Blog

A few very nice wines – the weekends modest consumption

The weekends modest consumption.

DSCF6821

Rocca de Montemassi 2013, Maremma Toscana

Made, I think, from a Bordeauxish blend with some Syrah, this was a medium to full-bodied wine with concentrated blackcurrant fruits, toasty oak, plenty of structure and good dry tannic length. Sort of like Bordeaux on steroids? Very nice wine. €40 from Fresh Outlets.

Dom Freitas Reserva 2013 Castelao, VR Peninsula de Setubal

SuperValu will launch this (in selected stores) in very smart wooden cases of six for €50, or €8.33 a bottle from 21st July. Light with piquant cherry fruits, good acidity and some oaky vanilla. Good with lighter meat dishes and good value too.

Guardoilvento 2014 Etna Rosso

Herbal nose with some dark fruits; slightly baked and wild, with ripe dark fruits and good acidity. Lovely wine. Imported by Grapecircus, I suspect it would retail for around €25-30.

Macon-Uchizy 2014 Mallory & Benjamin Talmard

An old favourite showing very well. Medium-bodied with fresh clean green apple fruits and a touch of style. €18.95 from Searsons and other independents.

Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2006, Margaret River, Western Australia

I stashed this away five years ago, having written a very positive review of the wine. It is still very good and certainly shows no sign of oxidiation (or premature oxidation) but I would have hoped for a little more intensity of flavour. Still had plenty of fresh acidity, light toasty hazelnuts, and peach fruits, Good but not great.

Ch. Lagrange 2012, Grand Cru Classé, Saint Julien

A bottle I smuggled home from the Lidl press tasting, to be featured shortly in their French Wine sale at around €40. Fine, classic Saint Julien with elegant blackcurrant fruits, and a cloak of new French oak. A very nice wine, but just wish it had a touch more concentration at this price.

Croce di Febo Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011
Fairly full-bodied (14%) with plenty of dark savoury cherry fruits, some new oak showing through and a firm long finish. Well-made wine. Organic. From Grapecircus I think and therefore probably available in Sheridans.

Posted in: Blog

Leave a Comment (0) →

Šipon & Slovenia

Šipon & Slovenia

IMG_2591First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 16th July, 2016

The south-east corner of Slovenia is one of the prettiest wine regions I have ever visited; rolling green hills covered in vines, forest, fields of pumpkin and maize, dotted with substantial prosperous well-maintained farmhouses, each with its own immaculate kitchen garden. The hills provide some excellent and varied sites to grow vines. The people are very friendly and open. It was a joy to walk around the narrow roads on a bright sunny June morning and very hard to leave. The default language is German. We are a twenty-minute drive from Austria and Hungary, and two minutes from Croatia; the recently erected barbed wire fence along the border lies unmanned, as the politics of refugee’s changes. In the past, the people of this area would have considered the city of Graz as their capital rather than Ljubljana.

The names are long and a bit confusing. The three main towns are Ljutomer (remember Lutomer Riesling?), Jeruzalem and Ormož. They tried calling their wine Jeruzalem, but people thought it was Israeli. Today most of the wines are labeled Štajerska, Slovenian for Styria, a much larger region. Grape varieties do not respect political borders. Many of those grown here can also be found in the neighboring countries. The majority of wines are white, although Blaufränkisch is growing in popularity and can be very good.

Šipon (pronounced Sheepon or Shipon) is better known by its Hungarian name, Furmint. It deserves far greater recognition as one of the world’s great grape varieties, responsible for Hungary’s glorious sweet Tokaji, as well as some delicious dry white wines in Austria and Slovenia as well as Hungary. Under other names, you will also find it in Croatia, Romania, and Slovakia. Mitchell & Son even have a (very good) sparkling Furmint from Ch. Dereszla in Tokaji. Dry Furmint is lightly aromatic, with wonderful bracing acidity, and attractive fruits whose flavours I find difficult to describe. It can take a bit of oak ageing, and matures very well too. It certainly goes very well with the pork dishes popular in this part of Slovenia.

I tend to run away from Gewürztraminer most of the time; it takes a skilled winemaker to balance the rich exotic honey-laden aromas and fruit with the all-important balancing acidity. The Traminer grape is a forbearer of Gewürz. Less aromatic, with succulent fruits and a lively acidity, the wines are worth looking out for, especially the Miro below. The western part of Slovenia also produces some fascinating, but very different wines, often with a distinctly Italian style. Sadly very few are available here for the moment. Slovenia is not a big producer, and their wines are in demand locally, so prices are rarely cheap. They do however offer very good value.

DSCF6718Verus Furmint (Šipon) 2014, Stajerska, Slovenia
12%
€20.99

Delicious light refreshing wine with plump honey and melon fruits.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, onthegrapevine.ie

Image 1Miro Traminec 2013, Stajerska, Slovenia
13.5%
€22.50

Gentle aromas of honeysuckle, dripping with honeyed ripe peach fruits.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport www.cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, Dalkey www.onthegrapevine.ie


DSCF6715Dveri Pax Šipon Ilovic 2011, Stajerska Sloven
ia
13%
€20.99

Aromatic, lightly smoky with delicious maturing exotic fruits, finishing dry.

Stockists: Wines on the Green, Dawson St.

Image 2Bargain Wine
1139 Dveri Pax 2015, Stajerska, Slovenia

12.5%
€14.95

A blend of four grapes come together to produce a vibrant fruit-filled wine. Perfect summer drinking.

Stockists: Marks & Spencer

Posted in: Irish Times

Leave a Comment (0) →

Lidl French Wine Sale Part One – White Wines Preview

The Lidl French wine sale starts on the 12th September. As usual, quantities are limited, so some will sell through fairly quickly. There are, I think, fewer wines this year, but the overall quality was pretty good with some impressive wines. As in previous years, Bordeaux features strongly with a nice range of wines at around €10.

Prices are indicative and will be confirmed closer to the event. Today, I review my favourite white wines, to be followed by the reds next week.

IMG_5430

Ernest Wein Riesling 2015, Alsace (around €10)

Very recognisably Riesling with plump apple fruits, a little residual sugar, but it works very well. Nice wine.

IMG_5429
JP Muller Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Berbieten 2013 (€13-15)

Bigger, richer and riper than the Riesling above, with good mature honeyed fruits, nice concentration and a clean finish. Well-made wine and very good value.

IMG_5428
Bestheim Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 2015, Alsace (€8-9)

A pleasantly herbal nose and palate with decent plump fruit. Perfect sipping wine at a very good price.

IMG_5425
Sancerre 2015, Vigne de la Taille aux Buis (€14-16)

I am not usually a fan of cheap Sancerre, but this was an exception. Light crisp and mineral with some elegant green fruits.
IMG_5431

Touraine Sauvignon La Chardoise 2015 (around €10)

Looking for an inexpensive sipping Sauvignon? This should do the trick. Light elderflower aromas rich rounded green fruits. Fine at the price. By the way, I am not sure this is the correct picture above – there were two on tasting.

IMG_5427

Adrien Marechal Reuilly 2015 (€11-13)

If you haven’t tried a Reuilly before, this is your chance. This small appellation in the Loire valley produces some very good Sauvignon Blanc. This was one of my stars of the tasting, a lovely lightly aromatic wine with concentrated stony green fruits and a crisp dry finish. Lovely wine.

Posted in: Blog

Leave a Comment (0) →

Beauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,

Beauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,

ImageBeauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,
€14.85 from Le Caveau, Kilkenny & MacGuinness, Dundalk.

Very seductive floral aromas, with mouth-watering plump ripe peaches on the palate. Great value for money.

A good all-rounder to sip on its own or with summery salads.

You are much more likely to come across the red version of Corbières. The appellation is very large, and the reds range from cheap and watery to some serious age worthy wines. This wine is a slightly eclectic mix of 60% Marsanne, 30% Vermentino and 10% Roussanne that works really well.

Posted in: Daily Drop

Leave a Comment (0) →

Hauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc

Hauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc

domaine-robert-vic-les-hauts-de-median-petit-verdoHauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc
€14.50 from Le Caveau, Kilkenny & McGuinness, Dundalk.

Medium-bodied with ripe dark fruits, good acidity, and medium tannins on the finish. Well-made wine with a bit of structure. It needs a plate of food.

I would try this with red meats – grilled lamb chops sound about right.

Petit Verdot is a Bordeaux grape, often used in small amounts as part of a blend. Some producers argue that as little as 2-3% makes a big difference to the wine, adding a spicy or peppery note. Others argue that it is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but as they both ripen at the same time (late), it is of little use. I like the solid dark fruits and structure it adds to a wine, and would like to see more of it in the Languedoc.

Posted in: Daily Drop

Leave a Comment (0) →

Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013

Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013

Image 1Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013
€33.95 from O’Briens

White flower aromas; clean and fresh with a nice racy minerality, elegant pears and subtle toasted nuts.

I would drink this with black sole, brill or plaice served simply, possibly with lemon and butter.

Santenay is not the best-known region of Burgundy, and even then you are more likely to come across red wines rather than white. So today’s wine is a bit of an oddity. Santenay lies to the very far south of the Côte d’Or. The wines are sometimes dismissed as being a little too earthy, but I have always enjoyed them. Given the way Burgundy prices are going (upwards!) we may see more Santenay being offered on the future.

Posted in: Top Drop

Leave a Comment (0) →

Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru Fussieres 2013

Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru Fussieres 2013

Image 1

Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru ‘Fussières’ 2013
13%
€24.40 from Le Caveau; Baggot St. Wines; MacGuinness, Dundalk; Green Man Wines, Terenure; World Wide Wines Waterford; Redmond’s, Ranelagh.

Elegant and nicely concentrated with delicious cool dark cherry fruits. It does have some light tannins, and so will probably keep for a year or two, but drinking beautifully now.

Ideal with white meats, chicken and charcuterie.

Maranges is the most southerly name of the Côte d’Or, right beside Santenay (see above). Jean-Claude Regnaudot produces great value wines from this appellation; his Bourgogne Rouge, which sells for around €18, is always worth buying, and this wine, from old vines in his best single vineyard, is a steal at less than €25.

Posted in: Top Drop

Leave a Comment (0) →

The Haul this weekend

DSCF6815Closerie des Alisiers Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine 2015
€14.95 from Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

I have reviewed the 2014 of this wine; a nice crisp dry white with a touch of honey and orange peel.

Etoile 2015, Domaine Begude, Limoux
€19.95 from O’Briens

Another Chardonnay, this time from Domaine Begude in Limoux; lovely wine, a future wine of the week in the Irish Times.

Viognier 2015, Domaine de Belle Mare, Pays d’Oc
€13.25 from Wines Direct

Fine. A little sweet for my tastes, but it does have good medium to rich peach fruits. Well-priced €13.25

Bardolino 2014 Cantina de Negrar
From Grapecircus, so probably available in Sheridans.

Delightful light (11.5%) summer wine with toothsome plum fruits.


Celeste 2014 Ribera del Duero, Torres

€21.95 for O’Briens and independents

Smooth lush dark fruits, beginning to develop some tertiary, if not barnyard flavours. No complaints from our dinner guests though.

Givry Clos Saint Pierre 1er cru 2012, Domaine Thenard

€28.95 from Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

Light and toothsome with maturing leafy red cherry fruits. Given the way Burgundy is going these days, good value.

Chakalaka 2013 Spice Route, Swartland
€24.99 imported by Liberty

Representing a range of very good wines from Charles Back that I tasted. A very attractive smooth big swarthy red.

Charles Mignon Cuvée Comte de Marne Gand Cru, Champagne NV
€45 from SuperValu

Very nice creamy Champagne with a core of ripe peach and pear fruit.

Posted in: Blog

Leave a Comment (0) →

Pink for Summer

Pink for Summer

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 9th July, 2016

DSCF6663

Sales of rosé wines in this country have increased a little in recent years, but still remain stubbornly low at 4-5% of sales. This is largely made up of those drinking inexpensive sweet “white” Zinfandel all year round, and by occasional bursts of general pink drinking when the sun makes an appearance in our skies.

We drink the colour as much as the wine; there is something quintessentially summery about a rosé wine, drunk well-chilled over a lunch outside in the sun. I am constantly being told that rosé is much more than that, and we should be drinking it the year round. It is one of the most adaptable of wines, perfect with all sorts of food, but somehow I cannot bring myself to drink it on a wet January evening.

Rosé comes in more styles than one. Leaving aside the aforementioned sweet Californians, elsewhere just about every country has had a go at making rosé; ranging from light and crisp to full-bodied and sometimes fairly alcoholic. Today we concentrate on French rosé.

The lightest, which would include the Bordeaux and Provence rosé below, is very similar in makeup to a crisp dry white wine; these go very well with lighter salads, including seafood, as well as more delicate pasta and rice dishes.More fruity and full-bodied rosés can go with a wide variety of foods, including grilled or barbecued chicken and pork, all of those southern French classics with anchovies, olives, garlic and herbs. They also go nicely with cold meats, pâtés and other charcuterie. I also find they are good match with slightly spicy dishes including curries.

Much has been made of Provençal rosé, usually dry and sometimes very expensive. I have yet to be convinced that any rosé is worth €30 or more. To me it is frivolous and fun, and that means less than €20. The Domaine d’Eole below does offer very good value for money. Look out too for the Mirabeau Rosé from O’Briens, at a price that works out at €12.71 if you buy two bottles. Marks & Spencer have the very tasty Coteaux Varois en Provence 2015 for €12.49. Tavel, a small town in the southern Rhône, traditionally made the most powerful, alcoholic rosés. The appellation here is exclusively for rosé wines. They have gone out of fashion, and most of the wines are lighter, although full of fruit, as with the Tavel below. Those from the Loire tend to be light and crisp.Rosé d’Anjou is usually a bit too sweet for my tastes, but Sancerre rosé, made with Pinot Noir, can be exquisite, and certainly worth the money. Alsace also produces some beautifully fragrant Pinot Noir rosé.

DSCF6640Domaine d’Eole 2015, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence
12.5%
€16.95

Very attractive exuberant strawberry fruits with a dry finish. Great with or without food.

Stockists: Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

Image 1Tavel Rose 2014, Prieuré de Montezargues
13.5%
€18.99

The deepest colour, with concentrated red cherry fruits. With herby Provençal salads.

Stockists: Wines on the Green; Dicey Reilly; McCabes; Nectar Wines, Nolans Supermarket.

DSCF6712Bordeaux Rosé 2015, Brande Bergère.
12.5%
€19.95

The palest of colours, with sour cherry and plum fruits. Delicate, dry and moreish.

Stockists: Grapevine, Dalkey.

Image 2Famille Bougrier, Les Hauts Lieux 2015 Le Rosé, Vin de France
12%
€12.95 (2nd bottle ½ price)

Light clean refreshing summer fruits. Perfect al fresco drinking.

Stockists: O’Briens

Posted in: Irish Times

Leave a Comment (0) →

A Few Days in Slovenia

IMG_2610

I was enchanted by my first visit to Slovenia a decade or so ago and had been trying unsuccessfully to return ever since. This is a really beautiful country that also produces some seriously good wines; sadly we do not see nearly enough of them in Ireland. The following is a short(ish) summary of a fairly relaxed three day trip to Stajerska, organized by Sinéad and Liam Cabot, who import most of these wines, and make their own wines there too!

IMG_2581

Stajerska is in the south-east corner of Slovenia, a twenty-minute drive from Austria and Hungary, and two minutes from Croatia; the border has a recently erected (very sharp) barbed wire fence running right the way along, although it is now unmanned, as refugees are now stopped at the Macedonian border. The inhabitants would once have considered the city of Graz as their capital rather than Ljubljana, and German is the default language. As mentioned above, this is one of the prettiest wine regions, with rolling green hills covered in vines, forest, fields of pumpkin and maize, dotted with substantial prosperous well-maintained farmhouses, each with its own immaculate kitchen garden. In June, there was still enough rain to keep everything verdant. Apparently it becomes much drier and hotter in August. The hillsides provide some excellent and varied sites to grow vines. The people are very friendly and open. It was a joy to walk around the narrow roads on a bright sunny June morning and very hard to leave. This is part of the Pannonian plain that runs through Eastern Austria and Hungary as well, bringing warm, dry Easterly winds.

IMG_2577

The newly fenced border between Croatia and Slovenia

The newly fenced border between Croatia and Slovenia

Verus

My fist visit was to Verus, a company set up by three former employees of the local large co-operative winery, which is now privately owned. Danilo makes the wine, Bojo the vineyards and Rajko looks after sales. They set up their winery in a bakery owned by a friend, who was closing it down. Set in an industrial estate on the outskirts of town, it is not the most glamorous winery, but a bakery is temperature-controlled, and therefore perfect for winemaking.

IMG_2640

Over the last nine years they have built up relationships with some of the best small growers in the region – ‘mainly friends and relatives and we also own some vineyards now’ says Danilo. These are all small parcels located in the Jeruzalem region. Their Sauvignon Blanc, for instance, comes from twenty different plots. The wines are all white with the exception of a small quantity of Pinot Noir.
IMG_2586
The winemaking here is very modern, using inoculated yeasts, almost exclusively stainless steel and minimum contact with the air. ‘The first time our wine meets oxygen is when you pour it into your glass,’ says Danilo, ‘this region gives very nice wines with good aromas and fruit – you don’t want to lose them. Everyone likes to talk about the moon and their machinery, but cleanliness is everything if you are making precise wines.’

I have been a big fan of most of the Verus wines in the past, although sometimes I have found them a little too clean and almost confected. However, on the basis of this tasting, not only are the wines very good, they also age very well too. We tasted an excellent 2012 Chardonnay and a wonderful 2007 Pinot Gris. We also tasted a vastly improving Pinot Noir, an intriguing Gelber Muskateller and a very smart dry Riesling. These guys are making some seriously good wines, well worth seeking out.

Puklavec & Friends

This is the old co-operative that all three Verus guys worked for. It is now privately owned by the Puklavec family who were originally involved in the winery back in the 1930s. It is a large company, producing some 4.5 million litres of wine a year, working with 330 growers. In addition they own 150 hectares of their own vines. The large circular building houses a 367,000 litre tank, surely one of the largest in Europe. They also have an amazing collection of older wines, stretching back to the late 1950’s. Some of these are available for sale – see winearchive.com. The 1990 Sauvignon Blanc looked reasonable at €40.95 a bottle, but I am not sure I can afford the 1959 Pinot Grigio for €1,566!

Liam Cabot & Rok Jamnik of Puklavec

Liam Cabot & Rok Jamnik of Puklavec

We were given a tour by Rok Jamnik one of the winemakers. He gave us some very interesting samples from tank, and a great tasting of his sparkling wines (called Penina in Slovenia) from tank and bottle, including a demo of how to disgorge the plug of yeast from a bottle of sparkling wine in a sink. Sadly given the time constraints, we didn’t get to taste their very wide range of wines, but the sparkling wines were very good. Dunnes Stores and Cassidys did stock some wines from Puklavec & Friends, but no longer. Hopefully we will see them again soon in Ireland.

IMG_2657

IMG_2605

That evening we had a tasting of 25 wines from all over Slovenia, mainly from Stajerska, but including other regions. Also present were two winemakers, Uros Valcl of Marof winery in Prekmurje (north of Stajerska) and Bojan Kobal from the winery of the same name. It really brought home how interesting Slovenian wine can be; lots of skin maceration for white wines, lots of biodynamics in the vineyard, and plenty of wine made with minimal doses of sulphur. Alongside the wines of the two gentlemen above, which were very good, the wines of Dveri Pax, imported by Wines on the Green, excelled. By the way, both of the above are looking for an importer in Ireland at the moment – happy to pass on details to anyone!

IMG_2751
Roka
The following day we spent in the vineyard or cellar with Sinéad and Liam Cabot. We have known each other for many years, since they first opened their wine shop in the IFSC, but leaving friendship aside, I was seriously impressed by their viticultural knowledge and winemaking skills. They are a dynamic couple, having somehow managed to move from Dublin to Westport, where they run a successful wholesale wine business (with a list packed with goodies – see cabotandco.com) supplying many of the finer hotels and restaurants in the west, while also buying a house with a hectare of vines in Stajerska. They seem to play tag-winemaking, with one running the business in Mayo while the other prunes vines, and then swopping roles a few weeks later. This while rearing three children! It all seems to work very well, although it has taken them six years to get the vienayrd into shape. The wines we tasted, many their first or second vintage, were very good.Their first vintage was 2011, the first commercial one 2013, and they have made huge strides in 2015.

Sinéad & Liam amongst the vines.

Sinéad & Liam amongst the vines.

Our tasting covered a range of cask/tank samples, as yet unbottled, including two very good 2015 Šipon (Furmint), a lovely Blaufränkisch, and two very good sparkling wines, one a white made from Sipon, the other a red sparkling wine, made from Blaufrankish ! Not being a fan of sparkling red wine, I expected to hate it, but actually it was very good. These guys are friends, but leaving that aside, I genuinely think they are producing some lovely wines.

Tasting chez Cabot

Tasting chez Cabot

Miro Vino

Miro at his winery

Miro at his winery

Miro lives a five minute walk through a pretty little village from Sinéad & Liams house. His vineyards face eastwards, whereas the Cabots look to the west. Miro has been through a lot over the last decade or more since the. At first, with the assistance of an Austrian winemaker, he increased production and began making modern fruit-driven wines. However a bad experience with a major supermarket chain left him badly bruised, so he took stock and these days is more reclusive and thoughtful, with a unique take on life. He has, I think, been a great friend and advisor to Sinéad and Liam.

‘We try to be as friendly as possible to the wine, and it is then as friendly as possible to us’, muses Miro. He uses indigenous yeasts and very little sulphur in his winemaking. We had a delicious dinner (cooked by his wife Slavica) outside the winery, tasting Miro’s wines throughout. All were interesting and most were very good.

Relaxed Miro

Relaxed Miro

We started with his delicious 2015 Sipon, and then the attractive rich, slightly oily but clean 2015 Totovino (Muller-Thurgau & Muscat Ottonel), a very good 2015 Laski Riesling, an excellent 2015 Pinot Blanc (alongside a more difficult version aged in new oak that needed time). To finish, we tried am intriguing 2002 Sauvignon Blanc – still very alive, crisp and very Sauvignon with honey, beeswax and truffle. Finally a glass of the amazing Fuga Mindi, made from every grape variety he grows, with no added yeats, sulphur – ‘no nothing’, says Miro. ‘It is a wine for the next life’. It fermented for seven years (my bottle at home still starts fermenting every now and again) leaving 11g acidity and 80-90g residual sugar.

This part of Slovenia is fascinating, and makes some great wines. If you do get the chance to travel, there I would certainly recommend you take it. If not, the wines below will do nearly as well! We stayed in a very friendly hotel run by several generations of the Hlebec family in the village of Kog. Father Milan Hlebec distills his own brandy known as Kognac!

Milan Hlebec and his (very good) Kognac

Milan Hlebec and his (very good) Kognac

A few wines to try.
Verus Pinot Gris 2015
€20.99 from Cabot and Co, Westport cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, onthegrapevine.ie

A fresh, floral aromatic nose, rich, plump spicy melons on the palate and a lingering finish. Very good wine. Great with smoked salmon according to one of the sommeliers present.

Verus Furmint/ Šipon 2015
€20.99 from Cabot and Co, Westport cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, onthegrapevine.ie

Šipon did not have a great reputation in Slovenia when we first made this wine’, says Danilo, ‘but with our first vintage we had a great success with Jancis Robinson, which made people sit up. If you keep the yields low and make it carefully, you can get very good wine.’ This wine certainly proves the point; less aromatic with green apple skins, a lovely quality of fruit, finishing long and dry. Seriously good wine. The current 2014 is also very good but in a lighter more refreshing style.

IMG_2635

Roka Šipon 2015
Arriving in Ireland late August 2016 rrp €15.99
We tried three cuvées of this wine; each made differently, that will be blended together. I have no doubt it will be very good; all showed lovely plump ripe fruit and a very good backbone of acidity.

Roka Laski Riesling 2015 rrp €15.99
A variety widely grown in Austria, Hungary and Slovenia. Laski Riesling is not always given the respect it deserves. We tasted a number of very good examples on our trip, including a deliciously plump fruity version that Sinéad and Liam will release later this year.

Roka Blaufränkisch 2015
Arriving in Ireland late August 2016 rrp €15.99
This was showing a little new oak, which I am sure will fade, with delicious fresh crunchy blue and dark fruits. Light and very moreish.

Liam Tasting

Liam Tasting

Miro Traminec 2013, Stajerska, Slovenia
13.5%
€22.50 from Cabot and Co, Westport www.cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, Dalkey www.onthegrapevine.ie

I don’t often go for Gewürztraminer or its relatives but this is a lovely wine. It has subtle aromas of honeysuckle, and a clean fresh palate, with honeyed ripe peach fruits. A meditation wine, as is the Fuga Mundi below.

Miro Fuga Mundi 2007, Jeruzalem, Stajerska
13%
€43 from Cabot and Co, Westport www.cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, Dalkey www.onthegrapevine.ie

This is a intriguing wine in the very best sense, a mix of figs, raisins and tobacco, a true meditation wine to finish an evening off. I have a bottle beside my computer and reward myself with a glass when I finish off an arduous project.!

Image 1
Dveri Pax Šipon Ilovic 2011, Stajerska Slovenia
13%
€20.99 from Wines on the Green, Dawson St.

This is a single vineyard wine that provides perfect evidence that Šipon can mature well. Nice aromas of smoke and honey, with a delicious maturing palate of ripe exotic fruits, given real backbone by excellent acidity. Given the quality, very good value for money.

Posted in: Blog

Leave a Comment (0) →
Page 40 of 79 «...1020303839404142...»