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Fernet Branca

Posted by on April 3, 2016
Fernet Branca

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 2nd April, 2016

Nothing can quite prepare you for your first hit of Fernet-Branca. Mine came over breakfast, courtesy of a Danish colleague, who assured me it was the only way to start the day. I thought he was trying to poison me. Fernet-Branca is dark, mysterious and bitter. Very bitter. Drunk neat, it is dry, medicinal, sharp and herbal, like a slap across the face.

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I once read a memorable description of Fernet Branca as “like waking up in a foreign country and finding a crowd of people arguing in agitated thorny voices outside your hotel window”.Italians like this sort of thing; witness the popularity of Campari, cima di rapa and other bitter brassicas, and liquorice. They treat Fernet-Branca and other bitters as a digestif. A small glass at the end of a meal is said to ward off indigestion and promote well-being. Elsewhere, there are those who swear it is the perfect antidote to a hangover, but that is probably because it tastes like a severe punishment, and temporarily dulls the senses.

Fernet-Branca was invented in 1845 by Bernardino Branca. His company, Fratelli Branca Distillerie of Milan, is still run by the Branca family. As with so many drinks, the recipe is a secret, but the company website tells us it has 27 herbs from four continents, as well as spices and roots. This includes aloe from Sri Lanka or India, and chamomile from Italy or Argentina. It is aged in old oak barrels for a year prior to bottling.

Fernet-Branca is hugely popular in the bars of San Francisco where bartenders apparently start their shift with a shot, and sometimes continue throughout the evening.

The most popular cocktail is the Bartender’s Handshake, Fernet and ginger ale, sometimes drunk one after the other. But it is Argentina that consumes the greatest quantity of Fernet-Branca, some 25 million litres each year, usually as a Fernandito or Fernet con Cola.

It is even available in pre-mixed cans. On a recent visit to a trendy Buenos Aires nightspot, bartenders were offering all manner of Fernet-based cocktails. I tried one and returned to my Malbec.

Throughout its history, Fernet-Branca has been marketed as having curative properties, in the 19th century as a treatment for anxiety and fever.

Early labels claim it “benefits the stomach, promotes digestion, strengthens the body, overcomes cholera, reduces fever, and heals those suffering from nervous weakness, lack of appetite, sickness or tapeworms; suitable for use as a preventative measure for all those who are obliged to reside in damp and infectious conditions. May be taken at any time of the day as required, undiluted or mixed with water, soda water, wine, coffee, vermouth, or other beverages”.

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Radikale Radical Brew

Posted by on March 31, 2016
<strong>Radikale Radical Brew</strong>

Radikale Radical Brew
6.6%
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This article was first published in the Irish Times, Wednesday 30th March, 2016

I featured the delicious Belgian-style Radikale Rubenesque last September, and gave a brief mention of the Radikale Curious Ale, a beer that had been made in collaboration with Blackwater Distillery in Cappoquin. When I say collaboration, they added the botanicals used for the very tasty No.5 gin instead of flavouring hops. “I really the liked the Blackwater gin”, says Alain Dekoster, the Belgian behind Radikale, “and just wondered what would happen if I used the botanicals to make beer. We didn’t know what to expect, but it really exceeded my expectations.” Customers liked it too; it was voted fourth best beer by Beoir members in 2015. The name of the beer has now changed, due to legal threats from a UK beer company, to Radical Brew.

This is a rye beer, giving it a nice spiciness. You certainly get the juniper, plus a few other herbs, but the main flavour is hops. When I tried it at the RDS last year, I wasn’t that gone on it, but I really enjoyed sipping this one evening last week. Dekoster hopes to finish his new brewery later this year, and have a few new beers ready for the RDS beer festival.

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Galway Hooker Sixty Knots India Pale Ale

Posted by on March 24, 2016
<strong> Galway Hooker Sixty Knots India Pale Ale</strong>

First published in the Irish Times online, Wednesday 23rd March, 2016
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Galway Hooker Sixty Knots India Pale Ale
6.5%

Galway Hooker was one of the first craft brewers in the country, set up in 2006 by cousins Ronan Brennan and Aidan Murphy. Murphy is very happy with the boom in new craft brewers. ‘It’s a funny kind of thing; the competition elevates the whole craft beer market so it is mostly positive. The more beers, the more momentum we all seem to get.’ Originally set up in Roscommon, they moved to a bigger new brewery in Oranmore two years ago. ‘It is certainly a lot more comfortable’ says Aidan.

Sixty Knots was launched about a year ago, and is now a permanent fixture, alongside the original Irish Pale Ale, Stout and Amber Ale. ‘Basically we were trying to produce a traditional India Pale Ale with high alcohol content and a high level of bitterness (it has 60 ibu). It is a little bit different from other Irish IPAs in that it has a combination of the punchy citrus of American hops combined with the earthy spiciness of European hops’. Sixty Knots certainly has a lively bitterness, but it is very nicely underpinned by pine resin and a broad maltiness.

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The Mighty Zin – sun-kissed California in a Glass

Posted by on March 20, 2016
The Mighty Zin – sun-kissed California in a Glass

First published in the Irish Times, 19th March, 2016

I have always had a soft spot for the wines of California and Zinfandel in particular. Fresh out of college, I spent six glorious months in San Francisco. I spent a lot of time travelling up and down the nearby Napa and Sonoma Valleys, and even more time drinking the lovely ripe- fruited wines that sold at ridiculously cheap prices. Many of these would have included Zinfandel in their make-up without mentioning it, but for a few dollars more you could buy a varietal Zin. These were rich, soft and powerful with an accessibility that made European wines seem sharp and unappetising. My tastes have changed over the years, but I still enjoy a good Zinfandel.

Zinfandel comes in three colours. You will find the odd genuinely white wine, stripped of both colour and flavour, but the majority of white Zinfandels are sweet rosé wines. Some mock them, but they provide many with an introduction to the pleasures of wine. Red Zinfandel is more serious, varying from rich and powerful to a more elegant style. All tend to have very ripe tannins, making them disarmingly easy to drink young, yet the best have the ability to age.

The variety first appeared in the mid-19th century. Many theories were advanced as to its origins but in the 1990s DNA proved that the Primitivo grape of Apulia (or Puglia) of Italy, was identical to that of Zinfandel. Many argued that the grape must have been brought over by Italian immigrants, although it predated them by several decades.It did not take Italian producers long to claim Primitivo as the original of the species, and to begin labelling their wines (particularly those going to the US) as Zinfandel. However, the trail continued to Croatia, where eventually a team of American and Croatian academics proved that an almost extinct variety called Crljenak Kastelanski was identical to both Primitivo and Zinfandel, and the parent of both.

There are plenty of very good small boutique Zinfandels produced in California, typically made from gnarled century-old vines that somehow survived prohibition.Most of these are snapped up by American enthusiasts before they can make their way over here. My favourite producer is Ridge, available through Jnwine.com. If you come across it in a restaurant, Frog’s Leap, imported by Berry Brothers & Rudd, is very good too. Beware mighty Zin though. This variety can reach heady port-like levels of alcohol – 16 per cent or more is not unusual.

The soft tannins and supple fruit make Zinfandel a good match for many foods, including most red and white meats. The richer style partners very well with grills, barbecues, spicy food (Mexican in particular) and rich robust stews.

Image 6De Loach Heritage Reserve Zinfandel 2014, 13.5%, €18.99
Generous and harmonious with mellow cassis and gentle spice.
Stockists: Blackrock Cellar; Clontarf Wines; Florries; Lotts & Co; On the Grapevine; McHughs; Red Island; Sweeney’s; World Wide Wine.

Image 2Gnarly Head Zinfandel 2013, Lodi, California, 14.5%, €18.99
Powerful and rounded with ripe dark fruits and a touch of vanilla.
Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; O’Briens; O’Donovan’s; Kelly’s; Jus de Vin; Baggot St Wines.

Image 1Paul Dolan Organic Zinfandel 2011, Mendocino,14.5%, €29.99
From organic and biodynamic vineyards, a rich wine coming down with ripe blackcurrants and plum jam.
Stockists: Redmonds; Fallon & Byrne.

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Beer of the Week; Children of the Revolution

Posted by on March 17, 2016

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First published in the Irish Times, Wednesday 16th March, 2016

Children of the Revolution India Pale Ale, Wicklow Wolf

The Craft Brewers of Ireland love an excuse to come up with a seasonal brew, preferably with a pun or two in the name. A combination of St. Patrick’s Day and the 1916 celebrations has provided plenty of scope.

Children of the Revolution ‘salutes the bravery and vision of our countrymen and countrywomen who made possible the Ireland we live in today’. I am not sure they had today’s Ireland in mind back in 1916, but the politicians had better watch out – as Marc Bolan sang in 1972 ‘you won’t fool the children of the revolution’. This is a medium-bodied (5.7%) pale ale with a really enticing aroma and flavour of mandarin orange alongside a nice citrus bite and a smooth hoppy finish. Nice beer. ‘We were lucky enough to get a smallish amount of Amarillo hops, so we thought ‘let’s do something special, lets dump it all in to the IPA,’ says Quincey Fennelly of Wicklow Wolf.

Apparently someone took offence to the name of the beer, arguing it encouraged underage drinking. After an appearance on Joe Duffy, it went viral online. Quincey Fennelly says his phone hasn’t stopped ringing since. ‘We are all our mother’s children whatever age we are. I don’t think the name would persuade teenagers to pay €4 for a bottle instead of several cans of cheap larger.’ As the label says, the bitterness ends here!

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Awesomely Austrian

Posted by on March 13, 2016
Awesomely Austrian

IMG_3083First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 12th March, 2016

The Austrians came to town in force a few weeks ago. No less than 50 producers, some already represented in Ireland and others seeking an importer, showed their wares. It was a reminder that the overall standard of Austrian winemaking is incredibly high.They may not have much to offer at under €10 (nothing, in fact), but I came across very few dud wines at this tasting. It helps that I like Austrian wines generally, but the current generation of winemakers seem to have the technical know-how to make something very drinkable whatever the vintage. In addition to their array of superb wines, white, red and sweet, they have now turned their attentions to sparkling wines.

The tasting was organised by the Austrian Wine Marketing Board. Set up 30 years ago as part of a complete overhaul of the country’s wine from the bottom up, the board has been a key part of the revolution, transforming the fortunes of Austrian wines at home and on the international market, where they now occupy a small but profitable niche.

In 1986, Austria exported some three million litres of wine at a value of €3 million. Three decades on, the volumes have increased to 50 million litres. The value has increased as well, making Austrian wine producers the envy of many other producer countries.A levy of 2.2 cents for every litre of wine sold goes to the board. If a grower sells his grapes or wine to a négociant, each pays 1.1 cents. It means the the board is very well funded and able to put on impressive tastings and other events, both in Austria and abroad.

Austrian wine has always been popular in neighbouring Germany, but other markets took a little more time. The US and UK are showing huge growth, with Grüner Veltliner providing the spearhead. Ireland has lagged behind other countries but still shows reasonable growth. In 2006 we bought 8,000 litres (or 10,500 bottles) of Austrian wine. By 2014, this had risen to 37,000 litres (almost 50,000 bottles), an impressive increase, but only the start of the wine board’s ambitions.

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As a consumer country, Austria was one of the earliest movers to organic food, and there has been a big effort to increase sustainable viticulture over last decade. Ten per cent of vineyards are now organic.The Austrians have a certification tool for sustainable production – a more holistic approach, with tough criteria covering the whole operation, from vineyard to the consumer. You don’t have to be organic, but it gives you a lot of points in the certification system.

As for the wine, Grüner Veltliner has been to key to Austria’s success. A native grape that is still grown almost exclusively in Austria, it ranges in style from light and crisp to textured and rich. Either way, it is rarely aged in new oak and usually clocks in at 12.5-13.5 per cent alcohol.Like Rías Baixas from Spain, Grüner has become a more fashionable alternative for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers. That is being a little unfair to Grüner, as the wines can be quite spectacular in the right hands, but it does share certain similarities in style. The other advantage is its great versatility with food. It matches up nicely with most European-style fish and shellfish, as well as chicken and pork. It is one of the best partners for all sorts of Asian cuisine, including Japanese, Indian, and Thai.

So if you are ever asked to choose a wine for a group of people ordering very different foods in a restaurant, Grüner Veltliner is a good option. I did exactly that over lunch in Fallon & Byrne with the new Irish Times food and drink team a few weeks back. I list three different styles of Grüner, at three different prices. Lucas Pichler is one of the country’s greatest winemakers, with prices to match.

IMG_1624Graf Josef Grüner Veltliner 2013, Kremstal, 12.5%, €14.99
Light and refreshing with peaches and grapefruit zest, finishing bone dry.
Stockists: Donnybrook Fair; Gibneys; Hole in the Wall; Market 57; No.21 Off-licences; Coopers: Shannon Knights.

ImageTürk Grüner Veltliner vom Urgestein 2014, Kremstal 12.5%, €21.95
Classic Grüner with plump melon fruits, a touch of spice and crisp citrus acidity.
Stockists: Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown.

PichlerF.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Loibner Loibenberg 2014, Wachau,13.5%, €50
Magnificent, powerful, opulent wine with intense peaches, ginger and a hint of smoke.
Stockists: Redmond’s, Ranelagh; 64wine, Glasthule.

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World’s End Chocolate Vanilla Imperial Stout, Blacks of Kinsale

Posted by on March 10, 2016

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First published in the online Irish Times, Wednesday 9th March, 2016

World’s End Chocolate Vanilla Imperial Stout, Blacks of Kinsale

8.5%

Sam and Maud Black have been brewing since 2013, making them old hands as far as Irish craft brewing is concerned. We have been here before; Imperial Stout is not a session beer unless you want a very heavy session. It is typically 8-12% in volume with fairly full-on flavours of roasted malt, dark chocolate and sometimes loads of hops too.

Last December saw the first release of World’s End, but it will feature every year from now on. Sam Black recommends keeping a bottle of the 2015 for a year to try against the 2016. That may not be easy, as stocks have depleted rapidly; a few shops still have it though.

“Every craft brewer should have a good imperial stout”, says Black. “We made the Model T before, and this time we took it a step further”. World’s End is made using Fairtrade cacao husks and Madagascar vanilla pods. “It is very unusual to get the cacao husks; normally it is chocolate nibs or plain chocolate. We got ours from bean to bar producer Clonakilty Chocolate. It has only ever been done once before as far as I can see, but we gave it a go and it worked very well. To be honest it was a shot in the dark as to whether it would give any flavour, but it came out great. The vanilla rounds it out and sweetens the flavour slightly giving the perception of chocolate”

World’s End is full bodied and powerful with masses of roasted coffee and dark chocolate flavour. The vanilla does stop it getting too severe; think 85% dark chocolate. This is great beer, one to sip and savour slowly on a cold evening.

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Bordeaux superieur: fruitful trips to wine-producing chateaux The new Cité du Vin gives another good reason to visit the French city

Posted by on March 6, 2016

IMG_3635First Published in the Irish Times Saturday 6th March, 2016

A deputation of Bordelais officials travelled to Dublin recently to present the Irish press corps with some compelling reasons to visit their city. I am not sure we need convincing. It seems Bordeaux is going to be a very busy place this summer. As every football fan will be aware, Ireland face Belgium here at Euro 2016 on June 18th.

The Stade de Bordeaux has a capacity of 42,000, so tickets will not be easy to come across. The massive Parc des Quinconces will be turned into a fan zone. If the match isn’t going well, you could always meander down to the nearby river, a Unesco Heritage site, and enjoy the wonderful scenery.

The soccer doesn’t end there. On June 21st, Croatia take on Spain and one of the quarter finals will take place here on July 2nd.

In addition to football there are plenty of wine-related activities. From June 23rd-26th, the city will host the annual Fête le Vin, a lively festival that takes place in tents and pavilions along the waterfront.

I really enjoyed the event a few years ago, a great mix of tastings, food and culture. At around the same time, the brand new Cité du Vin will open its doors. This impressive wine cultural centre and museum covers wine from around the world, and promises something for all the family, including children.

It would be shame to visit Bordeaux without paying a visit to a few of the wine producers. At one time, the châteaux of Bordeaux were reluctant to open their doors to the public, but happily this has all changed in recent years.From the offices of the CIVB (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux) in the city centre, a string of buses leave every morning to visit various regions of Bordeaux and their châteaux. There will also be a jetty beside the Cité du Vin, where you can take boat trips to the vineyards.Given the city is going to be very busy, I strongly suggest you look at Bordeauxwinetrip.com or the more general Bordeaux-tourism.co.uk and make arrangements before travelling.

However, you don’t really need an excuse to go to Bordeaux; the city was rejuvenated under former mayor Alain Juppé and is a wonderful place to visit (although if you are travelling by car the traffic is never great). Many of the fine old buildings along the waterfront have been renovated, the old town is buzzing with activity, and has plenty of food and wine shops, restaurants and other ways to spend your money.If you tire of the city, and of wineries, take a relaxing a trip to the amazing beaches of Arcachon or the nearby oyster beds.

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And so to the wines; Bordeaux continues to produce some of the world’s finest. The Grands Crus Classés may be beyond the reach of many, but this is one of the largest wine regions in France, so there will always be plenty of less expensive wines. Don’t worry if you don’t make it to Bordeaux; most retailers here have a decent selection.O’Briens starts its Bordeaux sale on March 1st; I can recommend the seductive, supple Château Sainte Marie (€14.35), and the excellent Château Marsau Arpège 2010 for €15.95, a very keen price.I also really enjoyed the Château Pey-Bonhomme Les Tours 2012 (€20) from 64wine recently. Lidl should still have some wines left from its French wine sale, including the Fiefs de Lagrange below.I would also recommend the elegant plummy Château de Francs 2011 and the ripe juicy Château Clos Fontaine 2010, both good value at €12.99. Greenacres in Wexford has one of the finest selections of Bordeaux in the country, with prices to fit every budget. Mitchell & Son welcomes back Château de Lamarque to its portfolio after a gap of a few years; it also has a mouth-watering selection of good Bordeaux.

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Green Chartreuse shades it.

Posted by on March 1, 2016

First published in the Irish Times, Saturday, 27th February 2016.

“With a pint of green chartreuse ain’t nothin’ seems right You buy the Sunday paper on a Saturday night”

So growled Tom Waits in Til The Money Runs Out, on his 1980 album Heartattack and Vine. Chartreuse has that sort of reputation. Strange then that it was created by an order of contemplative monks, and that French children are fed a drop of the Elixir Végétal de la Grande-Chartreuse dissolved on a sugar cube to ward off sickness. At a heart-warming 69 per cent alcohol, it must kill all known germs. This elixir comes in a small phial, encased in its wooden case. The monks market it as a cordial, a liqueur and a “very effective” tonic on their website. The standard liqueur is slightly less potent than the Elixir at 55 per cent.

Chartreuse traces its history back to 1609 when, it is said, a secret recipe was handed to the Carthusian monks by a marshal in the army of King Henri IV. It eventually found its way to their headquarters in the mountains of Haut-Savoie, a beautiful region an hour’s drive east of Lyon. There, the apothecary succeeded in creating an elixir from some 130 herbs and spices. The exact recipe remains a secret to this day, shared only by two monks. Eventually, seeing that it had become popular as a drink, the monks created a less potent liqueur for use as a beverage. As you can also find a similar liqueur known as génépi, traditionally made by farmers in the region, it is possible that the story of Henri IV was invented along the way.

The order was expelled twice from France, once during the French Revolution and again in 1903. On the second occasion, they continued to produce the liqueur in Spain, only returning, with tacit state approval, in 1929. In their absence, an inferior copy was offered by the new distillery owners in France.Today, the complex blend of herbs is mixed at the monastery before being taken to a distillation plant in the nearby town of Voiron. You can visit the museum, and take a very pleasant walk around the high walls of the monastery, but entrance is forbidden. There are signs outside requesting visitors to keep quiet.

There are two versions of Chartreuse, green and yellow, each flavoured with a different selection of herbs. The yellow is sweeter, flavoured with saffron, and lower in alcohol. The complex flavours of the green are intensely herbal, medicinal and powerful. There is a sweetness that never cloys; it lingers and develops on the palate, lasting minutes. It is one of the only liqueurs that ages and improves in bottle and gives it’s name to the colour chartreuse.

The monks produce six different herb-based liqueurs, my favourite being the green Chartreuse VEP or (Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolongé) which is the standard version aged for a longer period in oak casks. It makes an excellent digestif served chilled after dinner. Green Chartreuse is back in fashion, as a drink with water, or as an ingredient in cocktails. Skiers in the resorts above the Haute-Savoie warm themselves up with a verte chaude, made with one part green Chartreuse to three parts hot chocolate, finished with a layer of cream – a French take on an Irish coffee.The Last Word, a Prohibition era cocktail, was recently revived by bartender Murray Stenson in Seattle. It consists of one part each of gin, lime juice, green Chartreuse and maraschino liqueur, shaken with ice and then strained into a martini glass.

The final tasting note goes to Anthony Blanche in Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited: “Real green Chartreuse, made before the expulsion of the monks. There are five distinct tastes as it trickles over the tongue. It is like swallowing a spectrum.”

BOTTLES OF THE WEEK

IMG_1602La Vieille Capitelle 2013 AOP Languedoc
12.5%
€10

Familiar to O’Briens customers, a soft supple rich fruity red with ripe blackcurrants and spice. Great value for money.

Stockist: O’Briens

IMG_0027Ad Libitum 2014 Rioja (Organic)
12.5%
€16.99

Very attractive textured green apple and melon fruits, good acidity and a crisp finish. Great price for a wine with real interest.

Stockists: Cabot & Co, Westport; No.1 Pery Square, Limerick.

Grégory Pérez Mengoba 2013, Méncia del Espanillo, Bierzo
13.5% €33.50

Expensive brilliant wine, nuanced and sophisticated, with wonderful smooth dark cherry fruits, a subtle oakiness, and a lovely finish.

Stockists: Sheridan’s Cheesemongers; 64wine.

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Duxie Grapefruit Tea Pale Ale, Jack Cody’s Brewery

Posted by on February 25, 2016
<strong>Duxie Grapefruit Tea Pale Ale, Jack Cody’s Brewery

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Geoff FitzPatrick of Jack Cody’s

Duxie Grapefruit Tea Pale Ale, Jack Cody’s Brewery
5%

First published in the online Irish Times on 24th February, 2016

Yes, you read it correctly. A beer that lists pink grapefruit , lime and earl grey tea as ingredients alongside the usual barley, hops, yeast and water. The label says drink in the sunshine, something that is currently in short supply, or with salads, smoked mackerel or Thai red curry. I had none of these to hand, but gave it a go anyway. It has aromas of candy and orange peel, and a light, refreshing, lightly bitter palate of fruit and candy again and some grapefruit. It also has the slight yet definite soapy perfume and flavour of earl grey tea. I liked it but could see how others wouldn’t.

Set up in Drogheda by Geoff FitzPatrick, Jack Cody’s has been going since the summer of 2014, making a good name for itself with Smiggy Amber Ale and Puck Pilsner. The brewery also has Hail Glorious Saint Patrick Extra Stout out for the coming national day.

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