Introducing Schioppettino. Strange Name. Friendly Wine!

Introducing Schioppettino

Strange Name. Friendly Wine!

Never know who or what you’d meet in Cork on a showery afternoon. “Come over and meet Giorgio, an Italian winemaker,” invited Beverly from L'Atitude 51. So over I went and met Giorgio and his Schioppettino, a gorgeous red wine that he produces on his Colutta Farm in North East Italy. His vines grow in the Colli Orientali del Friuli region, close to Slovenia.

The Schioppettino grape variety is from this area and has a history there dating back to at least the 13th century. Giorgio told us the name means “little bang”, the sound the grape makes when you pop a ripe one into your mouth!

It grows well here and has to be severely thinned (green harvested) with up to fifty per cent of fruit being dropped. The surviving grapes then thrive and the wine is more concentrated. Giorgio says the wine is similar to Pinot Noir, a light style. Cabernet Franc was also mentioned.

There is fruit and pepper on the nose and then it is fresh, “not too heavy”. “It is very good in summertime… with poultry, white meat and roasted fish.” Only a small quantity is produced. It is indeed a lovely wine, worth seeking out. I loved its light and fresh qualities and, as Giorgio said, “ it's typical north eastern acidity”.

It is something different from a tradition that had almost died out. So many different grapes in Italy, “hard to save them all”. This was fermented and aged in big Slovenian oak barrels. Freshness, fruit and finish!

We had started with the Colutta Pinot Grigio and it is a good one too, loads of character, flavour and balance and a good colour too. No wonder Wines Direct claim it is the best PG available in Ireland.

Colutta are not organic but they are trying to be eco friendly - they are self sufficient with solar energy. Their first aim is good fruit and they hand pick the best of it to make a good wine. The fruit comes from two parcels which are blended. It is kept unfiltered on the lees and stirred weekly. That and the clay soil enhance its character and body. If it is filtered early, it is “thinner”.

Check the Pinot Grigio out on the Wines Direct Website here. Fionnuala Harkin, who was at the tasting, said they have been chasing the Schioppettino for some time and are delighted to have it. It is new, so not on the website yet, but will soon make a welcome appearance.

O'Brien's Wine Dinner

Florent Cazaux of J.M. Cazes is in Cork later in the month to host an evening of delicious food and wine. Guests will enjoy a four course menu paired with a selection of wines from Domaine L'ostal Cazes, Domaine des Sénéchaux and Michel Lynch. Tickets are €80 each and booking is essential. Thursday 21st April at 7.30pm in Les Gourmandises Restaurant, Cook Street, Cork. To purchase your ticket call in to O'Briens Wine Douglas or contact Nicolas on (021) 436 9596 or email Douglas@obrienswines.ie

Euro-toques Day Out. From Wood to Waterfall

Euro-toques Day Out

From Wood to Waterfall

Under the waterfall at Greene's: Pam, Kate, Christine.

From foggy morning to sunny afternoon, the Munster contingent of Euro-toques enjoyed their day out last Monday. That foggy morning was spent foraging mushrooms in a North Cork wood while the afternoon saw the chefs and guests tuck into a gorgeous late lunch in Greene’s by the Waterfall. Greene's head chef Bryan McCarthy put the day’s package together with a huge input from Mark and Lucy of Ballyhoura Mushrooms and sponsorship by Wines Direct and La Rousse Foods.

In the wood

It was quite an education in the woods and we all agreed you’d need more than one outing with an expert before trusting yourself in the mushroom field. Lots to take in as Mark and Lucy shared their in-depth knowledge.

“Chanterelles can't be cultivated, they are symbiotic. They grow from May to the first frost, have a sweet seafoody flavour and an apricot aroma when fresh. They have a solid stem. The false chanterelle has a hollow one. There are also autumn chanterelles, including a black one one called the Horn of Plenty, found in areas of pine, with a lovely woody flavour, our favourite!”.

In the wood (2): Caroline takes the higher ground;
Fionnula relaxes with her bag of food.
Bottom: "This one stinks!" (right)
and Gautham searching in the fog.
Note the polypores on the tree
on the left.

“Ceps are found near mature beech trees, When they are young they are snow white with a natural umami flavour, great texture and very versatile as regards use.” But maybe not as versatile as the Birch polypore which, when dried out, can be used to sharpen your kitchen knives!

Much more to be found out as the bus load of mostly amateurs spread out among the trees, watching out for branches springing back, muddy patches, cow pats, slippery slopes, briars, even barbed wire here and there. Still, despite a few minor tumbles, it turned out to be a terrific morning in the old deciduous wood and quite a few baskets were filled.

Cured organic Deenish Island Salmon

Back to the bus then and we arrived in Greene's in mid-afternoon sun be be greeted with cool glasses of La Contesse spumante.  Fionnula Harkin of Wines Direct, introduced us to Francesca of Le Contesse who told us about the family run vineyard, how the grapes are handpicked and that quality and consistency are prime considerations. Fionnula emphasised that this is the kind of vineyard that Wines Direct deals with, “family run vineyards, nothing industrial”.

Ross Lewis from Chapter One, a senior member of Euro-toques, then spoke. “Ireland has some of the best primary produce in the world. And Euro-toques is one big food family, passionately engaged with artisans. As the artisan movement gets stronger and stronger, Ireland's food will have its day in the sun.” He reported that tourists in his own restaurant are overwhelmingly positive about their experiences of Irish food.

Seared Wild Irish Venison Haunch Fillet
wine: Luc Lapeyre Les Clots (Languedoc)

And then it was time to sample some of that food. We had some beautiful nibbles by the waterfall in the sun before moving indoors to continue enjoying the produce of Ballyhoura Mushrooms, Wines Direct, Caroline Robinson Organic Vegetables, Kilbrack Farm, La Rousse Foods, Ummera, Jack McCarthy, Waterfall Farms, and Arbutus Breads. Greene’s chefs, like their Euro-toques colleagues nationwide are, as Ross Lewis said, “passionately engaged with artisans”. And this meal brilliantly underlined it!

• If you spot your favourite chef sprouting a moustache this month and next, he’s more than likely doing it for charity, all in aid of Movember who raise awareness and funds for prostrate cancer, testicular cancer and men’s health. Don’t leave it all to the chefs!

Poached Garden Pear & Wild Foraged Blackberry
wine: Le Contesse Pinot Rose.