Cheers 200912. The Drinks Digest. Fidelity. Whiplash. O'Briens Wine. Clonakilty Distillery. Wines of the World.

Cheers 200912. The Drinks Digest. Fidelity. Whiplash. O'Briens Wine. Clonakilty Distillery. Wines of the World.

Fidelity beer festival to return in 2021

Founded by Whiplash and The Big Romance, Fidelity Beer Festival is set to return to Dublin’s

Mansion House on July 16th and 17th 2021, following a break this year.

Building on the success of the first event, Fidelity will once again bring world-class breweries

to the city, many for the first time, for two evening tasting sessions over two days. Unlike

many other beer festivals, Fidelity’s concept is simple – your ticket includes all your beer

samples. No tokens or cash required! Once you collect your specially designed tasting glass

at the door, you’re free to start sampling some of the best beers from a line-up of both

international and local breweries. Whiplash will be creating some limited-edition beers for

the event too.

The festival is designed to allow guests sample at their leisure and take the time to meet all

the fantastic brewers while they serve their incredible beer. As with the previous event,

many of the beers available for sampling will be pouring in Ireland for the very first time,

and each session will have a completely different roster of beers. There will also be a

selection of Dublin’s finest DJs and more to add to the entertainment. The full line-up of

breweries will be announced in 2021.

Tickets cost €62.50 + fees and will be available on Thursday 10th December at 9am from

fidelity.beer.

******

Lynne Coyle MW takes you through her picks in

O'Briens Annual Fine Wine Sale

Château Phélan Ségur

CULT, ICONIC & CLASSIC WINES AT REMARKABLE VALUE IN OUR ANNUAL FINE WINE SALE
By Lynne Coyle MW | O'Briens Wine Director


Our annual Fine Wine Sale starts in-store and online 11am Monday 7th December, with our carefully curated selection of cult, iconic and classic wines. On offer are very individual wines from top estates, some famous brands and some made in tiny quantities along with a few new treasures joining the line-up. So, whether gift buying, treating yourself or investing in an exceptional bottle to cellar, this once a year sale presents the opportunity to buy unique wines at exceptional prices, here are a few suggestions to mull over. See the full list of our Fine Wines below (While stocks last, limited quantities available online, customer quotas apply, check your local store too)!  Read more here.

*****

Clonakilty Distillery Back Open! We're delighted to announce we are opening our Distillery Gift Shop from Saturday 5th December.   Open every Wednesday – Saturday  11:30am – 6pm.

We will also be opening our doors on Tuesday 8th December for the Christmas in Clonakilty Shopping day. More info here *****   Wines Of The World Final Virtual Tasting of the year Our final virtual tasting of 2020 will take place on Friday December 18th. Valued at €95, you can order your case now for only €79.99. You will even receive a little surprise as a thank you for all your support over the year! It is the final few days for orders on our Virtual Tasting Case. More details here

Cheers 200412. The Drinks Digest. Red Nose Wine. Hopfully. Wines of the World. O'Briens Wine. Rascals.

Cheers 200412

Red Nose Wine Partners With Enrico Fantasia!

The new wines keep on coming and we have partnered with Enrico Fantasia to bring in more hand made wines, many of which are organic and biodynamic. Enrico is from Venice and is almost as famous a fisherman as he is a wine expert. He works with all of the top restaurants around the country and is a co-owner in Piglet, a traditional trattoria style wine bar in Temple Bar. This is where the wine importers bring their winemakers when they want to show off - a phenomenal wine list and a great night out ( whenever we get out again ). See more details here.

Who else loves the Hopfully Beers?

It's starting to feel like our favorite time of the year, it's almost Christmas time! We've got a brand new webpage with some exclusive items, including this beautiful Gift Box, the perfect gift for someone special. Click on the link below to place your order, make sure to use this promo-code HOP100 to get a 10% discount on your purchase. The promo-code will expire on the 4th of December. More details here

The gift box includes: 1 Graciosa Tropical IPA 5.3% 1 Insideout New England Pale Ale 5% 1 Legswap Raspberry & Lime Sour 4% 1 Shinebright New England IPA 6% 1 Insideout Glass 40cl

MULLED WINE

Wines Of The World 

have tips on mulled wine, the traditional winter warmer...

A Traditional Winter favourite, Winter Warmer Mulled Wine blends the finest ingredients to give a character of subtle cinnamon, clove spices and zesty citrus fruits. Making your life easy – simply garnish with cinnamon sticks and an orange slice. More here

Paul Barry advises to check

O'Briens Whiskey Offer, including Teelings.

Irish whiskey is experiencing a renaissance with many new distilleries setting up, showcasing the diverse range of whiskey now produced on the island. Teeling Whiskey, winners of over 60 international awards over the last few years, are placing themselves at the forefront of this movement. Their goal is to produce a collection of whiskeys that illustrate the breadth of choice and the different styles and flavours that Irish whiskey has to offer. With this in mind I have picked out three whiskeys that show case the versatility of their range.

Whichever you choose we have plenty on offer in our Irish Whiskey Sale, with 10% off a selection of great Teeling whiskeys.

The Rascal's Question: Fancy a case of Happy Days?

We’ve more news than you can shake a stick at. First up, our new off-licence is open for business. Now you can bring home your favourite Rascals beers, and a few fancy guest beers, from Rascals HQ Inchicore. We’re exclusively selling mini kegs of our Pilot Kit Series as well. Don't forget your shopping bag! Opening times for the off-licence are the same as our restaurant: from 4pm Wed – Sun, from 1pm Sat and Sun. More here

Cheers #25: Rascals Brewing. Wines of the World Burgundy Focus. Virtual Tour of Chateau Feeley. O'Briens Spanish Sale. Blacks Distillery. Wines Direct.

Cheers #25: Rascals Brewing.Wines of the World Burgundy Focus. Virtual Tour of Chateau Feeley. O'Briens Spanish Sale.  Blacks Distillery. Wines Direct. 

The Candyman Makes The World Taste Good

Rascals Brewing: "The Candyman is on sale now. Grab yourself a case of 24 or go for the mixed case with one of our core beers. This is our new chocolate salted caramel stout. Golden Promise forms the base malt, while Cara malt and Crystal malt are used generously for rich caramel flavours. We add chocolate wheat for a smooth mouthfeel, a deep brown colour and hints of black coffee and bittersweet chocolate. There's even a smidgen of salt in the boil. It’s a humdinger, if we may say so ourselves."  Details here

Rock On. Stay Safe. Message from Wines Direct!

https://winesdirect.ie/wine-offers-ireland 

Inside Track on O'Briens Current Spanish Wine Sale

with Lynne Coyle MW

"As our Spanish Wine Sale launches, we are reflecting on that fact that, in wine terms Spain really does have it all. From crisp refreshing whites, through sumptuous red berried full flavoured reds and silky Rioja with a peppering of sparkling and solera aged wines, there truly is something for everyone and a fun journey of exploration to be had."

From Cava to Sherry, from Albarino to Godello, there is something for all palates. More info here.

Burgundy Bargains from Wines of the World

Sale Price:€224.00 Original Price:322.00

This is a case of Burgundian wines all with the Pinot Noir grape. Domaine Faiveley is a wine producer in Burgundy, France situated in Nuits-Saint-Georges and established in 1825. Faiveley owns 120 hectares of vineyards in Burgundy, which makes them one of Burgundy's largest vineyard owners, also one of the top producers! Details here

Chateau Feeney. Vineyard Tour?

The vineyard is looking beautiful decked out in Autumn colours. For the latest photos follow us on instagram https://www.instagram.com/chateaufeely/ or on facebook www.facebook.com/chateaufeely and Caro at www.instagram.com/carofeely for our latest photos. 

A Gift From The Spirit of Kinsale

Blacks doesn`t believe in ghosts to much but we are big believers in a well matured spirit. We also love a good celebration, the opportunity to combine the two means we are in the mood for a Halloween giveaway. Starting today new or existing members who invest in a new cask (any type) will receive a free community share (worth €500) in the Halloween community cask. Only 15 shares are available and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. This offer closes on the 31st October, HALLOWEEN. Info here

Cheers #23: O'Briens Winter Wines. Wines Direct Rock. Rascals Beer Offer. Sarah Jessica Parker. Napa Fires.

Cheers #23: O'Briens Winter Wines. Wines Direct Rock. Rascals Beer Offer. Sarah Jessica Parker. Napa Fires. 

 

WARMING WINTER DRINKS

O'Brien Wines are putting the spotlight on warming winter drinks right with a few suggestions from Paul Barry.

 

"We are big fans of hot toddies here in O’Briens but why not try out some mulled cider? Gently warm the cider and add a slice of orange studded with cloves a cinnamon stick for a little spice and you have one of the most aromatic and invigorating alcoholic drinks. Longueville Medium-Dry from Longueville house in County Cork is a great choice for this and you can pick it up on offer at 3 bottles for €9. More suggestions here.

Let's Rock On. No stopping Wines Direct!

As Covid-19 continues, we at Wines Direct would like to share with you actions we are taking to provide the best service given the current restrictions without compromising safety. 

 

• Free Nationwide Delivery.
• Wines Direct preferred delivery partners are adapting to these ever-changing circumstances and are working through lockdown as an essential service provider. 
• Drivers routinely clean and disinfect their vans.
• Contactless delivery is in place.
• Our warehouse is fully stocked, and additional precautions have been put in place to ensure our warehouse staff, who diligently work to fulfil your orders, are kept safe.
• Our entire team is adhering to social distancing, and we are restricting the number of staff in our building, while our online team continues to work primarily from home. 

Virtual Wine Tasting by Wines of the World

Sarah Jessica Parker

Our next virtual tasting on Oct 23rd will be another fun one! We will have a special guest joining us for this one!

We have included 6 wines in our surprise wine case - 3 different wines (White, Rosé & Red) - 2 of each wine.

More here. 

Some news for you - Sarah Jessica Parker’s wine collaboration with Kiwi winery Invivo & Co, Invivo X, SJP, has been awarded ‘Best Launch of the Year’ by the 2020 Drinks Business Awards.

Check out a mini clip here from SJP https://vimeo.com/460012312

Rascals Brewing on the ball

So, level 3 it is then. We must go on. We can’t go on. We’ll go on. And we can make things a lot more bearable with a special offer just for you! Exclusive to newsletter subscribers, we’re offering FREE SHIPPING to anywhere in the country for any order placed before Monday (12/10)

Just enter BAGOFCANS in the discount code box on your shopping cart and you’re away in a hack. Buy the beer here

Fires leave Napa harvest on a knife edge

When Judd Wallenbrock woke up Sunday morning, he saw the first patch of blue sky he'd seen in weeks over Napa.

"I couldn't believe it," the CEO and president of C. Mondavi & Family, says. "And I started thinking of how lucky we had been, of all we had. Of what our neighbors were going through, emotionally and financially." More from Wine-Searcher.com on the damage here.

John Wilson's Selection. Chateau Feely Harvest. White Hag Magic. Wines of the World Double. And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #23

John Wilson's Selection. Chateau Feely Harvest. White Hag Magic. Wines of the World Double.

And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #23 

Wines Direct Talk Wine With John Wilson.

 And Come Up With A Great Selection!

Renowned Irish Times wine critic John Wilson knows a thing or two about great wine, so when he gives any of our wines the nod our customers take note. We recently had a chat with John and decided it would be cool to share with you a selection of wines he has recently featured and that we think you'll also find worthy of attention. Click here to see the selection.

HARVEST WHIRLWIND

AT Chateau Feely

In this post Caro Feely shares some photos and impressions of harvest 2020.

"We started almost a week earlier than ever and finished a week earlier than ever. Whirlwind is the best way to describe this harvest.

The photo below is the harvest kickoff hurrah! Merlot for Feely Sparkling Brut Rosé.

We started 24 August and finished 11 September." More details here

AUSTRIA'S 2019 VINTAGE AMONG THE VERY BEST

The 2019 vintage in Austria aroused great expectations right from the start. Now, reviews from experts throughout the world have confirmed it: the wines of this vintage are truly among the best that Austria’s winegrowers have been able to produce in recent decades. More here Get Your Pumpkin Magic from the White Hag We've done it - after years of thinking about it, talking about it and looking at it, we've gone and made a Pumpkin Pie inspired beer! Pumpkin Ale is a huge seasonal favourite in the US, where a bunch of our brew team grew up making and drinking these beers. While there have been a fervent few in Ireland who have committed to making seasonal celebration beers popular, the pumpkin ale has been neglected until recently. … See More Wines of the World  Two offers to consider: The Top Varietals Mix (Case of 6) is a mixed case of our top varietals and top sellers - a mix of the old world and new world, the best of both. Check details here. The Celebrity Mixed Case (Case of 6) is a mix of Graham Norton and Kylie Minogue Wines from the New World and Old World. More here.

Before and after with Chateau Feely. Mystery from Wines of the World. O'Briens Whiskey Cuts. And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #21

Before and after with Chateau Feely in the Dordogne.  

Mystery from Wines of the World. O'Briens Whiskey Cuts. And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #21

Mystery???

2005

Now

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS AT CHATEAU FEELY

If you read Caro’s books you know that Caro and Sean Feely bought this farm that was in liquidation in 2005. It was run down and in partial ruin. Each year, as budget allows, the Feelys lovingly restore another piece of this small piece of paradise.

In this post Caro shares some photos from the archives and an excerpt from Grape Expectations, from the day friends, Helen and Derek Melser, cleared the brush and forest and the Feelys discovered the building that would become the Wine Lodge. Much more here as they followed their dream in the Dordogne. 

Wines Of The World

Wines Of The World have two interesting items this week. 

1 - LAST CHANCE TO BUY!

 

"Our next virtual tasting is something special.

This time we are pairing Wine & Chocolate.

Worth over €120, purchase now for just €99

- over a 20% saving!"

2 - This week they put the spotlight on 2 favourites from Australia and 2 from Chile. 

All the details here.

New offers have landed in the Irish Whiskey Sale at O'Briens

The weather is fine, and the O’Briens Irish Whiskey Sale continues, what more could we ask for! This week in the blog we are giving you the inside track on some unique Irish Whiskeys featured in the sale. Natterjack, Dingle, Writers Tears reduced - all the details here

Wines Direct And Winemaker Pier Paolo Antolini Give Finger To Covid 19

The cool thing about this case (other than the excellent wine and its funky label) is its ageing potential. It may be the best time capsule from this crazy moment in time. Who cannot wait to look back on all of this in the rearview mirror while sipping a smooth and beautifully aged Amarone? The Valpolicella Classico is ready for drinking now but can be put away for a few years. The rest can be put away for 5+ years and the Amarone for 10+ years! Just be sure to age your wine in a cool, dark place where temperatures do not fluctuate. More details here