New microbrewery in Cork + Wines Direct + SuperValu cheers #15

New microbrewery in Cork + Wines Direct + SuperValu, and more on wine, spirits and beer in Cheers #15 South of France! with Wines Direct

Do you love Bordeaux wines but not always the price? Look no further than the South of France. The combination of terroir and unique varieties result in wines rivalling those of Bordeaux — both in quality and price. The South West of France stretches from the southern edge of Bordeaux right down as far as the Pyrenees. It may not be the most recognized wine region, but it is an absolute treasure trove of hidden gems. The scenery is not bad either – vineyards and lush forest with winemaking as a way of life.  Check out the case (6 and 12 bottle) here.

SUPERVALU HALF PRICE Wine Sale*
13th to 26th August

*Selected Wines only

NOW €7.49

MONTEMAR RESERVA SAUVIGNON BLANC 75cl

was €14.99 Save €7.50

NOW €8.49

EXCELLENCE SAINT CHINIAN 75cl

was €16.99 Save €8.50

NOW €8

BLOSSOM HILL SPARKLING ROSÉ

75cl was €18.99 Save €10.99

NOW €7.99 EACH was €15.99 Save €8

• WILLOW HILL CHARDONNAY 75cl
• SAN VALENTINO PINOT GRIGIO 75cl
• EDEN LODGE OLIPHANTS RIVER
• VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 75cl

NOW €8.99 EACH was €17.99 Save €9

• CASTILLO DE ALBAI CRIANZA 75cl
• LA CHÂSSE BLASON D’OR COSTIÈRES DE NÎMES 75cl
• PABLO OLD VINE GARNACHA 75cl
• REY DE COPAS GRAN RESERVA 75cl
• CUVEE LE JOUR ET LA NUIT CARIGNAN 75cl
• CEPAS PRIVADAS MALBEC 75cl

NOW €9.99

SAMMICHELI CHIANTI RESERVA 75cl

was €19.99 Save €10

NOW €12.99

GRAN TROYA CAVA BRUT 75cl

was €26 Save €13.01

Other great offers

€8

ARESTI BELLAVISTA CHARDONNAY 75cl

was €12.99 Save €4.99

€8

COMBEVAL IGP COTES DE GASCOGNE 75cl

was €11.99 Save €3.99

€8

BODEGA SAN TELMO SAUVIGNON BLANC 75cl

was €10.99 Save €2.99

€15

FINCA LABARCA GRAN RESERVA RIOJA 75cl

was €19.99 Save €4.99

€13

LANGHORNE CREEK ZINFANDEL 75cl

was €15.99 Save €2.99

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New Microbrewery and Restaurant Open in Cork

Thompsons Restaurant & Microbrewery in MacCurtain Street, Cork!! 😁 Have a sneak peek inside through the tallest chimney in Cork while we prepare to open our doors on Thursday 6th August! More details here!❤

Bookings are now open at thompsonscork.ie 🥳🥳

Mo

Did you know that McConnell’s Irish Whisky was the first ever recorded Irish Whisky Brand in Northern Ireland. From 1776 to today, it’s had its ups and downs, but who doesn’t love a good comeback story. More here.

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Bright, bold and full of personality, Shiraz is one of Australia’s most established and loved varieties. It is grown by 4 out of 5 wineries and represents nearly half of Australia’s red wine grape plantings. Read our Market Bulletin to discover the latest data and trends for Australian Shiraz. Read more here.

Wine. What's it all about? Pét-Nat. And now there's an Irish one!

Wine. What's it all about? Pét-Nat
And now there's an Irish one!  

From Greece to Baltimore!

So what’s this Pét-Nat wine they are all talking about? Firstly, it is an abbreviation for pétillant naturel, the French term that roughly means naturally sparkling.

Is it then a copy of champagne? Far from it. 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 the label. 

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 sediment are other clues!

The method is pretty widespread across the wine world - I enjoyed a Greek one recently. Most are fun and good with food, especially lighter dishes. Great for al fresco lunches and that is where I came across the Greek - see below.

And now there's an Irish Pét-Nat, though not for sale yet! Produced by Mark Jenkinson Slane Co. Meath. It was unveiled in last Saturday's Drinks Theatre event in Ballymaloe and presenters Colm and Seamus says it is "fantastic, an Irish Pet Nat Rosé from Chardonnay & Pinot Noir vines in Tandardstown". For more, including next Sat's Natural Wine event, check the Drinks Theatre on Instagram.

Entré Vinyes Oníric Pét-Nat Penedes 2019, 12.5%, €13.45 Mary Pawle

Colour of this Spanish version is more lemon than yellow, cloudy. Floral aromas of modest intensity. You will get a big white “head” but it won’t last kissing time. Fresh, plush and, helped by the lovely pleasant feel of the sparkle on the palate, it is instantly accessible, with second glass appeal for sure. All this, along with the white fruit and just enough acidity to ensure a harmonious and easy-drinking experience, makes this one of the Highly Recommended.

Onric 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 used are Xarel-lo (70%) and Muscat.

Azul y Garanza are very happy to add this one to their portfolio, “a clear reflection of the place they come from”. And I’m very happy too that Mary Pawle has imported it. An excellent example of the type and very well priced as well.

Mary Pawle tells me this has proved extremely popular. She stocked it in Urru in Bandon,  Manning’s Emporium, Ballylickey  & The Connemara Hamper in Clifden. Worth a try but you'll be lucky to get bottle.

Casa Belfi Col Fondo Organic Frizzante Rosso NV, 11.5%, €21.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny   

This Organic sparkling red wine is made from Raboso grown at the vineyards in San Polo di Piave (where they have been making wines since 1607). It is naturally fermented in the bottle, an Italian Pét-Nat. Raboso is a local Venetian variety named Raboso “Fiery in Italian”. But don’t worry, nothing extreme in this bottle! Piave is named after the local river and is famous for its cows milk cheese and for a decisive battle there during WW1.

Back to our frizzante which has a ruby red colour, with fine and persistent perlage. Fresh and fruity (sharp red fruit), floral and with spicy aromas. In the mouth, it is dry, with balanced tannins and a pleasant acidity. Quite a backbone of flavour and more assertive than white frizzantes. Highly Recommended.

Food pairings: This Rosso is recommended for rich first courses with meat sauces, salami, grilled and roast white and red meat. Serve at 10-12 degrees. This, they say, “is the same type of sparkling wine that our grandparents used to drink”.

Col Fondo: at the end of the alcoholic fermentation, the wine is racked off and stored in stainless steel tanks. As it ages the wine is frequently stirred in order to keep the yeasts in suspension (battonage). When the temperature starts rising in Spring, the time is perfect to make the wine sparkling.The still wine is bottled with some residual sugar and the consequent alcoholic fermentation forms the bubbles. There is no disgorgement. Magic!

Kamara Pure Rosé. A Greek Pét Nat in the Baltimore Sun

In July, we were enjoying a superb lunch in the sunny courtyard (right) of Baltimore's Customs House where Michelin chef Dede now operates. Could this get any better? Believe or not, it did. We (all the customers) were invited to taste one of the wines that the management had been trying out in the shade with Fionnuala of Wines Direct. 

Maria, Ahmet Dede’s business partner, told me they do that here and that they want good wines that their customers can afford, particularly by the glass. Our sample was that bit different, a delicious, light and easy-drinking Pét Nat, not from France but from Greece! What a lovely bonus. A friendly touch in a friendly and cool place. And that rosé went very well indeed with my chicken salad. 

Check Wines Direct for more details here

Spanish Wine Week Coming Up in October, plus more on wine, spirits and beer in Cheers #13

Cheers #13

SPANISH WINE WEEK will be BACK in October from the 12th to the 18th

Tons of events & promotions around Ireland

Save the date & stay tuned

#SWW2020 can't wait

Tuscany Bistro re-launch Italian Supperclub - The Dingle Gin Edition

Tuscany Bistro, Castletroy are delighted to announce the re-launch of our first Italian Supperclub: The Dingle Gin Edition. This event will be filled with a cooking demo of a starter, main course, and dessert all infused with Dingle Gin, each course paired with a Dingle Gin cocktail. There will be arrival Canapes & Cocktails at 6.30pm (10th August). Tickets via Eventmaster here .

Wines Direct Offer A Taste of Portugal

In honour of Quinta do Crasto making it to #8 on the TOP 50 World's Best Vineyards, a selection of the best wine destinations in the world, we present to you the Taste of Portugal Case. The ever so perfect Portugal case features three wines from Quinta do Crasto and three wines showcasing our top Portuguese picks from Pousio and Pessoa. Details here.

UK Government Sleepwalking to Fine Wine Disaster

A stark picture of a post-Brexit UK wine trade fills David Allen MW with horror.

The WSTA is the UK wine trade's political lobby group, so when I joined their recent Post-Brexit Trading for Fine Wine Merchants webinar, I was expecting they might paint a picture of the UK government failing to understand the implications of Brexit for the UK's fine wine sector.

The picture painted, however, of a government sleepwalking towards a disaster for the wine industry was far more horrifying than I had imagined. More here

Dede brings a refined and exotic touch to amazing West Cork produce in his new Baltimore venue.

Dede brings a refined and exotic touch to amazing

 West Cork produce in his new Baltimore venue.

Beetroot, and peach

Often it is the simple things that make the meal. Local beetroot, his own bread, even the ice-cream, all stood out during a delicious lunch at Baltimore’s Customs House where top Chef Ahmet Dede may be found these days, just a few steps from The Mews where he helped win a Michelin star in 2018.

Baltimore sunshine

It is all much simpler here in the sunny courtyard with a scattering of rustic tables, a barbecue set up on one side, a young and friendly staff, the menu on a blackboard, the renowned chef himself in and out helping and with time for a chat as was partner Maria. The food for lunch is simple, and simply superb. The sky is blue, the sun high above. On a midday like today, the indoor rooms are redundant.

Chicken mains

Could this get any better? Believe or not, it did. In a gesture that underlines the admiration that Dede has for the people here and they for him, we (all the customers) were invited to taste one of the wines that the management had been trying out in the shade with Fionnuala of Wines Direct. 

Love that Pet' Nat!

Maria, Ahmet’s business partner, told me they do that here and that they want good wines that their customers can afford, particularly by the glass. Our sample was that bit different, a delicious, light and easy-drinking Pet’ Nat, not from France but from Greece! What a lovely bonus. A friendly touch in a friendly and cool place.

They are offering a set menu of three courses on a Thursday, Friday and a Saturday evening at a set price of €50 per person.  The ingredients are sourced locally from the finest, eco friendly and passionate growers, producers, farmers, cheesemongers, foragers, fishmongers and butchers. The menu will constantly change according to the seasons and availability of ingredients, and may change again when hopefully the Covid time-limit is lifted!

We read our simple lunch menu from the blackboard (brought to our table). We both thought it was a bit warm for the Spiced Lentil Soup with sourdough (6.00) so gave it a skip. 

Mega dessert!

There were three salad options on the mains and CL went for the Beetroot, Feta and Peach offering (4 to 6 euro depending on size). The beetroot is at its best right now and Ahmet enhanced that fresh flavour even further with a few slices of peach and also some thin apple slices that were disguised by the red juice but also played a part on the palate. Very enjoyable dish indeed was the verdict! My Blog Chef though would have a little more peach, a little more feta, and a little less beet.

I felt like something more substantial, so picked the quarter rotisserie chicken with bulgar wheat, salad, potatoes and sourdough bread (17.50). Ahmet himself delivered our mains and told me I was having rice instead of the bulgar. He also said they were getting on well here and were very busy overall. So I busied myself with this superb dish, fantastic flavours and textures, reminding me a bit of the (obviously) memorable Farmyard Chicken lunch I had at Café Lavinal in Pauillac a few years ago.

Having skipped the starter, we were up for the dessert: brown butter ice-cream with honey sauce. We weren’t quite prepared for the size of it though, about as big as a wheel of Gubbeen. A very generous round indeed and the sauce was delicious as well. It may have been big but it was finished!

From the deli

We paid up (40 euro including tip) and then took a look at his deli. That has loads of tempting produce, including his salads, his magnificent sourdough, lots of pastries too. Much of the produce is local, including Gloun Cross butter for instance. 

We got a few things here and a bit of advice from Maria. With a Smoked Fish Dip from Sally Barnes and their own Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Dip in the bag, we were told all we needed for a super lunch with the dips was some sourdough. Going down to get that together as soon as I finish up here!

Baltimore was looking splendid when we arrived (and when we left). So we had a good look around, mainly at the boats coming and going from the islands. The little square above the harbour was quite busy too with customers dining in the sun.

But we couldn’t linger any longer and soon we were heading for Skibbereen, Drimoleague and Dunmanway on the way home via the R585. I’d normally prefer the R584 but, with so many interesting stops on that one, we’d have had to make an overnight somewhere, like Gougane. Next time.

Also on this trip:
Mizen Head Visit
Overnight and Dinner at Celtic Ross

Baltimore in the sun

The Ciù Ciù Casella! More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #12

More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #12 

Wines direct offer you 

The Ciù Ciù Casella!

Ciù Ciù and Wines Direct have had a close relationship for over ten years. Ciù Ciù's wines have donned the tables of many significant milestone gatherings and family weddings. In celebration, we have put together something very memorable to honour our lasting partnership. You will be delighted to hear that this exceptional offer includes three wines exclusive just to the Ciù Ciù case and three wines that have proved to be permanent staff and customer favourites. Read more here.

****COMPETITION TIME**** At Blacks Brewery. To celebrate summer, Blacks Brewery (@blacksbrewery ) have teamed up with

@bradleys_offlic

to offer you the chance to win a case of KPA cans a funky btl opener and 2 tasting glasses. TO WIN just go to @blacksbrewery on Twitter to like, retweet and comment with how many cans are in the window display in the photo below.

Fresh Beer from the White Hag

Fresh out of the tank this week and first time ever on the store is The Fleadh, Red IPA and also the Róc Helles lager - you can order here, and it will ship tomorrow morning! More info here

ROSÉ FROM AUSTRIA

Rosé wine is winning friends and becoming increasingly popular, thanks to its freshness, fragrantly spicy aromas and appealing colour. It has long since shed the reputation of being “neither fish nor flesh”. Austria offers a wide range of rosé a light, pink-coloured wine made from black grapes; some are particularly delicate, while others can be racy or powerful – a few of them even with protected designation of origin! Read more here.

Kinsale Spirit Launch New Whiskey

Kinsale Spirit have launched their first whiskey; details here