CorkBillyBeers #21. Craft Wheat beer with Rye River, Tom Crean, Whitefield, Ballykilcavan.

CorkBillyBeers #21

Craft Wheat beer with Rye River, Tom Crean, Whitefield, Ballykilcavan

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Rye River Backwaters American Wheat, 6.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle Supervalu

Beers brewed in this American Wheat style do not exhibit the clove or high levels of banana-like esters that are hallmarks of the Bavarian wheat beer styles. And this is the case here. Regular European wheat beers use special strains of yeast that produce notes of banana and clove as by-products of fermentation.

Backwaters has the clear golden colour you’d expect from a wheat beer. Dank aromas rise from the glass in a diplomatic kind of way, nothing extreme, plus mild aromas of passion fruit and citrus. The hops, Cascade and Strata, bring bright fresh fruit. 

With the darker colour and malt prominent, you are inclined to think lager rather than wheat beer. But everything’s fine in this beer garden from start to a very satisfactory clean and crisp finish, hops and malts combining more or less perfectly.

And that dankness? Well it comes from the Strata which has been described as “Passion fruit meets pot.” Along with the exotic fruit comes this herbal note of drifting cannabis (the dankness)

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Cascade is one of the best known hops and has been described as the hop  “that made hops famous”. Bursting with zesty grapefruit flavour and aroma, Cascade, with its bright citrus and some soft floral and spice, is a real treat and is credited with the making of American Pale. In this wheat beer, it also plays a crucial role. In fairness, Rye River have used their ingredients well and we have a good one in our hands.

Very Highly Recommended.

Geeks Bits

Malts: CARAPILS, VIENNA MALT, WHEAT, ALE MALT,

Hops: CASCADE, STRATA

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Tom Crean Druid’s Wheat Beer, 4.2% ABV, 440ml can, Carry Out Killarney

Druid’s, the wheat beer, “celebrates the landscape”,  according to the brewery. “… a beer that gives acknowledgement to our rich local ancient history, we used delicately smoked oak malted barley, the reduced hop bill allows the full wheat and yeast flavours to dominate.” 

Colour is a hazy pale lemon/yellow with a soft white head that soon loses height. The delicately smoked barley and the yeast has its say as seems to have been the intention here. Finishes with a refreshing tartness.

Not your classic wheat beer, but not a million miles away either. Brewer Bill Shepherd has his way of doing things.  He has his fans. In Christmas 2021 the Independent’s Aoife Carrigy recommended this as one of her 10 great Irish beers to pair with festive food.

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Bill was born in Chester in the northwest of England. He worked as a firefighter in the London Fire Brigade and later graduated from Chester University with a degree in Archaeology.  He has retrained as a brewer and is turning out quite a range of Tom Crean beers, everything from the 1% Last man Standing to the Six Magpies Stout with lots of ales (pale and red and IPA) in between.

With a wide range of beers and ales brewed on the premises, including prize winners, their brewery bar is the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing pint and soak in the atmosphere. Head over to the brewery page here  for more info…

For a recent post on the brewery go here.  

Recommended

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Whitefield The Banker Weissbier, 5.2% ABV, 500 ml bottle No. 21

Whitefield’s Cuilan tells us about this beer: A slight twist on the German classic wheat beer the addition of rye malt gives a drier, lighter flavour profile and is very refreshing on warm summer days. Yes! I know we live in Ireland.”

The brewery kit in Templemore was made to make wheat beer. Really. “Our brewhouse was originally commissioned by Pauliner, so it is designed as a wheat beer brewery. The fermentation tanks are low, wide and flat bottomed to help maintain consistent flavour profile while using a volatile yeast. So it comes as no surprise that our best sellers in both draught and bottle are Weiss beers. This makes it tricky to brew drier hoppy beers, so we focus on the malty styles of beer with plenty of sweetness.”

Colour here is a mid-amber, no haze and you can see fountains of little bubbles rising. The head doesn’t hang about. Aromas are on the modest side, hints of spice perhaps, rye perhaps. On the palate, there is no shortage of flavour, banana and clove included. An excellent supple drink with flavours continuing to a refreshing finish.

Highly Recommended.

Recent detailed post on Whitefield here.

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Ballykilcavan Robinson's Revenge Raspberry Wheat Beer 5.00% ABV, 440ml can CraftCentral

In the winter of 1861, after a bitter quarrel, the famous gardener William Robinson stormed out of Ballykilcavan opening all the greenhouses to kill the plants in them. This American Raspberry Wheat Beer gets his name from that vengeful act. That’s the story, at least one side of it, behind the beer’s name.

Colour is a darkish amber/orange, murky (enough to enable dastardly acts). Aromas are modest with hops taking a firm grip early on. And never really letting go though the raspberry (listed in the ingredients) gets a turn in the mouth before the US hops closes its grip again.

Ingredients: Water, wheat, Barley, Oats, Raspberries, Hops, Yeast.

The producers: “Ballykilcavan Farm has been the home of our family for 13 generations. We have lived and worked here since 1639, and diversification has always been important to keep our farm viable for future generations. When I took over Ballykilcavan from my father in 2004, my motivation was to try to sustain it so that someone else would be able to take it over from me.”

Ballykilcavan is an amazing place. We recently published a post on the brewery there and you may read it here. 

Recommended

SuperValu celebrates talented up-and-coming food producers with Taste of Local campaign

 press release

SuperValu celebrates talented up-and-coming food producers with Taste of Local campaign

Thanks Plants

Five products to hit the shelves across all stores on Thursday as part of wider commitment to growing Irish food industry

Five small Irish food producers have been selected for national distribution in over 150 SuperValu stores from this Thursday October 13^th, as part of the retailer’s innovative Taste of Local initiative.

Taste of Local is just one part of SuperValu’s long-standing commitments to Irish food and drink producers. Stocked in store 52 weeks of the year, the range is made up of Food Academy participants and hyperlocal products.

Irish Hedgerow

The five companies chosen as Guest Stars for nationwide distribution this year are:

• Thanks Plants, Co. Dublin
• Le Paysan, Co. Wicklow
• Roll It Pastry, Co. Meath
• Irish Hedgerow, Co. Tipperary
• My Apricot Kitchen, Co. Dublin

The Guest Star food and drink producers each bring something unique to the industry. They were chosen for nationwide distribution based on their success in the Food Academy programme. In recent years, there has been a huge emphasis on supporting Irish, with a study from SuperValu earlier this year revealing the vast majority (89%) of Irish people believe buying local products can help the environment.

Commenting on the nationwide launch of the five Guest Stars’ products, Carmel Biggane, Food Academy Manager, SuperValu, said:

“Supporting local Irish producers is at the heart of SuperValu’s ethos. We have Taste of Local products in all our stores, year-round and we are really excited for the five Guest Stars’ producers to go nationwide from October 13^th.

Le Paysan

The journey to get themselves on the shelves has been one of hard work and passion by the business owners. The growth they have demonstrated during the Food Academy programme has been inspiring and we at SuperValu are thrilled to be a part of their stories of growth and success.”

Food Academy is a unique food business development programme between SuperValu, Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices. The programme provides invaluable guidance to small producers on supply chain, marketing, costing and other essential business knowledge and is exclusively for Irish producers. 

 

My Apricot Kitchen

The Food Academy programme supports 1,500 jobs in local communities nationwide with a survey of Food Academy members finding that 98% of participants feel that Food Academy has been “very beneficial” to developing their business, and 85% of participants expect to employ new staff over the next 12 months.

 

For more information on Food Academy visit https://SuperValu.ie/real-people/food-academy-programme.

This year’s five Taste of Local Guest Star Hero Products are available at over 150 SuperValu stores nationwide from October 13^th until November 2^nd.

 

Roll It Pastry

Supermarket Wines. Wines in Multiples. Celebrity Wines.

 Supermarket Wines. Wines in Multiples. 

Celebrity Wines. 

Supermarkets are where many of us bought and buy our first wines, and where many still buy all their wines. 

Two that I started with, decades ago, were the Sangre De Toro Red and Vina Sol White. Both are produced by the renowned and respected Torres family of Spain. I enjoyed those for quite a few years and both are still going strong in Irish supermarkets.

It is also in supermarkets that you’ll find most if not all of the celebrity wines, such as the Graham Norton Shiraz below. Graham now has quite a few to his name, including two Proseccos, even a gin. He and his Invivo wine professionals seem to be much appreciated.

Most of these celebrity wines are well made, not overly structured, and usually easy drinking. Not talking here about wines produced by celebrities that actually own vineyards, but rather about those who have teamed up with wine professionals to make one wine or sometimes a series. 

You will find decent wines at entry level prices in supermarkets and multiples. The first two below are good examples. The third, an easy-drinking bulk wine Sauvignon Blanc, hasn’t the longest finish but I don’t think that will be a major handicap when you’re enjoying it with a few friends and a chat in a pavement café or during a back garden interlude.

You don’t hear too much about bulk wine but, according to The Buyer, bulk (or rather bottled-in-market wines) it is the fastest growing part of the wine industry. 

Wine Folly: Some bulk producers have state-of-the-art automation methods that make solid, clean, and consistent wines year-after-year. 

So good value can be found for different reasons. And the reason in the case of the Romanian Pinot Noir from O’Brien’s is historical. Romania is only now recovering from the grim grip of the former Soviet Union on its wine industry and so prices are somewhat lower than the norm. But, with top wine companies investing there, expect to pay more in the future. In the meantime, enjoy!

Andre Goichot Fleurie (AOC) 2019, 13%, Supervalu €14.65 (€10.00 when on offer, as it was this Easter)

Fleurie is perhaps the best loved and also one of the very best of the Beaujolais area’s ten crus.  I’m quite a Fleurie fan and always look forward to opening a bottle and this was no exception, especially since I had enjoyed the 2018 not too long ago.

It is mid to dark ruby in colour. Cherry scents are prominent when you nose it and on the palate it has lots of deliciously fruit (raspberry, cherry) with a hint of spice and, importantly, with a refreshing acidity that helps create harmony right through to the dry finish. 

Medium bodied, it is soft and easy drinking, not a blockbuster or anywhere close to blockbusting, but it has character enough to pair well with a wide range of lighter dishes. The label recommends hard and soft cheeses and classic roasts, be it red or white meat. Worth a try also with spicy food.

Fleurie, like all ten crus, is in the north east of the Beaujolais region. Here, the Gamay grape thrives on the granite soil. The crus that produce the flagship wines are: Chiroubles, Saint Amour, Fleurie, Régnié, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent. Not everyday, you can try out a cru for this price!

Graham Norton’s Own Shiraz, South Australia 2017, 14.5%, Wines of the World and Supermarkets.

This was one of some very enjoyable wines - my first time meeting this particular Shiraz - at a Wines of the World Blind Online Tasting with Kate Barry (of Barry & Fitzwilliam) in 2021.

The Graham Norton Shiraz is from South Australia and is a mix of fruit from different regions offering a reasonably complex wine with a deep ruby colour. It’s a bold in aroma and on the palate,  a juicy wine with character, just like the man himself! Perhaps that’s why they called it Shiraz rather than Syrah (the French name for the grape denotes, mostly, a quieter wine). It is a juicy and fruity wine and easy drinking for sure.

This Shiraz is quite a good wine for a tasting actually. It came to ours in a brown paper bag! Kate enjoyed tasting this one. “A dry wine with medium plus acidity.” She expected a high alcohol count, judging mainly by the burn at the back of throat, and she was spot on. Lots of primary fruit flavours plus some spice. Pretty good finish too and well balanced. “I’m a lover of this wine and I hope you enjoyed it too,” she concluded.

Usually priced in the low teens and widely available, including in Dunnes, SuperValu and Tesco. 

The Bend in the River Sauvignon Blanc 2020, 12.5%, (widely available in supermarkets at around eight euro)

 

The Bend in the River range by Germany’s Reh Kendermann is widely available in this country, especially in the main supermarkets.

The Sauvignon Blanc has a light straw colour with some green tints.  Light fruity aromas plus hints of Elderflower invite you on to a refreshing, balanced and well flavoured wine (citrus-y mainly but also green apple, gooseberry notes too) with a lip smacking finish. The wine is an excellent aperitif and a perfect match to spicy or Asian Cuisine. It certainly has that second glass appeal.

The fruit is raised in South Africa and imported and bottled by Reh Kendermann in Germany. It is therefore what is known as a bulk wine. It is not the only Reh Kendermann wine I’ve come across in recent weeks. They have a few wines (made from home grown German fruit) exclusively with Dunnes Stores and they, retailing around €11.00 to 11.50, are definitely worth checking out here.

Wildflower Pinot Noir Romania 2019, 12.5%, €9 (was 13.95) https://www.obrienswine.ie/products/wildflower-pinot-noir 

Romania? Haven’t heard much about their wine? Reasonable questions. But vineyards were first planted in Romania by the Romans so there is an ancient winemaking history here. Nowadays, according to the World Atlas of Wine, “EU membership has encouraged considerable investment in Romania’s vineyards and relatively well-run wineries”

This Pinot Noir is a pale ruby colour, as you might expect from the varietal. There’s a fruity nose (raspberry, strawberry, cranberry) and fairly spicy too. Very fruity on the palate, richer than you’d generally find in France. But it’s light and fresh, and acidity enough to make it very quaffable indeed. Good finish too. A pleasant intro to the Pinot Noir grape and excellent value.

The label says this is “an outstanding example of this famous varietal and can be enjoyed on its own, slightly chilled on a hot summer evening, or as perfect companion to BBQs where it will definitely keep all your friends happy.”

Mother's Day Suggestions: Graham Norton’s West Cork Marmalade GiN.Gift Box From BoxofWine.ie

press releases 

Spoil Your Mum This Mother’s Day With A Gift Box From BoxofWine.ie

(below Graham Norton’s West Cork Marmalade GiN ) 

 

Box of Wine, Ireland’s first “tailored to your taste” wine subscription company, has created a range of gift boxes which will add a touch of sparkle to your Mother’s Day this year (Sunday, 27 March).

Costing €69.95, Box of Wine has four different Mother’s Day gift boxes depending on whether your Mum likes Red wine, White wine, Rosé or Prosecco.  And each box is filled with tasty Irish treats and beautiful products….

• 1x Bottle of Red / White / Rosé / Prosecco 
• 1x Bar of Dalkey Handmade Soap
• 1x  Celtic Apothecary Candle 
• 1x Best Mammy Irish Socksciety Socks
• 1x Chez Emily Hot Chocolate Swirl
• 1x Pouch of Skellig Chocolate Brittle 

 

White - Domaine Uby No. 3

Colombard-Sauvignon Blanc, Uby N°3 is fresh and round while still crisp. Enjoy flavours of citrus and white peach lead to a refreshing finish.

Red - Domaine de la Madone le Perreon Beajolais-Villages 

Aromas of black cherries, blueberries and liquorice come to the fore in this fresh and lively example of beautifully made Gamay.

 

Rosé - Chateau de Berne Esprit

A delicate Provence Rosé with summery notes of nectarine, fresh strawberry and raspberry. Fresh and pleasantly balanced with a light finish.

 

Prosecco - La Marca Prosecco Frizzante

Add some sparkle to Mother’s Day with La Marca Prosecco, a fresh and lively sparkling wine with fresh aromas of citrus fruits, peach and floral notes.

 

In addition to Wine Hampers & Gift Baskets, Box of Wine sells a huge selection of wines by the bottle and runs a monthly wine subscription service which matches wine lovers with their specific taste preferences  based on a quiz taken on their site that allows their in house sommeliers hand pick your vino !

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Graham Norton’s West Cork Marmalade GiN  

 

 

Mother’s Day is just around the corner so to celebrate, why not pick up a bottle of Graham Norton’s Own West Cork Marmalade GiN?

 

It's the right blend of fine Seville oranges and classic botanical fragrances, and it's a delightful treat for both Mothers and gin enthusiasts. Made with care and affection in Graham's birthplace of West Cork, the combination of a dry style and a citrus hint of marmalade makes a delightful drink that lingers long after the last drop has been consumed. This is the ideal Mother's Day present.

 

Graham says of his newest offering, "You've tasted it on toast, now experience it as a toast!" The greatest marmalade is made with Spain's famous Seville oranges, and the same oranges are featured in my current Irish GiN. This unique kind is infused with marmalade prepared from excellent Seville oranges and made in Ireland, starting with Irish grains and locally foraged botanicals. "SERVING SUGGESTION Pour over ice with a premium tonic, with a twist of orange and a garnish of orange zest.  

 

STOCKISTS: Available now in SuperValu at €39 a bottle.

 

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.

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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.