Intense Ehrhard Riesling and Fresh Verdelho

Intense Ehrhard Riesling

 and Fresh Verdelho

Lucky to have hit the jackpot with two recent whites, a superb Riesling from German master Carl Ehrhard and also a fresh and fruity Verdelho from Portugal.

Carl Ehrhard Riesling, Rheingau 2008, 12.5% abv, €16.47 Karwig Wines 

No shy nose here as an intense mix of floral and fruit aromas come to meet your proboscis. Colour is somewhere between lemon and gold and you’ll see micro bubbles clinging to the glass.

The palate experience is quite intense, the fruit fills the mouth and stays all the way to the lengthy and eventually dry finish. It is well balanced, delicious and digestible and Very Highly Recommended.

With great acidity and a strong streak of lime it should be a perfect match with Asian cuisine.

I recently purchased “The Finest Wines of Germany” by Stephan Reinhardt. Amazingly, the book, which profiles dozens of German producers, cannot find space for Carl Ehrhard himself but there is high praise for the area: “We might say that the Rudesheimer Berg is the crowning glory of the central Rheingau”.

Rudesheimer is the village of this wine and the vineyard, formidably steep, is Berg Rottland. The author says he has omitted many of the area’s producers, accusing them of “a rather blind pride”. Would really like to see a discussion between Herr Reinhardt and Herr Ehrhard.

But, just to cover myself, I’ll also be seeking out some of wines from the producers that did make the book, one of series that make excellent reading for anyone interested in good wine.

A few German wine words:
Spätlese – late harvested.
Trocken – dry.
Bereich – a wine district. There are 13 German wine regions, divided into 41 bereiche.
Riesling – Germany’s number one variety for quality and quantity.

Adego de Pegoes, Verdelho 2011, Portugal.

Unusually, the winemaker, Jaimie Quendera, is mentioned on the back label. Adega de Pegoes has produced and bottled quality wines since its establishment in 1958.

The Verdelho grape is not very familiar to me but some of you may know as one of the grapes associated with Madeira. This mainland use by Quendera is quite a treat, quite a treat for me also as I was given it as a present.

It is light gold with green tints and the nose is mildly aromatic. The palate is full of fresh fruit flavours that, with some traces of sweetness, reverberate around the mouth before a lingering dry finish. They say this particular wine has been fermented at 150, the better “to preserve all the freshness”. Recommended with fish, seafood and salads.
Highly recommended.

Champions In the Red Corner

Champions in the Red Corner

Kangarilla Road, McLaren Vale, Australia, Shiraz 2010, 14%, €15.99 to 17.99, stockists  


A hand drawing of the Shiraz leaf distinguishes this bottle on the shelf. Its classy contents, full and fruity, distinguish it on the table. A must try for any Shiraz fan.

The nose of dark fruits, liquorice, and chocolate is spicy and warm while the complex fruits, superbly balanced, delight the palate. It is surprisingly smooth, with super length, and has second glass appeal for sure. Highly recommended.


Chateau Beaulieu, Comte de Tastes, Bordeaux Superieur 2009, 13.7%, €18.55 Karwig Wines 


This wine, made with 60% merlot, has dark fruits (cherry and blackberry, I detect) on the nose. It is medium bodied with an excellent texture, a good balance of fruit and acidity and good length on the finish.

It is well made and I found it an excellent match with steak. An excellent wine from a highly regarded producer and a very good example of the Superieur. Highly recommended.

Messias Grande Escolha 2010, Douro DOC, 13.5%, €13.45, Karwig Wines 

Going for the hat trick here and this, from Portugal, sure didn’t let us down.

It is fruity and dry, with slight spice; no extremes as it is well rounded, smooth for sure and with a long finish. This unfiltered wine is made from the following grapes: Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. Another for the Highly Recommended category.

Excellent Portuguese white and good value too.

Stella Blanco 2010, Setubal (Portugal), 12% abv, €8.99

at Curious Wines 

Looking for a versatile white wine for the summer? Then look no further than this excellent Portuguese white.

Colour is that of light straw and it has a lovely scent (not over-powering in any way). On the palate, rich fruit (mainly mango) flavours abound in an almost creamy mouthfeel, yet it is crisp and dry.

It is produced from the famous dry Muscats grown in the Pegoes region of the Setubal peninsula and is great value for money. Oh. Don’t forget to “serve this really cold”!

• Watch out also for its red counterpart, the Stella Rosso.

A GOOD YEAR ON THE DOURO

QUINTA DO JUDEU’S VINHO TINTO, DOURO 2007, 14.5% ABV, €21-23, STOCKISTS, 4.5 STARS

Two thousand and seven was of of the best years in the Portuguese wine region called the Douro, a region best known for making Port. Indeed, quite a few of the varietals used in the making of this 2007, the vineyard’s top red, are used in Port.

In all, some 15 native varieties, from old vineyards, are blended in this red and the fruit is foot trodden in stone fermenters. “The old vines….constitute an enormous asset that Quinta do Judeu  will maintain and share.”

The wine is unfiltered and should be decanted. From my experience, I’m not sure that this is entirely necessary but you could do it as a precaution. This 2007 is the vineyard’s top red and has spent 10 months maturing in French oak and one year in the bottle.

Colour is a very dark red with inviting dark fruits on the nose, nothing spiky! The concentrated fruity feel in the palate is rounded and well balanced, the tannins still at work; it is somewhat smoother and more sophisticated than the 2008 (which the winery calls the younger brother!).

With a bottle of this under your arm, you’d be welcome at any party. My advice though would be to bring the very presentable younger brother and keep this gem for a romantic evening chez toi.

More about the wine, including the technical details, here.

MY NEW FAVOURITE FROM THE DOURO

BY QUINTA DO JUDEU’S VINHO TINTO, DOURO 2008, 14% ABV, €14 to €16, STOCKISTS, 4.5 STARS

This one is going straight into my list of favourites of 2011. It has quite a dark red colour and the tempting nose is full of red and black fruits and hints of spice. It is warm and fruity in the mouth, no shortage of spice and the tannins are still at work.

While you will no doubt get smoother, this is quite an accomplished wine, one you could bring anywhere though perhaps you may prefer to keep it at home for your red meat dishes. Excellent wine at a very good price.

It is a blend of five Portuguese grapes: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Amarela and Tinta Barroca. It has been aged for 8 months in French oak. It is not filtered and they advice you to decant. I did decant but it was hardly necessary though I would say it is important to have it in the room for a few hours before serving.

You may check out other technical details and more about the vineyard here.

Sturdy Douro white...parade ground not catwalk...

QUINTA DO JUDEU’S WHITE WINE, DOURO (PORTUGAL) 2010, 14.5% ABV, €18 TO 20, STOCKISTS 

I generally prefer wines made from old vines and this sturdy white from the Douro is no exception. It is a mix of native varieties: Malvasia Fino and Rabigato. Quinta do Judeu aim for high quality wines, using traditional methods including treading the grapes in granite tanks.

Colour of this full and complex wine is yellow with hints of green and it has aromas of white fruit, including peach. The initial impressions in the mouth are, for me: fresh, fruity, dry.

This is parade ground not catwalk, brawny not scrawny. It is a gripping engagement from the start and it remains strong to the end. No fade away here to a skinny citron pressé. It is also built to last, with a recommended drink-by date of 2015.

It has a pretty high ABV for a white but it is nonetheless a well balanced wine. More than a match for the turkey and ham!

The white is imported by Wine Alliance and you may check all the technical details, and more, here.

Very old vine at Quinta do Judeu

CORGO DA REGUA - YOUR EVERYDAY RED

QUINTA DO JUDEU’S CORGO DA REGUA, DOURO (PORTUGAL) 2008, 14% ABV, €10 TO 12, STOCKISTS, 4 STARS

The folks at Quinta do Judeu claim that this wine, named after a local river, is perfect to match everyday meals. I reckon they are right. Get a couple of these and you’d be ready for most red wine occasions.

Made my first acquaintance with this red over the weekend and must say I am impressed. Quite a lengthy introduction as the grapes used are not that familiar to me. They are: Tourigo National 10%, Tourigo Franca 20, Tinto Roriz 35 and Tinto Barroca 35.

The colour is dark red and there are red fruits, and spice, on the nose. On the palate, you again come across the fruits and the spice (a comfortable level) and a lovely warming medium weight mouthfeel. The tannins have smoothed the way here, all the way to an excellent finish. Good value too.

Must say I like this stuff, generous from start to the finish when the last drops tumble down from the commodious hollow stem of the standard Riedel receptacle. Not just a happy ending. More a happy story.

The Corgo da Regua is imported by Wine Alliance and you may check all the technical details, and more, here.

Portuguese Wine Dinner at Donnybrook Fair

Portuguese Wine dinner at Donnybrook Fair

The Restaurant @ Donnybrook Fair concludes its popular series of wine dinners for 2011 by welcoming Portuguese winemaker Nuno Mira do Ó from Companhia das Quintas to host a wine dinner on Wednesday 30^th November at 7.45pm.  Nuno will introduce wines from estates located in the Douro, Beira, Lisboa, Bucelas, Palmela and Alentejo regions.  The wines featured on the night will be paired with a delicious four course menu, specially designed for the occasion.  The evening is priced at €60 per person / €100 for two. 

Nuno´s wines are frequently awarded with medals in international competitions, and high scores in the international press.  Companhia das Quintas is one of Portugal´s largest wine and spirits companies with seven different wineries spread across the country.  The group has a passion for creating estate-grown top quality wines, based on the best Portuguese grape varieties and showcasing characteristics of each terroir.

Join us in The Restaurant @ DF on 30^th November for what promises to be a fantastic night of delicious food and fine wines!

Booking Details (Limited places available):

DATE: Wednesday 30^th November                      TIME: 19.45        

COST: €60 per person / €100 for 2 people   

LOCATION: The Restaurant @ Donnybrook Fair, 1^st Floor, 89 Morehampton Road, D4

T: 01 614 4849

E: restaurant@donnybrookfair.ie

W: http://www.donnybrookfair.ie/therestaurant/winedinners

THREE WINNING WINES

McWilliams Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Semillon 2005, Hunter Valley Australia, 12%, €10.00 Tesco, 4.5 stars
Colour: light gold, bright, micro bubbles
Nose: Citrus rind.
Palate: Full fruity tropical smooth waxy mouthfeel yet well balanced. The Hunter is famous for Semillon and this is a fantastic example where the patient aging in the bottle has paid off in a big way. No wonder that it comes with a bunch of gold medals! You may read much more about this prize-winning wine here. 

OGIO Primitivo IGP Puglia Italy 2010, 13%, €6 Tesco, 4 stars
Colour: Ruby red
Nose: Intense, mainly cherry
Palate: Rich and fruity, warm, hints of spice. With the tannins doing their job, it is an engaging mouthfeel plus it has a long lingering finish. Quite a hefty drink from the heel of Italy and recommended on Twitter by Tom Doorley.

Tagus Creek Shiraz and Trincadeira, Alentejano 2009, 14%, €8.69 Tesco, 4 stars 
Colour: Medium dark-red
Nose: Aromatic, ripe red/black fruits
Palate: Fruity and juicy, spicy and warm, yet pleasantly dry. It is supple with a comforting mouthfeel and finish.
Decanter recently awarded this its international trophy for a Red Blend at less than 10 UK pounds "Deliciously good value. Fantastic." They said. And the judges were also impressed by its freshness.
Tongue in cheek, I'm glad to say the judges agreed with me. Now, I'll get the tongue out of the way to make room for another mouthful of delicious Tagus Creek.

Marco de Pegões 2009

Marco de Pegões 2009 Portugal, 13.5%, €8.99, stockists

Take a sip of this red blend from Portugal. I did and thought it good. Then I took a look at the price: €8.99. Incredible. Incredibly good value.

Colour is an attractive ruby with an attractive nose of berries. The acidity here is the first to shake hands with you as the tannins are not shy. But immediately there is a rich follow of fruit and the decent finish is along similar lines. Quite a wine for the price.

Castelao is a well known Portuguese grape and makes up 50 per cent of this wine. The other constituents are: Syrah / Cabernet Sauvignon/ Alicante Bouchet.

The boys of Wine Alliance have a nose for wines of value and they have certainly hit the jackpot here. I’m not the only one thinking along these lines. The Sunday Times online have it listed as a Star Buy  this summer

Stockists by County

Cork

1601 Off Licence, Kinsale Cork

Bradleys Off Licence, North Main Street Cork

JJ O Driscolls, Ballinlough, Cork

Barrys Off Licence, Midleton, Cork

The Beer Garden, Turners Cross, Cork

Mulcahys Off Licence, Charleville, Cork

Matsons Wine Store, Bandon, Cork

Monkstown Golf Club, Monkstown, Cork

Murphys Foodstore, Dromcummer, Cork

Electric, South Mall, Cork

Liberty Grill, Washington Street, Cork

Cafe Gusto, Washington Street, Cork

TOP NOTCH RED FROM PORTUGAL

Fontanario de Pegoes Palmela DO Reserva 2007 (Portugal), 14%, €16.99 stockists. 

Three grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and local Tourigan Nacional, and mainly Castelao are used to produce this full bodied smooth red from the Palmela region of Portugal. It spends 12 months in French and American oak barrels, followed by 2 years in bottle before release.

I reckon it is well worth the wait. Colour is dark ruby with black berry fruits on the nose. On the palate, it is soft and velvety. Berries, plums and spice and more combining here to give a lovely mouthfeel and a very pleasant finish. Yet another well balanced wine -it has rich tannins- that underlines the quality and value now coming out of this Portuguese winery, under the direction of Jamie Quendarao.

Jamie Goode says that Pegoes is “possible Portugal’s best Co-op.”  And the reputation is underlined by some 140 international wine awards! Not bad or, perhaps, given my current location, I should say pas mal! Maurice O’Mahony of Wine Alliance confirmed it is selling well already: “Lovely wine, we feel.” No hardship  to agree. Worth a try. Let me know if you do!