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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

Guerrieri Rizzardi Lugana

Straight to the point: this an excellent example of Lugana, an excellent example of Italian white wine, come to that, so it’s definitely worth snapping up while on offer at around €15. For more details see my previous article on Summer Sippers, though to be honest I’d drink this whatever the season.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €18.95 down to €14.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Astrolabe Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Astrolabe Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc

Sometimes less is more. I’m a big fan of Astrolabe’s regular Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc which is a blend of fruit from across the region. Simon Waghorn’s Awatere Valley bottling is leaner, greeener and cooler in nature; it’s less exuberant, less obvious, less tropical, but damn tasty and a little more food friendly.

The nose is big on green pepper, fennel and mangetout, with hints of grapefruit. The palate is clean, mineral and racy; it is lightness personified, herbal and distinguished. While being more food friendly it doesn’t require food. Whether looking for a premium Marlborough Sauvignon or just a change of take on the region, this is well worth a try.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €22.45 down to €19.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Geal Rías Baixas Albariño 2020

Geal Rías Baixas Albariño

Some wines available at O’Briens are exclusive to them in Ireland, but even more exclusive are those made by O’Briens Director of Wine Lynne Coyle MW. One is a Navarra rosé (“Rós” which is Irish for “Rose”) made in partnership with Bodegas Tandem and the other is this Geal (the Irish for “White”) Albariño made with Sonia Costa Fontán of Bodega Lagar de Costa.

The 50 year old vines are from a single vineyard within spitting distance / sea spray of the Atlantic in Galicia’s Rías Baixas. The grapes are harvested by hand from pergola frames (to be honest it would be pretty difficult to get a tractor up there) which have traditionally been used to let breezes get to the clusters and allow other crops to be grown underneath. Fermentation is with indigenous yeast and the wine matures on fine lees in a concrete egg – a shape which encourages circulation of the lees – for eight months.

Although wild yeasts are used there is no funk to this wine which you might expect from other wines which explicitly use wild yeast such as Greywacke Wild Sauvignon and Gai’a Wild Ferment Assyrtiko – it’s clean as a whistle. What it is not, however, is boring – there’s  blend of saline notes and orchard fruits on the nose, especially pear. The palate is wonderfully creamy yet still precise, with apple and pear balanced by touches of citrus on one side and white peach on the other. The finish is mouth-wateringly fresh.

The distinct salinity to this wine makes it an obvious choice to partner seafood, but it would be a treat with other light dishes or on its own.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €24.95 down to €19.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Delheim Stellenbosch Chardonnay Sur Lie 2020

Delheim Stellenbosch Chardonnay Sur Lie

I will be publishing an article on Delheim next year so I will save the juicy bits for that, but this is a terrific wine that is a great ambassador for South African Chardonnay. Like its sibling Chenin Blanc this wine sees plenty of time ageing in oak barrels, but it draws just as much character from lees stirring as the actual oak – hence “Sur Lie”. This isn’t one for Chablis fans but if you like a drop of Meursault (see below) then this is well worth a try.

Chanson Meursault 2018

Chanson Meursault

Before I’d heard of Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne there was one white Burgundy AOC which stood out: Meursault. It wasn’t cheap then, as now, but remains somewhat accessible – especially when on offer. Chanson’s history dates back to 1750 but gained significant investment and additional distribution after its acquisition by Bollinger in 1999. Since then Chanson have expanded their own holdings from 38 to 45 hectares, but also brought in tighter quality control at the growers they work with.

The grapes for this 2018 Meursault are bought from four local growers, selected for a combination of elegance and depth. As you’d expect maturation is in (French) oak barrels, though the proportion of new oak is modest. The influence of the oak is noticeable on the depth of colour – it’s a lovely light gold. The oak and lees also make themselves known on the nose, though not intrusively so. The palate is generous but mineral, nutty and creamy yet with gentle orchard fruits. Decant if you can.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €55.00 down to €46.00
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Porta 6 Lisboa Red 2019

Porta 6 Lisboa Red

This is the party wine you buy in bulk when guests are going to be supping away without paying too much attention to what they’re drinking, but you don’t want to be rude and drink something different yourself: i.e. a great value red that pleases the crowd. Check out my previous review of Porta 6 for the full story and get yourself a bottle, box or case.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €12.95 down to €10.00
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie (Magnums only online right now)

Emiliana Novas Syrah Mourvèdre 2017

Emiliana Novas Syrah Mourvèdre Gran Reserva

I will have more to report on the Emiliana Novas range in due course, but this organic red blend is a flagbearer for the label. In the glass it’s almost opaque, unless you’ve just got a tasting pour which reveals a deep ruby red. The nose is phenomenal with deep, sweet-scented black fruits – blackberry and blackcurrant – with smoke, vanilla and spice also present. The palate also has a big lick of black fruit, but not at all jammy or over-the-top sweet; the 15% Mourvèdre adds a tapenade and liquorice savoury edge. Drying yet fine-grained tannins and acidity keep the keel even.

This is a really well put together, balanced, interesting and delicious wine. At €16.95 it’s good value, but at €12.95 it’s a steal!

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €16.95 down to €12.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Eddystone Point Tasmania Pinot Noir 2018

Eddystone Point Tasmania Pinot Noir

Tasmania is known for its cooler climate wines, especially Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and traditional method sparkling based on that pair of grapes. Tasmanian wine aficionados might be familiar with the wines from Tolpuddle; they are excellent, though priced accordingly, and somewhat shy in their youth. Eddystone Point’s Pinot Noir does not suffer the same reticence – it has bright red fruits just bursting with flavour, tinged with exotic spice. There’s a real polish to this wine without any sense of confecture or manufacture; thrilling acidity keeps the fruit and the finish vitally fresh.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €24.95 down to €20.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores and obrienswine.ie

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2018

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz

Penfolds has always been an iconic producer for me since I caught the wine bug in the 1990s. Bin 28 was actually the first ever “Bin” wine given a commercial release by Penfolds, back in 1959. At that time it was based solely on fruit from the Kalimna vineyard in the Barossa Valley; now it is a blend from several vineyards across South Australia, though the Barossa core remains. Whereas Bin 389 Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz is sometimes known as “Baby Grange” or “Poor Man’s Grange” because some barrels which don’t quite make the cut for Grange can be included in that wine, similarly any Shiraz barrels which don’t make it into the Bin 389 can also be included in the Bin 28 as they are all matured in American oak, and so remain on style.

And what style! There’s no mistaking the origin of this wine when assessing its aromas: blackberry, plum, violet, vanilla and spice co-mingle delightfully. Black fruits are joined with fresh raspberries, thyme and rosemary plus dark chocolate on the palate, with lightly drying tannins and good acidity providing a backbone. This is lovely to drink now, but would benefit from decanting or storing for a few more years.

  • ABV: 14.5%
  • RRP: €37.95 down to €29.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores

Gérard Bertrand Maury Tuilé 2010

Gérard Bertrand Maury Tuilé

Maury is one of the trio of Vin Doux Naturel appellations in the Roussillon region (French Catalonia), the others being Rivesaltes and Banyuls. They are fortified before fermentation has finished to leave some residual sugar – hence the term which means “Naturally Sweet Wine” – somewhat similar to Port. Unlike, say, a Vintage Port which is foot trodden, fermented and bottled quickly, the grapes for this Maury spend a month in vat before being gently pressed. While Port uses its champion indigenous varieties this is made with 100% Grenache Noir, a gentler, lighter and less tannic grape. After pressing the wine spends a year ageing in barrel then a further year ageing in bottle before release.

Although it hasn’t spent a decade in barrel, this Maury is closest to a Tawny Port in style. It’s a dark amber in the glass and has wonderful aromas of spice and dried fruits. To taste, it’s almost Christmas in a glass: quite sweet, raisins, plums, nuts and mixed peel, a good shake of cinnamon. The French would drink this as an aperitif, but it makes much more sense to go with seasonal desserts or even a box of chocolates – I can confirm it was magnificent with salted caramel truffles!

  • ABV: 16.0%
  • RRP: €22.95 down to €19.95
  • Stockists: O’Briens stores (larger stores only at present)
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5 of the Best Aldi Wines for Xmas

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The Irish branch of Aldi have an extensive range of special wines released for the festive period. Here we have five which have impressed me: two French fizzes (one a Blanc de Blancs and one a blanc de Noirs), a pair of Loire Sauvignon Blancs and a Tawny Port to finish off the evening. All wines tasted were samples.

Specially Selected Crémant du Jura Brut 2018

Specially Selected Crémant du Jura Brut NV

It’s back! For how long is not known, so grab it while it’s here. Aldi’s remarkable Jura Blanc de Blancs is not always available but it’s one of the best value sparklers on the market. It’s made from 100% Chardonnay in the Jura region on France’s eastern border. Jura is actually one of the few French regions outside Burgundy that does still and sparkling Chardonnay really well – though it is home to other grapes and styles.

The nose is a full on citrus experience, with touches of golden delicious apple and melon to round it off. The palate is bright and creamy with depth and no little complexity. The finish is fine, long and crisp. This could serve equally well as an aperitif with nibbles, with seafood or even on its own. In other times this has been our house fizz at this time of year – there has always been a bottle or two in the fridge to share with any visitors. Given the times we are in, I suppose I’ll have to drink it myself!

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €13.99
  • Stockists: Aldi Ireland stores and aldi.ie

Champagne Philizot Blanc de Noirs Brut NV

Champagne Philizot Et Fils Blanc de Noir Brut NV

So here we have a true Champagne made as a white sparkler (Blanc) from only black grapes (de Noirs). In fact both Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier – the two main black grapes of Champagne – are used in equal proportions. Producer Philizot et Fils also make Aldi’s staple Veuve Monsigny which has scored very well in recent high profile blind tastings. To be honest I’ve liked Veuve Monsigny when I’ve tried it but wasn’t blown away – which is fair enough for €20 in Ireland. Is this more premium offering any better?

Yes, yes it is.

The nose is wonderful, with yeasty, toasty brioche drawing you in and delicious red fruit notes partiying up your nose. It’s quite a decadent nose, actually, which is a good thing in a quality fizz. In the mouth it’s immediatel creamy and rich, yet balanced by crunchy green and softer red apple acidity. The finish is like tangy, fresh red fruits wrapped in a custard pastry – just delicious!

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €13.99
  • Stockists: Aldi Ireland stores

Specially Selected Pouilly Fumé 2019

Specially Selected Pouilly Fumé

The first of our Loire Sauvignons is from the second most famous SB appellations in France: Pouilly-Fumé is on the eastern bank of the Loire (where it runs almost due north) opposite Sancerre on the western bank. It pours as a very pale lemon, but the nose is more expressive; initially it’s more reminiscent of a sweet shop than a winebar, with fruit polos and pear drops. These then give way to aromasof gooseberry and hay, with hints of green pepper. In the mouth this Pouilly-Fumé manages to be quite round yet tangy at the same time; it’s clean and fresh but has some body and plenty of green fruit flavours. This is very good for the price; it’s perhaps a little short but everything else is in order.

  • ABV: 12.0%
  • RRP: €13.99
  • Stockists: Aldi Ireland stores and aldi.ie

Winemaker’s Lot Chasseaux & Fils Sancerre 2019

Winemaker's Lot Sancerre

To the other side of the river now and the most famous Sauvignon Blanc appellation of all. This wine is from Aldi’s new “Winemaker’s Lot” series which consists of just ten premium wines from key regions. Now €14.99 is not a premium price for an independent, but for a low cost supermarket like Aldi this is probably close to twice its average bottle price.

And on opening it proves to be a different beast entirely to the Pouilly-Fumé above. It looks similarly pale in the glass but on the nose it shows  ripe and succulent green and tropical fruits – grapefuit and pineapple, guava and hints of mango. On the palate it’s quite tight and mineral initially, but opens up to reveal both fruit and a certain wild yeastiness. This is top flight stuff! A small word of caution: to a palate with broad experience such as mine this is a very good wine, but there plenty of people who would prefer the cleaner Pouilly-Fumé.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €14.99
  • Stockists: Aldi Ireland stores

Fletcher’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port

Fletcher's 10 Year Old Tawny Port

Laate Bottled Vintage (LBV) was always my go-to style of Port, but in recent years I’ve been beguiled by the charms of good Tawny Port. Tawny Ports are made from black grapes and then aged in wooden barrels for a number of years before bottling. That might be three years for a basic Tawny, seven years for a Reserve or longer with an age statement such as this 10 Year Old. Maturation in barrel leads to both evaporation – intensifying flavours – and oxidisation – giving a different aspect to the wine entirely. I haven’t heard of Fletcher’s outside of Aldi so they might be a private label.

So, onto the wine itself. Whereas a Ruby or Vintage Port might be opaque, this is lighter, and dark amber or light mahogany would be a good descriptor. The nose is heady – it does weigh in at 20% abv after all – and shows a full range of dried fruits and nuts. In other words, it smells like Christmas pudding with a splash of good brandy on it! These aromas flow through onto the palate, which is medium sweetness. It could pair well with those lovely Christmas desserts, with strong hard cheeses or even with some savoury courses that have some sweet elements to them.

And best of all, being a Tawny Port means that once opened it will keep well in the fridge for several months – if you can keep your hands off it!

  • ABV: 20.0%
  • RRP: €13.99
  • Stockists: Aldi Ireland stores

 

 

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Top 10 SuperValu Xmas Sale Wines

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The Christmas Wine Sale is in full flow at Irish supermarket chain SuperValu. I’ve picked out 10 bargains which you should consider popping in your trolley this festive season.

For transparency, note that these were either samples received recently or previously this year.

1. Gran Troya Cava Brut NV

Gran Troya Cava Brut NV

If you find most affordable Proseccos too sweet – and not bubbly enough! – then Cava is a great alternative. Like many Cavas, this one from Gran Troya is made with the three tradtional grapes: Xarel·lo, Macabeo and Parellada using the traditional1 method of second fermentation in bottle. On pouring it’s a bright lemon colour and has plenty of bubbles. The nose is all about orchard fruits – apples and pears – backed up by fresh citrus. These juicy fruits certainly show up on the palate as well, with a fine, crisp finish.

I wouldn’t buy this at the full price of €26 but it offers great value at €12; it’s worthy of a pour as a budget-conscious aperitif or just for sipping while watching Die Hard.

  • ABV: 11.5%
  • RRP: €26.00 down to €12.00
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

2. Aresti Trisquel Sauvignon Blanc Gran Reserva 2020

Aresti Trisquel Sauvignon Blanc

It’s almost obligatory for every Sauvignon Blanc review to mention both the Loire and Marlborough, but this example is from neither and plows its own furrow. Fruit is not the main focus of this wine; rather it’s vegetal notes that are most obvious (would it count as one of your five a day?). Green pepper, asparagus and mangetout make for an interestingly savoury wine, but then gooseberry and lemon slip through the middle to add some citrus seasoning. This is well worth a try to explore another style of Sauvignon.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €15.99 down to €10.70
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

3. Michel Léon Alsace Riesling 2019

Michel Léon Alsace Riesling

This is not a spectacular wine but it’s a great entry into dry Alsace Riesling, and for that it must be highly commended. If you fancy a smoked salmon starter this Christmas then this clean, fresh and citrussy little number will serve you well.

  • ABV: 12.5%
  • RRP: €13.99 down to €12.00
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

4. André Goichot Chablis 2019

André Goichot Chablis

André Goichot’s wines are exclusive to SuperValu in Ireland and manage to be both tasty and affordable – especially when in a sale. I’ve already written in depth on a previous vintage of Goichot Chablis so I’ll spare myself from repetetion, but it’s a textbook Chablis with apple and citrus character – something clean and refreshing with depth.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €19.99 down to €13.39
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

5. Bendel Côtes de Provence Cuvée Caroline Rosé 2020

Bendel Côtes de Provence Cuvée Caroline Rosé

I know it’s not exactly “rosé season” at Christmas, but each to their own, and don’t let anyone tell you when you can drink your favourite style of wine. This is a dry-but-fruity rosé, actually very versatile during the festive period for the main meals and – possibly the best part – the leftover sambos.

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €14.99 down to €10.00
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

6. Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur 2019

Château Lacombe Cadiot Bordeaux Supérieur

This is a modern, bright, fruit-forward and powerful Claret. I’ve already written a full description of this Bordeaux Supérieur, but it has amazing notes of cassis, chocolate, violets and hazelnuts in a voluptuous package. Buy a few for this Christmas and put a few down for future years.

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €15.99 down to €10.70
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

7. 19 Crimes Red Blend 2020

19 Crimes Red Blend

An innovative label design and a real crowd-pleaser of a wine make 19 Crimes Red Blend a popular choice for supermarket wine consumers. It offers lots of flavour and richness – perhaps too rich for some – but if you fancy a glass of red while the tin of Roses is passed around, this is your wine!

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €14.99 down to €10.00
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

8. Ricossa Barolo 2016

Ricossa Barolo

I wrote a review on Ricossa’s Gavi and Barolo earlier this year so you can refer to that post for the full story, but the TL;DR2 is that this is an excellent foray into Barolo at a very reasonable price. However, be warned: once you’ve caught the Barolo bug then you might become a long term aficionado. The acidity in this Nebbiolo means it can handle plenty of strongly flavoured foods, especially turkey and ham if that is on your Christmas menu.

  • ABV: 13.5%
  • RRP: €24.99 down to €20.00
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

9. Barão de Vilar Douro Reserva Tinto 2018

Barão de Vilar Douro Riserva Tinto

Just as last year, this is being offered on a case deal – six bottles for €40 – which is incredible value given that I have seen it retail elsewhere for €20 a bottle. Barão de Vilar’s Reserva is made with traditional Portuguese grapes and matured in French oak barrels. Together they give juicy black fruits around a solid structure, a tasty wine to accompany beef or an open fire.

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €40 for a case of 6
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores

10. Lady de Mour Margaux 2018

Lady De Mour Margaux

Like Vanessa Williams I’ve saved the best for last! This Margaux from the De Mour group is reasonably priced at €40 but a serious bargain at less than €25. It’s a proper left-bank Bordeaux with ripe blackcurrant, violets and graphite from a majority Cabernet Sauvignon. I don’t care what you’re eating, this is a real treat of a wine that deserves a try!

  • ABV: 13.0%
  • RRP: €39.99 down to €24.70
  • Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie

 

1 So yes, I suppose you could say this wine is quite traditional…

2 “TL;DR” stands for “Too Long; Didn’t Read”, i.e. to cut a story short…

Information, Single Bottle Review

Pignolo, The Lazarus Grape

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Have you heard of Pignolo?  I hadn’t until recently – when I tasted the wine below) – though I since spotted it in one of my friend Cara Rutherford’s posts.  Now I could be forgiven for this as I’m no expert on Italian wines, though Pignolo does feature as one of Jancis, Julia and José’s 1,368 Wine Grapes.  However, it nearly disappeared after its native Friuli was ravaged by phylloxera over a century ago, and it was forgotten about; low yielding vines and susceptibility to powdery mildew put it at a disadvantage when it came to replanting.

Fast forward to the 1970s and Pignolo vines were found (on their own rootstocks) at the Abbey of Rosazzo.  Cuttings were taken from these hundred plus year old vines and a new vineyard planted by Girolamo Dorigo (no relation to the former England footballer Tony Dorigo, to the best of my knowledge).  Other producers in Friuli have since planted Pignolo so that a tiny 20 hectares in 2000 had grown to (a still modest) 93 hectares in 2010 (let’s not ask about 2020 just yet!)

I had the opportunity to taste Dorigo’s Pignolo earlier this year and I was astounded at its expressiveness and quality:

Dorigo Friuli Colli Orientali Pignolo 2015

Pignolo

 

On pouring it shows a medium intensity, more red than black, and a lighter garnet towards the rim.

The nose is just amazing.  Firstly there is new oak, not as you would typically find it in a wine’s aromas, but rather more like being in a Médoc chais.  If you’ve ever had the chance to be in such an establishment the oak is lifted, intertwined with evaporating alcohol from the wine.  Freshly made milk chocolate and lightly roasted coffee and exotic spices (so exotic, in fact, that they are hard to pin down!)

The aromas continue through to the palate, though the oak is a little more pronounced now but fresh raspberries, cranberries and alpine strawberries have joined the fray.  The palate is super-smooth, with gentle tannins just hovering in the background.  Acidity is firm but not intrusive, just giving a fresh aspect to the ripe fruit flavours.

This is still a very young wine, especially in magnum, which will develop gracefully over the next few decades.  Even in this youthful stage, I have to include it among the top five wines I’ve ever tasted and declare it as the best nose on any red wine I’ve tasted, ever.  This wine is made in very small quantities but if you ever get chance to enjoy a bottle chais vous (you see what I did there?) then you owe it to yourself to snap it up!

  • ABV: 14.0%
  • RRP: €60 bottle / €120 magnum
  • Stockists: Deveney’s of Dundrum (magnum)

 

 

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My 16th minute of fame?

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Just under four years ago I surprised and delighted to be placed eighth in Wine Owners’ Top 10 most influential UK wine writers and bloggers, among many high profile authors and journalists.  The title of the associated blog post I wrote “My 15 minutes of fame?” was somewhat prescient as I was removed from the list as I do not live in the UK.

So when I found I was included in Drinks Insight Network’s “Top Ten Wine Influencers” I was pleasantly surprised, but took it with a small pinch of salt, for several reasons:

  • These lists can be changed…
  • The scores are based on algorithms, but the criteria used aren’t fully disclosed.
  • There are some prominent wine journalists and bloggers who I would have expected to see included – Tim Atkin, Jancis Robinson, Michelle Williams, Cathrine Todd and others.
  • All ten people write in English, even if it’s not their first language, so nobody writing in French, Spanish, German, Italian or even Mandarin was included.
  • It could just be click-bait to drive traffic…

Anyhow, here is the list as it stands, make of it what you will:

  1. Ken Alawine @alawine
  2. Peter Dickens @pietrosd
  3. Frankie Cook @frankstero
  4. Robert Joseph @robertjoseph
  5. Julien Miquel @JMiquelWine
  6. Amy Lieberfarb @amylieberfarb
  7. Fiona Beckett @winematcher
  8. Jon Thorsen @ReverseWineSnob
  9. Jamie Goode @jamiegoode
  10. Fabien Lainé @fabienlaine
Information, Opinion

brandinG wiNe

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Celebrity wine is not a new thing and it doesn’t show any sign of slowing down.  among the “celebs” with their name attached to a wine are people from sport (golfers Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Greg Norman…), the music business (Cliff Richard, Madonna, Sting…) and the film industry (Jolie-Pitt, Sam Neill, Francis Ford Coppola).

The degree of involvement varies significantly; some of them are simply adding their name to the label of a wine made entirely by someone else, whereas others such as Francis Ford Coppola come from a family with a tradition of winemaking and are directly involved.  Sam Neill’s Central Otago wines have been recognised for their intrinsic excellence and are aimed at serious wine aficionados with regards to their price, style and availability.

Flamboyant chat show host Graham Norton was approached by New Zealand newcomers Invivo in 2011 to see if he’d like to try their wines, and he liked them so much that he ended up producing his own varietal Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with them from the 2014 vintage onwards.

To that were soon added a New Zealand Rosé (Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Marlborough (50%), Gisborne (30%), Hawke’s Bay (20%)) and a South Australian Shiraz.  Last year the Sauvignon and the Rosé accounted for 10% of all Kiwi wines sold in Ireland.  Norton isn’t involved in the vineyards but he does have the final call on the blend – even single varietal wines are usually a blend of different sources of fruit – so he does more than just add his name to the label.

How have the wines become so successful?  In my view there are a number of factors:

  • The wine categories themselves are well known and popular (there’s no Graham Norton Franciacorta, for example)
  • Each wine is made in a very approachable, drinkable style to appeal to a large number of people
  • There’s a good match between the populism of Norton’s TV programmes and the style of the wines – unpretentious and accessible

Invivo_web_Prosecco600x600px1_grande

The latest addition to the portfolio is “Graham Norton’s Own Prosecco DOC Extra Dry”.  It follows the same principles as the previous wines – Prosecco is the most popular type of sparkling wine in the UK and Ireland, and it’s made in a medium-dry style (confusingly labelled Extra Dry, but that won’t put many people off).

As the (much bigger) UK market is more of a target than Ireland, the decision to go for a fully sparkling Spumante style rather than Frizzante makes sense – the wire cage over cork closure projects more quality than the latter’s bit of string.  It does make the wine a little more expensive in Ireland than it needed to be due to the double duty attached to Spumante (as is the case for Champagne, Cava, Crémant etc) but the retail price of €17.99 at Tesco Ireland should still see it flying off the shelves!

What will come next?  My guess is either a Pinot Grigio or an Argentinian Malbec…

 

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Alsace in Numbers

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After a successful first #AlsaceWineWeek in Ireland  I thought I’d pick out a few key numbers to give readers a background to the region.

 

2 Departments

2

The Alsace region is divided administratively into 2 Départements

  1. Haut Rhin (Upper Rhine)
  2. Bas Rhin (Lower Rhine)

 

4 Noble Grapes

Channel-4-logo

  1. Riesling
  2. Pinot Gris
  3. Gewurztraminer
  4. Muscat (usually Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains)

As a general rule, Grand Cru wines can only be made from one of these noble grapes.

 

4% of vineyard area is Grand Cru

4-Percent

This compares to approximately 2% of Burgundy being Grand Cru (with a further 12% being Bourgogne Premier Cru).

 

7 Featured Grapes

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In addition to the 4 noble grapes above, there are also

  1. Pinot Blanc
  2. Pinot Noir
  3. Sylvaner

These three plus the four noble grapes above are the most commonly seen on wine labels.

 

13 Total Grapes

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Apart from the featured grapes there are six others which can legitimately be used in Alsace wine, though not ALL Alsace wine.  Rarely on the front label, they are sometimes relegated to the back label or producers’ technical sheets:

  1. Chardonnay (used in Crémant d’Alsace)
  2. Auxerrois (a relative of the Pinot family, used in Alsace blends)
  3. Chasselas (from Switzerland)
  4. Klevener de Heiligenstein (aka Traminer, Savagnin Rose) which is only made in a small, pre-defined area)
  5. Muscat Rose à Petits Grains
  6. Muscat Ottonel

 

18% of total still white French AOC production

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This is probably the most surprising number of them all – just over a sixth of French AOC white wine comes from Alsace!  Though, when you take into account that there is no IGP in Alsace and white wines are such a high proportion of production (see below) then it starts to make sense.

 

51 Grand Cru vineyards

Number_51

Many of Alsace’s Grand Cru vineyards have existed for several centuries, before the Appellation Alsace Grand Cru was first instigated in 1975.  25 lieux-dits were added in 1983 and a further 25 in 1992, with a final addition (to date) in 2007.

See the full list on Wikipedia.

 

67 Communes on the Route des Vins d’Alsace

67

From Marlenheim in the north to Thann in the south, the Route des Vins passes though 67 communes (see the full list on Wikipedia) and is a strong candidate for most picturesque wine route in the world.

 

90% white

90%

90% of all Alsace wine production is white, with a tiny bit of rosé and the rest red.  In years gone by, much of the red was so light that it was usually served chilled and could have been mistaken for a rosé, but good producers are now making some serious reds.

 

100% bottled in the region

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119 wine growing communes

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No hippies here (well, apart from a few Biodynamic producers), a total of 119 different villages produce wine out of the 904 in the region.  The floodplains of the Rhine and the higher reaches of the Vosges are not suitable for viticulture, but the foothills are just perfect.

 

 

 

 

Information

Alsace Blends

admin

Alsace is mainly known and loved for its stunning single varietal wines, but less widely known are its blends.  In fact, there are even more types of blend than many wine lovers know, so, in advance of Alsace Wine Week, here’s a quick rundown of the six types I have counted!

Edelzwicker

 

Edelzwicker

Edelzwicker is probably the most well known Alsace blend.  The word comes from the Alsace dialect for “noble blend” (it’s a Germanic dialect more closely linked to Swiss German than textbook German) although noble grapes aren’t a requirement nowadays. In fact, any of the officially permitted Alsace varieties can be blended in any proportion.

The grapes used are usually those from the less favoured sites and which aren’t required for varietal wines, and so the proportions change a little from year to year.  However, despite their modest origins, Edelzwickers can be a very nice everyday wine – more than the sum of their parts!

Gentil

hugel gentil alsace

Gentil is the French word for “kind”, though quite why the term was awarded to this style of wine I do not know.  A Gentil is very similar to an Edelzwicker except that the four “noble grapes” of Alsace should be at least 50% of the blend:

  • Pinot Gris
  • Muscat
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Riesling

Pinot Blanc

Paul Ginglinger Pinot Blanc

Yes, Pinot Blanc is a variety, and a wine so labelled could be a varietal, but the rules in Alsace permit four grapes to be used:

  • Pinot Blanc itself
  • Auxerrois
  • Pinot Gris
  • Pinot Noir (vinified white, i.e. no contact with the skins)

Auxerois is a sibling of Chardonnay and is sometimes given its full name Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy but more often known as Pinot Auxerrois or Clevner/Klevner – though the latter is especially confusing as it is also the synonym for Pinot Blanc!  Interestingly, the amount of true Pinot Blanc in still wines has fallen over the decades as it is in such high demand for Crémant!

Muscat

Domaine Zind Humbrecht Muscat Alsace

There are three different members of the Muscat family allowed in Alsace wines:

  • Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (White Muscat with small berries)
  • Muscat Rose à Petits Grains (Pink Muscat with small berries)
  • Muscat Ottonel (thought to be a descendent of Pinot Noir Précose, Chasselas and an unknown other member of the Muscat family)

Blends of these different varieties are allowed in AOC Alsace; however, most of the AOC Alsace Grands Crus do not permit a mix and two (Zotzenberg and Kaefferkopf) do not allow any Muscat at all.

Crémant d’Alsace

dopff irion cremant d alsace brut

Alsace’s traditional method sparkler is the second most popular in France (after Champagne, of course).  It doesn’t have to be a blend, but usually is – with the exception of the rosé which has to be 100% Pinot Noir.  The permitted varieties are:

  • Pinot Blanc (usually the biggest component)
  • Pinot Gris
  • Pinot Noir
  • Riesling
  • Auxerrois
  • Chardonnay (although not permitted in still Alsace wines, an exception is made for Crémant )

Field Blends

BURG Domaine Marcel Deiss

The final category is also probably the rarest, but also actually the most traditional:  blends created from different varieties which are grown, picked and vinified together.  The original practice for Edelzwicker was to make it from field blends, but now separate vinification before blending is mandatory.  Instead, a few producers still make field blends the “old fashioned way”.  Most notable of these is Domaine Marcel Deiss who make a broad range of “Cru d’Alsace” wines named by their lieu-dit rather than varieties.  As an example, the Deiss Burg is nearly a full house as it contains:

  • Pinot Gris
  • Muscat
  • Pinot Blanc
  • Sylvaner
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Riesling

On a smaller scale, Agathe Bursin’s “L’As de B” is also a field blend.  The name is actually short for “L’Assemblage de Bollenberg ” – which translates as “Bollenberg Blend” – and contains the same six grapes as Burg.

Information

Upcoming Public Wine Events in Dublin

admin

[Updated 12th November]

There are lots of upcoming wine events in Dublin that are open to the public – let’s spread the love and spread the word.  Here are some of the bigger events that I recommend:

O’Briens Winter Wine Fair 

Times: Friday 13th November 18.00 – 21.00, Saturday 14th 13.00 – 16.00, 17.00 – 20.00

Venue: Round Room, Mansion House, Dublin 2

Tickets €20 / €15 / €20 on the O’Briens website

267202_obrienswinefairlogo

They say: This year there will be over 50 of the world’s most renowned wineries represented and you will have the opportunity to meet the winemakers, and taste up to 250 wines.  All proceeds from the ticket prices go towards our charity partners Jack & Jill Children’s foundation.

I say: Fantastic event, so many great wines to taste that it pays to plan out in advance which ones you want to try.  The tables get busier towards the end of the evening so it’s good to get there on time and start tasting!

Honest 2 Goodness Christmas wine tasting

Time: Thurs 26th November 19.30 – 21.30..

Venue: H2G Café, 136a Slaney Close, Dublin Industrial Estate, Dublin 11

Tickets €30 (Wine Club members) or €35 (Non-Wine Club members) book by email

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They say: Our Christmas Wine Tasting will take place on Thurs 26th of November, where you will be tasting unmissable Christmas Wines carefully selected by us to ensure that whatever you are planning to have over the Christmas, we will have some great suggestions for the wines to match, from party wines to the one special bottle for that Christmas Day dinner!

We will also be serving H2G Canapes and nibbles.  We hope to have our usual Jazz Band with us for the Christmas Tasting evening, they haven’t confirmed for sure just yet…

I say: H2G import a fantastic selection of wines, mainly from Europe, and often family producers who follow organic or sustainable practices.  If the Jazz Band play you won’t know whether to sip your wine or tap your feet!  See my write up of the big tasting last summer here.

Information, Opinion

Blogging Basics (2): Promoting your blog

admin

Following on from Blogging Basics Part 1, these are some of the ideas that I’ve jotted down on how to increase awareness of – and subscribers to – a wine blog.  Most of them could be extended to writing on other topics. I’m not claiming to be the world’s foremost expert here, but they seem to have worked well for me.

Ambassadors in Wine Merchants and other wine retailers

fine-wine-3

  • If you recommend one or more wines carried by a particular outlet then that merchant is highly likely to be a supporter.
  • I think many merchants would be prepared to have business-type cards visible by their tills, or even offer them to people who are obviously interested in wine.
  • Nowadays business cards are pretty cheap, I got mine from Vistaprint – and then a Frankly Wines t-shirt for good measure.
  • Even without business cards it would be good to have all the major wine merchants in your town or city aware of your blog – drop in, buy a bottle and mention your blog.

Being noticed at tastings

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  • The biggest promotional tool for your blog is YOU.
  • If you’re at a trade or consumer tasting then whoever we are talking to should know about your blog.
  • This could be through wearing a T-Shirt or even something small like a badge – and if they ask about it, even better.
  • I have found the vast majority of established Irish Wine Writers to be very helpful and supportive – don’t be afraid to ask for advice.

Using Twitter

  • Without Social Media it is very difficult to gain more readers and more subscribers.
  • Tweets with pictures get far more attention that without, so try to put at least one appropriate picture up whenever you tweet about your blog.
  • Tagging people in pictures (up to ten) means you can have far more people tagged than mentioning them in the 140 characters of text.
  • Three photos looks the prettiest in my opinion; try to have one portrait and two landscape orientated photos, and add them in the order:Order

 

Ambassadors on Twitter

  • When I put up a link to a new blog post on Twitter, I’m very lucky in that lots of people like and share it, by:
  1. Liking my tweet (nice, but no big deal)
  2. Retweeting my tweet (great)
  3. Following the link then tweeting from WordPress (even better, as I can then RT that myself later)
  4. Reblogging on WordPress (fantastic, though quite rare)
  5. Liking on WordPress
  6. Leaving a comment on WordPress (shows engagement)
  • Some of these people are just interested in wine, some are wine writers/bloggers themselves.
  • To encourage this, it’s always good to thank people and take an interest in their views.
  • For the second category, reciprocation is also important, so help by sharing their posts and tweets.

When you post an article

  • It’s good to know who is likely to want the tweets (and therefore the article being linked to) read by more people.
  • For example, if I were tweeting a post from either Craggy Range or Nyetimber (two of my favourite producers) I would try and tag some or all of the following:
Category Craggy Range Nyetimber
Producers @craggyrange @nyetimber
Winemakers @crmattstafford @greatrixbrad
Regional Associations @WineHawkesBay @englishwine
Importers @Tindalwines, @HarrietTindal @libertyireland
Retailers / Restaurants @sweeneyswine @elywinebar
Brand Ambassadors @crmaryjeanne @EmmaLambie
  • Some of these aren’t always easy to remember / find on the fly, so preparation and organisation are important.