pouilly-Fumé Domaine de Bel Air for €16.95. I recently came across the very well-priced Fonseca Quinta do Panascal Vintage Port 2001 for €30 from SuperValu. I love the days following Christmas, when I open up random interesting bottles. This will certainly include a German Riesling Trocken and a good bottle of Amontillado Sherry, along with many others.

Image 2Pouilly-Fumé 2014 Domaine de Bel-Air

13%

€16.95

A very attractive well-priced Sauvignon with tangy green fruits and a crisp dry finish.

Stockists: O’Briens

 

 

 

 

Image 1Langhe Nebbiolo 2014, Produttori del Barbaresco

13.5%

€23.75

Delicious firm austere dark fruits; perfect with beef or goose.

Stockists: Select Carry Out; Cinnamon Cottage, Rochestown;

Terroirs, Donnybrook; JJ O’Driscolls; The Corkscrew; Karwig Eines.

 

 

 

Viognier de Rosine 2014Viognier de Rosine 2014, Domaine Ogier,

Vdp des Collines Rhodanniennes

12.5%

€33.95

 

Peaches and pineapples perfectly balanced by a cleansing acidity. Exquisite wine.

 

Stockists: Jus de Vin; La Touche; Searsons; Bottle Shop, D7; Green Man Wines.; One Pery Square.

 

 

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Hot to trot: Warm cocktails to cheer up the jaded Christmas palate

Posted by on December 4, 2016

First Published in The Irish Times, Saturday 3rd December, 2016

If you are tiring of the traditional mulled wine at Christmas, why not spice things up with a few different warming seasonal drinks? Some are so simple I would hesitate to call them cocktails, but all are certain to add some cheer on a cold winter’s evening.

Hot chocolate and Irish cream liqueur

I am not a fan of cream liqueurs, but I once used up an unwanted gift by adding a splash to my mug of hot cocoa. It was delicious. You have to use unsweetened cocoa powder or dark chocolate; drinking chocolate is too sweet. Drink with your loved one in front of the fire on a cold night.

Egg Nog

Traditional on both sides of the Atlantic. It can be made with cognac, bourbon, sherry or rum, depending on where you live and what you like. In this country, whiskey seems the natural choice. Don’t use your finest bottle here; a good blended Irish whiskey will do very nicely. You can add more or less spirit, or even serve it without alcohol. Egg nog is a little fiddly to make, although you prepare it in advance. There are those who recommend ageing it in the fridge for up to a week, but this might raise safety issues. A luxurious creamy cocktail that can pack a punch.

One litre of full fat milk, 225 grams sugar, 12 large egg yolks, 225 ml Irish whiskey (or more to taste) 250 ml cream. Whisk milk and sugar over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl, then add the hot mixture in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently for around 20 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil. Strain into a bowl and add whiskey and cold cream. Cool and then refrigerate. Serve cold, garnished with grated nutmeg and, if desired, the whipped leftover egg whites.

Whiskey Mac

One of the oldest cocktails, but one of the most satisfying, providing you use good quality whiskey and a decent ginger wine. If you want to take it a step further, use a ginger liqueur (the Celtic Whiskey Shop offer several). Otherwise mix equal quantities of whiskey and ginger wine, adding ice if you wish. It can also be served hot like a toddy, by boiling hot water.

Hot Buttered Rum

A delicious and warming drink, perfect on cold winter’s evenings. 125 grams softened butter, 125 grams brown sugar (or 2 tablespoons maple syrup) 2 teaspoons grated orange zest, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 125ml dark or golden rum, a litre of boiling water. Beat the butter with orange zest, brown sugar (or maple syrup) and nutmeg. Combine 2 tablespoons of the butter mix with 3 tablespoons of rum in a glass. Pour over boiling water. Serve with a cinnamon stick.

A Mulled Apple Toddy

This is a mix of mulled cider and an apple brandy toddy that I came up with one evening, although I am sure I am not the first to think of it. Gently heat a litre of good, fairly dry Irish cider with a strip of orange zest, or a slice of orange, a few cloves and a good spoonful of honey. The sweeter your cider, the less honey you will need. Once it comes to the boil, remove from the heat and add a generous measure of Irish apple brandy (both Longueville and Highbank produce very good examples) to taste. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon.

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Magnum Force – Thinking big this Christmas

Posted by on November 28, 2016
Magnum Force – Thinking big this Christmas

First Published in The Irish Times Saturday 26th November 2016

Big bottles make a statement. They are inherently festive, immediately adding to that sense of occasion we want to create at any celebration. Many years ago, I arrived at a friend’s dinner party with a jeroboam of wine, the equivalent of six standard bottles. The fact that it was Beaujolais Nouveau made no difference. It was fun, and it looked great. I think the empty bottle adorned his windowsill for the next 10 years. Yet we remain reluctant to invest in large format bottles. Several retailers I spoke to lamented the fact that customers were much more likely to buy two or three standard bottles than a magnum. It may be an aversion to opening the equivalent of two bottles, even if you know full well that you are going to consume at least that, or it may be seen as a bit bling in these austere times.
Mature vintages

Jeroboams are not easy to come across and are not easy to handle. Magnums, the equivalent of two bottles, are more practical and far easier to source. Most of the specialist wine retailers I contacted had an excellent selection and were expecting more in for Christmas. In fact, as there is often a slower turnover, you are more likely to come across older, more mature vintages of a wine in magnum. As wine apparently ages more slowly in magnums (it is all about the ratio of air to wine), this is a positive thing. This includes sparkling wine; many argue a magnum is the perfect size to mature Champagne. I have opened up a magnum of some kind every Christmas morning for many years, and will do so again this year. White wine can be a little more difficult to find, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to come across good quality wines. As for red wines, there is something available in every price bracket.

So this Christmas, why not go magnum force, serving sparkling, white and red from magnum? You could go the whole hog and invest in a late-bottled vintage port from magnum too. Marks & Spencer have their own-label LBV 2010, supplied by Taylor’s, no less. I would be very seriously tempted by the magnums of excellent Larmandier-Bernier Longitude Champagne for €119 in Terroirs in Donnybrook (and mail order), cheaper than many of the better-known but inferior brands. Red Bordeaux is not the best match with turkey, but if you are serving a roast of beef in the days following Christmas, a magnum will certainly impress, and there is a good selection in most shops. Otherwise, a magnum of Rioja, southern Rhône or Pinot Noir will accompany your turkey or goose perfectly.

Image 3Oudinot Cuvée Brut Tradition NV Magnum
12%
€75 per magnum

Fresh crisp and fruity with a nice touch of brioche on the finish.

Stockists: Marks & Spencer

ImageSoave Calvarino 2014, Pieropan
12.5%
€59.99 per magnum

A very refined dry white with floral aromas and lightly textured green apple and pear fruits.

Stockists: 64 Wine, Jus de Vine, La Touche and Corkscrew

DSCF7088Martínez Lacuesta Rioja Cosecha 2013
13.5%
€28.90

Aged six months in oak, giving a subtle spiciness to the vibrant dark cherry fruits. Greta with turkey.

Stockists: 64 Wine; The Corkscrew, Chatham St.; Baggot St. Wines.

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Port is not just for Christmas

Posted by on October 19, 2016

IMG_1302
First published in The Irish Times, Saturday October 15th, 2016

When you think of port, do images of fusty old colonels, and posh Downton-style dinner parties come to mind? Or maybe mince pies and roaring fires? Not the kind of images that are likely to appeal to a generation of new wine drinkers. Yet port has been enjoying huge growth in the US over the past decade – but a very different kind of port and with a much younger audience.

This time it is aged tawny port, served chilled, and with a whole range of dishes; cheese of course, but also with many desserts and even with fish and meat main courses. Tawny port doesn’t require decanting and will keep for a few weeks once opened. One export manager I talked to had arranged for massive double magnums of 20-year-old tawny port to be plonked on the bar in restaurants and bistros and then challenged sommeliers to pour from it, creating a bit of fun and theatre. Another sales manager told me: “Tawny port has got barmen and sommeliers back to playing with port again.”

Tawny port is aged for long periods in barrels – sometimes up to 100 years or more – at International Port Day recently, I tasted a tawny dating back to the 1860s. It develops a burnished pale brown colour and flavours of toasted nuts, figs and caramel. Ten-year-old is good (all ages are average) but 20-, 30- and even 40- year-old tawny can be sublime.

Also in fashion is white port, this time mixed with tonic water. Mix two parts tonic to one part port, add plenty of ice, and a slice or two of orange or lime or a sprig of mint. A very refreshing cocktail, the sweetness of the port working perfectly with the dry tonic.

Many port companies have started making red and white table wines in the Douro Valley (the birthplace of port) too, something unheard of in the past; already this accounts for 30 per cent of production.

Can they take all this innovation too far? Well, I found it difficult to like the Croft Pink Port (yes, rosé port) but apparently it is going down a bomb in SuperValu at the moment, so who am I to disagree?

I still have a great love of bottle-aged ports, with their dark damson fruits. A late bottled vintage is less expensive and requires no decanting, but possibly the best value lies in single quinta ports, made in years not quite good enough for a vintage declaration. Taylos Quinta de Vargellas (€64.95, the Corkscrew) is one of the best, but there is plenty of choice.

Whatever port you decide to drink, serve it in a decent wine glass; those tiny little schooners do no favours to any wine, port included.

ImageNiepoort Dry White Port
20%
€20

Toasted nuts and herbs with a rich finish. Serve with tonic water.

64 Wine; Red Island; McHugh’s; Redmond’s; Corkscrew; Jus de Vine; Martin’s; Clontarf Wines; Liston’s; Grapevine; Blackrock Cellar; Morton’s Ranelagh

DSCF6993Taylors LBV Port 2011
20%
€25.95

Rich, sweet plum fruits, dark chocolate, some Christmas cake spice, liquorice and a finish that is attractively savoury and long.

Stockists: Widely available including Corkscrew; Le Caveau; Bradley’s, Cork.

Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port
20%
€57.95

Graham's 20yo TawnyFigs, raisins and caramel with a twist of orange peel.

Stockists: Mitchells; Clontarf Wines; The Parting Glass, Enniskerry.

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The Green Fairy – Absinthe and Pastis

Posted by on October 10, 2016
The Green Fairy – Absinthe and Pastis

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 8th October, 2016

Absinthe can claim to have the worst reputation of all alcoholic drinks, quite an achievement. Held responsible for many of the ills that plagued society in continental Europe, it was banned in many countries for most of the 20th century. Yet its lighter cousin, pastis, brings forth benign images of happy Provencales playing pétanque in the square.

Absinthe came before pastis. It was first produced in Switzerland in the late 18th century, but it is generally accepted that Henri-Louis Pernod was the first to make it commercially. It became the favourite tipple of many artists and writers, from Van Gogh to Hemingway, in Europe at the end of the 19th and early 20th century, gaining an unsavoury reputation, accused of being a hallucinogenic, or causing convulsions.

Absinthe is traditionally made with wormwood, anise or star anise, and other herbs, but it usually tastes strongly of anise. The herbs give absinthe its green colour, and its nickname La Fée Verte, or Green Fairy, although today it comes in all sorts of colours.

Wormwood contains a chemical compound called thujone, which in very high doses can be toxic, and cause convulsions. There is only a small amount in absinthe, as in many other foods, so you would probably die of alcohol poisoning long before the thujone could take effect. More likely the problem was alcohol abuse. Absinthe was very popular in France and very strong – it can be anything from 55 per cent to a whopping 75 per cent abv.It is not intended to be drunk neat. These days it often appears as an ingredient in cocktails dreamt up by mixologists, but traditionally it was diluted with water, or louched, an elaborate procedure whereby the drinker slowly drips water through a cube of sugar balanced on special spoon into the absinthe below, clouding the clear drink.

Absinthe was never actually banned here or in the UK, but as it was prohibited in the main producer countries of France and Switzerland, supply was always going to be a problem. Retailers I spoke to talked of a niche interest.

Pastis began when absinthe was banned; it is lighter and consumed diluted with water, classically one part pastis to five of water. It is a refreshing aniseed-flavoured drink, drunk chilled, preferably outdoors in a cafe somewhere in the south of France. Therein lies its problem; the cold European north has never quite taken to pastis. The same retailers reported a healthy trade though, mainly with ex-pats, but also a number of Francophiles. Pastis is also very useful as an ingredient in sauces with fish. Ricard, Pernod and Henri Bardouin are the three biggest brands, the first two being readily available if you fancy reliving that holiday in the sun.

Image 6Pernod Pastis
40%
€29.99

Pure anise and liquorice on nose and palate. An attractive refreshing drink with cold water or ice.

Stockists: Dunnes; Tesco; SuperValu; O’Briens, Next Door and off-licences.

Image 7Ricard Pastis
45%
€29.99

More complex herbal nose, richer on the palate with more body; all herbs and anise. Again, a lovely drink.

Stockists: O’Briens, SuperValu and off-licences.

DSCF7026Hapsburg Classic Absinthe
72.5%
€52.99 for a 50cl bottle

Drunk neat, an almighty explosion of alcohol and aniseed with a bitter edge. Louching essential.

Stockists: Celtic Whiskey Shop; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Bradley’s, Cork.

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The Cabots – importers and winemakers

Posted by on October 2, 2016

First published in the Irish Times Saturday 1st October, 2016

Sinéad & Liam amongst the vines.

Sinéad & Liam amongst the vines.

At some stage, every wine lover will have dreamed about owning a winery. Few have the nerve to take the plunge, which is probably a good thing. Growing grapes and making wine is not easy, and selling the finished product is often even more difficult.Liam and Sinéad Cabot have been working as wine importers, and sometimes retailers too, for the past 17 years. They distribute an excellent range of wines (see cabotandco.com) to retailers and restaurants around the country. In 2007 they bought a property in Slovenia, with 1.5 hectares of vines in the back garden. With the help of a neighbour, they took their first faltering steps in winemaking. “My dad had been working in Slovenia and we had visited a number of times. Reading about their vineyards and culture, it seemed to be a perfect location, close to some great winemaking regions,” says Liam. “I guess winemaking had always been at the back of our minds,” Sinéad adds. “We wanted to understand more and to get our hands dirty. It has been a massive learning process, but the hard work does actually pay off.”

The couple look after every aspect of production, from pruning the vines to hand-bottling 6,000 bottles of wine. “It is not a hobby or a pastime.” says Liam. “We are serious about it. This is a rural, agricultural community steeped in winemaking culture. “Our neighbours probably viewed us with a mixture of scepticism and curiosity. However, we weren’t afraid to take invaluable advice from them, nor to try new ideas and make mistakes.The physical aspect of the work is huge,” says Sinéad. “But we decided from the beginning that we wanted to do everything, learning as we went along. Experience helps build confidence to make the key decisions.

“With the 2015 whites, we sat and waited for a full week for natural fermentations to start – you won’t find any winemaking book telling you that! But it worked out really well.” They grow three local grape varieties, Sipon (Furmint), Laski Riesling and Modra Frankinja (Blaufränkisch). This month they release three wines from the excellent 2015 vintage and these represent their best to date. All are very good, and well worth seeking out.“‘We will never make more than around 6,000 bottles, so now we want to concentrate on improving quality every vintage. The 2015s are our best wines so far, a combination of a good growing season and the gradual changes we implemented in the vineyard.”

BOTTLES OF THE WEEK

Roka Furmint 2015, Stajerska, Slovenia,Image 2
12.5%, €16.99

Appetising clean white peaches, nice weight and a refreshing acidity.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport; No. 1 Pery Square, Limerick; Grapevine, Dalkey; 64 Wine, Glasthule

Roka Laski Riesling 2015, Stajerska, Slovenia,Image 1
12.5%, €16.99

Seductively aromatic with apricot fruits and a dry finish.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport; No. 1 Pery Square, Limerick; Grapevine, Dalkey; 64 Wine, Glasthule

Roka Blaufrankisch 2015, Stajerska, Slovenia,Image
12.5%, €16.99

Delicious lively fresh raspberry and dark cherry fruits.

Stockists: Cabot and Co. Westport; No.1 Pery Square Limerick; Grapevine, Dalkey; Poppy Seed, Clarinbridge; McCambridges, Galway.

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Take Four Sommeliers

Posted by on September 18, 2016

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A good sommelier can be a lifesaver, effortlessly guiding diners to that perfect bottle of wine at an affordable price. Of course there is also a minority who like to sneer at every customer they serve. As the 2012 movie Somm showed us, being a good sommelier requires a high degree of skill and knowledge. It is an important position for the restaurant proprietor too. As one leading sommelier pointed out to me, he brought in half of his restaurant’s profits, while a huge battery of chefs, waiters and other employees were responsible for the other half. But what do sommeliers like to drink off-duty? I asked four from around the country to divulge their favourite wine within a budget, and a dish to accompany it. The only restrictions were price – €25 (€15 in the case of Aniar), and availability. Coincidentally, three of the four wines have featured as wines of the week on these pages – obviously these somms know a thing or two!

Julie Dupouy of the Greenhouse restaurant on Dawson Street was placed third in the World Sommelier Championships, one of the most difficult and prestigious competitions. She now also runs Down2wine, a wine consultancy service. She chose the Rosso Piceno. “I love it for the balance between sweet dark fruits and savouriness, and the smooth and seductive texture. A great option at the table especially with venison and some sweet earthy ingredients such as beetroot and mushrooms.”

Nicolas Faujours works at Knockranny House in Westport. With his Bourgogne Rouge, Faujours chose duck, and not just any duck; see online for the Knockranny pan-seared breast of Gressingham duck with various accompaniments. “It is such a versatile wine and I love it,” he says. “It is light bodied and great with many foods including the duck as well as sea bass. In staff tastings, it always comes out on top.”

I gave Zsolt Lukacs of Aniar in Galway the harder task; a wine under €15. This Philippe Michel Crémant, a favourite of mine as well, is, he says, “a heavyweight champion in bantam costume. A fantastic wine on its own or with oysters, squid and chorizo or light pork dishes. Thanks to its great acidity, it can easily cope with some cheeses, too”. Samuel Chantoiseau is head sommelier at Ballymaloe House in Cork. “I love Chenin Blanc from the Loire valley. With wine this good I would eat some seared Irish scallops, maybe with quinoa and roast vegetables and a little spice. I love Savennières, but it is quite expensive. This Vouvray is delicious; if I had an older vintage such as 2012, it would be even better.”

Image 1Vouvray Sec 2014, La Dilettante
12%
€22-23

Fascinating, delightful wine. Light yet full of rich honey and peaches.

Stockists: Le Caveau; Baggot St. Wines; Clontarf Wines; Corkscrew;
Green Man; Listons; Fallon & Byrne; MacGuinness, Dundalk; Avoca, Rathcoole.

Bourgogne Rouge Domaine Guillot-Broux 2014
12.5%
€23.99

Juicy fragrant light redcurrant and red cherry fruits.

Cabot and Co, Westport; Poppy Seed, Clarinbridge; Grapevine, Dalkey;
Mortons, Galway.

no 2 rosso-piceno-di-gino-fattoria-san-lorenzo-2013Rosso Piceno “Vigna di Gino”, Fattoria San Lorenzo 2014
13%
€18.50

Lovely elegant dark cherry fruits with a savoury edge and a very attractive freshness.

Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Dublin, Galway and Meath.

Phillippe Michel ChardonnayBargain Wine

Philippe Michel Crémant de Jura NV
12%
€10.79

Crisp zippy refreshing green apples and lemon zest. Amazing value for money.

Stockists: Aldi

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Wines to go with Vegetarian Food

Posted by on September 12, 2016

First published in the Irish Times Saturday 10th September 2016

I am not vegetarian but would be quite happy to forget about meat three or four days a week. Possibly I live too close to the Happy Pear. However, when children depart the coop and diet fads cease (if only) I look forward to changing my own regime. This is the high season for many fruits and vegetables, so this week we look at how to pair vegetarian foods with wine.

There is still a tendency to categorise all vegetarian food as light and salady or very heavy and worthy. It is of course much more complex than that. All meat dishes are based around protein, and wine-drinkers usually try to match this to a particular style of wine. In fact, often it is the spices and flavourings, as well as the accompanying sauce, that should determine what wine to drink. Matching vegetarian food to wine follows similar principles and should not lead to any loss of pleasure. To start off, match lighter foods with lighter wines, and more acidic dishes with crisp white wines.

Rich white wines often partner best with sweeter vegetables, such as peppers, butternut squash, sweet potato and carrots, especially if they have been roasted, as well as beans, bean purées, and creamy dishes. Lighter whites go well with fresh cheeses – goat’s cheese and Sauvignon Blanc being just one example, but also Labneh, Mozzarella and Ricotta, as well as fresh herbs. Leafy salads and raw tomatoes also go well with lower alcohol, fruity whites.

One of my favourite comfort foods is mushroom risotto; a lovely big rich warming plate of happiness. I know many vegetarian friends are sick and tired of it, as it seems to be the standard veggie option in just about every restaurant – whatever happened to the once ubiquitous nut roast? However mushrooms in general are very wine friendly, usually red wine, and around this time of year, we even have wild mushrooms to consider. If you do like a nut roast, those rich caramelised flavours go best with red wines – a robust Languedoc, Côtes du Rhône, or a New World Cabernet would all do nicely. A few other pointers; beans are generally really wine friendly, happily providing the richness of meat as a background to the other flavours. With stir fries, soy sauce and fish sauce generally it is better to go with red wine.

I am a dab hand at knocking up a frittata/tortilla, invariably vegetarian, from whatever is in the fridge or garden. With this and other egg dishes, I enjoy a glass of light, inexpensive red. My most recent lesson came with a tomato tarte tatin (from last week’s Guardian); those intense, lightly caramelised flavours were great with both a rich white wine and a young Cabernet Sauvignon.

DSCF6871Terras do Cigarrón 2013, Monterrei
13%
€12.99

A pleasant light wine with plump pear fruits to pair with salads and fresh cheese.

Stockists: La Touche, Greystones; Jus de Vine; Whelehan’s.


DSCF6955Les Deux Cols Cuvée Zephyr 2015, Côtes du Rhône
14%
€22.50

A lovely rich Roussanne, filled with honey and peaches. With roast root vegetables.

Stockists; Searsons, Monkstown.


Image 8Palataia Pinot Noir 2014, Pfalz, Germany
13.5%
€14.79

Light perfumed red cherry and plum fruits, to partner mushrooms.

Stockists: Marks & Spencer.

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The Wines of Etna

Posted by on September 4, 2016
The Wines of Etna

First published in The Irish Times Saturday 3rd September, 2016

My only visit to Mount Etna a decade ago was not pleasant. Although it was sunny and spring-like in Syracuse, by the time our bus reached the mountain, the weather was bitterly cold and the sky very grey. The mountain was a black and brooding presence in the background, with patches of white snow here and there. We huddled around the fire in the tasting room, longing for the warmth of our bus. The wines, however, were extraordinary, completely different to anything else we tasted on the visit.

Etna has been the darling of the wine business in recent years; it offers everything the wine geek seeks: steep, dark, rocky volcanic slopes (although the soil is actually very diverse); a unique climate; indigenous grape varieties; and an ancient tradition of viticulture.

The climate and soil are the first pieces in the puzzle. The combination of high altitude and volcanic soils produces wines that are ripe but at the same time very elegant, with a characteristic mineral element (a term that suggests a stony, flinty acidity). Etna wines, red and white, tend to be light and fruity, the reds often having a very seductive earthy warmth.

The primary red grape is Nerello Mascalese, which must make up 80 per cent of an Etna Rosso blend. It is responsible for those wonderful, perfumed, taut, refined dark fruits. Nerello Cappuccio is seen as inferior to Mascalese. The wines are broader and softer, and are often used to flesh out the more austere partner. The white wines tend to be low in alcohol with good refreshing acidity. The most respected grape is Carricante, again an ancient local variety, which is often blended with Catarratto (another more common Sicilian variety) and others.

The vineyard area has expanded in recent years, with many outsiders joining the local producers, but volumes are still small and the wines are in demand. Production costs are high, and so, sadly, prices tend to be high. You can expect to pay €20 or more for a bottle. I do think most of the wines are worth it though. Marks & Spencer have an attractive fruit-filled Etna Rosso at a very reasonable €15.50 – had it been 50 cents cheaper, it would have been my bargain wine – as well as a good Etna Bianco for €16.50.

Sicily is one of the largest wine producing regions of Italy, and has upped its game in recent years. As well as the mass of decent inexpensive red and white wines you can find in your supermarket, grapes such as Nero d’Avola and Frappato (for red wines), and Inzolia for whites, are responsible for some excellent wines at very keen prices.

DSCF6724Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2015
12.5%
€25

Wonderful complex wine with soft ripe pears, grilled nuts, and a clean mineral backbone. Delicious.

Stockists: Baggot Street Wines, Green Man Wines, Blackrock Cellar, On the Grapevine.

DSCF6789Guardoilvento Etna Rosso 2014
13.5%
€26

Beautiful characterful wine with herby aromas, elegant dark fruits and a seductive warm earthiness.

Stockists: Sheridans Cheesemongers; Mitchell & Son.

DSCF6943Benanti Etna Rosso 2014
13.5%
€26.95

Attractive elegant savoury dark cherry fruits with some black coffee; precise with a nice freshness.

Stockists: 64 Wine; Baggot St Wines; Clontarf Wines; The Corkscrew.

DSCF6500Nero d’Avola, Sicilia, Feudo Arancio
13%
€15

Warm rounded ripe dark fruits with a sprinkle of spice. Great value.

Stockists: Mitchell & Son, chq, Sandycove & Avoca, Kilmacanoge; Rua Deli; Wilde & Green.

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