Wine for Good - a charity fundraising initiative from O'Briens Wine in aid of ALONE

 O’Briens Wine Make Everyone A Winner.

Update from O'Briens (22/12/2020): Raised a total of 30k for Alone through our Wine for Good charity fundraiser, O'Briens would like to thank their customers, wineries, winemakers and Irish wine suppliers whose generous support have made this initiative possible. 

Wine for Good - a charity fundraising initiative from O'Briens Wine in aid of ALONE

A few months back, O’Briens Wine announced a charity fundraising initiative, Wine for Good, to take the place of the fund-raising they normally do at their November wine-fairs (knocked out by Covid19). ALONE was the nominated charity and the individual donation requested was €100.00.

Others were donating in kind, namely O’Brien’s wineries, winemakers and Irish wine suppliers. And the wines coming in meant that anyone who paid the €100.00 had the chance of winning a bottle or bottles worth anything from €75.00 to €250.00. Sent off my hundred as fast as I could and just as well as the 200 tickets was sold out in no time!

A few weeks later, a parcel arrived at the door. I was like a kid opening a Christmas present. And as happy as any kid (well, big “kid”) when I spied my “prize”: Domaine Seguin-Manuel "Les Cents Vignes", Beaune 1er Cru 2013 (AOC). And not just a bottle but a Magnum! It was generously donated by Thibaut Marion, owner of Domaine Seguin-Manuel.

An alluring mid ruby is the colour of this Pinot Noir. The aromatics are charming with scents of red berry fruit, spice and floral notes, a hint of toast too; complex yet delicate. More complexity on the palate, vibrant and engaging, silky bright fruit (cherry and blackcurrant) and that spice again and a little vanilla too while tannins are soft. Delicious from start to persistent finish. Just like the O’Brien initiative.

This wine is produced from a tiny plot of 40-year-old Pinot Noir vines in Beaune's Premier Cru area 'Les Cents Vignes'. The grapes are hand-harvested to ensure only the healthiest fruit is used. After fermentation the wine is aged in the finest quality French oak for 12 months.

At 7 years old, the wine has aged perfectly in the Domaine's cellars, developing the complex tertiary aromas and flavours for which top Burgundy Pinot Noirs are so famous. 

Domaine Seguin-Manuel was founded in 1824 in the Côte-d’Or region of Burgundy. It was purchased by Thibaut Marion in 2004 and he farms his 8.5 hectares of small premium vineyard plots organically.