Month: May 2025

Make Mine A Double

O’Briens Summer Sips (2) Juicy reds

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After two fresh whites, now it’s time to look at a couple of juicy red wines in the O’Briens French wine sale:

Belles Eaux Gloriette Syrah 2022

wine label

Belles Eaux is another Languedoc producer bottled by Les Grands Chais de France (GCF). Whereas Château wines are AOC, those without the prefix are simpler varietal IGP wine.

For those not aware – and that group included myself until very recently – a Gloriette is an outdoor room, raised above its surroundings. Francophiles might twig that Gloriette is the diminutive of “Gloire”, an alternative word for “room” in French.

Syrah is an important grape in the Languedoc, though rarely seen as a single varietal – it’s often blended with Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan and Cinsault, among others. This is a clean, unoaked and fruit forward example. Given the ample 13.5% alcohol, one might think that this is a bold and weighty wine, but it’s actually more medium in heft, and a little lighter in colour than typical for the grape.

There’s fruit and spice here, but it’s red cherry rather than warmer climate Shiraz’s blackberry and black cherry. On a warm day this was a tasty and refreshing wine after being chilled for 30 minutes. If you’re not a rosé lover then this makes for a great outdoor alternative.

  • RRP: €14.95 down to €10.00 in French wine sale
  • ABV: 13.5%
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Belles Eaux Mistral Merlot 2023

wine label

This Merlot is named after the Mistral wind which hits the Languedoc and Provence from the south. It’s somewhat bigger and bolder than it’s Syrah counterpart above – deeper in colour, a little higher in alcohol and more weighty. There’s even a little tannin on the finish which helps keeep the fruit from becoming too jammy.

Although obviously not suitable for Merlot-avoiders, this is a very quaffable wine that is enjoyable on its own or with hearty food…it’s barbecue season at the moment so worth buying while on offer.

  • RRP: €14.95 down to €10.00 in French wine sale
  • ABV: 14.0%
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Conclusion

I really liked both of these wines, and I think they are worth the regular price tag. Choosing between them is a preference of style rather than a difference in quality. At the offer price I’d snap both of them up!

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Make Mine A Double

O’Briens Summer Sips (1) Fresh whites

admin

The 2025 French wine sale is underway at O’Briens so I thought I’d take the opportunity to try out a few of the wines on offer. Not the most expensive, but the most moderately priced, and, most importantly, new to me. Here are a pair of fresh whites:

La Baume La Grande Olivette Pays d’Oc Albariño 2023

Wine label

When I first got into wine, La Baume wines were great value Languedoc offerings in my local Sainsbury’s. On the evidence of this bottle, that still seems to be the case.

Wines labelled just “La Baume” appear to be negotiant wines, bottled at a large facility owned by parent Les Grands Chais de France (GCF). Those with “Domaine de la Baume” are made on the property of the original winery, from their own fruit, and carry a correspondingly higher price tag.

“La Grande Olivette” simply means “The Large Olive Tree”, evoking the Mediterranean landscape.

But then we come to the elephant in the room – Albariño! This Spanish variety is rarely seen in France, though it has recently been added to the list of permitted grapes in Bordeaux on an experimental basis. In Spain it is most well known in Galicia, and at its best in the region of Rías Baixas close to the Atlantic coast. It also thrives as Alvarinho over the border into Portugal.

So how does this French example compare? It’s quite aromatic on the nose, but clean and fresh on the palate. There’s citrus and stone fruit here, though not as ripe and juicy as some examples of Albariño. It does have the mineral and saline characteristics of the variety, though, and could even pass for a dry Riesling. On a warm summer day it went down a treat, and was praised by several guests who also tasted it.

  • RRP: €16.95 down to €12.95 in the French wine sale
  • ABV: 12.5%
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

La Salette Blanc Côtes de Gascogne 2024

Wine label

Gascogne, or Gascony in English, is the far south western part of France. It’s more well known for Armagnac than for table wine, but it’s the exception to the rules that if a region produces grape-based drinks other than table wine – think Sherry, Champagne, Cognac – then the table wines are sub-par.

Many of the grapes grown here originated here, and are rarely seen elsewhere. Even when some interloping Sauvignon Blanc is included in a blend, however, the wines still reflect their geographic origin.

Domaine Duffour was founded by Michel in 1982 and is still a family concern.

Like this example they are often light-ish in alcohol, unoaked and full of juicy fruits. In fact, there’s more fruit here than you’ve got any right to expect at this price. On the attack there are tropical mango, pineapple and with a zippy fresh finish. Many would guess it to be a Sauvignon Blanc, but it’s actually made from local heroes Colombard and Gros Manseng.

This is a wonderful wine which tastes on par with wines costing far more.

  • RRP: €14.95 down to €10.00 in French wine sale
  • ABV: 11.0%
  • Source: sample
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Conclusion

This was quite an easy choice for me.

The Albariño is good but not great, a little short on fruit for my taste. It’s definitely worth trying, and good value at the offer price, but I think I’d choose other wines of the same variety when it’s listed at full price.

I’ve often said that Côtes de Gascogne whites are the best value on the market, and La Salette is a fantastic example. I’d pay the full price without blinking, and the offer price makes it a steal. It’s the taste of summer in a glass!

 

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