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| Wine & Wellington! |
of Very Highly Recommended Reds
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Chateau Tire Pé Bordeaux AOC 2017, 13.5%,
€20.65 €18.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny
While looking for a wine to pair with the Beef Wellington by James Whelan Butchers, this Bordeaux got the nod. Tire Pé is not a blend; it is 100% Merlot but did an effortless match with the delicious fillet and the equally delicious duxelles.
It has a deep ruby robe and notes of red and dark berries in the aromas. The same berries lead the flavours on the palate, with a little spice also. And there’s a terrific natural acidity that played a key role in the pairing with the Beef Wellington.
When the beef had been finished, the bright and expressive wine proved itself as a very pleasant companion on its own with an excellent refreshing finish, tannins light on the lips. Very Highly Recommended
The vineyard info: this "terroir" Merlot (20 to 40 year old vines), distinctive, delicate and expressive, with fruity and spicy aromas. Has been aged for 18 to 24 months in concrete vats.
“Whatever the cuvée, our guideline is in balance, precision, expression...
To go in this direction, we harvest our grapes at the "right" maturity, carry out "soft" vinifications (no "forced" extraction but rather in "infusion" mode) at moderate fermentation temperature (24-28°), then aging ranging from 8 months to more than 36 months in concrete vats, in barrels (400 and 500 l) or even in terracotta jars.”
Hélène and David Barrault purchased Tire Pé in 1997; they are farming organically since 2008 (certified since 2014).The hill of Tire Pé owes its name to ancient rural scenes, where working horses would pass wind under the effort of climbing the hill, on their way back to the farm.
Le Caveau tells us they have created a little garden of Eden, “where wild grass, insects, birds and small wild animals live among the vines. Very unusual sight in the Entre-deux-Mers appellation, where their 13.5-ha estate is located.”
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| Vincenzo Red (top) and white |
Fattoria di Vaira Vincenzo Rosso 2019, 12.5%
€18.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny
With “At Home” offers from restaurants increasing at the time, we ordered one from Da Mirco in Bridge Street, Italian of course! Indeed, one of the most genuine Italian restaurants around these parts. But did we have an Italian win at hand? Yes, we had, even if Vincenzo’s Rosso is not from the north where Mirco hails from.
It is a dark ruby in the glass, a lighter red at the rim. This is quite aromatic: plum, blackberries, and black currant with a rustic background . Quite a depth of flavour and no shortage of spice either on the palate, lively and fresh, with ripe tannins towards the finish. A friendly and very drinkable wine and Highly Recommended. I didn’t do it but it may be no harm to decant this.
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| Da Mirco's Tagliere |
The grapes used in the blend are Montepulciano (50%), Merlot (25%) & Cabernet Sauvignon (25%). I’ve seen this described as a “bold blend”. A bit unusual for sure but works nicely in this Rosso. Food pairings suggested are: cured meat, cheeses, red meat.
It certainly matched well with Da Mirco’s Tagliere with Italian cured meats, cheeses, olives and more as well, and went well also with the main course of Homemade Cannelloni with a filling of Braised Irish Venison Ragu.
Importers Le Caveau: Fattoria di Vaira is one of the largest biodynamic farms in Italy. Here they cultivate vegetables, grains and cereals, and produce fresh cheeses, olive oil, and honey. After several years of applying biodynamic practices, their soil has been restored, reaching a degree of purity similar to wild soil.
Geek Bits
Origin: Molise, Italy
Vintage: 2019
Grape variety: Montepulciano (50%), Merlot (25%) & Cabernet Sauvignon (25%)
Food pairing: Cured meat, cheeses, red meat
Bottle size: 75cl
ABV: 12.5%
* We recently enjoyed Vincenzo’s white, details here.
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