Showing posts with label Supervalu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Supervalu. Show all posts

Friday, May 8, 2020

SuperValu's Wine of the Month Talks Back. 19 Crimes. Meet the Characters!

Press release 
Criminally Good Value at SuperValu
19 Crimes is the Wine of the Month for Only €10
One of the 19 Crimes is imprinted on each cork
Named the World’s Most Admired Wine Brand 2020 by Drinks International, 19 Crimes is SuperValu’s wine of the month for May. A wine, which shares the history of the infamous people who founded the land where its grapes are now grown, 19 Crimes highlights the plight of 165,000 convicts who made the long voyage by sea to Australia between 1788 and 1868, as punishment for committing one of nineteen crimes. 19 Crimes is now available at the special price of €10, reduced from €14, at SuperValu stores nationwide until stocks last.

To add some fun and intrigue to our tasting experience, 19 Crimes has developed an interactive app which animates three of the 19 Crimes convicts' infamous true stories. By downloading the app and then hovering your phone over one of these bottles, the character on the label comes to life to share their story. 

The crimson Red Blend 2018 and light as straw Sauvignon Block 2019 – guilty of being two of the most popular from the brand - are available at the special offer price of only €10 - so when you’re fully submerged in the tales of convicts, we recommend sitting down with a glass of 19 Crimes and enjoying some of the best true crime entertainment. With an abundance of true crime at our fingertips, SuperValu have selected some of the top true crime podcasts, books, movies and documentaries to pair with this wine of the month.

Podcasts
  • My Favourite Murder
  • Casefile
  • West Cork
  • Generation Why
  • Serial

Books
  • I’ll be gone in the Dark” by Michelle McNamara
  • “The Innocent Man” by John Grisham
  • “Lost Girls – An Unsolved American Mystery” by Robert Kolker
  • “In Cold Blood” by Truman Capote
  • “Columbine” by Dave Cullen

Movies
·       Monster
·       Foxcatcher
·       Snowtown
·       Psycho
·       Zodiac

Documentaries
·       The Staircase
·       The Keepers
·       Abducted in Plain Sight
·       Confessions with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
·       Don't F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

Red Blend 2018 13.5% abv
With a bright red to crimson hue, 19 Crimes Red Blend has an intense lifted vanilla aroma on the nose, balanced with ripe red to dark berry fruits. Full and round on the palate with a distinct sweetness giving a rich and round mouth feel, complimented by subtle flavours of chocolate and a cedary spice. The palate finishes soft and fruity with a pleasant lingering freshness.

Sauvignon Block 2019 12% abv
Light as straw in colour, 19 Crimes Sauvignon Block has lifted aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit, gooseberry, and guava on the nose. A light bodied palate, with a with a fresh, crisp finish its best paired with seafood and poultry. Like the red, this is produced in South Eastern Australia.  

19 Crimes value deal will be available in all SuperValu stores nationwide and online at www.SuperValu.ie


You may like to know what the crimes were:


  • Grand Larceny, theft above the value of one shilling
  • Petty Larceny, theft under one shilling.
  • Buying or receiving stolen goods, jewels, and plate...
  • Stealing lead, iron, or copper, or buying or receiving.
  • Impersonating an Egyptian.
  • Stealing from furnished lodgings.
  • Setting fire to underwood.
  • Stealing letters, advancing the postage, and secreting the money.
  • Assault with an intent to rob.
  • Stealing fish from a pond or river.
  • Stealing roots, trees, or plants, or destroying them.
  • Bigamy.
  • Assaulting, cutting, or burning clothes.
  • Counterfeiting the copper coin...
  • Clandestine marriage.
  • Stealing a shroud out of a grave.
  • Watermen carrying too many passengers on the Thames, if any drowned.
  • Incorrigible rogues who broke out of Prison and persons reprieved from capital punishment.
  • Embeuling Naval Stores, in certain cases.


  • *********
    My Bottles
    (and corks!)
    The Red Blend 2018: As a youth in Ireland, John Boyle O’Reilly was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia. After escaping to the United States, he became a prominent spokesperson for the Irish community and culture, through his editorship of the Boston newspaper The Pilot, his prolific writing, and his lecture tours. 

    And this aromatic wine is quite a blend with Shiraz (57.1%), Cabernet Sauvignon (19.3%), Grenache (10%) and Merlot (6.4%) included; that was the mix when I first tasted it in 2016. The Australians can blend a wine as good as any other country and can also tell the tales. Each cork lists a crime from the 19 and this one is: Stealing from furnished lodgings.

    The Sauvignon Bloc features Mick Moore (looks like a relation of O'Reilly's). He told me from the talking label that he was a blacksmith "for the cause of Irish freedom", better known to his family in Dublin as the Pike-maker, one of the last to be transported. This Sauvignon, not listed on the website, seems to be new to the series, which includes quite a few varietals at this stage, including Pinot Noir, Shiraz and Chardonnay. 

    Sales of these wines are going up and up. No wonder that Forbes International lauded the marketing: "This is a great example of how a brand can harness new technology for an experience that creates a positive buzz."

    Thursday, March 26, 2020

    Look out for this favourite Rioja in the spring promotion at Supervalu.

    Pagos de Labarca “AEX” Rioja (DOC) 2015, 13.5%, €20.00 (was 22.99 check) 



    Wines from Finca Labarca in Rioja feature regularly on the Supervalu shelves. This AEX is a favourite of customers and also of wine buyer Kevin O’Callaghan. Keven has described this as "a blockbuster" and it certainly lives up to the billing.

    Colour is a dark cherry.  Complex nose, intense dark fruits plus vanilla. Smooth and rounded, concentrated fruit, hints of spice and oak, fine tannins, and a persistent finish. AEX, I’m told,  stands for the Spanish Alta Expression, highest expression.

    Produced from some exceptional Tempranillo grapes, this is a limited edition of 17,250 bottles. After fermentation in stainless steel tanks, the wine is left 15 days to macerate before malolactic fermentation and ageing on the lees in new American and French oak casks with different levels of toasting to give the wine the aromatic and flavour complexity it demands. After racking off the lees, the wine continues to age in the same casks.

    Supervalu have included it in their Specially Sourced Signature Range. Try with beef and good hard cheese and serve at 17-20 degrees. 





    A few of the other wines now on offer at Supervalu:
    (March 26th until Wednesday April 15th 2020)

    €12
    VACQUEYRAS REMY FERBRAS 75cl
    was €20.99
    The Remy Ferbras is a handy bottle to have on your table at any time. Colour is ruby red and ripe dark fruits abound in the inviting mix of aromas. There is a great balance between the ripe fruit and spices, plus a hint of liquorice, impressive texture, full bodied and rounded. Pair with lamb and hard cheese. Note too that the Remy Ferbras Gigondas is reduced to €15 from €19.99. Another Rhone Red worth checking out, especially if you have steak in the house!


    €20
    MONTAGNY 1ER CRU LES RESSES 75cl
    was €24.99
    Not too much to say about this - just go out and buy and enjoy! This classic Chardonnay has beautiful intense white fruit aromas, peach the most prominent. Colour is a bright gold and there are amazing fruit and nut flavours, some spice too. The acidity too is outstanding. Fresh, with  a gorgeous mouthfeel and a long finish. Great, with seafood, roast chicken and ham.

    €20
    CHAMPAGNE PIERRE DARCYS BRUT NV 75cl
    Was €29.99
    This sparkler won IWSC Silver Medal in 2015.  Judges' verdict: “Pale lemon-yellow, steady streams of small bubbles ; fresh, delicate aromas showing green apple and hints of red fruit behind, fresh bread; well-balanced with bracing acidity, richness across the mid-palate and lingering crisp finish. Harmonious wine.”

    €10
    GRAHAM NORTON PROSECCO FRIZZANTE 75cl
    was €12
    Lots of bubbles but here they don’t hang around. This is a Frizzante (gently sparkling) not a Spumante (fully sparkling) like the champagne. This calmer bottle is very very pleasant indeed. You’ll also note a different closure on it - use your normal corkscrew to get started.

    Monday, February 24, 2020

    Spanish Wine Sale at Supervalu. Look out for Lunático Double!

    Spanish Wine Sale at Supervalu
    Look out for Lunático Double!

    Lunático Bianco Jumilla (DOP) 2018, 13%, Regular price €18.99, down to 12.00 during February offer.

    This casual and easy-drinking wine has a rose gold colour, very clean and bright, quite attractive. Quite intense with both floral and ripe fruit notes. Creamy, with an unmistakable touch of oak (in which it has spent 3 months), fresh and fruity and a decent finalé. Perfect to pair with fish, white meats, medium strong cheese, cured fish, and Asian salads.  Take note of the serving temperature of 8 to 10 degrees. A superb Viognier and well worth looking out for in the sale.

    Look out also for the Lunático red. This young Monastrell is part of SuperValu’s Specially Sourced Signature Range and has spent 12 months in French oak. It is 100% Monastrell (probably better known to many by its French name Mourvedre). Jumilla is one of the better areas for this grape.

    Colour is medium purple with the legs slow to clear. Black berries feature in the aromas. On the palate, the rich berry flavours are enhanced by the sweet oak spice. It is rich and smooth overall with a long and pleasant finish and, I must say, I have a preference for the red over the white. But that’s personal. Do your own thing - especially in wine. 

    Mosaic “Winemaker Selection” Priorat (DO) 2016, 14.5%, €12.00 (was 23.99) SuperValu

    Full bodied red Priorat wines from a small region in Catalonia (north-eastern Spain), have been finding a much wider audience in the past few decades. So I was expecting good things from this Mosaic blend. And I got them.

    Colour of this very accessible wine is purple. There are complex aromas with red fruits and spice featuring. Intense and full-bodied, moderate spice all the way, fresh and dry, tannins silky smooth with hardly a bite at all in a deliciously lingering finish. High quality here, and now at a terrific price.

    Condado de Oriza Roble Ribera Del Duero (DO) 2017, 13.5%, €10.00 (14.99)

    Say “hola” to this impressive youth from Ribera Del Duero where they’ll tell you they make better wines from the Tempranillo grape than their Riojan counterparts. 

    Wine has been produced in this beautiful region since Roman times, though it became well known outside of Spain only in the 1990s. Just two hours north of Madrid, there are about 300 vineyards following the banks of the Duero River in the Castilla y León region, a flowing swathe of land that’s approximately 115 kms long and 35 kms wide. A few years back, Larousse Wine described the DO as “truly the queen of the Iberian peninsula and the cradle of the greatest wines”.

    This Condado de Oriza is one hundred per cent Tempranillo (also known here as Tinta del Pais) and has been aged in new American oak for six months, a style known as Roble. After the oak, it is kept in bottle in the cellar for another six months.

    It has a dark ruby colour. Ripe darker fruits (plum, cherry) in the aromas, plus spice and fresh herb notes. Rich fruit flavours fill the palate, muted spice, hints of the oak, full bodied and the finish is strong and long.

    Serve it at 16 to 17 degrees and pair, the vineyard advise, with lamb chops, pies, cured or semi-cured Manchego or Gouda cheese, as well as dates wrapped in bacon.

    Abellio Albarino Rias Baixas (DO), 12.5%, €10.00 (was 14.99).

    Liked the colour of this current Wine of the Month immediately, an inviting medium gold. It is hand-harvested and ideal with shellfish and fish and also recommended for lightly spiced Asian chicken dishes. The medium intense aromas are of white fruit. It has a smooth character on the palate, intense fruit (pear, apple and peach) with refreshing minerality. It is zesty and well balanced.

    On the Case!
    As usual the Supervalu buyers have come up with a very attractive case deal, featuring the aromatic and soft La Miranda de Secastilla. Normal price for this six bottle deal in a wooden is ninety euro but during the Spanish sale you can get it for €50.00. Not to be sniffed at! Though you probably will have a nose or two at the fruity aromas before enjoying!

    Like Cava, Spain's excellent sparkling wine, made in the same way as Champagne but better-priced, especially in this sale. We reviewed a couple recently - check it out here

    * By the way....  If you buy any 6 normal sized bottles, including wines already on offer, you save another €10.00. So buy and enjoy responsibly.


    Monday, February 17, 2020

    Supervalu Highlight Increase in Sales of Cava during 2020 Spanish Wine Launch

    Supervalu Highlight Increase in Sales of Cava
     during 2020 Spanish Wine Launch

    Supervalu have had a long association with Spanish wines and recently launched their 2020 selection. It includes the two Cava below. 

    Head wine buyer Kevin O’Callaghan: “Ten years ago, Spanish wines sales were dominated by red wines, but today Spanish white wines have enjoyed a 9% growth and now account for 22% of total Spanish wine sales, a sizeable increase considering ten years ago SuperValu’s Spanish white wine sales amounted to less than 6%...while Spanish Cava has also seen growth of 18%…”

    Cava is a different distinctive under-rated sparkling wine, made in Spain using the same method as Champagne. There’s a great choice with the Spanish, mainly Catalan, wine whereas many of the big Champagne houses are nowadays owned by the LVMH Group and many smaller producers are now selling their grapes to the big names rather than sticking to the increasingly more difficult independent route. Prosecco is extremely popular in Ireland of course and sometimes I wonder why. Having said that, there are some really good examples of the main Italian sparkler.


    Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad 12%, €30.00*.

    Light gold is the colour of this elegant Cava, so elegantly presented, constant little fountains send micro-bubbles to the top while slightly bigger ones cling to the sides. Fruit (apple), and a touch of honey in the intense aromas. Mouthfeel is excellent (it has spent some time on the lees), and the high standard, fruity and full of flavour, plus that biscuity touch, is maintained all through to a long impressive finish. 

    This premium Cava comes in a decorated bottle. Patiently resting in its precious bottle, it is allowed to quietly mature for the most time in the calm darkness of the Segura Viudas cellars before a last poignettage, from Head Winemaker Gabriel Suberviola, intensifies the contact of the lees for a more complex and finished bouquet. Poignettage occurs when the bottle is shaken vigorously so that the dosage liqueur marries perfectly with the wine. Some of you may be familiar with dosage; it not, check here

    Notes indicate that it pairs well with meat dishes, such as pork and chicken. It is produced in the Penedès area (near Barcelona) and the blend is of just two grapes: Macabeo (67%) and Parellada.

    Gran Troya Cava Brut NV 11.5%, €26.00*  


    It may be a little less intense in all aspects than the Segura Viudas and it’s very approachable. If you haven’t tried Cava before, this is a terrific introduction. Indeed, if you are not familiar with Cava,  start with the Troya and then make Segura Viudas your next drop.

    The Troya colour is a pale gold and there is no shortage of tiny bubbles rising to the top and forming a ring around the perimeter of the glass. It is reasonably intense, mellow aromas, and fruity in the mouth with a long dry finish. A fairly typical Cava. The grapes used are the traditional Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada “from our own vineyards”. Try with olives, grilled almonds. Serve at 6-8 degrees.

    * Watch out for the regular Supervalu offers. For instance, during the second half of February, the Segura Viudas is on offer at €20, and I have seen the Gran Troya as low as €12.00.


    Wednesday, February 12, 2020

    Rosé Lovers to be Seduced at SuperValu This Valentine’s! And a few tips for the February sale.


    Rosé Lovers to be Seduced at SuperValu This Valentine’s!
     And a few tips for the February sale.

    Whispering Angel Half Price for 48 Hours, Exclusively at SuperValu

    Largely associated with sun-kissed French terraces, the Hampton’s beachside bars and alfresco drinking… one of the world’s most fashionable rosés, Whispering Angel, will be half price at SuperValu stores nationwide for 48 hours only. On a first come, first served basis, be sure to get to your local SuperValu next Thursday 13th and Friday 14th!

    Normally retailing at over €30.00, Whispering Angel, referred to as ‘Hampton’s Water’ by the New York Post, will be available for just €15.00 on Thursday 13th and Friday 14th February at SuperValu. This makes it a perfect gift for rosé lovers this Valentine’s Day or a must-have on Galentine’s Day the pre-Valentine’s Day event (February 13th).

    A Côtes de Provence rosé, the Whispering Angel by Caves d'Esclans is made from a thorough selection of the region’s very best terroirs, including the Motte, which is situated in the heart of Provence. Grapes consist primarily of Grenache, Cinsault, Rolle (vermentino), Syrah and Tibouren. The optical sorting ensures only the best quality fruit is used in the final blend. The fruit is destemmed and crushed slightly at 7-8° Celsius to avoid oxidation. The free-run juice and pressed juices are then vinified in stainless steel with batonnage taking place twice a week.

    Whispering Angel has a seductive pale pink colour with silver reflections. The aromatic palette of this Provence rosé reveals bags of fruit, both tangy citrus peel and small red berries, along with a delicate floral fragrance. The palate of this rosé is bone dry, with a texture that offers plenty of substance without lacking in finesse.

    The wine has amassed a huge global following from celebrities to social influencers and has collected an affluent array of awards globally, most notably winning Brand of the Year by M. Shanken Communications Market Watch. The Whispering Angel flash sale will be available in all SuperValu stores nationwide and online at www.SuperValu.ie on 13th and 14th February 2020.

    press release above

    ****************

    * So, she or he doesn't like rosé! No problem. Just go and grab an impressively packaged bottle of Cava from the Supervalu Spanish Wine sale (13-26 Feb); I'm talking about the Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad (20.00). The ten euro you'll save here could go towards the chocolates!

    Some terrific reds also in the sale, including the Pagos de Labarca AEX, also at twenty euro. On the white side, there are a few Albarinos (including Abellio, a favourite here). The Lunatico red went down well here recently and now I'm looking forward to trying their white, down to €12.00 from 18.99.



    Tuesday, December 17, 2019

    Six Christmas & New Year Wine Doubles!

    Six Christmas & New Year Wine Doubles
    In no particular order! 


    (Click on the individual wines to see short reviews and Irish stockists.)

    I      Gallina de Piel, `Ikigall` Penedès (DO) 2018, 11.5%, €20.99 Liberty Wine
    Blackrock Cellar; Baggot Street Wines; McHugh’s Off Licence - Kilbarrack Rd; Bradley's, North Main St., Cork
    www.winesonline.ie

               Gallina de Piel Mimetic Calatayud (DO) 2018, 14.5%, €20.99 Liberty Wine
    Baggot Street Wines; Blackrock Cellar; McHugh’s Off Licence - Kilbarrack Rd; McHugh’s Off Licence - Malahide Road; Drink Store Ltd; Bradley's, North Main St., Cork; www.winesonline.ie


    II    Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Bianco Veneto (IGT) 2017, 11.5%,               €18.85;  64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny
           Angiolino Maule, La Biancara, Masieri Rosso Veneto (IGT) 2018,  14.0%,               €22.25; as above


    III   Diwald Grüner Veltliner “Goldberg” Wagram (Austria) 2015, 13%, €20.75             Mary Pawle
              Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2015,                14%, €28.75 Mary Pawle




    IV   De Alberto Organic Verdejo Rueda (DO) 13.5%, O’Brien’s
               De Martino “Gallardia” Cinsault Itata (DO) 2017 , O'Brien's


    V    Lo Abarca Riesling 2017 €12.00 Marks & Spencer
           Chateau Vincens “Prestige” Cahors (AOC) 2013, 13%, €23.50 Vanilla                        Grape Kenmare

    VI    Castellani Vermentino Toscana (IGT) 2017 €10.00 SuperValu
               Campo Viejo Garnacha Rioja (AOC) 2017 €10.50 SuperValu

    Click on the individual wines to see reviews and Irish stockists.

    Monday, December 9, 2019

    Reds for Christmas? Supervalu's got you covered.


    Reds for Christmas? Supervalu's got you covered.

    Any of you who enjoyed the Campo Viejo tapas trails that used take place in Cork city a few years ago will know all about the Reserva. But have you met the Campo Viejo Garnacha, also from Rioja? It is my first pick from the current SuperValu Christmas Wine range. It’s a beauty as you may read below. And so too is the robust Stomper.

    Reductions on a large selection of wines, both red and white, and beyond, continue right up to closing time on Christmas Eve. This post, the second of two, takes a look at the reds and may help you with your choices. Check out the whites and sparkling wines here.

    Campo Viejo Garnacha Rioja (AOC) 2017, 14%, 
    Usually, and still mostly, it is the grape Tempranillo that is used in Rioja but increasingly Garnacha is coming to the fore here and this Campo Viejo is their very first 100% Garnacha, the grapes coming from their own vineyard in Rioja. The wine is aged for four months in new French oak barrels.

    Mid to dark ruby is the colour. Red berries, cherries and a waft of vanilla on the nose. Bright and lively and vibrantly fruity (strawberry, raspberry) on the palate, a wee bit of sweetness too, tannins too in the mix as the lengthy finish approaches.

    Very versatile at the table: meat, pasta, appetisers, charcuterie, a vegetable lasagna have all been suggested. Watch out too for the Viejo Rioja Reserva, fruity and smooth and going for a song at ten euro, same price by the way as the famous Faustino.

    Nugan Estates Stomper’s Cabernet Sauvignon Single vineyard Riverina 2015, 14.5%, 

    Dark ruby is the colour here. Pretty intense aromas, blackcurrants featured, blackberry too, vanilla in there as well. You half expect it, yet the palate is surprised by the concentration of dark fruit flavours as the wine lives up to its Stomper billing. And the intensity, with sweet tannins in play, lingers in the long finish. Try with red meat, including venison.

    Nugan tells us their “Cabernet vineyard requires more work than the Shiraz and it's become a favourite for the birds as the bunches ripen. There's never any short cuts on the barrel program and this wine sees only French oak, of which 25% is new. …We’re really proud of this and hope you like it”. I certainly liked it, one of the easiest-drinking Cabernet Sauvignon around. And now at a superb price.

    Il Capolavoro Vino Rosso Appassimento from Puglia is another big red, €10.00 (down from 14.99).The colour is a rich ruby and you’ll notice the legs are slow to clear. There are intense aromas of dark fruits, chocolate notes too. On the palate, concentration is pleasantly evident; it is full of flavour with a touch of smooth spice, a hint of sweetness and it is juicy too. Easy drinking.

    The Rhone is a source of some excellent wines and I’ve enjoyed a few from Vacqueyras over the years. The Remy Ferbras doesn’t let the side down here. Colour is ruby red and ripe dark fruits abound in the inviting mix of aromas. There is a great balance between the ripe fruit and spices, plus a hint of liquorice, impressive texture, full bodied and rounded. A good bottle to have on your table at this time of year.

    No shortage of big reds on offer. They include the Special Guest Wine, an intriguingly entitled Uncle Zin Appassimento, not from California but a Primitivo in disguise from Italy.


    Paço das Côrtes Friendship FADO Reserva (Vinho Regional Lisbon), 13.5%, €10.00 (13.99)


    This Fado is a blend of Tinta Roriz (40%), Alicante Bouschet (30) and Syrah (30) and has been aged for 4 months in French oak. Colour is a dark ruby and there are aromas of ripe red fruits plus balsamic notes. Smooth, fruity and spicy, this warmly introduces itself on the palate. Quite intense all through but with good acidity and a persistent finish. 

    Nice and satisfying with approachable ripe fruit, this ticks a lot of boxes and well worth looking out for on the SuperValu shelves. And, with its spectacular label you should find it easily enough! Kevin O’Callaghan, Head of SuperValu Wine, is a big fan: “The Fado is one of the best at that price position I’ve seen in a while….. This is a no-brainer for me.”

    Have to admit, I’m a big fan of the Gamay grape which is the main red one in Beaujolais. Wines from here are not big and bold like some of the ones mentioned above.  But these lighter wines are very pleasant to drink and I see at least two in the current sale, each by André Goichot and each from a top area.

    The best wines come, potentially, from the “crus” of Beaujolais. There are ten in all and the two represented on the Supervalu offer are Moulin á Vent and Fleurie. The Moulin á Vent is on offer for a limited time only.

    Check out the SuperValu whites (and sparkling) here