Two Winners from Wines Direct Mystery Case!

Two Winners from Wines Direct Mystery Case!

Treated myself to a 12-bottle Mystery Case from Wines Direct a couple of months back and it worked out very well indeed. The two below are each highly recommended. No big surprise I suppose that the Carmenere went down well but delighted that the German Pinot Blanc exceeded expectations.

Korta Gran Reserva Carmenere Lontue Valley Chile 2017, 14%,  Wines Direct

Colour’s a deep ruby. Big fruity nose. Soft and easy-drinking, good balance of fruit and acidity, hints of the oak, still a little tannic grip, but an excellent mouthful and soft and persistent finish as well. Highly Recommended. Pair with Pork and Poultry, Hearty Roots, Game, Beef and Lamb.

Winemaker is Irene Paiva: “When I started making wine, there were very few women working in the business.” Nowadays, some 35% of the oenologists and enology students in Chile are women. Today Irene is often listed as one of the most influential business leaders in Chile. And she is also a founding member of MOVI (an association of independent winemakers, usually artisans and working on a small scale).

Carmenere? Is that a Chilean grape? You may well ask. The answer is yes, now. But it did start in Bordeaux and was more or less lost in the tangled vines of history, even mistaken for Merlot for one long period and, indeed, it was as late as 1994 that this “Merlot” was properly re-identified as Carmenere. It is very much at home in Chile, enjoying the high levels of sunshine and the warm summer, as you can see and taste with this bottle..

You don’t hear of the Lontue Valley that often. It is a region of the Curico Valley, about 200km south of Santiago and, according to Santa Rita, “some of Chile’s best white grapes are grown here”. Some good red ones too, it appears!

Bender Weissburgunder Mosel 2018, 13%, €18.25 Wines Direct

Light gold colour, lots of little bubbles clinging to the glass. Pleasantly aromatic (not assertively so), blossom and white fruit. Silky smooth on the palate, beautiful high acidity to match the assertive fruit as it washes across the surprised taste buds. Very engaging indeed and Highly Recommended.

This Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc) is produced from 30-year-old vines harvested on steep slopes with slate soils. It is partly barrique aged. Importers Wines Direct recommend pairing with: Spicy Food, Pork and Poultry, Light Fish and Shellfish, Fresh Greens. Serve at 9-10 degrees.

Have you ever tried an English Pinot Blanc? Me neither but there are apparently good examples in Kent and Sussex. While the grape is well connected (Pinot Noir among its close relatives), it is “one of the wine world’s genuine Cinderellas”, according to Grapes & Wines. But they do appreciate it in the Alsace and Germany. And it is, with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, one of the constituent grapes of Italy’s Franciacorta, an excellent sparkling wine from Lombardy.

“With my wines, I want to appeal not only to connoisseurs, but above all to young and urban audiences.” Reckon with wines of this quality, he’ll draw some of the older drinkers as well!

Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and more on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #10

Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

The Shed Distillery by P. J. Rigney, distilling Irish Whiskey since 2014, have been on social media telling all about their Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey. "Every precious drop distilled at The Shed Distillery with Irish oats; distiller Brian Taft; no colour added; non chill filtered.  #singlepotstill #historic #truth #drinkresponsibly #transparency #irishwhiskey

Stonewell Apple and  Passion Fruit

Passion isn’t in short supply at Stonewell and there’s been plenty of it over the last ten years. It seemed logical therefore that our 10th anniversary seasonal cider in 2020 should reflect that. Inside this bottle you will find a fusion of fermented Jonagored, fresh apple juice and a hint of Natural passion fruit. A light yet fruity apple flavour with a hint of the tropics. If we are not able to go to exotic places this summer, Stonewell is bringing exoticism to you. Sit down, put your feet up and enjoy a refreshing Stonewell Apple and Passion Fruit. Western Herd Now Canning For First Time Here's the story from the Clare Champion We popped out to @WesternHerd in Kilmaley today who are canning beer for the first time and also launching a brand new double IPA called 'The Height', this is how it went. See more here. Lambay Whiskey. A Winner Again Congrats to  Lambay Whiskey on its 15th award for their Single Malt since first launched in 2018. Wines Direct Get Cracking with Crianza. Wines direct have a cracking case offer on crianza - check it out here The Whale's Tail at Clonakilty Distillery DJ Ronnie Costley at The Whale's Tail Restaurant this Saturday at 2pm Ronnie Costley will be playing vintage vinyls at The Whale's Tail Restaurant this coming Saturday, July 4th at 2pm in aid of the front line staff workers at Clonakilty Hospital. Donations gratefully accepted. Limited seating available with social distancing rules applied. Booking is essential. Reserve a table online at www.thewhalestail.ie or call 023 88 78111

Blacks Of Kinsale Laying Down Whiskey, and more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #8

Single Malt or Single Pot Still?

Whats the difference

The difference is the grain bill? Single malt whiskies are produced using only malted barley and are the output of a single distillery.  Blacks of Kinsale, best known up to now for their beers, gin and rum, are now laying down their own whiskey! More here. The Variety Bacchus in British Wine Tom Denning: investigating aroma chemistry and Bacchus at Plumpton A belief in British still wine and the potential of the variety Bacchus within that spurred Tom Denning on during his MSc in Viticulture & Oenology at Plumpton College. In order to assist winemakers in really poor years, and help them produce wines with a lower ABV, Denning investigated whether the addition of an enzyme to juice pre-inoculation can increase the volatile thiol aromatic profile of early harvested Bacchus...Read More Plumpton College is where many winemakers get their education; Irishmen Dermot Sugrue and Simon Tyrrell among them. Rye River Brews Up A Record 1 week ago On Linkedin, Peter Maguire, Sales Director at Rye River Brewing Company, reported a record week... Another record breaking week at Rye River Brewing Company! To think that only 3 years ago a 19 brew length week was a great performance from our little brewhouse (2,500L). This week we broke through a new milestone and saw our team of Brewers deliver 35 brew lengths in 5 days!! Wines Direct MakeThe Case for Influential Winemaker Susana Balbo Susana Balbo was voted one of the "Ten Most Influential Women in the Wine World" in 2018 by Drink Business Magazine and has been instrumental in the transformation of quality table wines in Argentinean viticulture. Her wines have been among the favourites at Wines Direct for years running so much, so she needed a case dedicated solely to her work. More details here Lillet: the classic aperitif from Bordeaux Available at O'Briens Wines More info here.

Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango, and more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #7

Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango 

Once upon a time, we tasted some samples from Finca Agostino in Mendoza, Argentina, and knew immediately these were wines we shouldn't miss out on. 

Our first consignment arrived in Cork last week, and we're excited to bring five new wines to Ireland.

Four of them are Malbecs, representing four tiers of quality and complexity. What we liked at the original tasting was that there was no suggestion of compromise with even the least expensive of the four, the Uma Malbec. More details here.

White Hag Brews Up

 Hagstravaganza 2020

For one year only, we're going all cyber for our annual festival - you'll be able to order your beer in advance and join us online on the day to enjoy it!

Learn more about our plans and which guest breweries we've lined up so far by heading over to the event page here. 

SARAH JESSICA PARKER ADDS A NEW ROSÉ WINE

This premium rosé – Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé – comes from the South of France and has been crafted in partnership with Sarah Jessica Parker, the founders of Invivo and a family winery in Provence. The new Invivo X, SJP Rosé will have a suggested retail price of €18.00. Currently available from www.WinesOfTheWorld.ie and will be available in other stores throughout summer.

IT'S WHISKEY TIME! at Blacks of Kinsale

Looking back over the past 6 months and all the curve balls that have been thrown our way it's very hard to explain the immense feeling of satisfaction, joy, relief, in fact a whole mixture of emotions as we filled the 1st Founders Club Cask. The ball is now well and truly rolling and momentum is picking up with every day and every still run we complete. More here on the Founders Club (still open for membership!)

Wines Direct Make The Case For Father's Day
This case is full of blockbuster reds to accompany Dad-like activities such as BBQing a big dry-aged steak or dusting off his collection of vinyl. He will enjoy everything from Malbec to Bordeaux and a few new surprises that he may not yet know he likes. Check it out here

Justin Keay: how Franciacorta is facing up to a post-Covid-19 future 

Franciacorta has seen exports grow in recent years to the point 20% is now being exported to key markets including the US and UK. As the region starts to recover from the devastating effects of Covid-19, Justin Keay talks to key players Bellavista, Ca del Bosco and Ferghettina, along with Consorzio President Silvano Brescianini about where the region goes from here...Read More

Sangria Recipe from Kinsale Mead Company. Cheers #5

Sangria Recipe from Kinsale Mead Company. Cheers #5 A nice glass or jug of Mead Sangria is fabulous on a sunny day, barbecue optional. Recreate the full festival experience at home. Here's the foolproof Celtic Mead Sangria Recipe: 2 parts Hazy Summer Mead 1/2 part Cointreau or Triple Sec orange liqueur 1 1/2 parts cranberry juice Dash of fresh lime juice Shake over ice with fresh lime juice and garnish with an orange slice. Order now 🌞⛱https://www.kinsalemeadco.ie/mead-shop/ For a lower alcohol version, try replacing Cointreau with orange bitters. #drinkresponsibly

The Buyer on Exploring New Zealand regionality
Last week, in the first in a series of webinars, New Zealand Winegrowers asked if consumers and the trade can ‘get past the gooseberry’ to talk about Sauvignon Blanc as a wine in its own right. Jane Skilton MW joined three master sommeliers John Szabo, David Keck and Ronan Sayburn, to debate the issue in a debate that was attended by 500 participants worldwide, including Peter Ranscombe...Read More

Another Great Tuscan Vintage

The wine gods were smiling on Tuscany's dress circle again, with another great vintage rolling onto the shelves.

By Tom Hyland | Posted Monday, 01-Jun-2020

Of all the world's great red wines, almost none requires one's patience as much as Brunello di Montalcino.

I'm not necessarily talking about the wine's aging potential here, rather I'm referring to the time you have to wait before the wine is released, as it first becomes available on the market five years after the vintage. More here... via Wine-Searcher

Wine of the Week from Spanish Wine Lover

La Montesa 2017 Tinto

Palacios Remondo, Rioja

This is the first organically certified vintage for La Montesa. Grapes are sourced from the eponymous vineyard on the foothills of Monte Yerga in Rioja Oriental. It shows the positive effects of altitude to offset a hot vintage and to add some punch to Garnacha. Scented nose evoking Mediterranean scrubland. This fruit-driven, lively, delicious red is widely available. A smart buy to carry on drinking well when belts have to be tightened. More here from Spanish Wine Lover

Rockstar Reds from Wines Direct

We came across Pier Paolo Antolini on a quest for new Italian wines. We heard rave reviews about an up and coming winemaker, known by locals as Amarone Boy. After tasting his Valpolicella Ripasso, it will tell you what Amarone Boy is all about - fantastic wines that exemplify the best of Valpolicella with intense aromas and impressive smoothness. See the full line-up here