Why Pay More for your Bubbles? Discover the Affordable Allure of Crémant!

Photo by Cody Chan on Unsplash

Why Pay More for your Bubbles? Discover the Affordable Allure of Crémant! 

M&S Crémant De Bourgogne (ACC) Brut, 12% ABV, 

€12.00 at M&S

M&S: Sparkling, creamy, elegant, fizz

Taste: Peach blossom, apricot, redcurrants.

Food: Canapés, smoked salmon, goats cheese.

Grapes: Chardonnay, Aligoté and Gamay, aged in bottle to give a fine elegant mousse

Sometimes, those of us who regularly dabble in wine assume that other people, who may not dabble as much, will recognise all the terms. Take Crémant, for example, and Methode Traditionelle. 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.  

Crémant de Bourgogne was first made, using the Traditional vinification method (same as Champagne), at the beginning of the 19th century. The AOC status granted in 1975 laid down strict conditions for its production based on meticulously applied traditional skills to achieve high-quality vinification. Only whites and rosés qualify for the appellation. They may be blanc de blancs (from white grapes) or blanc de noirs (from white-juiced black grapes). Most are classed as brut. You’ll see demi-sec less often. The production area is the same as that for the appellation Bourgogne.

Another excellent Crémant 
from Burgundy

Key Crémant Regions & Styles

• Alsace (Crémant d'Alsace): The biggest producer (over half of all French Crémant is made here), often using Pinot Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Gris for crisp, aromatic wines.
• Burgundy (Crémant de Bourgogne): Shares grapes with Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir) but offers fresher, sometimes richer, styles from areas like Auxerre and Rully.
• Loire Valley (Crémant de Loire): Known for its versatility, using Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay for diverse profiles.
• Limoux (Crémant de Limoux): Southern France's bubbly, often featuring Mauzac, Chardonnay, and Chenin Blanc. Limoux strongly claims to be the first region in France to produce bubbly wine!
• Jura (Crémant du Jura): From eastern France, using local grapes like Poulsard and Trousseau for unique flavors.
• Savoie (Crémant de Savoie): From the Alps, offering light, fresh sparkling wines.
• Bordeaux (Crémant de Bordeaux): Produced in the famous wine region, using Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Merlot (for rosé).
• Die (Crémant de Die): In the Rhône Valley, known for Muscat-based sparkling wines. 
• In addition, you also have Crémant de Luxembourg, known for its fine bubbles, balance of freshness and complexity.

Celebrating the Feastday of St. Brigid, one of the patron saints of beer? A beautifully crafted collection from Newbridge Silverware celebrates the saint!

Celebrating the Feastday of St. Brigid, one of the patron saints of beer?

 A beautifully crafted collection from Newbridge Silverware honours the saint who is said  to  have miraculously changed water into beer for a leper colony and provided enough beer for 18 churches from a single barrel.

 

To celebrate St. Brigid’s Day on Saturday, 1 February 2026, Newbridge Silverware proudly honours one of Ireland’s most important cultural and spiritual figures with a beautifully crafted collection inspired by her enduring legacy.St. Brigid is recognised not only as the patron saint of Kildare, but as one of Ireland’s three national patron saints, holding equal status with St. Patrick and St. Colmcille. Her significance is further reflected in the national public holiday held in her honour on the first Monday of February, underscoring her importance in contemporary Irish life.

 

Renowned for her association with metalwork and ironwork, St. Brigid has long been synonymous with craft and creativity— values deeply rooted in the heritage of Newbridge Silverware. She is also celebrated as a symbol of peace, friendship and generosity, and as a herald of spring, bringing hope, renewal and brighter days ahead.

 

To mark this special day, Newbridge Silverware have designed a bespoke jewellery collection comprising the St. Brigid’s Cross Pin (€30), Pendant (€45) and Bracelet (€40).

The cultural resonance of the St. Brigid’s Cross has been recognised on the world stage. In a powerful gesture of Irish heritage and diplomacy, Senator Aubrey McCarthy recently presented the Newbridge Silverware St. Brigid’s Cross Pin to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and also to Pope Leo XIV, highlighting the cross as a universal emblem of peace, solidarity and friendship.

Inspired by the traditional St. Brigid’s Cross, this collection is both a tribute to Ireland’s spiritual heritage and a contemporary expression of timeless design. These elegant pieces make a meaningful gift for a friend, a cherished keepsake for loved ones living abroad, or a lasting reminder of home and Irish identity.

 

Visit the Newbridge Silverware lifestyle store in Newbridge, Co. Kildare and check out www.newbridgesilverware.com.

press release

 

Favourite Delicious Dishes 2025. A collection of the best over the past year (and a guide to 2026).

Favourite Delicious Dishes 2025. 

 

An enjoyable and varied collection of dishes,  appetising plates that keep me returning.

Another year is done and dusted and time to look back over its dining delights. For much of the year, Ballycotton's Sea Church was the only establishment to have a contender in all three main categories. At the last moment, Da Mirco's came up with a hat trick of its own, also impressing with starter, mains and desert! Thanks to all the restaurants and cafes I visited this year and hope to see you all in 2026. A Peaceful New Year to you all!

Mains  - Meat & Poultry 

51 Cornmarket (free-range pork chop)

Amicus (Medium curry)

Bar One, Castlebar. Bacon Chop

O'Mahony's Watergrasshill. Glenbrook Farm Pork Ragout

ORSO (Lamb shank)

Poachers, Ballina. Steak

Thompsons (steak)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Boeuf Bourguignon)

Jim Edwards Kinsale (Duck)

Nua Asador (Picanha)

Cornstore (Beef cheek)

CUSH Midleton, Beef Cheek

Monk's Lane Timoleague (African-style lamb)

Da Mirco (Lasagna Gratinata Goccia D'Oro) 

Sea Bass at Sea Church

Mains - Fish

Canopy at Castlemartyr Resort (Salmon with butternut risotto)

CUSH, Midleton  (Grilled Hake)

Farmgate Café (Pan Fried Cod with Peperonata, etc)

House of Plates, Castlebar. Halibut

Market Lane (Sardinian Seafood Pasta)

Salty Dog, Ballycotton (John Dory)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Sea Bass on bone)

K. O'Connell Fishmongers at Dunne's Stores Patrick St (Salmon Arancini)

Arundel's by the Pier, Ahakista. Fish and Chips

Ferrit & Lee, Midleton (Featherblade, Chicken Liver Paté)

Fish Factory, Dingle. (Prawn & Thai Curry)

The Bosun, Monkstown (Prawn Cocktail)

Mains - others

Bella Napoli (Ragu Alla Genovese)

Good Hood (Diego Pizza)

Ichibanya (Bento Box)

Sullys (Tacos, Nachos)

The Wine Tavern St Luke's (Sharing Board, charcuterie & cheese)

Bakestone  (quiche)

The Lodge Myrtleville Curry

Izz Café (Palestinian cuisine)

Lifeboat Inn Courtmacsherry (aubergine bake)

The Malthouse Midleton (Szechuan chicken stir fry)

Lamb Shank at ORSO

Soups, Chowders, Starters

Azure Bistro, Cobh (Bouillabaisse)

Canopy at Castlemartyr Resort (Aloo Tikki)

Goldie (Oyster Paté)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Chowder)

The Lodge, Myrtleville (Bao Buns)

Half Door, Dingle (Lobster Bisque)

Da Mirco (Micro's Board) 

Sweet at Bakestone!

Sandwiches:

Food Club at Fota House, chicken sandwich

Pop Crowleys, Macroom (toasties)

Desserts

Izz Café Basbouseh

Bakestone  (pastries)

Le Bistro (Carrot Cake)

Maison Gourmet, Kenmare (Strawberry Tart)

Sea Church, Ballycotton. (Crème Brûlée)

The Lake Hotel, Killarney (Bread & Butter Pudding)

Thompsons (Swiss Roll)

Rí Fern at Louis Mulcahy’s Dingle peninsula (Peach Crumble)

Da Mirco (Panettone Nel Marsala E Pere) 

Full Irish at Granville (less some requested deductions!)

Tasting Menu

Glass Curtain

Sunday Lunch

The Cornstore

Breakfast

Granville Hotel Waterford (breakfast)

Schull Harbour Hotel, French Toast

Greenmount House, Dingle (Full Irish)

Carvery

The Elm Tree (carvery) 

December Delights at Da Mirco. Tuesday's dinner at one of the best 2025.

December Delights at Da Mirco

Osteria Da Mirco, one of the best and most authentic Italian restaurants in Cork City and County and beyond.

Tuesday evening's dinner at Da Mirco in Bridge Street was one of the best of the year.

Mirco is a great supporter of the best Irish producers and also sources produce from small producers in his home community of Valtellina in the north of Italy. The mountainy area is nearer St Moritz than Milan.

Tagliere da Mirco (Da Mirco’s board) comes with cured meats and cheeses from Valtellina served with giardiniera (mixed pickled vegetables), tomato jam and homemade focaccia. This was our shared starter the other night and is a regular feature here.  And, full of different flavours and textures, it is a superb introduction to the evening meal and a tasty indication of the authenticity of your plates here.

No pizzas at Da Mirco but a great variety of pasta dishes on the main courses. I was very tempted by the Homemade Tagliatelle served in a traditional venison ragu recipe (from Valtellina) cooked in a deep venison stock and winter spices. But opted for the Lasagna Gratinata Goccia D'Oro. 

Mirco, full of gusto and who you'll see doing front of house, is one of the most warm-hearted owners around, always game for a laugh. This dish is introduced as the "Traditional Christmas lasagna recipe of my childhood": layers of lasagna filled with sausages, prosciutto cotto, mushrooms, truffle paste and Casera cheese. Another exquisite taste of Valtellina. Just hope he has it on the menu for the rest of the winter.

Da Mirco have been serving this every year since their first winter (2010) in Bridge Street and you can see the man himself enthusing about it here. 

Lasagna, an amazing dish.

Having considered the dessert menu, we made another decision to share. And it wasn't the house Tiramisu. We were lucky enough to agree on the Panettone Nel Marsala E Pere i.e. Warm Panettone in ‘Bread & Butter Pudding style’ served with poached Pear in Marsala and vanilla cream.  "A Christmas classic, reimagined," says Mirco, "Comforting, nostalgic, and unapologetically festive. Mamma Miaaaaaaa!"

"Born" in Milan, Panettone was once a luxury treat, before becoming a Christmas staple thanks to iconic 20th-century bakers Motta and Alemagna. Today, it’s loved all over the world, but nothing beats enjoying it the Italian way. Have you ever seen Mirco doing his videos? You should! Check him out on their Instagram. Here's one.

Wine? Oh yes, we had wine! Da Mirco have a new system for house quality wine through a collaboration with WINELAB. "We use tap because wines stay fresher for longer time and is sustainable, reducing glass waste and carbon emissions". The white wine on tap is Friulano Vini Stocco while the red is Nerello Mascalese Domus Vini.

A few other wines are available by the glass in two sizes, one 175ml, the other 125. I very much enjoyed my velvety and fruity Primitivo Bocca Della Verita Salento but CL's pick was even better. This was the Antica Enotria Bianco Tuccio Cerignola, imported by Le Caveau. A blend of indigenous grapes (Falanghina and Fiano in perfect harmony) it is light and fresh, packed with elegant fruit and finishing long and refreshing. Absolutely super and well priced also. Cheers. Enjoy the Christmas.

Dessert. Pic via Da Mirco

Irish producers that are supported here include:

O’Mahony’s The Market Butcher, English Market - Cork

O’Sullivan’s Poultry & Eggs, English Market - Cork

Skeaghanore Duck - Ballydehob - Cork

Ballycotton Seafood, English Market - Cork

Glenmar Shellfish, Union Hall - Co.Cork

Terre Ignis, English Market - Cork

Kilbrack Farm, Donerail - Co.Cork

Cork Rooftop Farm, Cork City - Co.Cork

Real Olive Company, English Market - Cork

Pana Artisan Bread, Midleton - Co.Cork

Tipi & Co., Cosio Valtellino Lombardia - Italia

Sala Cereali, Sondrio Lombardia - Italia

Storico Ribelle ‘Presidio Slow Food’, Gerola Alta Lombardia - Italia

Sysco Food - Cork

La Rousse Fine Foods, - Dublin

Boots Italian Specialities, - Cork

Cordelia Foods, - Dublin

Scupa Gelato, - Wexford

Morso Napoletano Cafe - Carrigaline Co.Cork

WINES, BEERS & DRINKS

Quintessential Wines, Drogheda - Co. Louth

A Taste of Italy - Co. Wexford

Grape Circus - Dublin

WineLab - Co. Kildare

Wines Direct Mullingar - Co. Westmeath

Le Caveau Wines - Kilkenny

Classic Drinks - Little Island Co. Cork

Italicatessen Italian Specialities, - Dublin

KC Norton Italian Specialities, - Dublin