Pinot noir: the perfect autumnal wine

This article was first published in The Irish Times Saturday 27th October, 2018

There is something distinctly autumnal about pinot noir; the earthy, leafy forest-floor aromas of a mature wine, the soft, ripe mellow fruits, even the whiff of wood smoke at times. It also goes so well with all sorts of game birds, rabbit and venison that come into season now.

Pinot noir was once the holy grail of most winemakers. It was famously fussy to grow, and equally difficult to fashion into a drinkable wine. It was also very expensive, whether from its home territory in Burgundy or elsewhere.

Yet many winemakers seem to have overcome these difficulties as most retail outlets now have a selection from around the world, often at very affordable prices. Chile probably leads the way for decent inexpensive pinot, followed by New Zealand.

Recently, various retailers have started selling very drinkable Romanian pinot noir for about €10. O’Briens is the latest with the Wildflower Pinot, €8.95 for November and December.

The Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania make Australia’s finest pinot noir, but sadly at a higher price; O’Briens has the Stonier Pinot Noir for €23.95 for November and December. California and Oregon produce some exquisite pinots, sadly at even higher prices; see Jus de Vine, Deveney’s and 64 Wine for these. You can also find very high-quality pinot noir from Germany, but mostly over €20, one exception being the very tasty Palataia Pinot for €14.80 (Marks & Spencer).

For many years, the rest of France struggled to produce decent pinot noir. Not any more; the Loire, Alsace, Limoux and the Languedoc all offer good wines, often at very affordable prices. O’Briens has the delicious juicy Begude Pinot Noir (€16.95) or at entry level, Aldi have the light Roussellet (€7.49). From the Loire, look to the soft ripe La Petite Perrière from SuperValu (€9 on promotion) and Whelehan’s in Loughlinstown has the vibrant la Roncière Pinot Noir 2015 for €17, alongside other great pinots from around the world.

Value for money

But back to Burgundy; I have written here before about how prices for the top wines are rocketing. Recently however, I have come across a number of very reasonably priced Bourgogne rouge. By reasonable, I mean about €20, but both the wines below offer real value for money. The most interesting tend to come from the best domaines of the Côte d’Or.

Burgundy Direct (burgundydirect.ie), as the names suggests, has an expertise in the area; their list contains many gems. Elsewhere you will find the Bourgogne Rouge Domaine J. C. Regnaudot for €21.95 in many independents.

Pinot noir is one of the most food-friendly grapes of all. Lighter versions go well with chargrilled salmon, tuna or roast Mediterranean vegetables. Medium-bodied wines, including most Burgundy, will make a memorable partner for the above-mentioned game birds, baked ham or a mushroom risotto.

Domaine de Mandeville Pinot Noir 2017, IGP Pays d’Oc 
13%, €13.30
Smooth ripe red cherry fruits with an attractive earthy touch. Try it with game pie.
Stockists Marks & Spencer, marksandspencer.ie

Domaine de Brau Pure Pinot Noir 2017, VDP d’Oc Organic/Vegan
14%, €16.60 
Herbal aromas, medium-bodied with dark cherry fruits and a pleasant earthy touch. A very attractive wine and very good value too. Try it with chicken in a creamy mushroom sauce.
Stockists Clontarf Wines, clontarfwines.ie; Urru, Bandon, urru.ie; Scally’s, Clonakilty, Supervaluclon.ie; Connemara Hamper, Connemarahamper.com; Quay Co-op, Cork, quaycoop.com.

Bourgogne Rouge 2015, Domaine Maurice Charleux 
13.5%, €18.95
Lively refreshing brambly blackberry and red cherry fruits; smooth, concentrated and ripe. Lovely wine and great value for money. With a grilled breast of duck or roast mallard.
Stockists Burgundy Direct, burgundydirect.ie

Bourgogne Rouge 2016, Domaine de la Vierge Romain, Machard de Gramont 
13.5%, €20.95
Very seductive smoky spicy dark cherries with good acidity and a smooth long finish. Try it with roast game birds.
Stockists Karwig Wines, Carrigaline, karwigwines.ie; The Vintry, Dublin 6, vintry.ie; The Cinnamon Cottage, Cork, cinnamoncottage.ie.

The best wines for your Sunday lunch

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 13th October, 2018

Growing up, I always loved a family Sunday lunch. It didn’t really matter that we spent much of the time arguing with each other; I liked the sense of occasion. My tasks always included taking out the “good” tablecloth and crockery, and for especially auspicious lunches, creating curls of real butter.

My dad, a French teacher, was unusual at the time, in that he enjoyed wine. On a teacher’s salary, he couldn’t afford it very often but once a month, he would go to the local off-licence and buy either a bottle of beer, or more often, a bottle of Nicolas Vieux Ceps, which came with a handy plastic cap, or sometimes a bottle of Lutomer Riesling from what was then Yugoslavia and is now Slovenia.

These days, drinking wine in the middle of the day makes me drowsy and unable to drive, However, every now and again, the family unites for a celebratory traditional Sunday lunch, a roast with all the trimmings, and more often than not, we will enjoy some wine.

A special occasion deserves good wine; unless you have a very large family, this is the time to spend a few euros more on your wine. They are your own flesh and blood after all.

Roast beef or lamb are among the most wine-friendly foods of all. The traditional accompaniment would be a Bordeaux, preferably from the Médoc, but a Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia, the US or Chile should also have the tannic bite that works so well with red meat. Rioja Reserva is a classic match for lamb and I would recommend paying €15 or more, as some of the cheap Rioja Reservas are not great – far better to go for a Rioja Crianza instead. Alternatively, you could go Italian and serve a Chianti Classico or a Barolo.

You can serve either red or white wine with roast chicken or pork. In fact, a good roast chicken will provide the perfect backdrop for your finest wine, red or white. I generally go for a red wine, these days frequently a Pinot Noir, a Mencía from Galicia, or a warming Côtes du Rhône, the latter a good match for most Sunday roasts.

You can drink Pinot Noir with salmon, but I prefer a white wine and a rich Chardonnay from Burgundy or elsewhere is probably best, but you could experiment with Grüner Veltliner or Viognier.

If there are vegetarians at the table, try to cook something that will match the wine you are serving – roast mushrooms, stuffed aubergines, red peppers and pasta bakes all go well with the above mentioned Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rioja Reserva or Chianti. Roast root vegetables and cauliflower cheese are often better with white wines, or why not try a rosé?

Château Sainte-Marie Réserve 2016, Bordeaux Réserve
13%, €17.95 down to €15.95
Medium-bodied, supple and smooth with concentrated sweet blackcurrant fruits, a hint of vanilla spice, and ripe tannins on the finish. Perfect with roast beef or lamb. From O’Briens, obrienswine.ie

Les Deux Cols Alizé 2016, Côtes du Rhône  
13.5%, €17.95
A very restrained elegant wine with ripe dark forest fruits, olives, herbs and black pepper, and a subtle acidity to bring it to life. With roast pork or chicken. From Searsons Wine Merchants, Monkstown, searsons.com; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, jusdevine.ie; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; Donnybrook Fair, donnybrookfair.ie; Lilac Wines, Dublin 3, lilacwines.ie; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; Redmonds, Ranelagh, redmonds.ie; The Cinnamon Cottage, Cork, cinnamoncottage.ie; Drinkstore, Manor St, Dublin 7, drinkstore.ie; Martin’s Off-Licence, Clontarf, martinsofflicence.ie; Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown, whelehanswines.ie; J. J. Fields, Skibereen; Deveney’s, Dundrum; La Touche, Greystones, latouchewines4u.ie

Mâcon-Charnay 2015, Jean Manciat   
13.5%, €22.95
Lovely rich ripe pure apple fruits, balanced perfectly by a seam of refreshing citrus acidity. With salmon, roast chicken or pork. From Searsons Wine Merchants, Monkstown, searsons.com; Cashel Wine Cellar, Cashel; Sweeney’s Wines, Glasnevin, sweeneyswines.ie; Martin’s Off Licence, Clontarf, martinsofflicence.ie; Donnybrook Fair, donnybrookfair.ie

Château Mauvesin Barton 2014, Moulis-en-Médoc 
13% €28.95-€30  
Classic, elegant claret with a lovely fragrant nose, and smooth blackcurrant fruits that glide across the palate, finishing dry. With roast beef or fillet steak. From Searsons Wine Merchants, Monkstown, searsons.com; O’Briens, obrienswine.ie