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Irish Gin & Irish Tonic Water

Posted by on June 19, 2016
Irish Gin & Irish Tonic Water

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 18th June, 2016

First the gin, then the tonic. Oisín Davis is one of the leading lights of the cocktail business in Ireland. I bumped into him at the Ballymaloe Litfest, and for the first time I can remember, he had a soft drink in his hand. The liquid in question was Poacher’s Tonic, Ireland’s first tonic water. All of these new Irish gins obviously need something to mix with, and Davis thinks he has the answer. Until now, you could only buy an Irish-made tonic syrup from americanvillage.com. Fever-Tree and other premium tonic waters have been hugely successful in the UK, so it was only a matter of time before someone came up with an Irish version.

The Poacher’s Tonic certainly went down well at the Litfest – supplies ran out the first evening, and an emergency dash had to be made back to the warehouse. It is made by Davis and partner Vaughan Yates from spring water drawn from Litterberg House in Co Wexford and bottled in nearby Enniscorthy.

“We wanted to make is as Irish as we could,” says Davis. “We got 150 kilos of Irish rosemary and shipped it to a perfumer in the UK, who extracted the rosemary essence. We use cinchona bark to make a natural quinine and add Florida orange and sugar beet for sweetness. It was a year in the making with all sorts of complications and experiments.” According to Davis, Poacher’s pairs best with gins that don’t have too much spicy coriander and cumin, and is less sweet than standard tonics.

Gerry Scullion of The Chocolate Factory has come up with his own very unique tonic water. “I make it from scratch using cinchona bark and other spices and a small amount of Irish lavender. It is also a water kefir, and far less sweet than the standard tonic (2 calories a bottle). I create the fizz by the addition of organic honey and bottle-condition for approximately two weeks.” The result is a quite delicious adult tonic, great by itself or with gin.

I received another bottle of Irish gin just after going to press with my last article. Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin is the latest creation of Pat Rigney, the man who came up with Boru vodka and Sheridan’s Irish Cream Liqueur. Made in his new distillery in Drumshanbo, it is aimed primarily at the export market, but already has good distribution here in Ireland.

If you fancy trying out anIrish G&T, the Irish Gin & Tonic Fest runs from June 20th-25th, where pubs, restaurants and hotels will be serving one or more of eight Irish gins with a tonic of their choice. See greatirishbeverages.com for further details.

DSCF6621Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
43%
€49

A very different gin with a distinctive spiciness and refreshing herbs alongside the juniper.

Stockists: Widely available including Dunnes, O’Briens, Mulloy’s, select SuperValu.

Image 2 Poacher’s Tonic Water
€1.55 for a 200ml bottle

Light and refreshing, with lovely subtle hints of rosemary. Great with or without the gin.

Stockists: Drinkstore, D7; Gibneys, Searsons; Donnybrook Fair; Bradleys.

DSCF6631Herbel Crest Irish Tonic Water
€2 for a 200ml bottle

A beautifully refreshing dry tonic with a subtle herby touch.

Stockists; Whelehan’s; The Chocolate Factory,D1; The Drinkstore, D7; L Mulligan Grocer.

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Whiskey aged in stout barrels

Posted by on June 12, 2016
Whiskey aged in stout barrels

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday, 11th June, 2016

Irish craft brewers are fond of ageing their beers, usually stout, in casks previously used to age whiskey. The resulting beers can be very good, sometimes gaining a percent or two in alcohol, as well as flavour, from the wood. But what happens if the barrel is returned to the distiller and used to further age whiskey?

First out of the blocks on this were Jameson and Cork craft brewer Franciscan Well. ‘It all started in 2013 it started when Shane Long of Franciscan Brewery asked us for a dozen used whiskey barrels to make a special Christmas brew’, says David Quinn, head of Whiskey Science at Jameson . ‘We tasted the results and thought it was fantastic. He did a second batch in 2014, and we got a call asking us to take the barrels back, as he didn’t have the space to keep them. More on a whim, we decided to refill them with mature Jameson and left them for 4-5 months. We had a taste and were blown away. It came across as discernably Jameson, spicy, fragrant and fruity, but with other characters through the interaction with stout – coffee, cocoa and chocolate and hints of hop. They were all there at a level of intensity that complemented instead of dominating. The taste had a different complexion; a texture, a creamy mouthfeel a coating sensation we found fascinating’.

Jameson ran a pilot scheme in Dublin and Cork, and as with the stout, the shelves were cleared in a couple of weeks. In 2015, they started to lay down enough barrels to launch Caskmates abroad. Apparently it has gone down very well in the U.S. So much so that Jameson linked up with craft brewers in London and Brooklyn, supplying them with whiskey barrels to create their own limited edition beer, and then releasing a local unique Caskmates.

Jameson are no longer alone; back in March, Galway Bay Brewery launched 200 Fathoms, an Imperial stout aged in whiskey casks borrowed from Dublin’s Teeling Whiskey. Now the favour has been returned with a single cask release from Teelings of 200 Fathoms whiskey, aged in the stout casks. Another distiller has plans in the pipeline. Glendalough Whiskey gave a couple of barrels to Five Lamps brewery for their barrel-aged porter. The barrels were returned and filled with 10 year-old single malt. 400 bottles will be produced, available later this year in Dublin Travel Retail. I tasted it on a visit to the distillery; it was rich and full of chocolate. Lastly O’Haras have been working with Tullamore Dew for their (delicious) Leann Folláin stout, aged in whiskey casks. It seems only a matter of time before the favour is returned. For the moment, Tullamore DEW offer a whiskey aged in cider casks.

ImageMuldoon Irish Whiskey Liqueur
25%
€30.99

Whiskey infused with hazelnuts and toffee. Delicious sweet caramel and toasted nuts.

Stockists Celtic Whiskey; World Wide Wines and other specialist off-licences.

Image 1Jameson Caskmates Irish Whiskey
40%
€38

Scented fruity and mildly spicy; long and sweet with coffee, chocolate and subtle hops. Superb whiskey.

Stockists: widely available.

Image 2Teeling Whiskey Single Cask 200 Fathoms Irish Whiskey
46%
€85

Stockists: Exclusively from Teelings Distillery, Dublin 8.

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Beaujolais – the Perfect Summer Wine

Posted by on June 5, 2016
Beaujolais – the Perfect Summer Wine

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 5th June, 2016

IMG_2286

Domaine de la Madone, Fleurie

I love Beaujolais; the place and the wine. I have recently returned from a visit, which reminded me that this is one of the loveliest wine regions of all. In fact, if you are planning a cycling, walking or driving trip in France, I would give serious consideration to Beaujolais and the equally unspoilt Mâconnais region.

Beaujolais is misunderstood by some and dismissed by others. Older readers will have memories of drinking awful Beaujolais Nouveau many years ago; younger wine-lovers, weaned on rich Aussie Shiraz may be nonplussed by a lack of oomph.

Beaujolais is the perfect summer wine; light, refreshing and fruity, it is a true vin de soif. Cool it a little, then kick back and enjoy those vibrant pure fruits over an alfresco dinner or lunch. All Beaujolais, including the cru wines, tend to be low in alcohol (usually 12.5-13 per cent), so they make great (if pricey) party wines too.

There is far more to Beaujolais than simple summer drinking though. The region divides neatly into two sections. The southern half is home to much of the less expensive glugging Beaujolais, although there are a few really good growers here. In the northern half you will finds the top 10 villages, or “crus”, entitled to use their own name on the label. All are situated on more granitic soils.

These include the familiar names Fleurie, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. Each has its own distinctive style, ranging from light, delicate and fragrant to more powerful, richer wines. Don’t get too hung up about drinking the youngest wine either; some of the crus age very well. I am currently finishing off my last bottles of a wonderful fragrant 2008 Moulin-à-Vent, and tasted an exceptional 1990 (yes, 1990!) Beaujolais Villages on my visit to Domaine des Nugues.

However, in general with the crus, two to three years will see some improvement, and these are the vintages on our shelves. Lesser wines are best enjoyed in their glorious precocious youth.

There is certainly no shortage of cheap wine from the Beaujolais region, including some of the crus. These tend to be uninspiring. Better to go for a fresh fruit-filled Beaujolais instead of a Fleurie at the same price. Vintages do matter too: 2013 and 2014 were both very good, and 2015 was near perfect.

The wines go brilliantly with pates, cheese, a few salads and a crusty baguette. The top crus can go perfectly with all things porcine, including belly of pork, ham and boiled bacon, as well as roast chicken. On my arrival home, tired after a long journey, I cooked myself an omelette and drank a glass of delicious fruity Beaujolais – perfection!

DSCF6572Beaujolais Villages 2014 Domaine des Nugues
13%
€16.75

Wonderful aromas and pure sweet red cherry and blackcurrant fruits with a touch of liquorice.

Stockists: Martin’s, Fairview; 64wine, Glasthule.

DSCF6574Fleurie Tradition 2014, Domaine de la Madone
13%
€20

Lively perfumed nose with supple rounded red cherry and raspberry fruits.

Stockists: Mitchel & Son; Wilde & Green; Myles Doyle, Gorey.


ImageBeaujolais L’Ancien 2014 Domaines des Terres Dorées
12%
€18.50

From forty year-old vines, a delicious fragrant wine bursting with crunchy red cherry fruits.

Stockists: Wines Direct online, Mullingar & Arnotts, Dublin.

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South African White Wines

Posted by on May 29, 2016
South African White Wines

First published in The Irish Times Saturday 28th May, 2016

Over the last decade, South African wine has gone through something of a revolution. There is a new generation of younger winemakers. These men and women are now producing some of the most exciting wines in the New World (we think of South Africa as “New World” yet the wine industry here goes back 350 years).

The quality of reds has improved greatly, but it is the white wines that has everybody in the wine world talking. South Africa now makes world-beating Chardonnay. It can also offer excellent Sauvignon Blanc, especially from cooler areas such as Elgin, Overberg and Darling. Others are experimenting with Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier.

Often it is blends of these and other varieties that provide the most excitement. An article on South African white wines cannot leave out Chenin Blanc, so long the workhorse grape variety of wine production here. There are now seriously good and uniquely South African wines made from this variety.

Many will be familiar with Stellenbosch, Paarl, Constantia and Franschhoek, but often these days it is areas such as Swartland, Elgin, Cape Point and Malgas that are producing the greatest excitement. Swartland, and the Swartland Independent Growers in particular, deserve an article all to themselves. The most influential figures in the South African wine scene are probably Charles Back, producer of good value Rhône-style wines and Spice Route, as well as Eben Sadie of Sadie Family wines, and viticulturist Rosa Kruger.

Lismore sounds Irish, as does the proprietor Samantha O’Keefe, and there is a distant connection, but O’Keefe is actually from California. In a short time she has made herself one of the most respected wine producers in South Africa. I tasted her Chardonnay (below) alongside an excellent Viognier.

Recently founded Keermont is an example of how good South African blends can be, and chef and Master of Wine Richard Kershaw is another rising star. Sadly all are expensive.

We haven’t always had a great range of South African wines in this country, but recently I tasted some of South Africa’s finest white wines courtesy of two importers.

Dr Éilís Cryan of Kinnegar Wines has a mouth-watering list. Wine Masons also has a smaller well-chosen range, including the Keermont below, Ghost Corner, Cederberg and DeMorgenzon. Look out too for wines from Mullineux, De Trafford, Alheit, Chamonix, Morgenster, alongside familiar names such as Paul Cluver, Kanonkop, Neil Ellis and Rust en Vrede.

Image 2Cape Peninsula Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Cape Point
13%
€14.99

Made by rising star Duncan Savage, a lovely clean precise aromatic dry Sauvignon that compares very favourably with many from Marlborough.

Stockist: Marks & Spencer

Image 1Kershaw Clonal Selection Chardonnay 201, Elgin
13.5%
€44.95

A very good imitation of a top Burgundy at a similar price. Racy green fruit and subtle toasted hazelnuts. Delicious.

Stockists: Kinnegar.com; Mitchell& Son; Redmond’s; 64wine.

ImageKeermont Terrasse 2013, Stellenbosch
13.5%
€28-30

Complex and textured blend with layers of flavour; honey, peaches, grilled nuts and spice.

Stockists: Corkscrew.; Redmond’s.

ImageLismore Chardonnay 2013, Greyton
13.5%
€33.50

A superb Chardonnay, subtly spiced and fresh with luscious fruits. But most of all impeccably balanced.

Stockists: Kinnegar.com; Mitchell & Son; Redmond’s; 64wine.

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Islands in the Sun

Posted by on May 27, 2016
Islands in the Sun

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 21st May, 2016

From its probable birth over 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus, vine growing and wine drinking was spread, by the Phoenicians, and later the Greeks and Romans, around the entire Mediterranean. Wine sustained empires and provided its inhabitants with something safe to drink.

By the time you read this column, I will be down at the Ballymaloe Litfest 2016, the third year of this excellent event. On Sunday lunchtime I will be giving a talk and tasting entitled Islands in the Sun.Since a visit to Pantelleria a decade ago, I have been fascinated by the island wines of the Mediterranean. Wine was produced on virtually every island of any size, many of them volcanic. Despite being surrounded and ruled by various competing powers, many have developed a separate identity, with undiscovered indigenous grape varieties producing unique wines.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean. Once a source of cheap bulk wine, it is now home to some of the most exciting producers, on the slopes of Mount Etna in particular. Sardinia was ruled for four centuries by the Spanish kingdom of Aragon (as was Corsica). As a result, Sardinia’s most famous red wines are made from Cannonau, the local clone of the Spanish Garnacha.
The best white wines comes from the Vermentino (known as Rolle in France) grape, a variety that retains acidity in warm climates, and is showing great potential both here and in Corsica as well as mainland France and Italy. The wines of Corsica are less easy to find. The lesser wines go under the wonderful title of Ile de Beauté. The more expensive wines tend to stay on the island, or can be found on mainland France.

Moving to Greece, the island of Santorini once supplied Eucharistic wines to the Russian Orthodox church. Today, this arid windy volcanic outcrop produces some unique fresh, crisp mineral dry white wines from the indigenous Assyrtiko grape. The vines are formed into basket-like circles that stay close to the ground.

Pantelleria is a small volcanic island that is closer to the coast of Africa than Sicily. Here the ancient practice was to shield vines from constant wind by digging small craters in the volcanic rocks. The Muscat grapes, called Zibibbo here, are dried in the sun, before being fermented into a luscious sweet wine.

This is only scraping the surface. There are so many more. For the tasting I have sourced wines from Corsica, Malta, the Canaries, as well as those below. Space does not permit me to cover them all here, but if you are free this Sunday, why not come along?

DSCF6559Pinot Noir Réserve 2015, Ile de Beauté, Barton & Guestier
11.5%
€11.99 (sometimes offered at €9.99)

Light juicy easy red fruits with a refreshing acidity. Perfect summer drinking.

Tesco; C&T Supermarkets; Carpenters, Castleknock; Amber,Fermoy; Joyce’s, Galway.

Image 3Gaia Wild Ferment Assyrtiko , Santorini 2015
13%
€22.95

Fresh floral and mineral, Chablis-like with crisp fruits and a lingering dry finish.

Stockists: O’Briens

Image 4Tenute Dettori Vino Renosu Rosso NV, Sardinia
13%
€17.50

Delicious welcoming warm herb-scented wine with soft red fruits.

Stockists: 64wine, Glasthule.

DSCF6556Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico 200, Azienda COS, Sicily
13%
€30

Soft smooth strawberry and plum fruits overlaid with dark chocolate. Wonderful wine.

Stockists: www.cabotandco.com; No. 1 Pery Sq.; Market 57; Grapevine, Dalkey; Corkscrew; Red Island; Listons.

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Seasonal Irish Gin

Posted by on May 9, 2016

The Irish Times was, in some small way, responsible for Ireland’s first seasonal gin. In the 2014, the brains behind Glendalough Irish Whiskey decided to make a gin tasting of summer but had no idea how to go about it. Then they read an article by Emma Somers in this paper about Wicklow forager Geraldine Kavanagh. They contacted Kavanagh who provided local ingredients for Glendalough Summer Botanical Gin. She now works full-time for them.

We took a stroll through the Wicklow countryside together. Kavanagh, a fount of knowledge, showed me most of the wild shoots, flowers and plants used in Glendalough Wild Spring Botanical Gin, as well as other edible wild plants. “We are tying to capture the essence of Wicklow; something different and local,” she says. This year they are increasing production from 3,000 bottles to cope with a burgeoning demand.

Not to be outdone, Dingle Distillery has released its Four Seasons Gin, containing four small 200ml bottles, each representing a season. Unlike Glendalough, they are all available at the same time, providing a very interesting tasting.

We worked through all four in the Dingle Whiskey Bar on Nassau Street, Dublin. The spring gin is the lightest and most floral, the summer still delicate but more textured. The autumn, many people’s favourite, has more earthy spice with red fruits, and the winter gin is spicier and most full-bodied of all.

Peter Mulryan of Blackwater Distillery in Cappoquin, Waterford, had something of an artistic struggle with his seasonal gin. “We wanted to take one key local botanical to represent each season, and decided on Wexford strawberries for our first. The problem with strawberries is you get mostly water,” says Mulryan. “So we had to use massive amounts of fresh fruit. It is an elusive flavour but we think we have got it right. We are now macerating the distilled gin in strawberries.”

He plans to release Wexford Strawberry Gin in June. In the meantime you can try his Juniper Cask Gin. It is fascinating, with sweet woody juniper aromas.

Shortcross Gin from Co Down does not make a seasonal gin, but forages wild clover to use alongside apples and elderberries for its standard gin.

As to the vexed question of tonic, Dingle served its with Fever-Tree, a choice Gary McLoughlin of Glendalough Distillery agrees with. However, he did suggest trying Thomas Henry, a German tonic made without quinine. I prefer to sip mine lightly chilled with a little water, and enjoy the unique flavours of these delectable gins.

Image 5Dingle Four Seasons Gins.
46%
€60

A selection of four very different gins, so no tasting notes.

Stockists; Widely available in good off-licences.

GdL_SPRING_For_BRIGHTGlendalough Wild Spring Botanical Gin
41%
€43.49

Wonderfully aromatic, light and refreshing. Plenty of juniper, with spring flowers and zesty citrus.

Stockists: Celtic Whiskey; James Fox; Mitchell & Sons; Redmond’s and other specialist off-licences.

Image 7Blackwater No.5 London Dry Gin
41.5%
€33

My current favourite, a delicious mix of citrus, juniper and earthy spices.

Stockists: Widely available in good off-licences.

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Glug and Grill – Barbecue Wines

Posted by on May 5, 2016
Glug and Grill – Barbecue Wines

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday April 30th

I had my first barbecue of the year a month ago; a whole chicken stuffed with garlic and lemon. It was simple but delicious, the skin crisp and burnished. You can cook on the barbecue throughout the year (I know people who use it for the Christmas turkey) but once the sun comes out it becomes a much more attractive method of cooking. The Irish barbie is no longer a few sausages and burgers incinerated on a grill. Not only do we cook everything from fish to vegetables, many now have proper smokers or at least woodchips to add smoky flavours to a charcoal-powered covered cooker.

I divide my barbecue wines into three categories. There is no getting away from the idea of matching a big, powerful red with barbecued red meat. Smoked or heavily marinated and spicy meat probably demands the biggest wines of all. For inspiration, look to sunny countries and how they match their wine and food. Shiraz from Australia, malbec from Argentina and zinfandel from California are all classic partners.

With fish and chicken a rich white wine or a rosé is called for. I probably do not pay rosés enough attention in this column. I could blame the weather but I have to admit I am not a big fan generally. There are some very pricey pinks from Provence and elsewhere, but I am not convinced they are worth the money.

However, rosés can be great with grilled or barbecued shellfish, fish and chicken, especially if those with an Asian or Middle-Eastern marinade or rub. They also go very well with all sorts of salads, so they are a good catch-all summer wine. If you want to stick with white wine, a chardonnay (lightly oaked wines and smoke) or a rich viognier are probably the best options. You could serve a light, chilled red wine, such as a pinot noir, with grilled salmon or tuna.

My final barbecue wine does not go with any of the food; it is the aperitif! Charcoal always takes far longer to get ready than you think, and some foods, chicken in particular, must be thoroughly cooked (my best friend is a digital thermometer), so make sure you have something to drink while waiting for the food to be ready.

Avoid big, alcoholic wines, or you and your guests will be sprawling long before the food is ready. A light, well-chilled refreshing white wine is ideal; a Mosel riesling Kabinett, if you are having nibbles, or you could think about a lightly chilled beaujolais or Loire cabernet, or again a rosé, as they tend to be light in alcohol. This week’s wines are not expensive. I save my best wines for other occasions.

jwilson@irishtimes.com

DSCF6516Borsao Campo de Borja Selección 2014, Spain
14.5%
€13.95

A delicious fruit bomb of a wine; supple, juicy, ripe and very gluggable.

Stockists: Searsons, Monkstown

DSCF6499Exquisite Pinot Noir Rosé 2015, Marlborough, New Zealand
€8.99

Light summery strawberry fruits with a dry finish. With fish and white meats.

Stockist: Aldi

DSCF6519Espigueiro Vinho Verde 2015, Portugal
10.5%
€12.99

Perfect summer sipping wine; light, crisp, and sprizty.

Stockists: Wilde & Green, Milltown; John Doyle, Gorey; Mitchell & Son, chq, Sandycove & Avoca Kilmacanogue.

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Sauvignon, but not as we know it.

Posted by on April 24, 2016
Sauvignon, but not as we know it.

From the Irish Times, Saturday 23rd April, 2016

It has an unmistakable pungent aroma, making it one of the easiest grapes to recognise in blind tastings. We adore it in this country, but we are merely part of a worldwide love-in of Sauvignon Blanc. Whether it comes from Marlborough in New Zealand or Chile, we just cannot get enough of it. Plantings are spreading around the world to include many warm areas unsuited to this cool climate variety.

I suspect most wine drinkers like it as much for what it isn’t as for what it is; it isn’t too high in alcohol and it isn’t aged in new oak barrels. It is usually light, fresh and full of fruit. What is not to like? Nothing obviously.

However, drinking one wine all the time can get very dull. I have pointed out a few alternatives here before. My favourite would be Riesling, but every country offers their own version of crisp ’n’ dry.

But how do you make Sauvignon more interesting? One option is to plant it in a special place as they do, on chalky Kimmeridgian and Portlandian soils, in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé; the wines tend towards racy, flinty and mineral. A second possibility is to use a few tricks in the winery, such as wild yeasts, lees stirring and oak barrels, to add layers of complexity. If done well, as Greywacke and others have done in Marlborough, the wines are well worth trying.

There is plenty of Sauvignon in Bordeaux (where it is used for both dry and sweet wines such as Sauternes), Bergerac and other parts of southwest France. Here the tradition is to blend in some Sémillon and sometimes a dash of Muscadelle. The latter gives a lovely floral aroma and the Sémillon a plumpness that develops into a delicious toastiness with age.

All of the top white wines of Bordeaux, and there are some truly great wines, are made this way, with plenty of new oak barrels being used as well.

It is one of the only times where I enjoy Sauvignon in combination with new oak. Inexpensive Bordeaux Blanc, Bergerac Sec and other Sauv/Sem blends can offer fantastic value, and far more interest than many pure Sauvignon Blancs.

Western Australia also uses the same blend to great effect. A final alternative is to make it fizzy; there are now a number of sparkling Sauvignon Blancs available. I am not yet convinced.

I give one example of each style of Sauvignon; a lovely Bordeaux blend with 30% Sémillon, then a crisp mineral terroir-driven Sauvignon from Saint Bris (actually part of Burgundy) and a barrel-fermented, wild yeast wine from one of the new stars of South Africa, David Niewoudlt.

Image 3Ch Reynier Blanc 2013, Bordeaux
13%
€16-18

Nicely aromatic with lovely plump peach fruits.

Stockists: Baggot St. Wines; Corkscrew; Honest2Goodness.

goisot copyExogyra Virgula, Sauvignon de St. Bris 2013, Domaine Goisot
12.5%
€22-23

Stunning, energetic wine with a crisp minerality and cool refreshing green fruits.

Stockists: McCabes; Sheridan’s; Donnybrook Fair, Donnybrook; Jus de Vine; 64wine.

Image 2Ghost Corner Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2014, Elim, South Africa
13.5%
€28

Delicious mouthwatering peach fruits, with a creamy texture.

Stockists: Blackrock Cellar; Donnybrook Fair, Malahide; On the Grapevine, Dalkey

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Sulphites in Wine

Posted by on April 17, 2016

From The Irish Times, Saturday 16th April, 2016

Sulphur Dioxide & Wine

Look at the back label on any bottle of wine and you may be reassured by the lack of any added ingredients. Yet in a fascinating talk at last year’s Ballymaloe LitFest, wine writer Alice Feiring pointed out that there are no less than 70 permitted additives or treatments for wine. The only one that legally must be mentioned is sulphur dioxide, with the statement “contains sulphites”.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) prevents oxidation in a wine and wards off harmful bacteria. All wines contain small amounts; it is a natural byproduct of fermentation. Most winemakers add further amounts either when crushing grapes or prior to bottling. White wines, which are more prone to oxidation, typically have more than red wines, and sweet wines, which can start refermenting, have the highest levels of all.

Medical science argues that SO2 does not cause most people any problems, but a small number will have a severe allergic reaction, hence the warning. Yet dried fruits typically contain far greater levels of sulphur and none of the bags in my local health-food shop carry any warning. Some argue it causes headaches but there is no evidence for this, although excess alcohol certainly does.

It is impossible to know if a wine is low in sulphur or not. Almost every wine will have natural levels above 10ppm and must carry the warning, including organic wines – SO2 is an organic compound and therefore permitted. So-called natural wines should have lower levels, but you cannot be sure. It is difficult for winemakers to measure levels of SO2 accurately, as some of it binds with other compounds and is harmless. It is only “free” sulphur that causes reactions.

Proponents of low sulphur wines argue that it dulls the natural terroir and flavour of a wine. Opponents say it prevents off-flavours and infection. In my experience it is young fruity red wines with good levels of acidity that work best with low sulphur winemaking.

Should we be concerned about sulphur? Probably not. Levels are far lower than in the recent past. Of greater interest are the levels of pesticides and fungicides used in producing grapes.

All of those lovely neatly manicured rows of vines, without a weed in sight, come at a cost. Last year I spoke to three growers whose fathers had died prematurely, due, they believe, to exposure to chemical sprays. All are now farming organically. This has been designated Natural Wine Month by importer Le Caveau. See realwinefair.com for details of events. This week, four low-sulphur wines.

DSCF6450Gran Cerdo 2014, Spain
13%
€14.50

Definitely on the funky side; barnyardy and earthy.

Stockists: 64wine; Baggot St Wines; Blackrock Cellar; Fallon & Byrne; Corkscrew; Le Caveau; Donnybrook Fair. Listons; World Wide Wines; Green Man.

DSCF58987 rue de la Pompe, Mas Coutelou, Vin de France
13.5%
€16.50

Full of dark cherry fruits with a very attractive earthiness.

Stockists: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; 64wine, Glasthule; Green Man, Terenure.

DSCF6461Kalkundkeisel 2014 Preisinger, Weinland, Austria
12%
€22.00

Fresh mineral nose and palate with light nuts and elderflowers. Bracing and refreshing.

Stockists: 64wine, Glasthule; Clontarf Wines; Green Man, Terenure.

DSCF6459Miro Fuga Mundi 2007, Jeruzalem, Slovenia
13%
€42

A sweet wine with nothing added at all, fermented for seven years in barrels. Nuts, figs and treacle in a fascinating delectable wine.

Stockists: Cabotandco.com

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Posted in: Irish Times

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No Joe Porter, O Brother Brewing, Wicklow.

Posted by on April 7, 2016
<strong>No Joe Porter, O Brother Brewing, Wicklow.</strong>

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No Joe Porter, O Brother Brewing, Wicklow.

6.7%

First there was Joe. Joe Coffee was a single batch porter that didn’t hold back on the coffee content. Unlike some of their rivals you could really taste the coffee. Great if you like espresso, but not if you drink latté. No Joe is the same beer but without the coffee. ‘It was conceived as a coffee porter,’ says Barry O’Neill of O Brother; ‘local roaster Coffee Mojo ground and brewed 68 litres of fresh coffee on site, which was added to the porter. We were tasting the beer all the way along and thinking this is realty nice even without the coffee. So this time, we did it without. It’s the one I bring home in the winter, ‘admits Barry, ‘there is something warming about it. It is all sold now (all of their releases tend to be presold), but there is still plenty in the shops.’

As for O Brother, Barry says they are thriving; ‘We are out the door doing emergency bottling runs this week, trying to keep up with everything, the draft and bottles at the same time. We are going one and a quarter years, but it still feels like we are finding our feet; it will probably always be that way.’ For a porter No Joe still has plenty of body and alcohol (6.7%), with vanilla, chocolate and toasted malt with an attractive subtle bitter touch.

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