Showing posts with label O'Brien's Wine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label O'Brien's Wine. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Stylish Sauvignons from O'Briens plus more on wine, spirits and beer in Cheers #14

Stylish Sauvignons from O'Briens

plus more on wine, spirits and beer in Cheers #14



STYLISH SAUVIGNONS
By Lynne Coyle MW | O'Briens Wine Director

One of the most popular white wines on the planet, this week we are asking why is Sauvignon Blanc so popular and with such a vast array available to choose from, we highlight a few savvy Sauvignons perfect for this time of year.

Sauvignon Blanc, believed to originate in Bordeaux, is widely planted in the Loire, Chile, South Africa, California, and New Zealand. To understand why it’s so popular, consider the style of wines it makes. Translated as “wild white”, Sauvignon Blanc, is a green skinned white grape known for its exuberant aromas and flavours. Grown in a cool climate, herbaceous green and tomato leaf notes are to the fore and from a warmer location look for melon, and apricot. The grapes are generally fermented at between 12 and 15°C which retains the aromas and primary fruit flavours, typically Sauvignon is dry, and unoaked with high acidity ensuring a refreshing, food friendly style.
See Lynn's picks here.



Tullamore Dew's Jane Maher is at the Thompson Micro Brewery on Sunday afternoon (Aug 30th)  as part of Design Pop Cork. There'll also be other food and drink related events over the Saturday (Aug 29th) and Sunday. See the Design Pop Facebook Page for full schedule (28-30 Aug).


Next Saturday in the Ballymaloe Drinks Theatre
Half-time refreshments at last week's Cider event in the Drinks Theatre

Next event - ‘Summer Fizz ~ Sparkling Wines’ Saturday 1st August 5pm Drinks Theatre at Ballymaloe with @seamusmcgrath03 & @colmmccan #sparklingwines #summerfizz #drinkstheatre #event #sociallydistanced #fullyseated #limitednumbers - bookings through eventbrite here

" We will explore various styles, regions along with some surprises!
Saturday 1st August, 5pm, Drinks Theatre at Ballymaloe, Pre booking essential via Eventbrite, Fully seated, socially distanced, restricted numbers"

Meadery tours in Kinsale

Kinsale Mead Co have been running their online shop selling mead to mead lovers old and new all through the shutdown but now they have re-opened for Meadery tours in Kinsale. They've had great fun welcoming a number of visitors since the end of June, both day trippers to Kinsale and people making a longer tour around Cork and the south coast. Thanks to everyone who has visited so far or booked for a later date. 

Tours run at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm Tuesday to Sunday. Tickets cost €14 pp. Please prebook. https://www.kinsalemeadco.ie/kinsale-meadery-tours/ or  by calling 021 477 3538.

Getting to know Ramón Bilbao’s Rueda Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Innovation in Spanish winemaking is not just reserved for the new wave of artisan winemakers. Ramón Bilbao proves once again with its new Rueda Sauvignon Blanc that a big player can just as easily throw away the rulebook. Hailing from its shiny new winery La Finca Las Medias, winemaker Sara Bañuelos, has been given licence to thrill with an SB/ Verdejo blend but even more interestingly a 100% single varietal Sauvignon Blanc. David Kermode picks up the story (via The Buyer) here.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Secrets of Burren Brewery and the wild yeast that led to "Euphoria", with more on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #11




The secrets of brewing - Burren Brewery

Peter in a still from the video

How Peter Curtin gathered the wild yeast that led to the amazing "Euphoria"
Check out the video here

More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #11


 Blacks of Kinsale may be filling casks of whiskey these days

but have just announced a new beer!


taste! Light and refreshing with Mango, Pineapple and Grapefruit Perfect for the summer, whenever it arrives! Details on the whiskey and the beer here.

Drink Pink. That's The Summertime Message from O'Briens WinE

By Lynne Coyle MW | O'Briens Wine Director says Rosé is most definitely the hottest wine trend this summer. Rain, hail or shine its popularity knows no bounds. Whether still or sparkling, with or without food, of the palest pink or a darker hue, rosé wine is making itself known at every wine drinking occasion.

Almost all red grapes can be made into a rosé wine, the grapes used are usually the traditional grapes grown in the region of origin. The styles are varied and the wines versatility and pinkness only adds to their charm; get drinking pink this summer with a selection of our press recommended rosés. Read more here.

O'Hara's Launch New Tropical IPA
Introducing our latest beer to Ireland - Tropical IPA - A 7.2% IPA bursting with tropical flavours of tangerine, papaya, citrus and mango. More info on their Facebook page

Waterford Distillery Bring Forward New Single Farm Origins.

After the rather unexpected success of our first commercial bottlings, which sold out within a matter of hours in major retailers across Europe, we have brought forward four new whisky bottlings to meet demand. Will be available from specialist retailers from the end of July 2020 onwards. Website: https://waterfordwhisky.com/

In flight above the Langhe with brunch in a winery. Barolo from above!

I'll be staycationing this year but here's one that just might tempt me away......
In Balloon organizes turistic hot air balloon flights, one of the most unique, original and emotionals ways to live a trip experience. We leave from the artistic Commune of Barolo surrounded by the suggestive Langhe, World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO.
More details here

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Cheers. Latest Episode #3 . Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Cheers. Latest Episode #3 . Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits


One Place. One Farm. One Spirit. Latest from Waterford Distillery. 
Using 100% Irish barley, widely considered to be the world's finest, our new Single Farm Origin series is an uber-provenance range of limited edition natural whiskies that explore Irish terroir one farm, once place, at a time. They are expressions of precision and rarity, showcasing barley flavours derived from individual Irish farms and harvests.Read more

Can't go to the continent? Nothing to stop you going continental with food and wine. - says Lynne Coyle MW
Get ready for the bank holiday by ordering your wines now, why not rekindle fond European holiday memories of delicious food and wine with these wine suggestions from France, Spain and Italy.
Even with thoughts of a “staycation” looming large for most of us this summer, I am suggesting that we can still enjoy the fruits of our favourite wine regions at home with some of these delicious sun kissed options. Read more, recipes included!

Wine and food pairing: is it an overrated practice?

asks Spanish Wine Lover

Last Sunday I took part in a round table at the Wine & Culinary conference, an event organized by Bodegas Torres. According to President Miguel A. Torres, the aim of this conference is to support Catalan and Spanish cuisine, promote moderate wine consumption –preferably alongside food– and, incidentally, prove that despite being a large volume producer, their wines are not only intended for supermarkets but are also meant to be enjoyed in restaurants. More here

So-called wine experts are always confident of their opinions, no matter how divorced from reality they might be.

Nobody drinks buttery Chardonnay anymore. Wine pairing matters. The 100-point-scale rating is dead.
These are a few of the myths spread by the "wine intelligentsia" – the sommeliers, bloggers and writers who dominate our wine conversations.
None of these myths are true, but it's easy to believe something when everyone you talk to echoes it. Read more from this Wine-Searcher article here.



SuperValu Italian Wine Sale has returned - in store and online from 21st of May until 10th of June.

From the largest wine producing country in the world, come some of SuperValu’s best quality and value wines. The Italian wine sale beginning on Thursday May 21st brings you some of the best wines from regions all across the much loved Mediterranean country.
Italy has always been a favourite holiday destination for Irish holidaymakers  with it’s unique culture,  rich cuisine and superb range and variety of wines.  Home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, Italy consistently cultivates our staple favourites, to be enjoyed with the fabulous range of Italian cuisine we know and love.
With prices of premium bottles not to be beaten on value, this year’s Italian Wine Sale is sure to bring the memories of Capri or taste of Tuscany to your lips. Italians believe you should enjoy a glass before eating, so perhaps this weekend take a moments break from the cooking to close your eyes and imagine the sun beating down on rolling scenic hills, and enjoy a glass of your favourite wine or venture towards an Italian wine you may not have tried before!
In sourcing the wines for this year’s Italian Wine Sale SuperValu wine buyer Kevin O’Callaghan is delighted to welcome back some favourites such as Ricossa Barolo and Costa Mediana Amarone. This year’s sale will comfort those familiar with Italian offerings and enchant those who are new to experience a taste of the world’s finest flavours.

 For the full list of wines available please visit www.supervalu.ie

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Six Christmas & New Year Wine Doubles!

Six Christmas & New Year Wine Doubles
In no particular order! 


(Click on the individual wines to see short reviews and Irish stockists.)

I      Gallina de Piel, `Ikigall` Penedès (DO) 2018, 11.5%, €20.99 Liberty Wine
Blackrock Cellar; Baggot Street Wines; McHugh’s Off Licence - Kilbarrack Rd; Bradley's, North Main St., Cork
www.winesonline.ie

           Gallina de Piel Mimetic Calatayud (DO) 2018, 14.5%, €20.99 Liberty Wine
Baggot Street Wines; Blackrock Cellar; McHugh’s Off Licence - Kilbarrack Rd; McHugh’s Off Licence - Malahide Road; Drink Store Ltd; Bradley's, North Main St., Cork; www.winesonline.ie


II    Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Bianco Veneto (IGT) 2017, 11.5%,               €18.85;  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny
       Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Rosso Veneto (IGT) 2018,  14.0%,               €22.25; as above


III   Diwald Grüner Veltliner “Goldberg” Wagram (Austria) 2015, 13%, €20.75             Mary Pawle
          Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2015,                14%, €28.75 Mary Pawle




IV   De Alberto Organic Verdejo Rueda (DO) 13.5%, O’Brien’s
           De Martino “Gallardia” Cinsault Itata (DO) 2017 , O'Brien's


V    Lo Abarca Riesling 2017 €12.00 Marks & Spencer
       Chateau Vincens “Prestige” Cahors (AOC) 2013, 13%, €23.50 Vanilla                        Grape Kenmare

VI    Castellani Vermentino Toscana (IGT) 2017 €10.00 SuperValu
           Campo Viejo Garnacha Rioja (AOC) 2017 €10.50 SuperValu

Click on the individual wines to see reviews and Irish stockists.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

A Very Good Year. A Short List To Savour. Top Red and White Named. Plus A Top Vineyard

A Very Good Year. Short List To Savour
Top Red and White Named. Plus A Top Vineyard
The folks behind Bonne Tonne in Beaujolais, my "discovery" of the year via Mary Pawle!

It's been quite a year on the wine front. Pick one red and one white was the order, a hard one, even if self-imposed. Here we go. The top red is the Binner Pinot Noir from Alsace while the nod for the white goes to the Cullen Amber from Australia's Margaret River. Both are picked from the short lists below. The long list for reds totalled 42, while for whites it came to a more manageable 16. You may see them here. The short lists below may help you make up your mind when shopping for wine in the lead up to Christmas and indeed well into 2020. Perhaps the vineyard discovery of the year came when Mary Pawle imported the stunning wines of Domaine de la Bonne Tonne in Beaujolais.

Red


Binner Cuvée Béatrice Pinot Noir Alsace (AOP) 2016
Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours “Energies” Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux (AOP) 2016
Nicolas Reau “Pompois” Anjou (AOC) 2015
Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Grands-Cras” 2017
Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Les Charmes” 2017
Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2015
Chateau Mayne-Vieil Fronsac (AOC) 2015
Chateau de Bastet Terram,  Côtes du Rhone (AOC) 2014
Alfredo Maestro “El Marciano”, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, 2017
Gallina de Piel Mimetic Calatayud (DO) 2018
Tandem “Inmune” Valle de Yerri, Navarra, 2017

Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Rosso Veneto (IGT) 2018
Symington Altano Vinho Tinto Douro (DOC) 2018
Willunga 100 Grenache McLaren Vale 2016
Astrolabe Province Pinot Noir Marlborough (NZ) 2015,
Bodegas Caro Amancaya Reserva Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) 2017
Casa de Uco El Salvaje Malbec Los Chacayes (IG) 2016
De Martino “Gallardia” Cinsault Itata (DO) 2017 

*************

White

Cullen Wilyabrup Margaret River “Amber” 2017
Château du Coing de Saint Fiacre L’Ancestrale Cru Communal Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2010,
De Alberto Organic Verdejo Rueda (DO) 
Gallina de Piel, `Ikigall` Penedès (DO) 2018

Bodegas Pinuaga Bianco, Vino de la Tierra Castilla 2018
Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Bianco Veneto (IGT) 2017
Beck Chardonnay 2016, Burgenland Austria
Lo Abarca Riesling 2017
Chateau Ste Michelle Columbia Valley (Washington, USA) Dry Riesling 2016,





Rosé
Bodegas Tandem Rós Rosado Navarra (DO) 2018


Fortified/Sweet

Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling Clare Valley 2018

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Some terrific wines to look out for in the current O'Brien promotion.


As you probably know, the current O'Briens Wine promotion is up and running and will go on until the end of December. Not too sure if the two beauties below will last that long. One is biodynamic, the other is organic, and both are Very Highly Recommended. You'll find four other sale wines covered below as well, along with brief descriptions of what organic and biodynamic, and a few other wines terms, mean, terms that keep popping up on labels these days.

Musella Valpolicella Ripasso (DOC) Superiore 2016, 14%, €20.95 (22.95)

This biodynamic wine from near Verona comes in a mid to dark ruby robe. Superb intense aromas of ripe cherries. And cherry flavours are richly concentrated on the palate, a matching acidity, the mouthfeel soft, the tannins sweet. And there’s a fruity and well balanced finish. Really excellent wine, another Very Highly Recommended for you.

The concentration here is the result of the Ripasso method. Ripasso (re-passed) wines are made by fermenting young wine with the unpressed but drained skins and lees left over from making Amarone and this process can give the  Ripasso a “super-charge”. Read more details about the method here

In this case, the winery tells us this is “ripassato” on unpressed skins of Amarone “to earn colour and structure”. The blend here is the usual threesome of Corvina (the main grape), Rondinella, and Barbera and it has spent 12 months barrel ageing (French oak). Suggested pairings are cold meats/pâtés, Duck, Nutroast, Pheasant/Pigeon, Pizza/Pasta, Rib-Eye Steak, Sirloin/Striploin/Rump steak

Musella, as well as turning out rich satisfying ripassos, are also one of the 'Twelve Amarone Families', a group of the very best producers in the region in North East Verona.

By the way, I was just reading there in Vino Italiano that Valpolicella means “valley of many cellars” (vallis polis cellae). The Modern History of Italian Wine debunks that theory though, saying the POL refers to large mounds of sand and gravel left behind after flooding in the local river but goes on to confirm that “this great land of wines has always practiced the characteristic technique of over-ripening and drying the grapes”.

Symington Altano Vinho Tinto Douro (DOC) 2018, 14%, €12.45 (17.45)

Colour of this beautifully balanced organic red wine from the Douro valley in Portugal is a deep garnet. Scents of ripe red fruits are noted. On the palate it is fresh, smoothly intense, a sweet hint of smooth tannins and, with good acidity, is harmonious all the way through to a long finish. Very Highly Recommended and fantastic value at the moment.


This wine is made with 100% organically grown grapes from the family’s vineyards, the family being the Symingtons, a leading winemaking family who have been making Port in the Douro for five generations.

As you know, much the same grapes are used for port as for still red wine. The grape varieties for the Altano are Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cão. The advice is to serve at 14 to 17 degrees centigrade. It is evidently ready for immediate consumption but “has the potential to continue developing favourably up to 6 years.”


Two excellent wines from South America feature in O'Brien's current promotion.

Dozens and dozens of wines are reduced in the current O'Brien's promotion that runs up to the end of the year. I've picked a few and have a couple of South American beauties below for you. Some of the others are pretty good too and I'll come to those in the next week or so. In the meantime, check out this magnificent Malbec from over 1,300 meters in the Andes foothills - that's higher than Carrauntoohill. The other, a Cinsault, a very pleasant light red, comes from the highly regard Di Martino winery in Chile.

Once upon a time, we bought red and white and maybe rosé. But now you'll see organic, biological, natural, even orange on labels. Can be confusing, I know. O'Brien's have put a handy leaflet together to explain the terms and I'll reproduce parts here from time to time. The first two are below - hope they help!

Casa de Uco El Salvaje Malbec Los Chacayes (IG) 2016, 13.5%, €16.95 (19.95)

Purple is the colour of this organic wine from a high altitude vineyard in the Mendoza region of Argentina. The rich aromas of ripe dark fruit rise to meet you. And on the palate the big flavours (plum, dark cherry and blackberry) are matched by an excellent acidity, a harmony relayed to the decent finish (not overly long). An immediately engaging wine and Very Highly Recommended. Just 2,500 bottles are produced and the wine has been fermented in large concrete eggs.

Los Chacayes is one of four wine areas in Tunuyan in the Uco valley. The vineyard Casa de Uco is located in the valley, tucked against the foothills of the Andes Mountains, and close to Mendoza. El Salvaje (wild) also figures prominently on the label and is the overall name given to a series of organic wines that also includes, among others, a Pinot Noir and a white blend.

This wine is 100% Malbec from certified organic vineyards located at 1300 metres above sea level. This elevation maintains the fresh acidity in the grapes. Unoaked, this is a pure expression of the Uco Valley terroir. 

Enjoy with beef, lamb or char-grilled vegetables. In Argentina, I’m told they pair it with juicy Sirloin of pork, Braised lamb shoulder with roasted parsnips, or Fillet steak with chimichurri. Wine Folly says the perfect Malbec Food Pairing is Black pepper buffalo burgers with blue cheese mushrooms and rosemary infused garlic kale chips. Sounds great to me.

Alberto Antonini, Winemaker Casa de Uco, is enthusiastic: "After 16 years of experience in the Uco Valley, I can affirm that this is the exact area where the best wines of Mendoza are produced. The proximity to the Andes Mountains, the ideal day to night temperature ranges, and the fertile soil with excellent drainage, make this land exceptional to produce high end wines and develop the viticulture and enology in the most natural way possible"

De Martino “Gallardia” Cinsault Itata (DO) 2017, 13%, 14.95 (19.95)

This delightful 100% Cinsault is a light ruby, quite like Pinot Noir. Aromas are rather intense: red fruit (including raspberry) mainly, plus floral elements. Mouthfeel is soft. Smooth and fresh on the palate, the raspberry prominent again, good acidity too, and a pleasing finish as well. Highly Recommended. Maybe Very Highly Recommended if you love these light dry reds as many people do nowadays.

De Martino say this, from their Guarilihue vineyard (22km from the sea), “is a tribute to the coastal vineyards located by the southern region of Chile; it is the cradle of the country’s viticulture, with vines dating back to 1551…. A sustainable agriculture, including dry farming and ploughing with horses are practiced in our vineyards.”

Wines of South America has a very high regard for De Martino and have included some of their wines in Top Ten varietal lists. De Martino winemaker Marcelo Retamal is one of the country’s most accomplished and is known as el doctor.  “He uses no new oak, preferring larger older casks, nd promotes the use of the old ceramic tinjaras, clay amphorae, for fermentation. There are no cultivated yeasts, no filtration, and no intervention.”
Head South For This Smashing Pair,
 One White, One Red.
Or Just Head to O'Brien's!

(Below, you'll find notes on two wine terms that are now current and, also a chance to read over the other four wines picked from O'Brien's November December promotion, a versatile "six-pack" for the holidays.

Domaine Begude “Etoile” Chardonnay Limoux (AOC) 2018, 13.5%, €18.95 (21.95)

Beautiful mid-gold colour. The aromatics are quite complex, regular fruit (such as apple and pear) along with the exotic (mango) in the mix. It is certainly more of the exotic on the rich palate, quite a rounded almost creamy mouthfeel, more complex than most French Chardonnays (not that there is such a thing as a typical Chardonnay as the chameleon grape makes itself at home wherever it finds itself), good acidity too though, so the long finish is harmonious.

This Highly Recommended wine should be fine with salmon and trout, with roast chicken (even roast turkey!). The winery also says it is “heavenly with Comté & other hard cheese”. Worth a try so with Hegarty’s Templegall though I know cheesemaker Jean-Baptise may prefer a Saint-Emilion.

This certified organic wine, full-bodied and smooth, is crafted from Chardonnay grapes high in the cool climate region (hot summer days and cool nights) of Limoux. Fertilised using only natural manures and cultivated with the utmost respect for the environment, this wine is vinified and matured in the very best French oak to bring you “our finest cuvée, Etoile”.

Colour is a dark red. Intense nose of dark fruits, notes of spice, perhaps a hint of the garrigue, the scrub that thrives around here. I once stayed in a gite in Languedoc owned by a Madam Garrigue. Like the senior citizen Madame, this wine is amazingly smooth (the madame used tidy up the pool in her bikini every evening). Must say that gite was great value for money and I can indeed say the same about this Prestige, fresh, and full of fruit, enhanced by nine months in oak. No pesticides, no herbicides, just excellent value (more so with the current reduction). 

Garrigue, by the way, is a feminine noun. And since I’m on gender, the French language version of the label indicates that Syrah is feminine while Carignan and Mourvedre, the other two in this blend, are masculine!

O’Brien’s tell us that Caraguilhes is completely organic, “this estate was using organic techniques when it was virtually unheard of anywhere else”. The Prestige is their oak-aged Reserve wine and is a seriously stylish wine. 

As regards keeping the wine, the winery advices that while it has potential of 6 or 7 years, it can be drunk today. Decant one hour in advance and serve at around 15 degrees. Food pairings: Provencal lamb (if you don’t have Herbes de Provence, try thyme, sage and rosemary), roast grilled beef with olives, quail in truffle sauce. Enjoy.


Monday, November 25, 2019

Head South For This Smashing Pair, One White, One Red. Or Just Head to O'Brien's



Head South For This Smashing Pair,
 One White, One Red.
Or Just Head to O'Brien's!


Domaine Begude “Etoile” Chardonnay Limoux (AOC) 2018, 13.5%, €18.95 (21.95)

Beautiful mid-gold colour. The aromatics are quite complex, regular fruit (such as apple and pear) along with the exotic (mango) in the mix. It is certainly more of the exotic on the rich palate, quite a rounded almost creamy mouthfeel, more complex than most French Chardonnays (not that there is such a thing as a typical Chardonnay as the chameleon grape makes itself at home wherever it finds itself), good acidity too though, so the long finish is harmonious.

This Highly Recommended wine should be fine with salmon and trout, with roast chicken (even roast turkey!). The winery also says it is “heavenly with Comté & other hard cheese”. Worth a try so with Hegarty’s Templegall though I know cheesemaker Jean-Baptise may prefer a Saint-Emilion.

This certified organic wine, full-bodied and smooth, is crafted from Chardonnay grapes high in the cool climate region (hot summer days and cool nights) of Limoux. Fertilised using only natural manures and cultivated with the utmost respect for the environment, this wine is vinified and matured in the very best French oak to bring you “our finest cuvée, Etoile”.

Colour is a dark red. Intense nose of dark fruits, notes of spice, perhaps a hint of the garrigue, the scrub that thrives around here. I once stayed in a gite in Languedoc owned by a Madam Garrigue. Like the senior citizen Madame, this wine is amazingly smooth (the madame used tidy up the pool in her bikini every evening). Must say that gite was great value for money and I can indeed say the same about this Prestige, fresh, and full of fruit, enhanced by nine months in oak. No pesticides, no herbicides, just excellent value (more so with the current reduction). 

Garrigue, by the way, is a feminine noun. And since I’m on gender, the French language version of the label indicates that Syrah is feminine while Carignan and Mourvedre, the other two in this blend, are masculine!

O’Brien’s tell us that Caraguilhes is completely organic, “this estate was using organic techniques when it was virtually unheard of anywhere else”. The Prestige is their oak-aged Reserve wine and is a seriously stylish wine. 

As regards keeping the wine, the winery advices that while it has potential of 6 or 7 years, it can be drunk today. Decant one hour in advance and serve at around 15 degrees. Food pairings: Provencal lamb (if you don’t have Herbes de Provence, try thyme, sage and rosemary), roast grilled beef with olives, quail in truffle sauce. Enjoy.