Delighted with this Pair of Very Highly Recommended Reds

Wine & Wellington!

Delighted with this Pair

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.”

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.

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.  

Bubbles for your Valentine. Some sparkling suggestions!

Bubbles for your Valentine. 

Some sparkling suggestions!

The two best known sparkling wines are Champagne and Prosecco and they are, of course, included below. But so too are less well-known options such as Cava, Crémant, and Pet Nat.

Pet Nat-Bubbles without the hefty price tag

Pet Nat? Well, Pet Nat is an abbreviation for pétillant naturel, the French term that roughly means naturally sparkling.

Is it then a copy of champagne? Not so. It is the other way around if anything, as Pét-Nat has been around longer. Pét-Nat is bottled while still undergoing its first round of fermentation. The French call this process “methode ancestral” and you may see that on some labels.

You may see “bottle fermented,” or the Italian “col fondo,” (more or less a  pét-nat Prosecco). The crown cap and a little bit of harmless sediment are other clues!

The method, with variations, is pretty widespread across the wine world. Most are fun and good with food, especially lighter dishes. Simple, authentic and quite diverse, Pét-Nat puts the bubbles on your dinner table or even picnic spread. It sparkles without the hefty price tag.

Entre Vinyes Oníric Pét-Nat 2020, 11.5%

Catalonia’s Parc Natural Del Foix is the source of this pétillant from Mary Pawle wines..

Oníric in Catalan translates as dreamer and Entre Vinyes is a personal project of Maria Barrena (Azul y Garanza in Navarra), the aim being to rescue old forgotten vineyards and restore a balanced ecosystem. This 60-year vineyard, surrounded by a rich biodiversity, is in the Baix Penedes region (in Catalonia) close to the Med. The grapes for the pét-nat are Xarel-lo (mostly) and Muscat.

Colour is a cloudy yellow/lemon. On pouring, you create a large white “head” but it won’t hang about. This is easy drinking, approachable and refreshing, with good depth and length. And of course, it has that pleasant sparkly tingle. White fruit flavours and just enough acidity to balance make it harmonious all the way to the lip-smacking finish. A wine for sun and fun. Highly Recommended.

Champagne and Champagne Charlie

Charles Heidsieck Blanc de Blancs NV Champagne (AOC)

Pale gold is the colour of this Blanc de Blancs by Charles Heidsieck, imported by Liberty Wines. Unceasing fountains of pin-head bubbles race towards the top of the glass. Amazing concentration straight away, yet is is elegant on the palate, lovely balance and weight, engaging with a lively acidity also with mineral notes and a creamy mouthfeel. It is one hundred per cent Chardonnay and has notes of lemon, apple and pear plus orchard blossom and the typical Champagne toastiness. Very Highly Recommended.

Charles Heidsieck, one of the most admired Champagne houses, was founded in 1851, by the man who would become known as ‘Champagne Charlie’. Their size, and commitment to excellence, has been underpinned by a winemaking team that between them have been named 'Sparkling Winemaker of the Year' at the International Wine Challenge on over a dozen occasions.

Champagne Fleury B d N Brut Champagne NV, 12%, Mary Pawle Wines

This Blanc de Noirs is made from 100% Pinot Noir and is indeed a white wine from dark-skinned grapes. The Fleury family have been here in Champagne since 1895. They raise their vines, biodynamically since 1989, on the Côtes des Bar in the southern extreme of Champagne. Indeed, they are pioneers of organic in the area.

Back to the wine itself and bubbles proliferate here, racing to the top in non stop streams. It has a deep yellow colour, intense flavours and aromas, including the typical ‘biscuity” notes. The wine has terrific depth from initial sip to the lingering finalé. Dry and delicious. Unusually intense, impeccably crafted, this is Very Highly Recommended and well worth seeking out!

Beaumont des Crayères Vintage 2013 Fleur Blanche Blanc de Blancs Brut at O’Briens Wine.  

Intense, biscuity is the strong first impression as the liquid meets the palate. Intense and exciting from the engaging first sip, with fountains of micro-bubbles powering upwards, with biscuity aromas and flavours and floral notes too, this is one of the better ones for sure. It is made from 100% Chardonnay and obviously 2013 was a very good year. Very Highly Recommended

O’Briens, the importers, are also enthusiastic: This is one of the most exciting, elegant Champagnes that we have ever tasted. Made from Chardonnay grapes, the pinhead bubbles have an acrobatic exuberance in the glass. A perfect apéritif wine but the richness on the palate would also lend it well to food.”

English Sparkling and the other French bubbles

English sparkling wines are quite popular these days and some of the best are being made by Limerickman Dermot Sugrue (above). You will find them under Sugrue South Downs and Wiston Estate in the Le Caveau portfolio here.  

While online there, why not check out their range of Pet Nats.  

Crémant is the term used to classify French sparkling wines produced, using the Méthode Traditionelle, outside the boundaries of the Champagne region. The method, also known (within Champagne) as méthode champenoise, involves disgorgement and a second fermentation in the bottle and you can read more here. 

Exquisite Collection Cremant du Jura (AOP) Chardonnay, Aldi

Left it late? Pop into Aldi and get this excellent Brut (dry). 

I was very impressed with it. A sparkling Chardonnay, made using close to the same methods they use in making champagne, was perfect for my unexpected little celebration. It is not lacking in complexity, has light fruit flavours, a hint of biscuit (that you find in champagnes), and a fine finish. Good price too..

There are quite a few Crémants in France and many are excellent. Other Crémants come from Alsace, Burgundy, Limoux, Loire, Savoie, Bordeaux, Die (Rhone), and Limoux.

Saint Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux (AOP)  brut (Languedoc-Roussillon, France), 12.5% 

Did you now that champagne is not the oldest sparkling wine produced in France? That honour is claimed by Blanquette de Limoux which is also produced by the Methode Traditionnelle where it is naturally fermented in the bottle. It was first created by the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Saint Hilaire over 450 years ago. Written records survive from 1531. The abbey is 25 miles south of Carcassonne.

*****

CAVA

There’s some terrific Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine, out there also, so why not give the Iberian bubbles a try. Cava is a distinctive under-rated sparkling wine, made using the same method as Champagne.

Entre Vinyes Funàmbul Brut Nature Reserva 2017,  11.5%, 

€23.50 approx. Manning’s, Ballylickey; Mary Pawle

Fresh and dry, this elegant Cava is one for your shortlist; elegant yes, but full of energy and flavour (apricot and apple) and with amazing balance, all with a mineral note lingering on to the end. The mousse is creamy and smooth. This is pleasure to drink and Very Highly Recommended. Three grape varieties,  Xarel·lo, Macabeu and Parellada varieties, are in the blend. The wine has been aged for 24 months..

With an average age of 60 years, these vineyards are in the natural environment of Foix, surrounded by oak and pine forest, under a dry climate and on a porous soil (which swallows the water) and limestone, very poor and shallow, with hardly any organic matter. The great biodiversity present creates a unique ecosystem that naturally regulates the balance of the vineyard. Here, working in an artisanal way, they produce some terrific wines including this Cava.

 

If you haven’t tried Cava before why not head over to your local Supervalu and get a bottle of their Gran Troya. With its citrus flavours and a delightful finish, the pale gold Gran Troya is a terrific celebratory drink at an affordable price. Great for just sharing with himself or herself. If you haven’t tried Cava before, this is a good introduction. The grapes used are the traditional Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. Try with olives, grilled almonds. Serve at 6-8 degrees.

Prosecco (and Franciacorta)

Prosecco in Colour!

Bubbles are usually associated with the all kinds of celebration  and the the fun is enhanced when the bottles come in colour as they do if they are by Bottega. Recently, I was lucky to have a couple of delicious bottles of Prosecco on hand, each by Bottega. The Gold Prosecco Brut impressed for sure but it was the Bottega Rose Gold that really caught my attention. It is a terrific Spumante Brut rose, made from Pinot Noir grapes grown throughout the Veneto.

The hand painted bottles are not only eye-catching but "reflect the quality and care put into producing this wine”. Bottega do not use chemical-based products for their "metallised" bottles; this means the solvent for the varnish is water-based, instead of being oil or alcohol-based like more traditional varnishes.

Aldi Exquisite Collection Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore (DOCG) NV,

From the heart of the Prosecco area, from the steep hillsides of Valdobbiadene in the Veneto, comes this DOCG Prosecco. It is exquisitely light and refreshing with pleasing bubbles, attractive autumn fruit flavours and  floral touches. Have to say quite an amazing Prosecco for an amazing price.

I had popped into the local Aldi in search of a Crémant de Jura but that was out of stock. I happened to spot this, including the DOCG, and took a gamble.

There is another Italian sparkling wine, Franciacorta, and it is well worth searching out. Again, the Le Caveau site can help you, here 

This Bellavista from wineonline.ie

The 1701 Franciacorta Brut DOCG is a blend of Chardonnay (85%) and Pinot Noir (15%).  The summer heat of the vineyard is tempered by the breeze from the lake (Iseo, about 30 minutes west of Lake Garda) and the mountains to the north. “We choose to keep it on the lees for 30 months, well above the appellation minimum. It is made in the traditional manner, manually harvested, with the indigenous yeasts, and a secondary fermentation in the bottle but with zero dosage.

It is a gorgeous sparkling wine, the palate full and generous, clean, fresh and elegant, apple notes, citrus too and that typical brioche note, beautifully balanced and a dry finish.

 

Níl aon Mirco mar ár Mirco féin!

Níl aon Mirco mar ár Mirco féin!

While Omicron is still rampant, some of our restaurants are again taking the Takeaway or At Home route. Da Mirco in Bridge Street is one and one that you neglect at your peril as the North Italian Corkman's osteria is one of the best around.

By the way, I see that Omicron is the 15th letter of the ancient Greek alphabet. The good news that it is one of the shorter alphabets with its final letter, omega (a kind of “o fada), the 24th. So just 9 more variants to go?

Back to the food. He has quite a menu up for January, starters, mains and desserts, not to mention Italian wines and other treats. Our picks were Tagliere da Mirco (Da Mirco's Board with Italian Cured meats and his homemade favourites: focaccia bread, pickled vegetables and tomato jam) and a mains of Homemade Cannelloni with a filling of Braised Irish Venison Ragu. The board (€16.00) was for sharing and we ordered two lots of the Cannelloni (10.00).

That board was terrific, beautiful meats, a selection of cheeses and a whole load of accompaniments (including his own focaccia) to enhance the experience. It scored high on quality, a great mix of flavours and textures, and also on quantity as we had some cheese left that was nibbled away the following day.

I admit to being a lover of Cannelloni, the large pasta tubes served with a filling and covered by a sauce in Italian kitchens. But it is mostly those that come stuffed with spinach and ricotta that I’m familiar with. Not too sure that I ever had one in winter previously. Mirco’s generous serving came packed with minced Irish venison and was exquisite. As with all Cannelloni, they look innocent enough but they are very filling indeed!

We had an Italian red wine handy at home with suggested food pairings of cured meat, cheeses, red meat. Vincenzo’s Rosso (18.45 or so at Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman and 64 Wine both Dublin) was just the job.

The wine. Vincenzo makes a red and a white!

Imported by Le Caveau in Kilkenny, 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. The grapes used in the blend (from the northern part of the southern half of Italy) are Montepulciano (50%), Merlot (25%) & Cabernet Sauvignon (25%). 

Be sure and check out Mirco’s January Takeaway Menu here. Don’t forget to click on the @home tab as the restaurant menu is on the same page.

* Note for Mirco on the post heading; it means There’s no Mirco like our own Mirco.

A Couple of Highly Recommended Organic Wines, from Bergerac and Campobasso.

 A Couple of Highly Recommended Organic Wines

From Bergerac and Campobasso

Tour Des Gendres Cantalouette Bergerac Rouge (AC) 2020 14.5% 

€19.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This is a blend of 50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 25% Malbec. Not too sure about the name, though there is a bird (not like any lark I’ve ever seen!) on the label, and there is a town of this name about 30 minutes from Ribagnac where Tour des Gendres is based.

Very glossy and deep red in the glass. The nose is intense, a bouquet of vibrant small red fruits. And the fresh fruit flavours are also intense, juicy cassis and other darker fruits, a touch of moderate spice too. Tannins have a tender grip and this is an easy-drinking soft and balanced wine with good length. Really gorgeous, well made (typical of Tours des Gendres) and Very Highly Recommended.

The grapes come from the Tour des Gendres’ organic certified vineyards. The grapes are Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc (noted for its quality of freshness), grown on a mix of sand, clay and limestone soils. Luc is looking for purity and intensity in his wines, relentlessly searching to reach the maximum potential of each vintage.Viticulture is organic and biodymanic and yields are low.

Le Caveau tells that Luc de Conti is a wonderful character and one of the finest wine-makers of his generation, he feels passionately for his wines, his 54-ha vineyard and his Bergerac region.”Luc is looking for purity and intensity in his wines, relentlessly searching to reach the maximum potential of each vintage.”

Over the years Bergerac winemakers have been overshadowed by those of neighbour Bordeaux who historically controlled the ports and so the  exports. As Robert Joseph said a good few years back: The second class status of Bergerac today owes more to the efforts of Bordeaux merchants to discriminate against it than to the quality of its wines.

As a result, to this day, Bergerac doesn't command the same price level as Bordeaux. So watch out for Bergerac reds (and the whites also) and you should save yourself a few euro without sacrificing quality.

Fattoria di Vaira Vincenzo Bianco 2020, 11% abv 

€18.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This white blend comes from southern Italy (not from the deep south); inland Campobasso, where the vineyard is located, is roughly equidistant from Rome and Bari but nearer the Adriatic then the Tyrrhenian.

Colour is an orange/gold, a haze cloud in the glass. Aromas offer quince and sweet peach notes, along with floral hints. The complex palate is full of lively fruit flavours (apricot, peach, even apple). Mouthfeel is a little tingly. Fresh and well structured, this is a delicious wine and an excellent introduction to the style of skin-contact white (also known as orange wines). Highly Recommended.

The blend sees light skin-contact Fiano grapes in with some direct press Trebbiano. The fruit for the Vincenzo wine is sourced from Fattoria di Vaira, one of the largest biodynamic farms in Italy, with more than 500 hectares, just 40 of which are planted to vines.

There is a wonderful diversity here, a very clean environment, with animals, fruit plants, cereals. Shepherds, farmers, cheese makers, vignerons all work in harmony on the farm.

You can visit if you are in the area. Not alone visit, stay as well. And you’ll be well entertained with wine tours and evenings of wine, food and music. Check it all out here.

A youthful and impressive pair, César Florido Fino En Rama and a Barbera from Piemonte

An impressive and youthful pair, César Florido

 Fino En Rama and a Barbera from Piemonte.

Bodegas César Florido Fino En Rama Pena del Aguila Jerez (DO), 15% 

€18.00 (37.5cl) 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

The Palomino grapes for this Bodegas Cesar Florido Fino en Rama come from the prestigious Pago de Miraflores vineyard. The wine is aged slowly under flor in the cellar solera. From one special cask (Bota No 22) – bottled to order, making 600 halves – without filtration or fining.

Serve this in a clear wine glass and enjoy the golden colour. And that glass will also enhance the amazing briny and saline aromas and flavours, with a characteristic biscuit-y yeastiness. 

The professional advice is to drink it chilled though, personally, I’d be careful of overdoing it. I started this bottle at a cool room temperature and thought I got more out of the first glass, both in aroma and flavour, than from the second (poured after some time in the fridge). Different strokes for different folks!

Don’t rush this beauty, a sip will go a long way. I remember that tip from César Saldaña, Consejo Regulador Jerez, then (2011). While speaking at an event in Ballymaloe he said: When drinking sherry with your meal you should always have a glass of water at hand. When you want to “wash” down the food use the water and then take “a few drops” of the sherry as it goes a long way!

The en rama approach showcases a different expression of sherry’s potential. Bottled with minimal or zero filtration and released seasonally, en rama sherry offers a much closer approximation of what the wine would have tasted like in its natural state, taken directly from the cask, with all it aromatic intensity, fullness of body, and essential flavours intact. En Rama certainly broadens the already wide potential of Sherry.

En Rama is a relatively recent development in sherry as importers Le Caveau point out: Up until recently (with a few exceptions), the only viable way to taste sherry en rama was to go to Jerez, or one of the other Sherry towns in the ‘Sherry triangle’, visit the bodegas, and taste the wine poured directly from the cask. The en rama version offers the more complex drinking experience: it’s pungent and saline, with notes of yellow apple, green olives, and a hint of almond, along with a corresponding fullness of body that somehow manages to be bracingly acid-driven and fresh.”

In the early days of en rama in these parts, word went out that it must be drunk on purchase as it would rapidly spoil. In fact, whether to drink or keep is a personal choice. ‘Not all en rama wines necessarily improve, although the best wines age really well and last many years.’ - Decanter Oct 2020

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GAIA Brich Piemonte (DOC) Barbera 2019 14.5% 

€18.45 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Barbera, according to Wine Folly, is the quintessential ‘wine of the people,’ it is meant to be enjoyed young — and it’s cheap! Italy is Barbera’s original home.

The best of it, including our GAIA produced Brich, comes from the Piemonte region. Colour is a fairly deep red. Aromas are intense, plum and cherry, lots of promise here. On the palate, it is fresh-tasting (meant to be drunk young), lots of acidity. Light and lively rather than the rich and smooth that you might expect. The fruit (including touches of blueberry now) and slight spiciness from the palate continue through the long and satisfying finish. Well made (well priced too by the way) and Highly Recommended. 

Le Caveau, who import the wine, say: “Brich is a wonderful Barbera, grown on the hills of Montferrato in Piemonte.  On the palate, the wine feels free and natural. Brich saw a short 12-hour maceration in concrete vats, 70% destemmed, fermentation with native yeasts, aged in concrete vats for 9 months, neither fined nor filtered and a mere 2mg of SO2 added at bottling.” 

AGRICOLA GAIA is a collaboration between Fabrizio Iuli and Eric Narioo (Vino dio Anna, Les Caves de Pyrene) in hilly Monferrato region of Piedmont. The grapes for this Barbera come from the lieux-dit “La Tina”, belonging to Fabrizio’s family for generations, formerly part of their old winery. The vines are 30 years old plus, and had been abandoned for 15 years before Fabrizio took them back. 

Valleys of wine. Check out this excellent duo from the Loire and the Ebro

From the valleys of wine. Check out this excellent duo from the Loire and the Ebro

Azay le Rideau

Marie Thibault Le Grolleau Vin de France 2019, 13.5%

€26.95  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Grolleau, often regarded as the workhorse vine of the Loire, is seldom used on its own. 

However, according to Wine-Searcher.com, if yields are kept low, “Grolleau can produce a

light yet vibrant red wine, with herbaceous, 

sour-cherry flavors. Many of these are vinified as natural wines, although this is more to do with modern winemaking trends in the Loire than it is to do with the qualities of the variety itself.”

Le Grolleau comes from Azay le Rideau and this is where Marie Thibault does her stuff. Colour is mid to dark ruby. The rather intense aromas feature cherry and berries. It is light bodied and there’s a clean refreshing acidity on the palate along with much the same fruit flavours and that refreshing theme, along with a little spice, goes right through to the longer than expected finish. 

A delicious vin de soif, which essentially means unpretentious wines that are measured not by their complexity, length or ageeability but by the joy and refreshment they provide. Very Highly Recommended.

Marie Thibault grew up in the Loire Valley and began in 2002 working with François Chidaine in Montlouis, falling in love with Chenin Blanc there and making wine under her own name in 2004. She purchased her own estate in 2010 and converted to organics immediately. She has been certified with Ecocert since 2014. She works with Côt (Malbec), Gamay, Grolleau, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon blanc. Most of her vines are at least 50 years old.    

Marie also buys some grapes from organic estates close by, which she herself harvests and vinifies in her cellar. Her husband is Frantz Saumon, another fantastic natural grower in the area, his wines also available from Le Caveau and their stockists. Marie’s wines see no additives other than a tiny addition of S02 before bottling, if any is added at all.

Viña Albergada Rioja Alavesa (DOC) 2016, 13%

€11.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Made by the same producers of the Albizu Tempranillo that we had a few weeks ago, this Tempranillo has a dark cherry colour, though maybe not quite as vibrant as it was back in 2018 when I enjoyed this same vintage last.

The red fruit aromas are a little less intense than previously. The palate though may be better.  It is attractively juicy and fruity, with a touch of spice, very good acidity, quite refreshing. And the finish is good and long. 

Highly Recommended.  This easy-drinking style of Rioja offers great value-for-money. Great too, they hint, as an aperitif with tapas. Other suggestions include queen scallops and chorizo or pan-fried garlic chicken with sun-dried tomatoes. And, just like the Albizu, it is one of those versatile reds that may be tried chilled.

Tip: Look out for a more up to date vintage than the 2016.