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The best red wines for Christmas

Posted by on December 20, 2018

This article was first published in the Irish Times, Saturday 15th December, 2018.

If Chablis and Mâcon are the traditional Irish Christmas white wines, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and St Émilion Grand Cru or Rioja Reserva are the red equivalents. Turkey is an accommodating bird and will go nicely with most wines, red or white, although I try to avoid tannic wines such as young Bordeaux or Barolo. However, you do need to watch out for the accompaniments – spicy, fruity stuffings and cranberry sauce can kill a wine in seconds. While you won’t go wrong with the above wines (although I would avoid cheap Châteauneuf-du-Pape) this year, why not expand your horizons a little to other countries and regions?

Grenache, or Garnacha, is the main component in the aforementioned Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and most southern red Rhône wines. In its original homeland of Spain, or in the McLaren Vale and the Barossa in Australia, it can be very good indeed. Australian Grenache tends to be light on tannins, with soft generous ripe spicy strawberry fruits; great for turkey. You could go with the excellent John Duval Plexus GSM 2015 (€39, independents), a Rhône-like blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Spain is producing some really exciting Garnacha at the moment. As a general rule, look to Navarra for lighter, juicier wines, and Madrid or Méntrida for wonderful, perfumed, full-bodied wines. See below for just two suggestions.

I am a big Pinot Noir fan, as are a number of my Christmas guests, so I suspect we will head in this direction, although I have served northern Rhône on previous occasions, most memorably an elegant, silky bottle of Côte Rôtie from Stephane Ogier (€52, searsons.com, Eldon’s, Clonmel). I have also been eyeing up some maturing Crozes Hermitage Yann Chave (€27.95, searsons.com, plus independents). You can find very good Pinot Noir from various countries, most notably Germany, Oregon, California, New Zealand, Germany and Australia, although it is hard to beat red Burgundy at its best, as in the Volnay below.

Unlike turkey, goose welcomes tannins and eats them up, so a Barolo, Barbaresco or Bordeaux would be ideal. However, steer clear of red cabbage if it has lots of sugar, vinegar and spice. The same goes for duck, although here a Pinot Noir would also work nicely. Vegetarian dishes with mushrooms, or stuffed peppers, courgettes and aubergines are all very red-wine friendly, including wines with some tannin.

If you live near Loughlinstown, a quick fix Christmas pairing from Whelehan’s would be the fruit-filled Rula Albariño (€14.95) and smooth, full-bodied Domaine de l’Amauve Côtes du Rhône (€16.50). For a German Pinot, try the rich fruit-filled Bender Pinot Noir (€18.25, winesdirect.ie) or the spicy Stepp Pinot Noir (€22.50, Marks & Spencer), or the Becker Family Pinot Noir (€22, independents).

Tandem Inmune Garnacha 2016, Navarra

14%, €15.95

Fresh, smooth, crunchy, savoury dark fruits with a lovely herbal touch. A very good match for the Christmas turkey and stuffing.

Stockists: O’Briens, obrienswine.ie

La Bruja de Rozas 2015, Viños de Madrid, Commando G

14.5%, €26

A wonderful full-bodied wine with fresh, fragrant red cherry fruits and fine dry tannins on the finish. With turkey or duck.

Stockists: Kelly’s, Clontarf, kellysofflicence.ie; Clontarf Wines, clontarfwines.ie; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, thecorkscrew.ie; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie.

Giant Steps Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2017, Australia

13.5%, €29.99

A richer style of Pinot, with succulent red cherry fruits and a very attractive earthiness. Perfect with duck, goose or turkey.

Stockists: Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, blackrockcellar.com; Grapevine, Dalkey, onthegrapevine.ie; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, thecorkscrew.ie; wineonline.ie

Volnay 1er cru Cuvée Blondeau, Hospices de Beaune

14%, €52.50

Youthful ripe dark cherry, with a touch of smoky new oak, underpinned by good acidity. If you are having it for Christmas, decant half an hour before dinner. Perfect with turkey, goose or duck.

Stockists: Marks & Spencer

 

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Austrian wine: A little bit of everything

Posted by on October 4, 2018

A little bit of everything probably describes Austria best; or maybe small but perfectly formed. Austrian wine production is minuscule in world terms, but varied and of a very high standard. Most of us are familiar with Grüner Veltliner, Austria’s calling card, but there is so much more to discover and enjoy. On the downside you won’t find much cheap wine, although both Aldi and Lidl have had the occasional bargain, and O’Briens sometimes promotes the wonderfully named Zull Lust in red and white. But the country is just too small to compete on price. The good news is that most of Austria’s wines – sparkling, white, red or sweet – are consistently of a very high quality. They are also unique.

A visit earlier this year served as a welcome reminder of just how great the wines are. The vineyards, all on the eastern end of the country, are very accessible (in Vienna you can even visit some by tram or boat), often ridiculously pretty and usually very welcoming, too.

So what to look out for? Grüner Veltliner is always unoaked, usually low to medium in alcohol, with good acidity and plump, slightly spicy, green fruits. It is ideal for Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio drinkers who want to experiment a little, or simply as a wine to sip on its own. Riesling, again always dry, is more like Alsace than German – medium-bodied and racy. You will also find excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, usually from Styria down on the Slovenian border. The Pinot Blancs from Prieler (see below) are as good as any I have tasted. That is the whites; with red wines, Blaufrankisch is winning all the praise at the moment, but Zweigelt and Sankt Laurent can also produce impressive wines. These days, most Austrian reds are light in alcohol, fresh, vibrant and full of refreshing fruit.

Austrian cuisine may not have a great reputation here, but the wines, white and red, go really well with a wide variety of dishes from around the world, making them great restaurant wines. More forward-thinking establishments now list a Grüner Veltliner (and sometimes a Riesling too) from Austria.

Less easy to find are the great wines of Austria. The aforementioned While Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and other varieties are capable of reaching great heights. Erste Lagen, roughly similar to a Burgundian premier cru – is a serious effort by quality-minded Austrian producers to define their greatest vineyards. They are not cheap but can offer value for money compared with white Burgundy of a similar quality. We may not see many of the top wines here in Ireland, but the lesser wines from great producers – Malat, Bründlmayer, Ott, Schloss Gobelsburg, Hirsh, Birgit Eichinger – are available here. This week, four different grape varieties, all producing uniquely Austrian wine.

Grüner Veltliner Domaene 2016, Schloss Gobelsburg, Kamptal

12.5%, €17.95
Racy green apple fruits with sparky ginger spice and lemon zest. Free-flowing, fresh and dry. Lovely on its own, or with lighter seafood dishes.
From Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; Redmonds, Ranelagh, redmonds.ie; 1601 Off-licence, Kinsale; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie;  Blackrock Cellar, Blackrock, blackrockcellar.com; Donnybrook Fair, donnybrookfair.ie; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock, jusdevine.ie; Lilac Wines, Dublin 3, lilacwines.ie; McHughs, Kilbarrack Road & Malahide Rd., mchughs.ie; Mitchell & Son, CHQ, Sandycove, and Avoca, Kilmacanogue & Dunboyne, mitchellandson.com; Morton’s of Galway, mortonsofgalway.ie; Wicklow Wine Co, Wicklow, wicklowwineco.ie; siyps.com

Pinot Blanc Seeberg 2017, Weingut Prieler, Burgenland

13%, €26
Ripe peaches, beeswax and meadow flowers in a distinctive, gloriously textured, lightly creamy, dry wine. Fish in a creamy pie.
From Blackrock Cellar, blackrockcellar.com; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, thecorkscrew.ie; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie

Zweigelt Heideboden 2017, Pittnauer, Burgenland

12.5%, €20.95 
Biodynamic. Mouthwatering, juicy, brambly dark fruits with a lightly tannic, dry finish. There is a lightly spicy, earthy touch, but this wine is all about the crunchy fresh fruits. Perfect with pork dishes, terrines and pâtés. Or keep it Austrian with a schnitzel.
From 1601 Off-licence, Kinsale; Bradley’s Off-licence, Cork, bradleysofflicence.ie; The Corkscrew, Chatham Street, thecorkscrew.ie; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; Lilac Wines, Dublin 3, lilacwines.ie; siyps.com

Meinklang Blaufrankisch 2017, Burgenland

12%, €22
Lightly spicy wine with juicy pure refreshing tart damson and blackberry fruits. Biodynamic. Drink with something fatty – barbecued ribs or a pork pie.
From Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Kells, Co Meath, and Galway; siyps.com

 

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Orange wine? Yes, it’s strange but give it a go

Posted by on September 22, 2018

IMG_2405

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 15th September, 2018

In a move that has already upset the purists, German supermarket Aldi has launched an orange wine, priced at an incredibly cheap €8.99. Not just orange either, but natural and organic as well.

What is orange wine? Firstly, it is not made from oranges. I came across it back in 2005, in Slovenia, where the winemaker described it as “white wine made like red wine”.

Orange wine is made by macerating or fermenting white grapes on their skins for a period, as a winemaker normally would with a red wine. They taste very different, with the freshness and acidity of a white wine and the grippy dry tannins of a red. Some have light red fruits, others are sherry-like, sometimes with grilled nuts and, usually, a pithy quality. If that sounds strange, it is. Not all orange wines are natural, but some are, made using organic grapes in a oxidative way which adds to the general funkiness.

Orange wine is drunk at room temperature, or slightly cool; serve it chilled and the tannins stick out. It has been making waves in the wine world, and now features on wine lists in fashionable restaurants, wine bars and independent wine shops. Some, including Ottolenghi in London, have an orange wine section on their lists. Adherents argue that it is the perfect food wine, able to cope with white and red meats, as well as smelly cheeses. Critics argue that they all taste the same, regardless of grape variety or origin.

‘Challenging’

I asked two independent retailers for their thoughts. Gerard Maguire of 64 Wine said “we sell it but with difficulty – it is a challenge for consumers because it runs counter to our perceptions of how we think wine should taste”.

“You have to learn to love it,” says Maguire, adding “it took me a long time to get it. Now I understand it but I don’t necessarily always like it”. However, he believes that “the Gravner wine ( see below) is spectacular; every wine lover should try it at least once”. Dave Gallagher of Green Man Wines agreed with Maguire: “It ticks away as a curiosity value, and has a following from people who want to try different things, but it will never be a mass market wine. It is too individual,” and he adds “reasonable expensive”. You don’t find many under €25, hence the surprise with the Aldi wine.

My Slovenian producer, whose winery was close to the Italian border, had probably been inspired by Josko Gravner or Stanko Radikon, the first two winemakers to reinvent orange wine in the 1990s, although the Georgians had been making it for thousands of years.

The Aldi orange wine was made in Romania by Cramele Recas, a very large, modern go-ahead winery. Made from organic grapes, fermented without added yeasts or sulphur, and bottled unfiltered and unfined.

Aldi Orange Natural Wine 2017, Romania 13%, €8.99
Made from a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, this has light apricot and orange peel fruits and pithy tannins. My bottle had a slightly off-note on the finish. Why not experiment with various foods?
From selected branches of Aldi

Tbilvino Rkatsiteli Qvevris JSC Tibilvino 2015, Kakheti Region, Georgia 12%, €16
A lightly orange wine that I have featured before but the new vintage is even better; light orange peel, toasted nuts, lively acidity and fresh pear fruits. By itself or with Khachapuri – look it up, they are delicious.
From Marks & Spencer

Craven Clairette Blanche 2016, Stellenbosch 11.5%, €28
Partially skin-fermented this was slightly cloudy, with an intriguing mix of fruits; quince, apple and orange peel with a lovely hit of stewed fruits on the finish.
From Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie; Bradley’s Off-licence, Cork, bradleysofflicence.ie

Ribolla ‘Anfora’ 2008, Gravner 14.5%, €75-€80
Seven months in amphorae, seven years in cask; an unbelievable riot of flavours; nuts, butterscotch, sherry, dried fruits, lemon peel, peaches and so much more. Unique and fascinating.
From siyps.com; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie

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Chill out: Why you should be drinking red wine from the fridge

Posted by on June 29, 2018

Are cool reds finally catching on? Wine manager Ian Brosnan recently launched the Ely summer wine list, featuring a Cool Red page for the first time, offering customers the option of drinking these wines lightly chilled, or at room temperature. Drinking low temperature reds makes sense in hot weather but it isn’t just about the sun. We eat more salads, cold meats and seafood in the summer months, and all of these go so much better with a lightly chilled red wine. We tend to drink red wine a little too warm throughout the year (and white wine too cold). The oft-quoted “room temperature” refers to a Victorian room without any central heating, probably about 16-18 degrees. Lighter summery red wines are probably best at 10-15 degrees. An ice bucket is not necessary; an hour in the fridge is about right, remembering that your wine will warm up quickly once poured.

Regular readers will know that I am a huge fan of Beaujolais, a region that has re-emerged in recent years. Beaujolais is the perfect summer wine. Most of the supermarkets seem to have to added a few to their selection, but for real excitement, ask your local off-licence or wine shop for single-estate wines. There are some thrilling wines. My own favourite is Domaine Vissoux (Terroirs, Donnybrook) but there are plenty more around. The best Beaujolais is light and fruity with no drying tannins on the finish. They make brilliant all-purpose food wines, with salmon or tuna, as well as chicken, pork and all sorts of charcuterie and cheese.

The other great summer red is Loire Valley Cabernet Franc; they tend to be a bit more savoury, sometimes with peppery dry tannins, making them brilliant wines to drink with food, but occasionally a little austere on their own. This may explain why they aren’t more popular; given the increasing demand for light, low-alcohol wines, you would expect to find them everywhere, but few of the multiples seem to stock them. Marks & Spencer does have the excellent Plessis-Duval Saumur-Champigny (€15) and O’Briens the soft ripe Saint Nicolas de Bourgeuil (€16.95). Otherwise, check out your local wine shop.

As part of their French wine sale, Lidl has a number of summery wines, including the lightly fruity Beaujolais Domaine de la Presse Fleurie (€10.99) and a very gluggable Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2017 (€9.99). I almost preferred the less expensive, very attractive, juicy Beaujolais 2016 (€13) from Marks & Spencer to its Fleurie (€17), but I would be happy to drink either. Elsewhere, Aldi has an attractive, easy-drinking Beaujolais 2016 for an amazing €7.99, perfect for large summer gatherings.

Beaujolais ‘Les Bécots’ 2017, Thorin

13%, €11.99

Light rounded blackcurrant fruits with a smooth finish. An attractive multi-purpose wine to match with white meats, charcuterie and salmon. Summer parties on the patio.
Stockists: Mace, Spar, Eurospar, Londis

The Flower and the Bee 2016, Ribeiro

13%, €19-€20

From Spain, a very attractive light juicy wine with crisp raspberry and red cherry fruits. Good acidity and very refreshing; this would go nicely with grilled salmon, or mixed tapas.
Stockists: Green Man Wines, Terenure; Kelly’s, Clontarf; Deveney’s, Dundrum; Michael’s, Mount Merrion; Clontarf Wines; 64 Wine, Glasthule

Beaujolais Villages du Grappin 2017

13%, €24.99

Light and juicy with vibrant red cherry fruits. Some savoury refreshing tannins on the finish, making it the ideal partner for roast pork, pâtés and barbecued lamb kebabs.

Stockists: Whelehans Wines, Loughlinstown, whelehanswines.ie; 64 Wine, Glasthule, 64wine.ie; Bradley’s Off-licence, Cork, bradleysofflicence.ie; Alex Findlater, Limerick; alexfindlaterandco.ie; Green Man Wines, Terenure, greenmanwines.ie.

Le Clos des Quarterons Vieilles Vignes 2015, St Nicolas de Bourgeuil

12.5%, €27.95

One of my favourite red wines so far this year; a Loire Cabernet Franc with an irresistible combination of delicate silky yet concentrated red fruits and gently refreshing acidity. Beautifully textured with nicely integrated tannins. Enjoy with pork dishes, a herby roast chicken or a baked ham.

Stockists: Searsons, Monkstown, searsons.com

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As Sortes 2014, Rafael Palacios, Valedorras

Posted by on March 9, 2017
As Sortes 2014, Rafael Palacios, Valedorras

image-6As Sortes 2014, Rafael Palacios, Valedorras

An exhilarating, sophisticated mix of concentrated rounded red apple fruits that fill the mouth, a subtle nuttiness and an intense saline, mineral backbone that adds real verve and attack. The combination of rich fruit and bracing acidity is unusual but fascinating. Not cheap but it compares favourably with a top white Burgundy, and is every bit as good.

I would try this with crab, grilled black sole or a buttery salmon dish.

I have written about Bolo and Louro before; As Sortes is the next step up the ladder in the wines of Rafael Palacios. One of the key figures in reviving the fortunes of the near extinct Godello vines in Valdeorras, Palacios gave a short but excellent master class in Dublin this week. I hope to get around to writing a full blog some time soon. In the meantime this wonderful wine, tasted at the master class. It is made from six small Sortes or plots of Godello, planted in the 1970’s.

€51 from 64wines, Glasthule; Clontarf Wines; Green Man Wines, Terenure; The Corkscrew, Chatham St.

 

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Albizu Tempranillo 2015, Spain

Posted by on December 2, 2016
Albizu Tempranillo 2015, Spain

DSCF7103Albizu Tempranillo 2015, Spain

Available for €11.95-€12.95 from Mitchell & Son; Avoca Rathcoole; Le Caveau, Kilkenny; Baggot St Wines; Blackrock Cellar; Corkscrew; Fallon & Byrne; Listons; MacGuinness; Green Man; 64 Wines; World Wide Wines, Waterford.

I have a weakness for unoaked (or very lightly oaked) Rioja. I love the lively aroma, the pure cherry fruits and the refreshing acidity. They come to together to form an easy-drinking but sophisticated wine, great for sipping alone or for drinking with a variety or red and white meats. This example, made by a Rioja producer, from grapes grown within the region, doesn’t actually have the name Rioja on the label, but it certainly tastes like it. This is a perfect example of the style. Worth buying in quantity for the season ahead.

 

 

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Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru Fussieres 2013

Posted by on July 14, 2016
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.

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Primitivo Lamie dell Vigne 2012, Masseria Guttarolo, Puglia

Posted by on June 30, 2016
<strong>Primitivo Lamie dell Vigne 2012, Masseria Guttarolo, Puglia</strong>

DSCF6603Primitivo Lamie dell Vigne 2012, Masseria Guttarolo, Puglia

€24 from Sheridan’s Cheesemongers, Green Man Wines, Terenure, and Mitchell & Son, chq, Sandycove & Avoca, Kilmacanogue.

A superb wine, powerful and concentrated with morello cherries and plums, a lovely freshness combined with a slight herby funkiness and a long finish with a nice tannic bite.

Try it with substantial dishes; I drank mine with spiced, grilled lamb kebabs.

I have to admit I deliberately ignored this wine for a week or two. I had tasted far too many pumped-up, over alcoholic and over oaked wines from Puglia in my time. When I finally coravined it to try, I quickly uncorked the bottle and drank it. This is an absolutely gorgeous wine, powerful certainly, but complex and balanced with brooding perfectly ripe, but never over-ripe dark fruits, and a solid welcoming earthiness. Apparently Cristiano Guttarolo is a natural winemaker, growing organic grapes, and using little or no sulphur. I also tried his amphora wine called Joha, which I really enjoyed, but for me, this was the real star.

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l’Acino Toccomagliocco 2009, IGT Calabria

Posted by on June 23, 2016
<strong>l’Acino Toccomagliocco 2009, IGT Calabria</strong>

DSCF6597l’Acino Toccomagliocco 2009, IGT Calabria
13.5%
€26 from Sheridan’s Cheesemongers; Mitchell & Sons; Green Man Wines, Terenure; Blackrock Cellar.

Light and refreshing with earthy cherry fruits and some dry tannins on the finish. Intriguing stuff. I tried it with grilled pork chops that I hade brined with fennel seeds and garlic; it worked very well.

This wine is made from a completely unknown grape variety grown in one of the more obscure regions of Italy. The grape is Magliocco (no, me neither) and the region Calabria, the toe of Italy, sticking out towards Sicily. Most wine here does not make it to DOC status and is simply blended with lighter wines produced in the north of Italy. However, every now and again, you come across a really interesting wine, usually made from a local grape variety. L’Acino was set up by three friends, one a lawyer, one a film director, the third an historian. They bought some old vineyards, planted a few more, all with ancient local grape varieties. The results are very promising.

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Percheron Chenin Viognier 2015, Swartland, South Africa

Posted by on May 6, 2016
<strong>Percheron Chenin Viognier 2015, Swartland, South Africa</strong>

Percheron-Chenin mk 5Percheron Chenin Viognier 2015, Swartland, South Africa
13.5%
€11.95 from World Wide Wines, Waterford; Blackrock Cellar; MacGuiness, Dundalk; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Le Caveau, Kilkenny; Green Man Wines, Terenure.

Horse lovers will be aware that Percheron is a breed of draft horse, originally from the west of France. It appears on the label, as the producers have apparently bought some to work in the vineyards, as is currently very trendy. The wine is pretty good, a blend of 80% Chenin Blanc, South Africa’s workhouse (sorry!) grape variety and 20% Viognier. Put them together and you get a light, clean, fresh wine with peaches and apricots, a subtle creaminess and a dry finish. Try it with prawn dishes.

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