In Xanadu did Irishman...

In Xanadu did Irishman...

I reckon I could on and write a few lines of doggerel but in respect to the late John Lagan, I’ll put a halt to it now. Let’s get to the wine.

Xanadu, Margaret River, Chardonnay 2008, 14% abv, €20.00 Bubble Brothers.

Must say I like this wine and its story, a story that began with the arrival of Irish medical doctors, John and Eithne Lagan, in Australia. Some time later, in the late 1970s, they set up the Xanadu vineyard in the Margaret River area of Western Australia. You may read more, much more, of the Lagans and their children here.

The early years were tough but decades of success followed for the Lagans. Nowadays, Xanadu is owned by the Rathbone family who are very strong on environmental protection and sustainability in their wine-making. They make excellent wines here and this Chardonnay got 91 points from James Halliday. 

They also produce a “second” wine at Xanadu under the Next of Kin Label. Bubble Brothers  also sell this and, in the recent past, I have been very happy with their Semillon Sauvignon Blanc and the Cabernet Sauvignon. These are priced at about five or six euro less than the top label.

The Chardonnay has a great nose, bright and citrus-sy. In a flavoursome mouthful, the citrus leads the way with other exotic fruits figuring strongly in the mix. Close to creamy, it is really well balanced with a persistent fruity finish. All in all an excellent Chardonnay and yet another winner from a terrific wine area. Highly recommended.

PICPOUL HEAD TO HEAD

PICPOUL HEAD TO HEAD


Domaine Reine Juliette, Terres Rouges, Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc 2010, 13.5%, €12.00 Bubble Brothers, 3 stars


Colour is of light honey and it has a moderately aromatic nose. Not a major impression on the palate but quite a friendly one, more of a purr, less of a bark. It has a nice lively acidity with thirst quenching fruit.

While the acidity is sharp it never gets anywhere the point where you feel you might as well be sipping a Citron Pressé. If you want something to go with your mussels or oysters (and there are a lot of months with “r” coming up) this is a banker.


 

Les Costières de Pomerols, Picpoul de Pinet, Languedoc 2010, 12.5%, €7.00 Tesco, 4 stars.


Colour and nose is much the same as the previous Picpoul. The acidity is still there but this is definitely more flavoursome, more rounded.

There will always, it seems, be arguments about Tesco’s pricing policy in the drinks department but nor argument that their buyers have come up with a good one here, underlined by the fact that Decanter gave it their Regional Trophy (Languedoc –Roussillon) for a white at under ten UK pounds.

Some differences

A – Closure is artificial cork on Bubble’s, screw-cap on the Tesco.

B- Alcohol is 13.5% in Bubble, 12.5% in the Tesco bottle.

C- The Tesco price is €7.00, Bubbles €12.00

HANDSOME SICILIAN

Feudo Montoni Catarratto Sicily 2009, IGT, 13%, €15.50 (Bubble Bros)

Catarratto is one of the most heavily planted grape varieties in Italy and yet is found only in Sicily but you’ll be hard pressed to find anything good written about it.

One of the most “positive” sentences I’ve seen on it comes in Hugh Johnson’s 2011 Pocket Wine Book: “Sicilian white grape with as yet unrealised potential”.

The winemakers at historic Feudo Montoni (well known for their Nero D’Avola reds) have realised some of that potential in this bottle and credit too to Bubble Brothers, who also sell the Nero D’Avola, for going with it.

Indeed, they are quite proud of it: “This is a feather in our white wine cap, and no mistake.  Made from old vines set high above sea level in north-eastern Sicily, Fabio Sireci's Catarratto combines citrus freshness with the substantial body and mellowness of Catarratto when grown with a special varietal wine in mind.

Despite taking full advantage of the torrid Sicilian sun to offer ripe, peachy fruit, this is a crisply focused dry wine with more edge and minerality than you might expect from the island, and a persistent finish in keeping with the overall impression of refined, opulent craftsmanship.”

The colour is that of pale honey with a pleasant if moderate aromatic nose. On the palate, you have a rich texture and perfect balance of fruitiness and acidity and a pleasant lengthy finish. Perhaps the fact that it is made from fifty year old vines had something to with the quality here.

If you are looking for a change from the usual white grapes, then this is well worth a try. Why not drop down to Bubble Bros in Centre Park Road and see if they have it on their multi-bottle temperature controlled tasting device?
By the way. I have added it to My Favourite Wines 2011.

Market Morning.

MARKET MORNING

The Olive Stall at English Market

Markets galore this morning. Where to go? Midleton, Douglas, the Food Fair in Castlemartyr? In the end, settled for the return of the market to the Coal Quay and then a trip to the English Market.

The Coal Quay, which should have been back in action last November, finally had reason to celebrate today. Quite a few stalls back in the renovated street, many selling clothes, plants, and so on and a decent section of food stalls (including Tom’s Bakery – love their country baguette) at the river end.

No meat or fish there so that meant a visit to the English Market. So, following a Charlie Chaplin figure who was getting lots of looks, we made our way to the Grand Parade entrance and made calls to stalls such as Tom Durcan, Bubble Brothers, On the Pig’s Back and Iago as the bag filled up with lamb’s liver, Rosscarbery Recipe Cured Rashers, Manchego cheese and more.

Enjoyed a fine meal in the Cornstore last night but today it was their neighbours The Bodega who were open and ready to serve teas and coffees and more to the customers and stall holders of the newly returned market.

I made my way to their vacated temporary base at Emmett Place, a base they seemed quite at home in for the best part of two years. Called into the Crawford Cafe for a cup of coffee and scone, both top class. Price though was €5.15 while it was just €3.90 across the road at Luigi Malone’s. Make you wonder.

Coal Quay Market - back to base (Click to enlarge)

Costières de Nîmes - Home and Away

Mas de Bressades, Tradition Blanc, AOC Costières de Nîmes 2009, 13.5%, €13.00, Bubble Brothers, 4 stars.

Rhone-Setes Canal, south of Nimes

I was surprised by the quality of the whites from Costières de Nimes during last month’s visit to Provence. The Costières, for some time now officially a Rhone wine, is based in the area around Nimes, including the “wild” Camargue, in the Bouches de Rhone.

I spotted this on the Bubbles Brothers site  and was keen to compare it with one that survived the journey home. Must admit I had meant to pick up the 2010 version but, with all the chat, ended up with the 2009.  I needn't have worried.

Colour is a weak golden straw and the nose is intensely aromatic. On the palate it is fresh and fruity (grapefruit mainly for me), quite complex plus a pleasant flavoursome finish. A very acceptable wine indeed.

Camargue ponies near Gallician

But do watch out for the 2010 version which according to the Bubble Bros site is “as fresh and fruity as ever” and “an irresistible temptation to those who like the fuller, richer style of white that comes from Roussanne and Grenache blanc” It is 50% Roussanne and 30% Grenache.

Gallician Costières de Nîmes Prestige blanc 2010, 13%

Cave Pilote de Gallician recommends that their white wines be kept for no more than two years. No danger of my exceeding that as the sole remaining bottle from June’s French haul was enjoyed at Tuesday’s barbecue. 

Not exactly comparing like with like here as the grape mix is different to the one from Bubble Bros. It is 50% Grenache blanc, 30% Clairette and 20% Marsanne and the cost, at the Cave, was less than four euro.

Colour is pale yellow and the nose is moderately floral and, on the palate, it is fresh and smooth with a decent finish. Not bad at all but the honours in this little contest go to the Mas de Bressades.

To see more of my June trip to some of the Costieres de Nimes villages, click here. 

GOOD DEAL AT BUBBLE BROTHERS

STILL AND BUBBLING

Temperature controlled tasting machine

Didn't realise Bubble Brothers, who started off as Champagne importers in the 1990s, were so strong in Sicilian Wines until I made call to their Centrepark Road Headquarters last week. 

It turned out to be a very pleasant interlude indeed as I enjoyed the chat and the help in picking out a few whites.

I did some homework on my search on their website which, in fairness, is easy  to navigate. There are quite a few headings for searching wines (country, colour, grape and so on) and they also do some non-wine products such as beer and coffee.

As I said, I was on the prowl for white and, armed with one of these Living Social Deals (€15.00 bought me a 30 euro voucher), I called to the well laid out shop.  The first thing that caught my eye was their Taste before you Buy facility, made possible by their state of the art temperature controlled tasting machine where some 16 bottles can be open at any one time. Very impressive indeed.

My shortlist contained just three. I had seen the 2010 Picpoul de Pinet  (12.00) recommended. I wanted to see how their Costieres de Nimes 2010  (€13.00) compares with some of my recent bottles in Provence. They themselves highly recommend their 2010 Sicilian Montoni Catarrato  (€15.50) and that was my third choice. All three were in stock and I’ll be sampling them soon. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Another advantage of calling to Centrepark Road, aside from the tasting facility, is that you can buy by the case and, if you do, you get two bottles free. If you can’t get down the Marina, don't forget they have a stall in the English Market and, of course, you may also order online.

Easter Wine Bonanza Weekend in Urru Bandon

Urru Bandon Re-Launch Wine Card...

Glad to see that two old “friends” of mine will be prominent when Urru Bandon  re-launch their Wine Club Card scheme this Easter. Bubble Brothers are their wine partners and the two friends I refer to are two favourite wines from the Margaret River area of Australia, Xanadu’s Next of Kin Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

This Easter Bonanza Wine Weekend in Bandon will feature the re-launch of Club Card; a mix & match wine offer for Easter itself and the start of a series of fun Saturday wine tastings for casual and dedicated wine lovers alike. It will all kick off from 11 am on Saturday 23 April.

Urru’s Wine Club Card will re-launch with a really easy, straightforward wine “collect-to-get” schemes. Simply collect 36 tokens (one with each bottle of normal priced wine) and redeem them to get a 10% discount card on all normal priced wine purchases for 12 months following redemption. This will replace the previous “collect-to-get” gifts scheme that has been running since 2009. The revamp of the scheme is in response to what shoppers having said is what they most want.

 For Easter there will be a mix & match offer of Buy 5 Bottles, Get 1 Free on a range of best-selling wines. To make it easy to choose your favourite five, John McCarthy from Bubble Brothers will be in-store on Saturday 23^rd April from 11am to guide the tasting of the wines. Wines on offer will include the likes of Agricola Castellana, Pampano Inspiracion (Rueda, €11), Xanadu, Next of Kin, Sauvignon-Semillon (Margaret River, €13.50), Mount Langi Ghiran, Billi Billi, Pinot Grigio (Victoria €13.50), Chateau la Mothe du Barry, Bordeaux Superieur, €12.50, Bodegas Pingon, Carramimbre Joven Roble (Ribera Duro, €13.50), Xanadu, Next of Kin, Cabernet Sauvignon (Margaret River, €13.50), Mount Langi Ghiran, Billi Billi Shiraz (Victoria, €13.50) and more.

Thirdly, an 8 week series of “Taste of Wine & Cheese of the Week” for summer will start. It will offer an opportunity to blind taste a selected wine each Saturday, covering a range of prices, styles and regions. It is a chance to hone the senses, with the aid of tasting charts, guess the grapes, price range and country of origin; then the wine will be matched with a compatible Cheese of the Week, selected from a range of over 40 Irish farmhouse cheeses and to help it all go down there will be 10% off the price to take home and savour in the long summer evenings with friends and family.

Urru Culinary Store and Bubble Brothers Wines have been working together for 8 years to bring a uniquely wide selection of artisan and emerging wine makers to West Cork.Urru is a member of Good Food Ireland  /and Slow Food Ireland and is featured in the Bridgestone Irish Food Guide and Georgina Campbell Guides.

This is the 4th in a series of 11 Bonanza Days from Urru across 2011 to bring some  good cheer to West Cork and remind us of what is great in our culinary community.

BUBBLES UP

BUBBLE BROTHERS 

Picked up some Billi Billi today. With a name like that, just couldn’t resist it.

Had called into Bubble Brothers  in the English Market today and, during a pleasant chat, found they were looking forward to an interesting time between now and Christmas.

Just last evening, they were one of the wine suppliers as LocalMarkets.ie launched in the English Market. Indeed, you may buy Bubble Brothers wine through the new company’s site.

The Toys for Big Boys Show comes to Cork for the first time next month. It will be held in the ARC Arena between November 19^th and 21^st. 

The show features luxury items and highlights include a Formula 1 car, a Maserati GT, a Ferrari and a Bentley among others. What have Bubble Bros got to do with all this? Well, they’ll be supplying the bubbly, of course.

A few weeks later, the BB boys and girls will be strutting their own stuff on home turf when they host a tasting event at their Wine Depot in the Marina Commercial Park. About six producers will be featured and there’ll nibbles galore and good deals ahead of the Christmas. Admission will be about seven or eight euro.

I was looking for examples of Pinot Grigio or Gris yesterday and picked up two for twenty euro here (individually, they came to about 25, but you get two for 20). One was Poggio al Sole Rose Colli Piacentini Frizzante and the other was the Billi Billi, a 2008 Mount Langi Ghiran from South Australia. Will be checking these out soon.

CONGRATS

Great to see places that we’ve been praising here acknowledged in the current round of Bridgestone Awards. Congratulations to all and in particular to Ann at O'Keeffe's in St Luke’s and to Nicole Dunphy of Pandora Bell in Limerick. Coincidentally, you can get Pandora Bell products in St Luke’s (who also stock wines from Bubble Brothers. O’Keeffe’s is a food treasure house.

Bubble Brothers in Cork

BUBBLE BROTHERS

Pleasantly surprised when picking up an order this week from Bubble Brothers store in Centre Park Road as the budget reduction of 60 cent per bottle had been applied. Sixty cent may not seem that great but when it is applied to a couple of cases, it can make quite a difference. Well done to Bubble and indeed to the other wine sellers who have rapidly applied the tax cut. I also noticed it in my pint at the Cotton Ball (did you see their Christmas lights?) last night.
Bubble Brothers, as you may know, have quite a selection at Centre Park Road. They have a lot less room at the English Market but they make the best of it. I suppose the rule would be: the Market for a bottle or two, Centre Park Road (easy parking) for a case or two. In any event, the same high standards of service and courtesy apply.
I’m looking forward to the Xanadu Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the cases I picked up this week. Came across it at the Good Wine Show and thought it was a winner.

Check out my review of Bubble Brothers - I am cork - on Qype