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Make Mine A Double

Wine Review: Mazzei Codice V Vermentino and Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold

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Whether you call them “orange wines”, “amber wines” or “skin-contact white wines”, these postmodern wines are here to stay. However, are they going to remain a niche curiosity drunk only by the adventurous or will they break out from the independent wine specialist sector into multiples and even supermarkets? Here are two skin-contact whites which are… Continue reading Wine Review: Mazzei Codice V Vermentino and Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold

Make Mine A Double

Wine Review: Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses and Pasqua 11 Minutes Rosé

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Here we have two more rosés from the O’Briens summer rosé sale.  One is a typical blend from a Languedoc legend, the other is an unusual blend from a Veronese outfit who use both local and international varieties.  Both have a cool feature on the bottle they arrive in. Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses 2020… Continue reading Wine Review: Gérard Bertrand Cote des Roses and Pasqua 11 Minutes Rosé

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Top 10 O’Briens Xmas Sale Wines

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I’ve already given my recommendations on Christmas wines to buy from Aldi Ireland and SuperValu; now it’s the turn of O’Briens and my selection of five whites and five reds which are not just very good wines, but also on offer! Guerrieri Rizzardi Lugana 2020 Straight to the point: this an excellent example of Lugana,… Continue reading Top 10 O’Briens Xmas Sale Wines

Opinion, Tasting Events

Fine Time (Part 2 – France)

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There are few words that bring joy to a winelover’s ears as much as “fine wine sale”.  Below are some of the French wines included in Irish chain O’Briens’ fine wine sale that I have tried and enjoyed this year.  I will leave the discussion on what constitutes “fine wine” for another day! Note: these… Continue reading Fine Time (Part 2 – France)

Tasting Events

Dream Sweets (Are Made Like This)

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DNS Wine Club were recently treated to a sneak peak of the sweet wines shown to the Irish press.  The trio below were the standouts, but please remember – sweet wines are not just for dessert!   Château Rieussec Sauternes 2014 (14.0%, RRP €50.00 (375ml) at O’Briens) We start with the smallest bottle and lowest… Continue reading Dream Sweets (Are Made Like This)

Tasting Events

Five Fab Whites from the Ely Big Tasting

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I’ve already picked my five favourite reds, now here are five of the whites which stood out for me at the Ely Big Tasting:   Bride Valley Brut Reserve 2014 (12.0%, RRP ~ €54, Liberty Wines) Bride Valley is a producer named after a place of the same name in Dorset on the south coast… Continue reading Five Fab Whites from the Ely Big Tasting

Tasting Events

O’Briens Fine Wines Sale – My Selection

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Leading Irish off licence chain O’Briens have some excellent premium wines and some are on sale (in store only) for a short time.  Here is a selection of my favourites: Freemark Abbey Napa Valley Viognier 2012 (14.5%, €31.95 down to €25.56)   I had tried this wine previously and, although it was pretty good, I wasn’t… Continue reading O’Briens Fine Wines Sale – My Selection

Tasting Events

French Fancies

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Here are brief notes on a few of my favourite French wines from the O’Briens Wine Fair that are included in their current French Wine Sale – but hurry, it ends at midnight on Tuesday 24th May! Domaine Begude Etoile 2014 (13.0%, €19.95 down to €15.96)   3 months lees (fermentation yeast) stirring then 12 months… Continue reading French Fancies

Make Mine a Double

When I’m hosting wine tastings, especially for less experienced tasters, I try my best to serve wines in related pairs to best illustrate the differences made by one particular factor. For example, tasting a McLaren Vale GSM blend back to back with a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the same year is more illuminating than comparing the later… Continue reading Make Mine a Double

Opinion

My Top 10 Reds of 2014

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It was nearly impossible to reduce this list down to 10 reds so there are lots of magnificent wines that didn’t make the cut – some fine Chilean Pinots in particular.  Pinot is well represented from numbers 10 to 8… 10. Cline Cellars Sonoma Coast Cool Climate Pinot Noir 2012 Very few quality American wines make… Continue reading My Top 10 Reds of 2014