Cheers #6. Wines from Ballinwillin House. Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Cheers #6: Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Wines from Ballinwillin House

Pat Mulcahy, in his Hungarian style cellar in Ballinwillin House (Mitchelstown)

Ballinwillin House Farm is an organic farm situated in the heart of the Golden Vale in North Cork, Ireland. "We are a family business owned and run by Patrick, The Mindful Farmer and Miriam Mulcahy. The certified organic farm has a magnificent herd of organic fed deer for over 20 years. Our organic venison meat has won awards all over the world and we are internationally recognised for our quality and taste."

But did you now they also have a vineyard? It's in Hungary and you can taste the Chateau Mulcahy wines in their Irish cellar in Mitchelstown. Inspired by the Mulcahys' experience in Hungary this Austro-Hungarian style Wine Barn is a great location for parties and gatherings of all sorts. The traditional Hungarian Bake Oven stands proudly in the Wine Barn and creates a warmth and atmosphere that is unrivalled. The barn can host groups of up to 60 people. Check out the range of wines here.

A Gin-Tastic Sale at SuperValu

Clonakilty Distillery, producers of Minke Gin

Celebrate World Gin Day on June 13^th with some of Ireland’s finest gins exclusive to SuperValu from Thursday 11^th June to Wednesday 1^st July

In recent years, gin has no doubt become the nation’s favourite spirit, so it only seems right to mark World Gin Day with a nice bottle from SuperValu’s incredible Gin Sale.  This summer’s gin sale starts on Thursday 11^th June, and SuperValu are once again bringing amazing Irish gins to a shelf near you, all at great value prices.

From pink flavoured favourites to non-alcoholic options, there is something for everyone to enjoy whether your preference is a gin spritz or a traditional gin and tonic. SuperValu have new and exciting offers so you can raise a glass, or goblet, on Saturday 13^th June for World Gin Day! Celebrate in the comfort of your own garden with some of Ireland’s premium pours brought to you from all over the country including Galway, Dingle and West Cork.

Some of the excellent options exclusive to SuperValu, include Food Academy member Loch Measc Gin, an award-winning spirit produced as ode to its wild surroundings in Mayo.  Made with Lough Mask water and wildflower botanicals, this gin certainly hits the taste buds. Founder and distiller, Eoin Holmes said “Our spirits aren’t genteel and overly refined, they’re robust, flavoursome and just a little wild.”   

To celebrate World Gin Day there are 20 magnificent gins on special offer at your local SuperValu. Some of our favourites are:

Beara Ocean / Pink Ocean Gin 75cl

€38 Was €43

Inspired by the seas off the coast of the Beara Peninsula, award winning Beara Gin, blended with the fuchsia bud, west Cork’s iconic flower, and infused with Atlantic salt-water, is a member of the SuperValu Food Academy.

 Clonakilty Minke Irish Gin 70cl.  

€39 Was €44

Fresh from the Clonakilty Distillery and inspired by the Minke whale, the majestic creatures that swim wild off the Atlantic Ocean coastline, this subtle yet unique tasting Irish Gin is carefully crafted with smooth and sophisticated refreshment and infused with citrus and aniseed notes. Perfect with fresh lemon, lime and mint.  

Glengarriff Wild Dry Irish Gin 70cl.  

€30 Was €35

A truly delicious fusion of wild berries that flourish in the micro-climate of the West Cork region and a Mediterranean citrus of lime, grapefruit and orange. Citrus fruit on the nose and palate interlaced with warm oriental spice and fresh lime. A heady infusion of local aromatic hedgerow botanicals from the region of Co. Cork combined with classic botanicals of Mediterranean provenance.  

Blackwater Tanora Tangarine Gin 50cl.  

€30 Was €35

A true Cork legend, this gin features a classic juniper profile, with star anise, ginger and a whole metric barn load of fresh tangerines to create a Tanora inspired Gin. Each and every tangerine is peeled by hand and crafted with 100% Irish alcohol.   

Wilde Irish Gin

€44 Was €49

Distilled and produced in West Cork Distillers, this gin has a distinctive citrus and floral forward gin with a background juniper note, instilled with extracts of bitter orange peel and wild Irish mountain heather from West Cork. It has an exquisite blend of carefully selected ingredients that are guaranteed to shine through in every sip.  This gin not only has taste in abundance, but it stands out from the crowd with a nod to Oscar Wilde’s cane with an elaborate cap and a bespoke book shaped purple Italian Murano glass bottle – a real winner on the party gift list.   

For the full list of gins on offer please visit www.supervalu.ie

Father's Day Gift Ideas From O'Briens Wines

Forget about woolly slippers or eau de musk, get them something they can sit back, relax, and enjoy on Father’s Day this Sunday 21^st of June. Let us take the hassle out of choosing a gift, pop in store or browse on line for a range of great Father's Day Gift Ideas. 

Australia’s 2020 vintage: Winemakers' perspectives

Join winemakers Virginia Willcock (Vasse Felix), Louisa Rose (Yalumba) and Sarah Crowe (Yarra Yering) to hear their take on the unprecedented 2020 vintage in Margaret River, Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley. The winemakers will be beaming in live from their respective regions, with Sarah Ahmed leading the conversation and fielding questions. 

More info here.

Wine Searcher Attempts Predicting The New Normal In The World Of Wine

Wine, beer and spirit categories have all benefited from a sharp rise in online sales in the US and UK markets, while Champagne and esoteric labels have suffered. E-commerce is now critical for businesses and many wineries, particularly in the US, will seek to grow their DTC sales. New formats and online communication will become increasingly important – all uncontroversial, reasonable assumptions. Read more here.

Cheers. Latest Episode #3 . Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Cheers. Latest Episode #3 . Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

One Place. One Farm. One Spirit. Latest from Waterford Distillery. 

Using 100% Irish barley, widely considered to be the world's finest, our new Single Farm Origin series is an uber-provenance range of limited edition natural whiskies that explore Irish terroir one farm, once place, at a time. They are expressions of precision and rarity, showcasing barley flavours derived from individual Irish farms and harvests.Read more

Can't go to the continent? Nothing to stop you going continental with food and wine. - says Lynne Coyle MW
Get ready for the bank holiday by ordering your wines now, why not rekindle fond European holiday memories of delicious food and wine with these wine suggestions from France, Spain and Italy.
Even with thoughts of a “staycation” looming large for most of us this summer, I am suggesting that we can still enjoy the fruits of our favourite wine regions at home with some of these delicious sun kissed options. Read more, recipes included!

Wine and food pairing: is it an overrated practice?

asks Spanish Wine Lover

Last Sunday I took part in a round table at the Wine & Culinary conference, an event organized by Bodegas Torres. According to President Miguel A. Torres, the aim of this conference is to support Catalan and Spanish cuisine, promote moderate wine consumption –preferably alongside food– and, incidentally, prove that despite being a large volume producer, their wines are not only intended for supermarkets but are also meant to be enjoyed in restaurants. More here

So-called wine experts are always confident of their opinions, no matter how divorced from reality they might be.

Nobody drinks buttery Chardonnay anymore. Wine pairing matters. The 100-point-scale rating is dead.

These are a few of the myths spread by the "wine intelligentsia" – the sommeliers, bloggers and writers who dominate our wine conversations.
None of these myths are true, but it's easy to believe something when everyone you talk to echoes it. Read more from this Wine-Searcher article here.

SuperValu Italian Wine Sale has returned - in store and online from 21^st of May until 10^th of June.

From the largest wine producing country in the world, come some of SuperValu’s best quality and value wines. The Italian wine sale beginning on Thursday May 21^st brings you some of the best wines from regions all across the much loved Mediterranean country.

Italy has always been a favourite holiday destination for Irish holidaymakers  with it’s unique culture,  rich cuisine and superb range and variety of wines.  Home to some of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world, Italy consistently cultivates our staple favourites, to be enjoyed with the fabulous range of Italian cuisine we know and love.

With prices of premium bottles not to be beaten on value, this year’s Italian Wine Sale is sure to bring the memories of Capri or taste of Tuscany to your lips. Italians believe you should enjoy a glass before eating, so perhaps this weekend take a moments break from the cooking to close your eyes and imagine the sun beating down on rolling scenic hills, and enjoy a glass of your favourite wine or venture towards an Italian wine you may not have tried before!

In sourcing the wines for this year’s Italian Wine Sale SuperValu wine buyer Kevin O’Callaghan is delighted to welcome back some favourites such as Ricossa Barolo and Costa Mediana Amarone. This year’s sale will comfort those familiar with Italian offerings and enchant those who are new to experience a taste of the world’s finest flavours.

 For the full list of wines available please visit www.supervalu.ie

Cheers. Latest Episode #2 . Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Cheers. Latest Episode #2
Keeping You Up To Date With Wine, Beers, and Spirits

Teeling Whiskey Launch Two New Single Malt Whiskeys.

We are delighted to announce the release of two new Single Malt whiskeys to honour this year’s World Whiskey Day.

Building on the International success of the Teeling 24 Year Old Single Malt which won the World’s Best Single Malt in 2019 at the World Whiskies Awards, we are proud to present the Teeling 28 Year Old Single Malt.

We are also proud to release Series 3 of our Brabazon Bottling Series, a 14 Year Old Single Malt that has been matured in Pedro Ximénez casks from the Jerez area of Spain.

Join Jack & Stephen Teeling for a live tasting of these new releases on the Teeling Whiskey Facebook page tonight at 7:30pm (Dublin Time).Both bottlings will be available to purchase from our distillery gift shop from May 19th.

For more information on these new single malts please visit our blog: https://teelingdistillery.com/two-new-single-malt-whiskeys/

SuperValu Italian Wine Sale Begins Thursday 21st May

MASI CAMPOFIORIN is Wine of the Month!

€15, Was €17.49

Rich, smooth, velvety, very approachable and versatile with food. This is MASI’s original Supervenetian recognised internationally and inspired by the technique of making Amarone. Combining simplicity and grace with strength and majesty.

Other to check out: 

COSTA MEDIANA AMARONE

€20 Was €25

Deep purple red, ripe fruits and luscious nose, full body, highly alcoholic yet so round to remind a certain natural sweetness.

SARTORI VALPOLICELLA RIPASSO 75cl

€10 was €19.99

Ruby-red, tending toward garnet with age. Black cherry with some earth notes. Round and

well structured, with rich fruit and soft tannins.

RICOSSA BAROLO 75cl

€20 Was €24.99

The Barolo, Piedmont’s most famous wine, is produced with Nebbiolo grapes grown in the eleven

municipalities of the DOCG. A wine of robust, austere but velvety and harmonious body.

O'Briens Wine
Have your favourite Montepulciano back in stock!🍷🍷
and a whole lot more besides!

Pour Your Own Pint with 

9 White Deer Brewery 

Don't we just deserve this 🥰, 8 weeks is a long time without a proper stout.
See our website for details on how you can have this. It's soooo simple.  #stagstout #draftbeer #glutenfree Pour Your Own Pint! All revealed in their video here
Please drink responsibly

Austria Opening Up after Virus

After Austria’s economic activity came almost completely to a standstill because of the Corona restrictions implemented on 16 March, all of Austrian commerce was able to open its doors again on 2 May – of course, in compliance with strict safety and security regulations. The hospitality industry is scheduled to follow on 15 May, and the hotel industry at the end of May. After suffering weeks of interruption to their most important sales channels, relaxation of these restrictions also means a bit of easier breathing for Austria’s winegrowers.

But what is the situation like in Austrian wine’s most important export markets? Read more here.

Unpicking the closure dilemma of Isole e Olena’s Cepparello

Tuscany’s iconic producer Paolo De Marchi (right) has famously had to classify his top end Isole e Olena Chianti as an IGT wine because he uses 100% Sangiovese. But the other reason he has fallen foul of the Consorzio is that, since 2005, he has been putting an increasing amount of this super premium wine under screw cap. So why has he done this and what difference does it make to the finished wine? Justin Keay talks to De Marchi about his controversial decision and tastes both versions of the Cepparello 2016 to see if a professional palate can tell which is which? Read more on the subject here from The Buyer

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."

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 26^th until Wednesday April 15^th 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.