Joe Karwig’s Rieslings. Reasons to Remember

Joe Karwig’s Rieslings

Reasons to Remember

Happy days with Joe (left)

We had joy. We had fun. We had Rieslings in the sun. And in the rain too! It is after all, one of the most versatile of wines and was a particular favourite of the late Joe Karwig as Beverly Mathews reminded us when she introduced an evening of Joe’s Rieslings at L'Attitude Wine Cafe last Wednesday. 

The rain of the day persisted in to the night on the nearby quays and streets. But the constant downpour failed to prevent a full house. “He was an incredible man,” Beverly continued. “He knew so much about wine and so much about Riesling in particular. He had these wines selected for an Autumn tasting and we thought it would be a shame not to go ahead with it.”

“It is a great demonstration of the styles of Riesling from the very dry to sweet, yet just a small sample of what they have in Karwig Wines, and the proceeds are going to the Cork Simon Community.”

She then introduced us to Joe's son Jurgen and asked him what were Joe’s favourite wines in general. Jurgen: “German whites were his main love and Italian reds. He loved the Old World wines in general.’

Marcus Gates of Karwig’s was introduced as “Cork favourite Australian” by Beverley, and he took us, enthusiastically, though the wines. He too remembered Joe: “I wish I wasn't doing this. I’d prefer to have Joe here.”

Furst Von Metternich Riesling Sekt trocken NV Rheingau

“Creamy mousse...brioche...great with Foie Gras…”, drooled Marcus as we sipped this 100% Riesling sparkling wine. “Made by a man who had 3 wives and 19 children and wanted to unite Europe”. This is genuine, made with the traditional champagne method. That creaminess, the bubbles and acidity worked very well with L’Atitude’s canape of Brie. Goes well too with pork belly, according to Marcus.

Full review (30/12/15) of this wine here.

Wohlmuth Kitzecker Riesling 2013 South Styria Austria

“This is from one of the highest growing areas in Austria,” said Marcus. “Very minerally, for sure. Makes you pucker! With peach, apricot and citrus elements in the mix, it makes for a lovely aperitif. Great with seafood. This is a baby and definitely another few years in it.”  Riesling is great with Asian and this was underlined when L’Atitude paired it with prawns. Both the flavours of the wine and the prawn improved when they met on the palate. Can't ask anymore of a match!

Marcus

Georg Muller Hattenheimer Wisselbrunned GG Riesling 2012 Grand Cru Rheingau

This has the VDP eagle displayed on the neck, “a guarantee of pure wine pleasure”, not a bad start. For many years the winery was a foundation for the benefit of the town of Eltville in the Hattenheim region. In 2003, it came back into private ownership. Peter Winter, a one-time boss and long-time friend of Joe Karwig, is the new owner and kept the existing name.

Jurgen was involved in a recent harvest here. “This vineyard is a top site. ..less juice per vine.. flavours more concentrated. It is more quality, less about quantity.” Marcus enthused: "Very complex, big mouthfeel..I’d like to see it in 15 years time. But it is drinking very well now, a cracking wine and one to watch.” My favourite too!

Woollaston Estate Riesling 2006 Nelson South Island New Zealand

“This is from rainy Nelson,” said Marcus. They are certified biodynamic now and were getting there ten years ago”. The petrol aromas dominated this one even though the excellent salmon ceviche (made by L’Atitude’s Chilean Francisca) helped moderate them.

Golden oldie

Dr Heinz Wagner Saarburger Kupp Riesling Kabinett Feinherb 2010 Mosel

Back to Germany for the 5th wine, an off dry, made by the 5th generation of the family who have been here since 1880. “Very steep”, said Marcus. “Even steeper than Patrick's Hill. Some minerality but a little bit of residual sugar means it's off-dry (feinherb). But it is addictive!” Great match here with a skewer of pork, apricot and red onion, very enjoyable pairing indeed.

Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese 2011 Mosel

We would, naturally, finish on a sweet note though this, from the south facing slopes, is not quite a dessert wine. “You have peach, grapefruit, honey. You see very few ausleses in restaurants around here.” It proved quite a match with a piece of Bleu d’Auvergne, the sweet and the salty going nicely together.

Time now for a toast to Joe as Jurgen and Marcus introduced a surprise: a 1988 Schlossgut Diel, Dorsheimer Goldloch. “There is a little bit of oxidation, just showing its age!”, said Marcus. “But still clear, vibrant, a nice little treat. Give it a moment or two for the aromas to open up. Would have been sweeter once but now drying, on its way to fading away.” And then we toasted Joe with the old Riesling and a “chorus” of clinks.

My Nicely Judged Australian Trio. Not Full-on At All.

My Nicely Judged Australian Trio

Not Full-on At All

Top wine writer, Hugh Johnson (he’ll be in Ballymaloe for the Lit-fest) has noted how Australian wine has changed from "full-on" to "nicely-judged". Reckon I’ve got a trio of the latter here. Enjoy!

Chris Pfeiffer in Cork

Pfeiffer Carlyle Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, 14.5%, €19.85 Karwig Wine

First, a geography lesson. The Pfeiffer winery is located in the parish of Carlyle in the Rutherford Glen area of Victoria in Australia. I met Chris Pfeiffer in Cork a few years ago and he is very proud of his area and of its wines and named this wine after his parish. You may read about Chris in Cork here.

This purple Cabernet Sauvignon is excellent. The nose is a strikingly rich mix of red fruits and violets. The palate too is rich, concentrated and smooth, hints of sweetness and then a long and slow finalé. Best in the parish? The wine-making neighbours, 40 miles or so away, may have something to say about that! But this is a lovely wine and Very Highly Recommended.

Pfeiffers are well known for their stickies (sweet wines). The Wine Atlas of Australia suggests that Christopher’s Vintage Port is the one of the best. Interestingly, the Pfeiffer website doesn't mention the word Port, diplomatically calling it Christophers VP.

With David Bryson (left) at a Cork tasting

Morambro Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Padthaway (Australia), 14.5%, €23.40 Karwig Wines

The Bryson family established Morambro Creek in 1994 and their signature wine, according to James Halliday, is the Bryson Barrel Select (Shiraz, Cabernet). They also own the Jip Jip Rocks and Mt Monster vineyards, both also in Padthaway.

I met David Bryson (5th generation) in Cork in 2013 and, as it happens, had a taste of this very wine. David said it is selected from a small number of outstanding barrels each vintage. Traditional wine-making and minimal processing feature strongly in the making of “this Cabernet derived from our estate vineyard”.

The nose, typical of the area, is fragrant and more expressive than the Carlyle. It also has a purple colour. On the palate, it is superb, lush and intense, some spice too. The tannins are fine and soft. The power and smoothness is a delicious delight and the finish is persistent. Overall, a great balance. It impressed two years ago and impressed again the other night. Very Highly Recommended, for sure! You'll probably notice that it comes in a rather heavy bottle!

Padthaway, on the Limestone Coast, is the area in which you’ll find the vineyards that David and his brothers, Paul and Andrew, look after. Their parents, Clive and Elizabeth, built the wine business up over the past half century before handing over to their three sons. Since 1851, five generations of the Bryson family have been involved in agriculture in the area.

Katnook Founder's Block Chardonnay 2012 €17.99 (down now to 15.95) Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork

The recent Australia Day tasting in Dublin illustrated once again how the country’s Chardonnay has found redemption in recent years. Once big and brash and off-putting (remember the ABC!), now it is much more subtle and so much the better for it. And Katnook is a splendid example of what you can expect nowadays.

Katnook had quite a selection on the Findlater stand in Dublin but I had already bought my own Chardonnay in Bradley’s, thanks to the advice of their Michael Creedon. A small proportion has been barrel fermented, then matured on its lees for six months and the wine is made “in a fruit forward style for everyday drinking”.

With its subtle oak tones from the barrel fermentation, its good concentration and long finish, this is an elegant solution if you want a well-made well-priced Chardonnay. And even better value now with two euro off. Katnook is, like Deakin Estates, owned by Spanish Cava producer Freixenet.

It has an attractive straw colour with white fruit aromas (peach and nectarine) evident. There is a smooth flow of white fruit onto the palate, a rich mouthfeel, those oak hints too, good acidity, balanced all the way to the the end of the lingering finish. Highly Recommended.

See blog post from the Australia Day Tasting in Dublin here

Taste of the Week. Wicklow Blue Cheese

Taste of the Week

Wicklow Blue Cheese

Try this with a glass of Sauternes!

A delicate hand crafted creamy blue made using pasteurised cows milk and vegetarian rennet. This exceptional cheese has claimed gold, silver and bronze awards and has recently won Best Irish Cheese in the World, The World Cheese Awards Dublin 2008, alongside acclaim from food writers.

This is how the Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese describe their Wicklow Blue, our Taste of the Week. The soft cheese is deliciously creamy, slightly tangy and salty. Indeed, the blue element is moderate, not high and, quoting from the recent Sheridan’s book on cheese, may well provide a path into the category “for those who find the traditional blue cheeses a little too strong”.

This beautiful cheese is fresh and flavoursome and has won a string of awards, both at home and abroad, and is used by top chefs. Be sure and check out their other cheeses as well, particularly the companion Wicklow Bán.

I bought my Wicklow Blue in Bradley’s but Wicklow Farmhouse Cheeses are widely available, including in the main supermarkets. Check stockists here.

Pairing tip: Try it with a glass of Sauternes!

Greene’s Enchanting Cuisine. Kitchen Alchemy Behind The Red Brick

Greene’s Enchanting Cuisine.

Kitchen Alchemy Behind The Red Brick

Dessert!

Greene’s has a lot going for it - we’ll get to that later - but the food is key. And key to the great dishes is innovative Head Chef Bryan McCarthy and his insistence on the best of local produce and then his skilful handling of that produce from kitchen to plate.   

Forget the impressive red brick frontage, the often mentioned archway entrance, even the more often mentioned waterfall just outside the big window to the west, and let's start with the dessert. Why? Well it illustrates perfectly how this chef can surprise, can ambush you.

We were in from the fifty euro five course Tasting Menu. You get a list at the table:

Pre Starter

***

Starter

***

Fish Mid-Course

***

Sorbet

***

Meat Main Course

***

Dessert

Pork belly

We did get a brief run-down on request, more details promised on serving (and they did indeed do just that). But at the start we’re told dessert is panna cotta. Not overly excited about that! But, knowing the form here, I should have known better. Still, the surprise was all the better.

We had quite a picture, a masterpiece,  on the plate. The Vanilla panna cotta, with a Pistachio topping, was the feature, surrounded by a Raspberry sorbet, Strawberry Espuma, Blueberry meringue (loved these bits), and more bits and pieces including Blackberry. Great to look at and delicious to dispatch. In some places you'd be lucky to get a single raspberry on top of your jar of panna cotta!

We had started too with an espuma, lychée and lime with raspberry powder, an amuse bouche, light and amusing (yes!) to the taste buds, which is the idea of course.

The starter was quite superb: Local Rare Breed Pork Belly, with Black Pudding & Black Pudding Dumpling, with Apple purée, Cider, Crackling Popcorn and Celeriac Slaw. An excellent combination of tastes and flavours though the popcorn didn't do anything for me. On the other hand, CL had a different opinion!

Salmon

Salmon is always good here and so it was with the Fish course: Cured Salmon & Smoked Salmon Rillettes, with Orange, Fennel, Pickled Sea veg, Squid Ink Aioli and Wasabi Mayo. The pickle was well judged and added to the other elements of the dish.

Time then for a little rest and our Mango and Lime Sorbet, Vodka infused on finely cut Lemon rind. Pleased and cleansed the palate all at once.

Slow braised beef is a long standing speciality here and that was next on the agenda. The shoulder was cooked for 16 hours and served with Ballyhoura mushrooms, samphire, beetroot purée and pickled, tender stemmed broccoli, lentils and a red wine jus. A superb main course indeed. And then came that gorgeous finalé!

Greene’s also have an excellent wine choice and, on the night, we enjoyed Domaine de Bousquet, an organic Malbec,  (Argentina, at €7.50 a glass) and Conviviale Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Italy, at €6.95).

The restaurant has quite a few menus, including a great value Early Bird / Pre-Theatre (the Everyman is just across the street) for €32.50 for three courses. There are a number of tasting menus along with Table de Hote and A La Carte and you may check them all out here.

It is a very comfortable restaurant with a warm welcome and friendly and efficient service from start to finish. And a terrific chef, of course! Let him surprise you!

Waterfall

Greene’s Restaurant

48 MacCurtain Street

Cork.

Please call 021 455 2279 (phone preferred for reservations

For bookings by email please send your enquiry to info@greenesrestaurant.com

Opening Times

Monday	Lunch - Closed	Dinner - 5.30pm - 9:00pm
Tuesday	Lunch - Closed	Dinner - 5.30pm - 9:30pm
Wednesday	Lunch - Closed	Dinner - 5.30pm - 9:30pm
Thursday	Lunch - 12.30-2.30pm	Dinner - 5.30pm - 9:30pm
Friday	Lunch - 12.30-2.30pm	Dinner - 5.30pm - 10pm
Saturday	Lunch - 12.30-2.30pm	Dinner - 5.30pm - 10pm
Sunday	Lunch - 12.30-2.30pm	Dinner - 5.30pm - 9:00pm

GRAMMY COCKTAILS!!!

Hosting a viewing party for ‪#‎TheGrammys‬? 
Maybe you just like cocktails!

Staying up all night long to see the Grammys on Monday night Tuesday morning? Will you be cheering for Dublin's Glen Hansard and his nominated  "Didn't He Ramble?  One way or the other, it's gonna be a marathon. Check all the nominees here. How about a cocktail or two for that party? We've got three below, all supplied by CÎROC, a French vodka and one of the sponsors of the Grammys.

Unlike most other vodkas, which are made from grain, CÎROC is crafted from fine, succulent French grapes, distiled five times in southwest France. These specially selected grapes create the distinctly fresh and smooth taste of CÎROC Vodka. It comes in a distinctive bottle and will cost you sixty euro at O'Brien's, fifty online at the Drinkstore.  

GRAMMY® 58
Our CÎROC™ spin on the French 75
1.25 oz CÎROC™ Vodka
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz Simple Syrup
Prosecco
Garnish: lemon twist and curl
Preparation: Add CÎROC™ Vodka, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup into a shaker tin. Ice, shake and strain into a champagne flute, top with prosecco. Garnish with a lemon Twist (curled)
Tools: Shaker tins, strainer
Glassware: Champagne flute

Rising Star
1.5 oz CÎROC™ Vodka

1.5 oz Unsweetened Cranberry Juice

.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz Ginger Syrup

Garnish: Crystalized ginger on a pick
Preparation: Add CÎROC™ Vodka, unsweetened cranberry juice, fresh lime juice and ginger syrup into a shaker tin. Ice, shake and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a piece of crystalized ginger
Glassware: Rocks glass
Tools: Shaker tins, strainer

Rose Gold
1 oz CÎROC™ Peach

.5 oz Amontillado Sherry

.25 oz Acacia Honey Syrup (2 cups of Acacia Honey, 1 cup of warm water, shake vigorously)
Garnish: lemon twist (discarded)

Preparation: Add all ingredients into a mixing glass. Ice and stir to dilution. Julep strain into a cocktail coupe, squeeze the lemon twist and discard the peel, no garnish

Glassware: Champagne coupe

Tools: Stirring spoon, mixing glass, julep strainer

Amuse Bouche

Then, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of thin air, Snoop Dogg had something else in his hand: a large blunt the size of a Sharpie pen. Then a lighter. And a few seconds later he was smoking weed, ferociously. Seeing this, his entourage assumed it was okay to light up in the Twitter offices, so naturally they pulled out joints that had been in their pockets or tucked behind their ears.

In a matter of minutes, the cafeteria had become the stage for an impromptu Snoop Dogg concert, with a dozen large blunts being passed around among famous rappers and Twitter employees…

from Hatching Twitter by Nick Bilton (2014)

Fabulous Food & Film in 27th French Festival!

press release

27^th CORK FRENCH 

FILM FESTIVAL

Attention all cinéphiles and Cork French Film Festival followers: in March, Alliance Française de Cork will roll out the red carpet for the 27th Cork French Film Festival.

This nationally acclaimed festival, supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council, and worldwide leader in gastronomy Le Cordon Bleu, screens the best of French feature films, documentaries, shorts, and retrospectives. The week-long event is the ideal time to savour the best in French cinema while enjoying the unique French ambiance that the festival brings to Cork.

This edition puts a huge emphasis on the enduring link between food and cinema, taking you on a culinary journey for supper at the English Market, inspired by the classical and world-acclaimed film Babette’s Feast, and to a sumptuous candlelit dinner at Ballymaloe bursting with the flavor of Helen Mirren’s kitchen in The Hundred Foot Journey.

The festival will also create unmissable culinary moments in collaboration with Le Cordon Bleu (London) at the English Market and CIT, with internationally acclaimed Master Chef, Loic Malfait, giving a food demonstration, tastings, Q&A and a hosting a wine discussion.

To ensure a lively festival atmosphere throughout the week, the amazingly encyclopedic raconteur Christophe Rohr will entertain guests at the Festival Club in Arthur Mayne’s and Café Francais at Lafayette’s in the Imperial Hotel.

THE CORK FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

FOOD PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE:

A CULINARY CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSERVATION OF THE ART OF FRENCH LIVING

A culinary demonstration with Le Cordon Bleu Master Chef, Loic Malfait,

using local ingredients from the English Market.

Tuesday 8th of March at 7.00pm

CIT Department of Tourism and Hospitality (Demonstration Theatre)

The world’s leading Culinary Arts, Wine and Management school, Le Cordon Bleu, have been committed to providing the most prestigious culinary education for over 120 years, and during its time has made a worldwide contribution to the conservation of the art of French Living by setting standards in the culinary arts and hospitality industry

Le Cordon Bleu training remains prestigious with its industry relevant courses, state-of-the-art facilities, its dedication to classical French techniques and high calibre Master Chefs and wine experts. The school, which celebrated its 120th Anniversary last October, has evolved from a small Parisian cookery school to an ever expanding international network, training over 20,000 students every year.

The Cork French Film Festival is delighted to welcome Le Cordon Bleu whose Master Chef, Loic Malfait, will put on array of interactive culinary events including a demonstration on the 8th of March in CIT Department of Tourism and Hospitality sourcing local produce from the English Market, and a unique experience on food and wine pairing on the 9th of March at the Farmgate in the English Market. A photographic exhibition by Le Cordon Bleu will run at Alliance Francaise de Cork Galerie, from 23rd February to 31st March

Bookings:

Online: www.corkfrenchfilmfestival.com

Tickets: Festival Office 021 4310677

Early Booking advised

BABETTE’S FEAST

“Le Festin de Babette”

Three-course supper inspired by the film, seasoned with music from a French accordionist.

Wednesday the 9th of March, 6.00pm, at the English Market

Price: €38 (Includes Supper and film screening).

Released in 1987, Babette’s Feast is a film which depicts so little yet says so much. Set in a rural Danish Community, it centres around the village pastor’s twin sister and the French woman, Babette, who serves them after fleeing the 1871 revolution. On winning the lottery, she plans a feast to make the centenary of the sisters’ father, bringing a dimension of fine living into the lives of the God-fearing Lutherans and healing festering personal animosities in the process. Director, Gabriel Axel, captures the rugged timelessness, and the Jutland landscape, and draws inspired performances from Stéphane Audran as Babette, and Bodil Keyer and Birgitte Federspiel as the sisters Filippa and Martine. Per Norgard’s sparse but affecting score captures the mood of the film perfectly. Altogether it’s a heart-warming and sensory experience.

Bookings:

Online: www.corkfrenchfilmfestival.com

Tickets: Festival Office 021 4310677

Early Booking advised

THE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY

A four course Candlelit Supper inspired by cuisine from the film.

Thursday, 10th of March, 6.30pm, at the Ballymaloe Grainstore.

Price €55 for supper and screening / €10 for screening only (at 8.30pm).

Set in the bucolic South of France, this stunning film starring Helen Mirren centres on culinary whiz Hassan, whose father opens a curry house across the street from a celebrated French restaurant, owned by Madame Mallory (Helen Mirren). Food and culture wars ensue as the two restaurants fight for customers and prestige.

Produced by Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, the film is much more than an amuse-bouche: it’s a hearty meal, delicately presented as the dishes in Madame Mallory’s Michelin-starred establishment, with Helen Mirren wonderful as he grande dame of French Cuisine.

Shot in luminous, sun-dappled tones in the French village of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, the Hundred-Foot Journey is a charming, handsome, and well-acted dramedy that the whole family can enjoy.

Bookings:

Online: www.corkfrenchfilmfestival.com

Tickets: Festival Office 021 4310677

Early Booking advised

À bientôt!