L'Atitude 51. More Than A Wine Bar!

L'Atitude 51. More Than A Wine Bar!

Wine aces: Emma (left) and Beverley

Since 1968, when people in Catalunya talk of Barcelona FC, they say “it is more than a club”. Perhaps from now on, L’Atitude 51 will be referred by its many friends as “more than a wine bar”. For that was the gist of the citation read out in Dublin last week when the popular Cork venue was awarded the Wine Award of the Year in the 2015 Georgina Campbell Awards, Ireland’s longest-running hospitality awards, and highly respected by the industry.

Co-owners, Beverley Mathews and Emmanuelle Legrand, told me that they are extremely proud and honoured to receive this award in recognition of their efforts to create a better understanding of wine and encourage people to step out of their oenological comfort zones. This award is the crown they have been working towards since opening less than 3 years ago; despite that, it came as a complete surprise to both ladies when the announcement was made. Beverley and Emmanuelle stress that this journey could not have happened without the loyal following of customers who have supported L’Atitude 51 from the outset.

The key philosophy behind L’Atitude 51 is to make wine fun and exciting, and to that end they are always on the lookout for new and original activities to promote wine. The recent virtual skype tasting organized for Culture Night, which is cited in Georgina Campbell’s review, is one such event and was the first of its kind in Ireland.

They also organize a monthly CineCafe, which features a movie with a food and/or wine theme and incorporates a tasting in keeping with the movie. They also hold regular wine classes. Besides wine, music also plays a prominent part in their calendar of events with live gigs aplenty. Always striving to keep things fresh, they are currently in the throes of a complete overhaul of their wine list in an effort to get people drinking “better”. The new list will be launched in time for L’Atitude 51’s 3rd anniversary at the beginning of December – so keep an eye out for it!

Contact

L'Atitude 51 
Beverley Mathews - Emmanuelle Legrand

Tél. : 021 2390219

Email : info@latitude51.ie

Website : www.latitude51.ie

The Award Citation

L’Atitude 51 Wine Café, Cork

This is the only category of our Awards for which we encourage applications. While we also take note of other outstanding wine offerings encountered on our travels, interested establishments may submit their wine lists for consideration, and they are then judged together with other aspects of the wine experience.  

Billing itself as a wine café, this quirky riverside venue is part tapas bar, part wine bar - and, run by French and Irish friends, Emmanuelle Legrand and Beverley Mathews, it has a distinctly continental flair. Emmanuelle and Beverley have a serious passion for wine, which they love to share with customers.

Alongside the well-sourced ingredients for the café or evening tapas menus (great selection of European and artisan foods served up as delicious taster plates), you’ll find a creative wine list on an oversized blackboard listing over 50 bottles, half of which can be sampled as tasting glasses (75ml), or ordered by the glass or carafe. Daily specials come with a suggested wine pairing, and a 'wine flight' (tasting to compare several wines) can be arranged in whatever combination interests you. Or you can take part in their 'mystery wine challenge', where they select three wines for you to taste 'blind' - if you get them right, they refund you the price of the three wines...Win or lose, it's a fun way to learn more about wine.

Other interesting drinks include Irish craft beers (8 Degrees on draught, Dungarvan by the bottle) and Longueville House cider, as well as an international list and cocktails too. Upstairs, wine workshops and tastings - including meet the winemaker evenings and tutored whiskey tastings - are held in a room with great river views. And innovative events are a special feature of L'Atitude 51 - a recent example was an internet tasting, where wines were tasted in Cork with insight coming from the Irish winemakers in Sussex, South Africa and New Zealand on Skype (big screen). Whether to focus on learning or simply while away an afternoon or evening sampling the tempting wares, it’s an inviting spot. Very much a bar with benefits.

Events to come...

GIGS - Thursday 16th October Lynda Cullen, Jamie O’Shea Jazz Festival @ L’Atitude51 - Friday 24th October (10.30 pm – Free) Lyda - Saturday 25th October Eileen Healy – Edel Sullivan - Sunday 26th October Colin McLean Latin Trio L’ATITUDE CINECAFE Movies you “See & Taste” Wednesday 22nd October at 8 pm Babette’s Feast Tickets 12 euros (includes tasting) Booking essential : Tel. 021 2390219 or info@latitude51.ie RHONE WINE WEEK Thursday 6th November "A Wine Goose Chase" This is an interactive wine tasting combined with storytelling which takes you on a trip with the tenacious Irish people who transformed the wine world and didn't let coming from a grape-free land stop them! Tickets €20 Doors 8pm Show starts at 8.30pm Booking essential : www.awinegoosechase.com Friday November 7th "A Taste of Ventoux" Presentation and tasting with Fred Chaudiere of Chateau Pesquié – an estate located at the foot of the Ventoux Mountain in the Southern Rhone, run by 3 generations of winemakers. Tickets €15. - 7.30pm Booking essential : www.chateaupesquie.com/en/welcome.php www.latitude51.ie

Sparkling and Still on Skype. Wine Geese on the World Wide Web.

Sparkling and Still on Skype.

Wine Geese on the World Wide Web.

Dermot Sugrue, at home in Wiston, talks to the tasters in Cork

A Decanter Gold Medal winner was among the wines featured at a novel international tasting based at L’Atitude 51 (Cork) last Friday as part of the nationwide Culture Night. The work of three of the younger generation of Ireland's Wine Geese was celebrated with the winemakers talking about their vineyards (in Sussex, South Africa and New Zealand), telling us all in L’Atitude about their various wines as we sipped them in Cork and watched the winemakers on Skype (big screen, bien sur).

Beverly Mathews, Colm McCann and Maurice O'Mahony, who organised the 2013 series of Wine Geese visits, were behind this venture, the first public internet wine-tasting in Ireland, and the speakers on the other side of Skype were Dermot Sugrue (Wiston Estates, Sussex), Marion Smith (Elgin Ridge, South Africa) and Fleur McCree (Little Beauty, New Zealand).

Dermot, a Limerick man, had wanted to be a winemaker since he was 16 but it was some thirteen years later before he started a Viticulture and Winemaking Course in England's Plumpton College. His progress was astonishingly rapid thereafter, much like the English sparkling wine industry, and his Wiston wines are regular award winners.

“Wiston Estate vineyards are on pure chalk soil, just like in Champagne… This gives finesse, aging potential and a certain Je ne sais quoi. They are showing so beautiful, though still so young. And are in the top restaurants in the UK."

We tasted two. First up was the Blanc de Blancs NV. This has been voted the best in England. “It has a sense of richness that belies its youth. It is one hundred per cent Chardonnay, mostly 2011 plus reserve from 2010 and has spent 18 months on its lees.”

He described the Rosé 2011 as “a freak of nature”. The year was unbelievably warm, a poor Spring but a great Summer that extended into September eventually yielding very ripe grapes. “An accidental Rosé, our most successful wine, still very young and so exuberant early on.

“That exuberance is now fading and it is maturing into a sour cherry type. From over one hundred English sparkling wines, this Rosé has won one of just Decanter three golds.” It may be a freak of nature but Dermot hopes to replicate it in 2014. This year has been similar in many respects to 2011 and fingers are crossed for the harvest next month.

Marion, in the vineyard

Next stop was Elgin Ridge in South Africa and here we met Marion Smith (right) from Ballyjamesduff - her cousins still run the family farm there. The farming goes on at Elgin Ridge and Marian is the largest breeder of Dexter cattle (the native Irish breed) in the Western Cape. Sheep “mow” the grass between the vines. Elgin Ridge is organic.

The Dexters

But there were no vines there when Marion and her husband Brian arrived about eight years back. The farm had lain idle for some time and that made it easier to go organic. “We are living the dream and have wonderful workers here.” 

As she spoke the vineyard behind rapidly fell into total darkness. “I miss the long bright evenings sitting out in Ireland”, she said and invited anyone visiting in the area to drop in and see them. Be sure and take a look at the website. It is a gorgeous place, so many animals.

We tasted their 282 Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard is 282 metres above sea level and the vines benefit from the cool afternoon breeze and the proximity of the ocean. It is a different style of Sauvignon Blanc with a beautiful freshness.

Fleur McCree, whose ancestors (the Cox family) hail from Passage West, is a serious winemaker but is always game for a laugh. We were thanking her for getting up early in Marlborough until she pulled the curtain behind her and showed us the Tower Bridge in London. Fleur spends much of her time on the road selling her gorgeous Little Beauty wines.

Marlborough is famous for its Sauvignon Blanc but this time we were tasting Little Beauty’s Pinot Gris. “We have a tiny strip of Pinot Gris. ..The bad weather doesn't get to the East Coast … We have huge sunshine hours and not much rain… Hot by day, cold by night is good for Pinot Gris.”

"It is a prolific grower, too much so, too much fruit is no good! You must discipline the variety, quite hard - cut the bunches by hand! It is also thick-skinned and that stops the sunshine getting through. So open up the canopy to aid ripening. The fruit is hand harvested and it is gentle handling all the way after that".

“The aromas are herbaceous, stone fruits (peaches, nectarines). It is almost creamy, hints of mild spice. Notice that textured element when you lick your lips and inside your mouth. It is an interesting wine from a sensation perspective, oily and concentrated. It is better served not so cold as it then expresses itself better, not so shy. It is a very popular variety, very approachable.” It sure is. One of the best of its kind as far as I am concerned!

“What would you pair it with?”, somebody queried.

“With your cornflakes,” came the rapid reply. “One of your five a day!”.  She did go on to say Asian, particularly Asian with nuts, peanut Satay is her own favourite. She also recommended Pork belly with chilli and garlic etc or maybe pork roast with apricots.

And then she pulled that curtain, bringing this innovative long distance tasting to an end.

Shawlies Swing on Coal Quay Stage. The Bonded Warehouse: the future?

Shawlies Swing on Coal Quay Stage

The Bonded Warehouse: the future?

A lively bunch of shawl clad women got the 2014 Coal Quay Family Festival off to a swinging start as they took to the stage for a couple of songs. The stage would be busy for a few hours after that with all types of musical groups in action. All part of the Cork Heritage Day and a very appropriate time to remember the past in the heart of the city, politicians (at least one) and priests present as the original shawlies and their families were remembered in song and prayer, and pigeons released in memory of the past and in hope for the future of this vibrant area.

Busy at Coal Quay Farmers Market

And much of the vibrancy is provided by the relatively new businesses in the famous street. The likes of the Cornstore and the Bodega and the spanking new Rising Sons Brew Bar played key roles on Saturday. And then you had the buzz of the Farmers Market, a very genuine market, probably underrated market, where most of the stall holders are actual farmers and producers. I made some tasty purchases here, particularly from Ballyhoura Mushrooms, Caroline and Orchard Cottage Dairy.

The Cornstore's Mags O'Connor dishing out crubeens galore.

And indeed it was here, at the food shop (open Thu-Sat), that I had my first drink of the day, a complimentary glass of wine. And I wasn't the only one enjoying the vino as the sweet voice of mezzo soprano Amanda Neary spilt over the sunny street.

The Bodega were serving free bodice but the queue was massive and I couldn't get near but I did avail of a sample of the smooth and gorgeous Mi Daza stout, courtesy of the Rising Sons stall. And more food at the Cornstore. Out on the street, Mags O’Connor and her merry helpers were dishing out tasty crubeens and a terrific lamb stew (with pearl barley).

Read more about the Coal Quay and the hard-working people behind the annual festival here .

Inside and outside the bond. The vault on the left was the regular store for Hennessy's brandy for decades.

The Bonded Warehouse  (perhaps best known as the bond) also has a long past but what of its future? Later on Saturday afternoon, along with a few dozen more and under the expert guidance of Harry Golden, I visited the ancient building which has been a bonded warehouse for wines and spirits for over 200 years. Temperature (about 12 degrees) never varies and is perfect for the storage of wine.

But not for much longer. A new purpose built bond is now operating in Little lsland and the holdings here in Custom House Quay are being run down. So this public tour, only the second ever, could well be the last and it was with some nostalgia that Harry showed us around. What will become of it in the future? Harry sees huge potential here - there are after all about five acres on this last triangle of land where the two channels of the River Lee meet.

In the bond: Harry Golden (centre) talks of the past and of the future.

It is a listed building but still there is enormous potential in this magnificent location. Just hope the dreams don't become choked with red tape.

Some of Saturday's visitors were half hoping to find a dusty bottle of wine or brandy in the vaults but the ones we visited were empty! Though hopes rose briefly when glass was spotted in a hole in the wall. Just an old light bulb!

In the Coal Quay

One of the vaults visited was Number B17 and that had a long association with Hennessy’s Brandy of Cognac. The Hennessy family originally came from North Cork and, over many decades, their brandy was unloaded at the quay and sent down a line of rollers in the vault to be stored in the bond until the importing merchant paid the due tax.

Beverly Mathews, Maurice O’Mahony and Colm McCan, the trio who organised the Wine Geese series last year,  had organised the bond visit, with help from Harry of course. And later Beverly invited us back to L’Atitude, the lovely wine bar on Union Quay that she runs with Emma Lagrande.

Ladies of the Coal Quay

And here we heard of another of the more recent Wine Geese. Colm McCan told us that Marian Smith grew up in Ballyjamesduff and now runs the Elgin Ridge Winery  (it is 282 metres above sea level) in South Africa. And the generous L’Atitude gave us all a glass of the 282 Sauvignon Blanc, a lovely fresh wine. It is an organic operation and interestingly Dexter cattle help keep the vineyard clean!

Before we started the bond tour, we had a look at the interior of the Custom House, open all day for the Heritage event. Highlight here is the 1906 boardroom (especially the delicately patterned ceiling). If you didn't get there this year, put it on your list for next year. Must say, I’m looking forward to Heritage Day 2015 already.

Deputy Lord Mayor Kenneth O'Flynn finds a spot on stage for a young lady. Dishing out Mi Daza stout; and the pram, an essential on the old Cold Quay!

L’Atitude 51: Rivers of Wine

L’Atitude 51: Rivers of Wine

Fun on the Loire last September.
I'm on the skis, just out of pic!

L’Atitude 51 is perhaps the best known destination wine-bar in Cork City; owners Beverly and Emma have an extensive collection of wines available, some “fifty of them by the glass’.

How best to navigate them? Why not take a river trip, I think to myself. Might not get to them all but it sure will help illustrate the variety and quality available. The round trip, confined to Europe this tour, from Number One Union Quay, takes a few enjoyable hours. Why not join me? By the way, we are drinking the 75ml tasting glass, just to make sure we stay onboard and between the banks.

True colours.
The GV (left) and the 2007 Riesling

Coing St Fiacre (Chardonnay), 2012, Loire, France

First stop was the Loire Valley, familiar since last summer’s holidays. But we didn't come across this one or indeed any other local Chardonnay. This was a very pleasant surprise indeed, an excellent Chardonnay and a great alternative to Chablis.

St Fiacre was active first in Kilkenny and then in France in the 7th century. A renowned gardener, he was reputedly skilled with herbs and may have been, I’m told, one of the first Irish Wine Geese.

Villa Huesgen By The Glass Riesling, 2012, Mosel, Germany.

Over the border then to the banks of the Mosel, a tributary of the Rhine. Huesgen have been making wine for centuries but they class this as “a modern Riesling”. Certainly it had good fruit, was very well balanced and could be described as easy drinking. Both it and Chardonnay come under the Crisp with Attitude listing here.

Danube vineyards

Erbeldinger Riesling Spatlese, 2007, Rhine, Germany

Two thousand and seven was apparently a very good year for spätleses and this one certainly benefitted. This was full of flavour (not to mention colour), rich and with some sweetness but really well balanced. A superb wine, the best of the whites that we tasted.

Spätlese - Literally translated as “late picking” refers here to the Riesling grapes that are picked late during the harvest season.

Sepp (Gruner Veltliner), 2011, Kremstal, Austria

I’m a fan of the Austrian grape Gruner Veltliner and this effort did not disappoint. The maker “strives for the maximum of balance and elegance in his wines” and he got it right here. Dry and crisp, on the palate it is fresh and fruity, rich with flavour and full bodied, with a hint of spice and a good dry finish. A visit to the Danube wouldn't be complete without a glass or two. On one occasion, I was served with mugs of it (two or three glasses worth) in one of the heuriger in the Vienna Woods. It was a good night.

GV by the mug!

L’O de Domaine du Joncier (Grenache), 2011, Cotes du Rhone, France

Leaving the Danube behind, we headed west again to start our reds with a visit to the mighty Rhone. First stop is close to the town of Tavel, the rosé capital of France, but we were in search of a good Cotes du Rhone and this organically produced wine sure fits the bill. Hints of spice on the nose and on the palate, well balanced and very drinkable, nice fruit and excellent finish. Fruity with Attitude is the official L’Atitude grouping for this one.

Chateau Ste Marie (Merlot, Cabernet Franc), 2011, Bordeaux, France.

Lots of choice in the Bordeaux region and we stopped at Ste Marie, situated in Entre deux Mers, about halfway between the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers. And it was well worth the visit.

With a deep crimson color and generous fruit aromas, this blend of Merlot (mainly) and Cabernet Franc is an excellent drop. The smoothness of the Merlot and the freshness of the Cabernet, helped by 12 months in French oak barrels,  makes for a smashing combination on the palate. L’Atitude say Smooth and Intense!

First class travel on the Rhone.

Simone Joseph (Syrah), 2009, Rhone VDP, France

Our second stop on the Rhone was under the steeply sided vineyards to the south of Lyon, on the eastern side of the river, where this Syrah comes from. This is a pretty typical example of a Northern Rhone Syrah and that means its pretty good. It is quite intense, spicy for sure, but there is no shortage of juicy fruit, and a good long finish.

Barros 10 years old Tawny Port, Douro, Portugal.

Next port of call was in the beautiful Douro valley of Portugal. We were looking for a sweet finish to our wine voyage and certainly found it in this bottle. CL said she could smell it all night but she went straight ahead and drank it instead, declaring it the “best of the night”.

A sip could last you forever (not really) but this is sensational, sweet and warm, unforgettable. Barros has been an outstanding brand in the Port WIne history, since its foundation in 1913, and these are their more considered notes. Dense nose of dried fruit aromas, The soft and silky texture and the subtle nuances of wood are balanced by a fresh acidity and impetus tannic which culminates with a long and elegant finish.

Not exactly first class on the Rhone

Soon we were back on the banks of the Lee wishing that its northern slopes, which we could see from our L’Atitude window, were covered in vines and I was contemplating trying Chateau de Montenotte, Domaine du Tivoli, La Tour de Farther Matthew. Maybe all that after global warming!

The Dordogne, after a summer thunderstorm

In the meantime, if you want to try some really good wines, make a beeline for L'Atitude. And remember, they don't just do wines. You’ll find some great beers there as well. And food, from morning pastries to more substantial fare as the day goes on. Music also on occasions. Stay up to date by following their Facebook page here .

Talk of the Tongue. International Wine and Food Society Event

Talk of the Tongue

International Wine and Food Society Event

The Tongue (left) and more from last Thursday's Celebrating Local Tastes.

“Celebrating Local Tastes” was the title of the first outing for 2014 of the Munster Branch of the International Wine and Food Society.  Held at L'Atitude 51 (1 Union Quay), it turned into an absorbing evening with suppliers Frank Hederman, Jack McCarthy, On the Pig’s Back and Eve’s Chocolates taking the opportunity to showcase their impressive wares while the whole event was enhanced by some well chosen words, not to mention well chosen wines*, by our hostess Beverly Mathews.

First up was smoker Frank Hederman: “Our smokehouse food is made very simply using salt and smoke as natural preservatives to enhance very beautiful Irish raw materials. We are in the condiment business, simply adding flavour, creating new taste experiences and memories using age-old, natural techniques.”

Most of us are familiar with his famous smoked salmon and mackerel, maybe even with the smoked mussels. Lately he has produced smoked butter and on Thursday last introduced us to the new smoked Creme Fraiche. If you see it, buy it!

Then it was the turn of On the Pig's Back and Maria Perez concentrated on their cheeses and demonstrated a terrific variety of flavours using Ardsallagh, Ardrahan and Crozier Blue, among others, to make the point that local cheeses are absolutely first class, capable of holding their own in any company.

One man who can certainly do that is Kanturk butcher Jack McCarthy. He came laden with generous plates of his fabulous charcuterie, Irish charcuterie he emphasized, maybe even Duhallow charcuterie!

On Thursday last, he had quite a selection, including his Italian style copa. Then he introduced his Sliabh Luachra, an air dried beef for which they have been named Nationality Speciality Champions. We thought that was good but what really set us talking was his Tongue. It brought memories back for many (of a certain age!) but everyone was talking about it in a most complimentary way!

Had to finish off this excellent evening with something sweet and that was supplied by Jill from Eve’s Chocolates. “Eve’s”, she said, “is one of Cork's best kept secrets”. But that is not how they want it. So do go and visit them at Eve's Chocolate Shop, 8 College Commercial Park, Magazine Road, Cork. If you go this week, watch out as you could be falling over eggs and bunnies or they may be falling over you. Death by chocolate!

The Wine and Food Society are planning their next outing and if you would like to become a member then contact Aoife (treasurer) mccanaoife@gmail.com. Other officers are  Richie Scott (assistant treasurer), Beverley Matthews (secretary) and Greg Canty (chairman)

*The wines were:

Valdespino, Manzanilla Deliciosa  "En Rama" (unfiltered)

Pipoli Greco Fiano from Basilicata (Southern Italy) 2011

Chateau Ste. Eulalie "La Cantilene" from Minervois La Laviniere 2009  

The Winegeese. A New Generation in Cork last night.

The Winegeese. A New Generation.

Languedoc winemakers at L'Atitude

Bottom (l to r): Leslie Williams (Irish Examiner),
Neasa Corish Miquel and Philip Grant.

A couple of modern winegeese were at L’Atitude in Cork lasted evening and very impressive they were too. Both Neasa Corish Miquel and Philip Grant operate in the Languedoc and, with Irish Examiner’s Leslie Williams linking and prompting the pair, we had a very entertaining evening and tasted some excellent wines.

Neasa Corish Miquel is originally from Dublin and married into the Miquel family. They have two vineyards, one near Beziers, the other south of the Narbonne to Toulouse stretch of the A61 autoroute.

The big surprise from Neasa was her 2012 Albarino, the only one in France (at least for the present!). The Miquels took a big gamble here, planting 14 hectares “all in one go”. But is looks like paying off. This is an elegant fresh white wine with a lovely fragrance. Matched with a mix of smoked and fresh salmon, one of the many excellent bites from the L’Atitude kitchen, it went down well.

Her opening wine, the 2011 Viognier, has been harvested by night and “handled gently”. Its freshness was evident and it went well with the cheese. Neasa said it keeps well for days in the open bottle and is even decanted in some restaurants.

Then Philip who, after a successful business career, bought the large Chateau Bellevue estate in November 2007 (just before the crash!), spoke about the main grape grown there. It is the little known Négrette which has “fabulous colour and fabulous fruit” but “is tricky to grow”.

Worth it though as illustrated through his wines. The first was his 2012 Rosé. Some forty per cent of his wine is rosé and this beauty went very well indeed with Jack McCarthy’s classy Pastrami. Bren Smith of Mackenway, who distribute for Grant and Miquel, said it was also a terrific match with curry.

Philip then produced his first red, his 2009, a gold medal winner and his best seller. It is fifty five per cent Négrette, with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah also in the blend. It is fresh and fruity, soft, and matched very well with the mushrooms.

The Canal du Midi flows through the Languedoc
and was once used for carrying wine.

Then came the big hitters. Neasa’s introduced us to her Larmes des Fees (the tears of the fairies), a 100% Syrah from 2006 and under the St Chinian appellation. It has been aged for 18 months in oak and much the same in bottle, is very high quality and will age well. The tears of the fairies, Neasa told us, flowed when they heard a group of washerwomen bad-mouthing absent colleagues. Probably still flowing so.

The 2009 Optimum is powerful and fresh and age worthy and another award winner for Philip. Indeed, it has been awarded a very hard to get Coup de Coeur by Hachette. This Fronton AOC red is from low yield vines and has “an enormous concentration of flavour. “It has taken off very well, “he said, “and the biggest buyers are the Vietnamese”.

It was quite a long evening but we didn’t notice the time going by, thanks to the good company and the good wines. More of the same next Wednesday (7.00pm) when the wines of Domainela Sarabande (also from the Beziers area and owned by Australian Paul Gordon and his Irish wife Isla) will be featured. Tickets from L’Atitude at 021 2390219.