Heartwarming wines for a cold winter’s evening

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 19th January, 2019

The idea for this week’s article came about by chance; on a cold wet miserable January evening, I found myself yearning for something rich and warming to accompany a spicy stew I had cooked. I have been quietly suffering from a serious (aren’t they all?) bout of man-flu, and with my sinuses blocked, I couldn’t taste very much. This was not the time to sip at delicate light wines. I came across four wines, each from a different part of Catalonia in Spain. All shared two common traits. They were rich, full-bodied and powerful, perfect for cold weather drinking. All were 15 per cent or 14.5 cent (which could mean 15 per cent). It was a case of fighting fire with fire. I tried them out with various robust dishes, and not only did they actually taste of something, they also improved the food (and my mood) immeasurably. Back to lighter wines when the weather improves.

 All of these Spanish wines come from different mountainous sub-regions of Catalonia, back from the coast. They seem remote when you visit, yet most are only an hour or so from bustling, busy Barcelona. The second common trait in all four wines was a streak of refreshing acidity, not often found in full-bodied red wines. This is down to the varied soils and climate of these mountainous regions. The acidity provides a unique balance to the power and richness of the wines.

If you do intend heading to Barcelona this year, avoid the crowds for a few hours and head up into some of the most spectacular vineyards of all. Whether it is the soaring, rugged mountains of Priorat, with their steep slate slopes, or the wild coastal hills of Empordà, these are areas well worth visiting. A trip last year with Catalan producer Torres to their new winery in Costers del Segre (with the wonderful name of Purgatorí) reminded me of the unique beauty of this part of the world – and how good the food can be.

If you are visiting, Torres has estates in many of the sub-regions of Catalonia, including Priorat, Conca de Barberà, Penedès, and Costers del Segre, most of which offer tours and tastings.

Pirorat (or Priorato in Castilian) is the best-known region, and certainly produces the most expensive wines, some of which sell for hundreds of euro, although the Mosaic below is an exception at an offer price of €15. The regions surrounding Priorat mentioned above produce wines that are usually far less expensive and can offer far greater value for money.

As you will have gathered, these are not wines for sipping before dinner. But with substantial dishes such as curries, barbecued meats and winter braises, they deserve a place at your table.

Oriol dels Aspres Negre 2014, Empordà, Catalonia
14.5% €14
Powerful and earthy with maturing ripe red cherry fruits, and a rounded soft finish. With a rich hearty beef stew. Stockists: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, jusdevine.ie; JJ O’Driscoll, Ballinlough, jjodriscoll.ie; Deveneys, Dundrum; The Hole in the Wall, Dublin 7.

 Mosaic 2016, Priorat, Catalonia
14.5% €23.99 (€15, February 14th-March 4th)
Powerful, muscular with savoury licorice and spicy dark fruits. It went well with my spicy Mexican beef and bean casserole. Stockists: SuperValu, supervalu.ie; Centra, Centra.ie.

 Petit Saó 2015, Mas Blanch i Jové, Costers del Segre, Organic
14.5% €15.95
Inviting and fragrant with blackcurrant fruits, a seam of refreshing acidity and a good dry tannic finish. Swarthy, full-bodied and warming. Great with lasagne. Stockists: O’Briens, obrienswine.ie

Braó 2015, Montsant, Acústic Celler, Catalonia
15% €30
Full-bodied but deliciously smooth and opulent, with rich dark fruits, plenty of spice, and well-integrated tannins on the finish. The Acústic red (€22) is also well worth trying. With barbecued beef. Stockists: Bubbles Brothers, the English Market, Ballintemple, Cork, bubblebrothers.ie; Urru, Bandon, Urru.ie;  J.J. O’Driscoll, Ballinlough, jjodriscoll.ie.

White wines: my top ten picks for Christmas from independent merchants

First published online in the Irish Times, Tuesday 18th December, 2018

Below are ten of my favourite white wines of 2018 (actually I’ve cheated; there are twelve), and all are available from your independent wine retailer. I have indulged myself and included a few more expensive wines. This is the time of year to splash out a little; believe me you will notice the difference when you pay a few euro more.

Domaine du Tariquet Classic, Côtes de Gascogne, France, 2017
10.5% €13.99
This is an old favourite of mine, a clean, bright, breezy wine, all crunchy green apples and lemon zest, finishing bone dry. With a mere 10.5% alcohol, this would make a great aperitif or party wine; alternatively with light salads and shellfish.
From Vanilla Grape, Kenmare; Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin; Nolan’s Supermarket, 49 Vernon Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.

Château de Valcombe Blanc, Costières de Nimes, France, 2017
13.5% €16.99
Wonderful, subtle, elegant dry white with succulent peaches and pears, balanced perfectly by a mineral acidity. Great value for money.
From Red Nose Wines, The Regal Centre, Davis Road, Clonmel Co Tipperary.

Soave Colli Scaligeri Castelcerino Filippi (Organic), Italy, 2015
12.5% €19.95
I enjoyed this wine on several occasions in 2018. Delicious light Soave with a waxy touch, some peach and yellow apple fruits mixing in with marzipan and a lively streak of mineral acidity. Made from biodynamically grown grapes with minimal sulphur, it has a pleasant leesy touch too.
From Le Caveau, Market Yard, Kilkenny; Bradley’s Off-licence, 81 Main Street, Centre, Cork; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W;64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin 2.

Aphros Loureiro, Vinho Verde, Portugal, 2016
11.5% €21.95
A delicious vibrant, crisp dry white with a beautifully textured palate of orange peel and juicy pears. This would go down a treat with shellfish starters or as an aperitif.
From 64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; Baggot Street Wines, Baggot Street, Dublin 2; Bradley’s Off-licence, 81 Main Street, Centre, Cork; Deveney’s, 31 Main Street, Dundrum, Dublin 16; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W; Lilac Wines, 117 Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin 3; Redmonds, 25 Ranelagh Village, Dublin 6.

Bodegas Cota 45 ‘Ube’ Miraflores, Andalucia, Spain, 2017
12% €23.00
From one of the best tastings of 2018, a wonderful light subtle unfortified wine from Sherry country. This is fermented in old Manzanilla casks with two months under flor. Lightly floral with subtle toasted nuts, very seductive peach and apple fruits, finishing long and dry. Fascinating wine.
From 64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; Jus de Vine, 10 Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W; Martin’s Off Licence, 11 Marino Mart, Clontarf, Dublin 3; Loose Canon, 29 Drury St, Dublin 2.

Xisto iLimitado Branco, Luis Seabra Vinhos, Douro, Portugal, 2017
12.5% €22
Utterly delicious, delicate wine with a fine saline vein running through the mouth-watering pear and green apple fruits. Light but full of flavour, this lingers beautifully. Made by Luis Seabra, formerly winemaker at Niepoort, this is one of my favourite wines of 2018. A must-try wine.
From 64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W; Baggot Street Wines, Baggot Street, Dublin 2; Clontarf Wines, 48 Clontarf Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3; Redmonds, 25 Ranelagh village, Dublin 6.

Louro Godello, Rafael Palacios, Valdeorras, Spain, 2017
13.5% €27
One of my all-time favourite wines. Textured and creamy, with plump pears and peaches, a subtle nuttiness, shot through with a lively acidity. If you want to splurge, their As Sortes (€50) is even better with your Christmas starter and turkey. Some shops have it in magnums. This is the wine I will be drinking this Christmas, and not for the first time.

From Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; La Touche Wines, La Touch Place, Greystones, Co Wicklow; Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin; Martin’s Off Licence, 11 Marino Mart, Clontarf, Dublin 3; 64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; Baggot Street Wines, Baggot Street, Dublin 2; Blackrock Cellar, 23 Rockhill, Blackrock, Co Dublin; Clontarf Wines, 48 Clontarf Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W; Sweeney’s Wines, 6 Finglas Road, Hart’s Corner, Glasnevin, Dublin 11; Lilac Wines, 117 Philipsburgh Avenue, Fairview, Dublin 3; Grapevine, 26 Castle Street, Dalkey, Co Dublin; SIYPS.com.

Wieninger Wiener Gemischter Satz 1er Ulm Nussberg Organic, Austria
13.5% €29.99
A lovely rich dry white, with spicy textured oranges with a subtle note of honey, and very good racy citrus acidity. This would go down a treat wih salmon, smoked or grilled.
From wineonline.ie

Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine, Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Biodynamic, France 2015
13.5% €32.95
A delicious, sensual, sophisticated wine with layers of orange peel, peaches and grapefruit; textured and rich with layers of unctuous fruit kept in check by a mineral acidity. Richer seafood dishes or white meats.
From Searsons Wine Merchants, 10 Monkstown Crescent, Monkstown, Co Dublin.

Zárate Tras da Viña Rías Baixas, Spain, 2015
13%, €32.75
“As good a Rías Baixas as I have tasted”, read my notes from earlier this year. Gorgeous fresh lively wine with concentrated rich creamy peach fruits, and a strong mineral backbone. Lingers very nicely too.
From 64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin; The Hole in the Wall, Blackhorse Avenue, Dublin 7; Jus de Vine, Strand Road, Portmarnock, Co Dublin; Green Man Wines, 3 Terenure North, Terenure, Dublin 6W.

Chablis premier cru Vauloront, Domaine du Colombier, France, 2015
13%, €35
A deliciously refreshing crisp Chablis with plenty of ripe fruits to balance out the acidity. Long and concentrated, this would go down perfectly with a fishy starter on Christmas day.
From Whelehans, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin.

Matés Vineyard Chardonnay, Kumeu River, New Zealand, 2016
13.5%, €55-€60
Why would you pay €60 for a New Zealand Chardonnay? Well, because it is a dead ringer for top-notch white Burgundy that will set you back €30 more. Superb, refined, sophisticated Chardonnay that sings class. Fresh and crisp, with a lovely, rich, concentrated centre-palate of precise apple fruits and subtle toasted nuts.
From Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin;64 Wine, 64 Glasthule Road, Glasthule, Co Dublin.

My Top Twenty Wines from Marks & Spencer

MY TOP TWENTY WINES FROM MARKS & SPENCER

Of all the supermarkets, Marks & Spencer try the hardest; they certainly have the best and most adventurous range of wines. I think I have noticed a slight thinning out in Ireland at least, but it is still superior to all of their rivals, with an amazingly eclectic list of wines from all over the globe, with a heavy emphasis on the Mediterranean. At entry level they have a range of House Wines and other wines priced at €7.50-8.00. Some of these are very good. Below a small selection of my favourites, from €9 to €52.50 from recent tastings.

This article was first published in The Irish Times online edition.

SPARKLING WINES

Alcohol Free Sparkling Muscat NV

0%

€9

The alcohol is removed by a process known as reverse osmosis, leaving a fresh, juicy, fruit-filled glass of alcohol-free wine. You miss the alcohol a bit, but this would go down a treat at parties and any other get-together.

Rocca di Lago Spumante NV, Garda DOC

11.5%

€10.50

Made in the same way as Prosecco, this is a fresh, fruity, lightly sparkling wine with clean apple fruits. Not too sweet; I would prefer it to most Prosecco. Great value for money, and worth keeping in mind with the festive season ahead.

Champagne Delacourt NV – MAGNUM

12.5%

€81

If you are having a gang around, a magnum creates a real sense of occasion, and this one is very good. Champagne from a magnum generally tastes better too. Real depth and length, with rich creamy complex apples and brioche.

WHITE WINES

La Fortezza Vermentino 2017 Sicily

13%

€9

Perfumed and delicate with very attractive soft floral stone fruits and citrus. Great value for money.

Vermentino, usually found on the island of Sardinia, has been planted in Tuscany, and now Sicily in recent years. It has the great advantage of retaining acidity in warm climates.

Ken Forrester Workhouse Chenin Blanc 2017

12.5%

€13.30

An old favourite of mine. The current vintage is fresh and crisp, with lovely rich ripe peaches and subtle nuts and a dry finish. Try it with creamy pasta dishes or chicken. Excellent value for money.

Palataia Pinot Blanc 2017, Pfalz, Germany

€15

The Palataia Pinot Noir is pretty good and well-priced, but his was my first taste of the Pinot Blanc. It is very good, crisp and dry with very attractive pear fruits and a dry finish. A good all-purpose white to serve as an aperitif, with fish and seafood or white meats.

Fresquito PX Vino Nuevo de Tinaja 2017

14%

€13.30

This is one of my all-time favourite M&S wines, and I was delighted to see a new vintage appear recently. Made in clay amphorae in Montilla-Moriles, it is an utterly delicious, vaguely sherry like (but unfortified) wine with delicate toasted nuts, green olives and plump apricot fruits, finishing dry. Amazing value for money.

Rabl Grüner Veltliner 2017, Kamptal, Austria

12%

€13.30

Attractive brisk gingery green apple fruits and a crisp dry finish. Well-made, easy-drinking and good value for money.

It is rare to find any Austrian wine at his sort of price, and this is a pretty good example.

Craft 3 Chardonnay 2017, Adelaide Hills, Australia

12%

€15

From the cooler Adelaide Hills, a very nicely crafted crisp dry Chardonnay, with no obvious oak; just ample apple and pear fruits, with a solid backbone of acidity. Light enough to partner seafood, and enough body to accompany chicken. Very good value for money.

Val de Souto 2017, Ribeiro

12.5%

€17.50

Galicia produces some fantastic white wines, including Albarinho from Rîas Baixas and Godello from Valdeorras. This wine, made mainly from the unpronounceable Treixadura grape, is well worth trying; very lovely plump apricots, a subtle saline touch, finishing dry. Nice wine. With scallops or prawns.

Denbies Bacchus 2017, Surrey, England

12%

€20.50

Very floral and aromatic, with racy acidity and attractive refreshing fruit. Nice wine. Is this how an Irish wine might taste in the future?

RED WINES

Madiran Terres de Moraines 2014

14%

€14

Madiran can be tannic and chewy, but this version is very accessible with good smooth ripe blackcurrant fruits, and light savoury tannins on the finish. Perfect with a steak or grilled duck breast.

Craft 3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Maipo Vally, Chile

13%

€15

Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile covers all bases, from great structured wines to soft and sweet. This hits the mid range with decen structure and very good fruits.

A very fine Cabernet, with clean blackcurrants and cassis, a refreshing seam of acidity and a good dry finish. Roast lamb or beef.

Pisan Cisplatino Tannat 2017, Uruguay

13.5%

€15

Marks & Spencer has a track record for listing wines from lesser-known countries; this time it is Uruguay, producer of some very good wines, with the South-west French variety Tannat being their specialty. This version is ripe with soft dark fruits, sprinkled with spice and wood smoke. One to try with barbecued beef.

Dominio del Plata Terroir Series Malbec 2016, Uco Valley, Argentina

13.5%

€18.50

Intensely aromatic, all violets and dark fruits, with delicious fresh, lightly spicy plums, dark cherries and mint on the palate. Belly of pork or lamb chops.

Ebenezer & Seppeltsfield Shiraz 2016, Barossa Valley, Australia

15%

€22.50

An Australian classic, of a style that is not easy to come across these days. Big, powerful hedonistic sweet ripe dark fruits, lots of spicy vanilla oak, and a very good finish. Not for the faint-hearted, but perfect with all sorts of red meats dishes on a cold winter evening.

Levantine by Ch. Musar 2017, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

14%

€24.50

A cuvée of80% Cinsault and 20% Grenache from the legendary Lebanese producer.

Juicy dark cherries and raspberries with a lovely spicy touch. Very tasty wine. With a lightly spicy lamb tagine.

Contino Rioja Reserva 2014

13.5%

€35.50

Contino was the first single-vineyard Rioja, created in 1973. The wines are always impeccably made. An excellent young Rioja with very concentrated blackcurrant fruits, firm structured tannins and great length. Ideally you would stash it away for a few years. If serving now, decant before serving. Perfect with roast lamb.

Volnay 1er cru Le Blondeau 2015 Hospices de Beaune 2015

€52.50

This was bought by Marks & Spencer at the annual auction at the Hopsices de Beaune. Expensive but good Burgundy is not cheap. A relatively young wine that will improve further with a little age. Youthful piquant ripe dark cherry, with a touch of smoky new oak, underpinned by good acidity. If you are having it for Xmas, decant ½ hour before dinner. Perfect with the Christmas turkey.

FORTIFIED WINES

Very Rare Palo Cortado Premium Sherry ½ bottle

19%

€12

Made by Lustau, this is the perfect Christmas treat for the Sherry lover in your life. Intense, bone dry and wonderful, this has masses of toasted nuts, dried fruits, orange peel and much more besides. Drink with a plate of hard cheese, crackers and walnuts.