Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Excellent Languedoc Blend and Portugal's "Best White Grape"


Esprit de Crès Ricards Marsanne-Roussanne Pays d’OC (IGP) 2017, 13%, €14.50 Karwig Wine

This Esprit is part of a series made by Crès Ricards from local grapes. I’ve always liked these two, either solo or in a blend (as is the case here) and that’s why I bought this in Karwig’s. It is 70% Marsanne.

Colour is a mid-straw, bright and clear. White fruit and floral notes on the nose. Intense and lasting flavours, passionfruit and honeysuckle, make this a pleasant experience from rich and fresh attack to the apricot affected finalé. Highly Recommended.

Interestingly, one of the suggested pairings is blue cheese. Maybe not that surprising anymore. In Matt Kramer’s book, True Taste (2015), he wrote: “…. increasingly, the most serious lovers of cheese choose white wines over red. This would have astounded our wine- and cheese-loving forebears.” 

The winery suggests seafood, fish, poultry dishes and, yes, blue cheese, and also as an aperitif.

As you probably know, Karwig's are closing their business in Carrigaline and a closing-down sale is in progress. You may well get this one at a better price than above.

Casa de Mouraz Encruzado Dáo (DOC) 2016, 13%, €21.00 Mary Pawle


In 1997, Casa de Mouraz became the first biodynamic winery in the Dao. Portuguese grapes aren't that well known individually in this country. Encruzado, the grape here, is “potentially the best white grape of the DAO” according to Grapes and Wine. Barrel fermentation and lees stirring help bring out the character. It is indigenous and regarded as the most important white grape in the region and this particular wine has had eight months on fine lees with batonage.

The first thing you’ll note is that the cork is covered with a wax. Just remove that with the blade on your corkscrew. It is fairly soft but be careful!

Colour is a mid-straw. Aromas of medium intensity recall white fruits and citrus, floral notes too. Fresh fruit flavours (apricot, peach), excellent mouthfeel, acidity enough to nudge it towards crisp and a decent citrus-y finish too. Highly Recommended.

Food pairing: Oven baked fish (such as codfish, salmon or tuna). Also very good with white meat and some vegetarian dishes like pasta with pesto or cheese sauces. Aside from handling full flavoured fish dishes (also the Portuguese favourite bacalao), it is excellent on its own. very versatile indeed.

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Taste of the Week. Mixed Berry Compote with Tullamore Dew


Taste of the Week
Mixed Berry Compote with Tullamore Dew

Picked up this Mixed Berry Compote by The Scullery during a visit some time ago to Tullamore Dew. Didn’t get around to using it until recently and now this Tipperary produced compote is our Taste of the Week.

It is handmade in Nenagh by Florrie of The Scullery and the berries include cranberries, blackberries, strawberries and blackcurrant. Sugar, apples, orange juice, and spices are added along with an infusion of the famous Tullamore Dew!

It is terrific stuff, delicious with porridge, natural yogurts and smoothies. They also suggest using it with cold meats and cheese. I thought to myself that it would be good with Rice Pudding. And it is. A divine match - Taste of the Week.

Check out the visit to Tullamore Dew here.
Info on The Scullery products can be found on their webpage or email florrie@thescullery.ie

Monday, July 1, 2019

Enjoyable Lunch at the Historic Barron's Bakery in Cappoquin. Try a Blaa and a Cappoquino!


Enjoyable Lunch at Historic Barron's Bakery in Cappoquin.
Try a Blaa and a Cappoquino!

Last week, while heading east in Waterford, we enjoyed lunch in the café at the famous Barron’s Bakery in Cappoquin. Later that day, a person working in local hospitality asked me why would you stop in Cappoquin: “There’s nothing there. I always recommended Lismore to my guests.” No doubt lovely Lismore, just a few miles further west, has a lot going for it but I rarely pass Cappoquin either.

We had a wee stroll around the town before calling in to Barron’s, a place we’ve visited a few times before. Barron’s Bakery has been operating for five generations, serving only the local community for all those years. Esther Barron, a direct descendant of the founder John Barron, runs the oldest bakery in Ireland with her husband Joe Prendergast.
Salmon Blaa

The baking takes place during the night, using the amazing old-fashioned Scotch Brick ovens. Bread-making here is a slow process but the bread is all the better for it. The bread is two hours in the making before it even gets to the oven whereas a factory process take only 20 minutes. Esther: “Hand-moulded bread is always more flavoursome. The bread can't be rushed. My father used to say ‘the art of bread-making is beyond science’”.

The bakery was established in 1887 and is one of the last bakeries in Ireland that still uses the Scotch Brick ovens. These give the bread a unique taste, flavour and crust as we found out for ourselves when we tasted their Blaa at lunch last week. Along with the Blaa, they produce Pans, Cobs, Grinders, Bloomers, Basket Pans, Brown Sliced, Doorstep Sliced and Stonebaked Pans.

The Coffee Shop, founded by Esther herself, serves breakfast, lunch and snacks all day until 5.30 pm daily, Monday to Saturday. It is a great place to meet friends, enjoy good local food and drink a quality freshly brewed coffee. You might treat yourself to a "Cappaquino" or eat a tasty slice of old fashioned Chester cake. If there's a celebration coming up, you may order your special cake here too. You can also admire some of the stunning photography from "Our Daily Bread” the story of the bakery by Roz Crowley. 
Coronation Blaa

Here’s a flavour from the book: The ovens were turned on each Christmas Day and people brought their turkeys. I loved the smell of the turkeys roasting with their delicious stuffing. We had to call to the houses, about twelve of them, to tell them they were ready. Daddy often got up on St Stephen’s Day to bake if people ran out of bread.

We had a look at the extensive menu here, soups, lots of sandwiches, wraps, quiche and so on but when we saw the specials featuring the famous Waterford Blaa, our orders were confirmed.

CL’s choice was the Fresh Baked Salmon with pickled cucumber and salad. This was served on either brown soda or Blaa and she picked the local favourite. An excellent dish for just eight euro.

My special, even slightly cheaper (7.90), was Coronation Chicken with salad, again on the Blaa. The light curry sauce enlivened it and there was also a small bowl of slaw. Both dishes were well cooked, excellent food at reasonable prices. Good service too.

So, do keep Barron’s and Cappoquin in mind if you find yourself passing through these parts, maybe after or before a trip to the Vee or the Nire Valley.


Sunday, June 30, 2019

Coop Buzzing on Sullivan's Quay since 1982!


Coop Buzzing on Sullivan's Quay since 1982! 

Mid week in the Quay Coop and there’s a busy lunch service in progress. No menu on the tables so you get your info from the notice boards in the inner of three upstairs room. The outer room, the biggest, overlooks the River Lee. 

Lots of help too from the friendly folk at the serving counter and so we make up our minds pretty quickly, grab a bottle of water from the chill cabinet (plenty of soft drinks there as well) and sit ourselves down with our number on a stick. Wine is also available here, just a few bottles of each colour, all available by the glass.

We don’t have long to wait. We didn’t order a starter. Soups and small salads are available along with a vegan Antipasti Board. Oh forgot to mention - you probably know anyhow - that the Quay Coop (and it is a coop) is a vegetarian and vegan restaurant. And a good one. Food here is fuss free and well priced, well cooked and neatly presented. You are well fed and they make no big no big deal about it, no formality.

Anyhow, our two dishes look inviting and we tuck in. I’m very happy with my Shepherd’s Pie. Puy Lentils are a key ingredient in a tasty mix that also includes, carrots, celery, mushrooms and onions in a red wine gravy topped with root veg mash. Well cooked and well dispatched!

Across the table, CL was happily making progress with her Lasagna composed of Mediterranean vegetables, puy lentils, in a rich red wine and tomato sauce, béchamel sauce with red and white cheddar. Not an iota went back, both plates polished off.

Oh I almost forgot. When you order a main course - and you have quite a choice - you may have two salads of your choice. Or, if you want something hot, as we did, you may have Courgettes in a Tomato and Pesto Sauce along with rustic wedges. Both were excellent.

Coffee is very good here (as it is downstairs in the coffee dock that opens earlier in the morning) so we choose that along with a couple of treats from quite a selection. With everything at hand we sat back, relaxed, and savoured the Apple Crumble and also a slice of Almond Cake along with the coffee. Enjoyed the food and the friendly service.

Quay Coop
Sullivan’s Quay
Cork
Phone: +353 21 4317 026

Restaurant Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am - 9pm; Sunday: 12 - 9pm

See recent account of the Quay Coop enterprise, including the wholefood shop and more, here https://www.corkbilly.com/2019/06/amazing-selection-of-produce-at-corks.html 

Saturday, June 29, 2019

Amuse Bouche


Fidel offered him a plate of congri - rice and beans cooked together - but Quinn said he could not take food out of the mouths of the rebel army. Fidel insisted and said there was plenty for today, that the men had eaten their fill; and so Quinn ate with great relish. He brought up Hemingway, a perennial soldier and a man of the gun, and told of Cooney’s song and Hemingway’s one-two, and the challenge. Should Hemingway fight such a duel?

“Yes, of course,” said Fidel..

from Changó’s Beads and Two-Tone Shoes by William Kennedy (2011). Recommended.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Wines from New Zealand and France via Le Caveau and Mary Pawle


Wines from New Zealand and France
 via Le Caveau and Mary Pawle

Pebble Dew Pinot Noir Marlborough 2017, 13.5%, €24.95  Le Caveau

“A real drinking pleasure” is how Le Caveau describe this Pinot Noir from New Zealand. They have been trying to source a Kiwi supplier for Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc for a while and reckon Pebble Dew is the answer.

It has one of the lightest red colours you’ll see, very close to rosé. The red fruit aromas are packed with promise. And the fruit delivers well on the palate, supple and juicy, right to the refreshing finalé, with a touch of tannin, evident on the top of the lips. It is a light and lively wine for summer, has a bit more going for it than the Sauvignon Blanc.  Highly Recommended.

Pebble Dew Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018, 13.5%, €20.95  Le Caveau

Colour of the Pebble Dew Sauvignon is a very light straw. Aromatic too with white stone fruit and lime in the mix. Gets more citrus-y on the palate, the lively fruit matched with acidity. Pleasant and easy drinking. Nice aperitif and should go well with seafood and salads. Recommended.




Château de Bastet “Aeris” Côtes du Rhone 2015, 13%, €15.20 Mary Pawle


Generally, white Côtes du Rhone have a clear and crisp appearance, with a floral and fruit bouquet and a well balanced palate. This “Aeris”, organic and biodynamic, certainly fits that description. Serve at 8 to 10 degrees and it is the perfect match to grilled fish, shellfish, fish stew and goat cheeses. Salad Nicoise too.

Château de Bastet decided to go biodynamic in 1997. This 2015 is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. Other white grapes permissible in the region are Clairette, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc too and Picpoul.

It is light straw in colour. And there is a nice mix of aromas, floral along with pear and peach. Smooth with good depth of flavour and a pleasant finish. Highly Recommended and, by the way, well priced.

Chateau Petit Roubié Picpoul de Pinet (AOP) 2018, 13%, €13.80 Mary Pawle

A dry white from the Languedoc region near the Med in the south of France. Mary Pawle tells me this grape, Picpoul de Pinet, is often referred to as the Muscadet of the South and is excellent with oysters and most shellfish. And that’s confirmed by the label recommending fruits de mer, coquillages et crustacés, with a serving temperature of 8 degrees.

It has a mid-yellow colour with green tints. Aromatic for sure - citrus, melon and floral. Rounded and abundant fruit flavour (lime, grapefruit), generous mouthfeel (close to creamy), a perky acidity and a decent finish. Highly Recommended.

Picpoul is the grape and Wine-Searcher says this Picpoul de Pinet is its most famous incarnation. “The variety's ability to keep its acidity even in a hot, Mediterranean climate makes it the perfect choice for the region, making taut, full-bodied white wines with herbal and citrus aromas.”

Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Taste of the Week. Folláin Flame Grilled Pepper Relish

Blas na Seachtaine
Folláin Flame Grilled Pepper Relish


So there we were with a lovely pork burger (with chorizo and mozzarella) from Davidson's, our local butcher, for Saturday lunch. The bun was no problem and neither were the leaves (the garden is a salad jungle at present!). 

But no relish? Oh yes, we had. We bought a couple of jars from the Folláin stand at the Old Butter Road Food Trail Festival in Watergrasshill recently and decided to put the Flame Grilled Pepper Relish to the test. It passed with flying colours and is our Taste of the Week.

It is indeed delicious (no added sugar or salt), made from a favourite family recipe. The flame grilling enhances the sweetness of the peppers and that, along with its "zingy goodness", enhanced the already flavoursome burger. Nice little lunch, I must say. 

This relish is quite versatile and may be used for sandwiches, all bbq dishes, cheese dishes and especially goat's cheese and will keep in the fridge for at least three weeks after opening. The other Folláin relish we got in Watergrasshill was their Exotic Fruit Relish. Must give that a bit of a spin soon!

Cúil Aodha
Maighchromtha
Co. Chorcai 
T: 026 45288
Email: info@follain.ie 


Monday, June 24, 2019

Karwig Wines To Close

Karwig Wines to Close.
Joe Karwig (RIP) and yours truly a few years back.

Not the kind of news, I'd prefer to highlight, but many of you will already know that the Karwig family are in the process of closing their wine business in Carrigaline. You may have seen this statement from Betty and Jurgen:

To all our Karwig Wines supporters,

We would like to announce that after 40 years of business, we will be closing Karwig Wines later this year. Karwig Wines has solidified its reputation for quality wines and personalised service throughout the years. We are proud of what we have achieved as a family business and are thankful for the opportunity to finish well.

There are many people we could pay tribute to for this. We would like to thank our dedicated staff for their work and to our suppliers for entrusting us with their wines. Most importantly, we would like to thank our customers. We could not have achieved any of this without your business and loyalty to us throughout the years.

It has been a memorable journey with you all and we think Joe would be proud of the legacy he has left behind.
All of our wines are now being sold at a reduced price in our shop until closure. We look forward to seeing you all in the coming weeks.

************

Dr Wagner Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett 2016, 8%, €19.95 Karwig Wine

Two things you should know about this lovely wine from near where the Saar River joins the better known Mosel. It has an ABV of just 8% and it is on the sweet side. Not overly sweet by the way, fairly close to what the French label as Moelleux.

It is a very pleasant aperitif and Karwig’s suggest pairing it with fruity desserts, creamy cheese varieties, chutneys of pineapple and fig, vanilla ice-cream with red vineyard peaches, shrimp steaks with fruity and spicy sauces as well as the general Asian cuisine.

It has a very light straw colour. White fruit (peach, citrus) in the aromas, along with a hint of diesel (that more or less vanishes as you sip). Sweet-ish on the attack but finish is good and dry. In between, enjoy the balance of fruit and acidity in this light white. Juicy and refreshing, it is indeed a very pleasant wine to sip and is definitely Recommended.



Chatelard “Cuvée Les Pentes” Brouilly (AOC) 2015, 13%, €19.25 Karwig Wines

Brouilly is the largest and most southerly of the Beaujolais crus and this bottle, from plots located at the heart of the appellation, has quite a lot going for it. 

Colour, a mid to dark ruby, is a bit darker than some other Beaujolais wines. In the aromas you’ll find ripe red fruits (berries and plums), typical of the region. Really vibrant flavours, tannins close to smooth, good acidity too and a long dry finish. Highly Recommended. Karwig Wines have relied on Chateau du Chatelard for years now and I’ve always liked this Brouilly, an excellent expression of the Gamay grape, the dominant one in Beaujolais.

* The prices quoted above come from a month or two back, so it's probable that you'll get a reduction if you call to Karwig's over the coming weeks.

Sunday, June 23, 2019

Isaac’s: Steady as she goes. And she goes well.


Isaac’s: Steady as she goes.
And she goes well.
Brie starter

Steady as she goes may well sum up Isaac’s Restaurant in McCurtain Street, an essential part of the Cork City dining scene for over 25 years now. And since Michael and Catherine Ryan and Canice Sharkey got it up and running way back when, it has been going steady and going well. And, day or evening (they are one of the few places offering dinner seven nights a week), you can visit with confidence as we confirmed once again at the weekend.

We had been looking at doing a late lunch in the city centre but that didn't quite work out so in the end we called to Isaac’s and enjoyed their early bird. The Early Bird hadn’t been our intention but once we noticed that two chosen mains were on that menu we stuck with it. It is excellent food and, at €25.00 for two courses, €27.50 for three, is superb value too.
Chicken starter

They have quite a few regular dishes here on the main menu but it is always freshened up with an impressive list of specials. There were no less than eight last Friday and they included a Fresh Wild Atlantic Crab Salad, a Fritto Misto (Monkfish, Cod and Scallop), Pan Fried John Dory, Pan Fried Cod and a Warm Flourless Chocolate Cake, among others.

So no shortage of choice. No shortage of wines either, regular beers and also craft beer from Eight Degrees and local cider by Stonewell. And local producers are also supported in the kitchen. Service is friendly, helpful and smoothly efficient here.
Lamb Curry

Both our starters were on the traditional side. I must say it is a long long time since I’ve seen Crispy Fried Brie on a menu anywhere. I was delighted to reacquaint myself with this treat served with tomato, chilli jam and mixed leaves. A lovely mix, the softness and flavour of the warm cheese inside, the sweetness of the jam and the fresh crispness of the leaves. Thumbs up.

And thumbs up too from the other side of the table. Here the dish was a Warm Chicken Salad with rustic potatoes and crispy bacon. A bit more robust than the Brie but full of texture and flavour and very much appreciated (though I did manage to get a mouthful, on a barter basis of course!).
Chicken mains

Our table, by the way, was right under the impressive collection (39 in all, I think) of Patrick Scott’s famous Christmas Cards. The Kilbrittain born artist was in the habit of sending these to his friends and you can see the series right here in Isaac’s (itself situated in an 18th century warehouse).

The Early Bird offered four starters and six mains. CL went for the Mild Madras Lamb Curry with Basmati rice and side dishes. We’ve always enjoyed the curry here (their vegetarian curry included) and this was no exception. It was big on quality and not shy on quantity either!

Breast of chicken with buttered spinach and a wild forest mushroom cream sauce was my choice and again this, coming with a side of seasonal vegetables, hit the quality and quantity buttons. Chicken full of flavour, the spinach superb and all enhanced by the sauce. Happy out as we say around here.
Dessert

We weren’t out yet though. Dessert was to come and from a choice of three we decided on the Bread and Butter Pudding with Creme Anglaise (or custard as we say around here!). This was for sharing though and that proved a small problem as the bread slices were folded over one another and not cut into fingers but it was delicious and worth the effort to cut it down to bite size pieces!

So that was it, just the €52.50 bill to be shared (of course), and off with us into the evening sun.

48 MacCurtain Street,
Cork
+353 (0)21 450 3805
 isaacs@iol.ie







Saturday, June 22, 2019

Amuse Bouche


She wound up at La Rotonde, the place Aunt Nora used to talk about, the place if Fiona remembered right, where Ranko Novak lost his mind. Or was it Modigliani? In any case, she sat inside where it was warm, and she ordered soup à l’oignon gratinée and wished she weren’t surrounded by so many English-speakers. There was no scruffy, drunk artists, no absinthe-drinking models, no great expat poets.
Well, how would she know? Maybe that table in the corner was full of them.
She’d asked Nora once if she ever met Hemingway, and Nora had said, “If I did, he didn’t make an impression.”

from The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai (2018). Very Highly Recommended.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Bobo Café at the Glucksman


Bobo Café at the Glucksman
Cajun Pork

For over a year now, Bobo, the café in the Glucksman Gallery in UCC, has been serving breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, while all the time superb coffee by local roaster Golden Bean, along with a tempting host of baked delights, are available.
Miso

About time I called, I said to myself the other day. And off we went - by bus. The number 8, sorry 208, takes you to the Western Road entrance, just a few steps away from the gallery.

Bobo is also the venue for food related events, once a month. Recently, they held a cheese and also a fermentation workshop. And, if you’re in for brunch on Sunday, you’ll more than likely have live music to add to the atmosphere.
Risotto
The breakfast menu is very tempting but, on this particular day, lunch suited us better. The menu is not the longest but choices are good, usually with a few to suit vegetarians.

Last week, they had two soups on offer. Miso (4.50), with toasted sesame and seaweed, was my choice while CL enjoyed her daily special, carrot, ginger and squash (5.50) with an excellent brown bread. By the way, a few crackers came with mine.

There were five main courses on offer, one with fish, another with meat. CL chose Cajun pork fillet, butternut squash purée and mango salsa (13.50). This was well Cajun-ed! Well cooked actually and a lovely dish, good flavour, colour and texture.
Dodger

Glucksman. Bobo is bottom right.
My Shiitake mushroom and Artichoke Heart Risotto (12.50) with an olive tapenade mightn’t have looked so well - it was tidily presented - but it was another very enjoyable dish. The main ingredients, the mushroom and the artichoke, could well have turned this into a bowl of blandness but the tapenade and the salad helped to balance it.

They do have a short wine-list, most available by the glass, and a few craft beers but we stuck with water on this occasion. Had some of that excellent Golden Bean coffee though with our dessert.

Very few desserts on the menu, but there’s quite a spread of sweet things on the counter. Hard to choose! But we did enjoy our Jammy Dodger (coconut and raspberry compote) and Warm Apple Cake with Vanilla Ice cream (6.00).

They are very much into supporting local producers here and you’ll see some mentioned on the menu. A blackboard lists O’Mahony’s English Market (meat), Ballycotton Seafood (fish, seafood), Colin Woulfe  Macroom (eggs) Greenfields Farm (leaves, veg) and My Goodness (kefir and vegan treats).
Bobo 
at The Glucksman
Lower Grounds, UCC,
Western Road, Cork
(021) 490 1848
Hours: 10am - 5pm, Tuesday to Saturday;12pm - 5pm, Sundays

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Whites Shine in O'Brien's Summer Promotion


Whites Shine in O'Brien's Summer Promotion

There's a whole world of white wine out there aside from the big names such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio. The O'Brien's Summer Promotion, now in full swing (until July 21st), gives you the chance to try something new. I took advantage myself as I sampled a few, including a gorgeous Verdejo from Spain, a fresh and fruity Verdicchio from Italy, a Grüner Veltliner (a long-time favourite of mine) from Austria, and a top notch Chenin Blanc from South Africa. Terrific wines and now at very attractive prices. While I did concentrate on the whites, the reds too are excellent and that Sicilian Appassimento will go down well at most tables.

De Alberto Organic Verdejo Rueda (DO) 13.5%, on offer 12.95 (was 14.95). New at O’Brien’s


The more I drink Spanish whites, like this Verdejo (new to O'Brien's), the more I begin to appreciate them. This organic wine, by De Alberto, is refreshing and quite intense (with citrus to the fore) and is Very Highly Recommended.

Colour is a light straw, clean and bright, with a green tint. Ripe white fruit, herby notes too in the aromas. Superb fruit flavours make their presence felt instantly, a lively citrus-y acidity too, lips a tingle and a persistent and very pleasing finish. Enjoy with poultry, fish and seafood

The 2018 vintage enjoyed good weather conditions, no extremes at all, and this meant the grape stayed healthy and reached an optimum state of maturity.

Verdejo, which may not be familiar to us as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, is an aromatic grape variety behind the crisp white wines of Rueda, its undisputed home in central Spain. Wine-Searcher says that full-bodied Verdejo wines are held in high regard, displaying herbaceous, nutty characters with balanced acidity and some cellaring potential.

Marotti “Albiano” Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (DOC) Classico 2018, 13%, €11.95 on offer, was 14.95. O’Brien’s

I’m a big fan of Verdicchio, whether it is from Castelli di Jesi or from Matelica (a bit further inland). Both are in the Marche in the central eastern part of Italy. And this typically refreshingly crisp Albiano is as good an example as you are likely to come across.

It comes in a light straw colour, greenish tinges, lots of micro-bubbles clinging to the sides of the glass. There’s a pleasant aromatic mix of floral and white fruit, moderate rather than intense. Bright and lively palate, citrus led flavours with a barely noticeable herbaceousness, and that typical zesty acidity. 

Unoaked, there is nothing overly complex here, dry, fresh, fruity. Good finish too and this well-made wine is Very Highly Recommended, a good one to start your relationship with this grape if you haven’t already done so!

I enjoyed this as an aperitif but I’ve read that it goes well with Brodetto di Pesce, a rich seafood stew made locally in the Marche. You may not be able to get that here and other recommendations include seared scallops, Linguini with clams, other shellfish, with pasta and rice dishes, and salads, even pecorino cheese. It is suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Rabl Grüner Veltliner Löss Kamptal (DAC) 2018, 11.5%, €14.95 (was 18.95). O’Brien’s

From peachy attack to citrus finish, this Grüner Veltliner goes the delicious distance. The Grüner Veltliner grape, known for its aromatic fruity wines, gets on very well with the local Löss soil.

Colour is light gold. There is a fresh bouquet of white and yellow fruit, a touch of white pepper. Peach and citrus mingle well in the tingly palate. Mineral notes too plus excellent acidity. All followed by a lip-smacking dry finish. Fresh, crisp and zesty, a refreshing experience and Highly Recommended.

The Rabl Winery in Langenlois has three guiding principles: 1. Only perfect grapes can yield a top wine. 2. Must from perfect grapes allows minimal intervention. 3. No fear of powerful wines! Rabl are well regarded and they recommend pairing this generous and refreshing wine with light starters or as an aperitif. Should go well too with simple fish dishes, fresh shellfish and salads.





This is new to O’Brien’s and worth keeping an eye out for. The fruits are hand-harvested with careful selection, barrel and tank fermented and the wine is further barrel matured for a rounded complexity. Ideal, according to the label, with seafood and shellfish, also with mildly spiced curries and lovely with saffron.



This ia regular award winner over recent years and comes in light gold colour. White fruit and honey notes in moderately intense aromas. A good depth of flavour follows: apricot, melon, plus touch of vanilla. No shortage of acidity either. Quite a mouthfeel too - it has spent some 9 months on lees. It is harmonious all the way through to a very satisfying finalé. Another ace Chenin Blanc from Forrester and this rich and ripe wine is Very Highly Recommended.


Fonte do Ouro Branco DÃO (DOC) 2018, 13%, on offer 13.95, was 16.95. O’Brien’s




Portuguese wines can often be a hard sell because of the unfamiliar names of the grapes but don’t let that put you off. You could be missing out on some real gems such as this white blend of Arinto and Encruzado, ideal with starters, seafood and fish when served at 10 degrees. Like the way Boas Quintas (the producers) sum it up on the label: green colour, apple, pear, and tropical fruit aromas, good structure, fresh and mineral.


Pretty accurate too, I’d have to say. Colour is a light straw with a pronounced green influence. You’ll find peach, apple, pear and more exotic notes too in the aromas. A very pleasant melange of flavours on the palate, mouthfeel also impressive, fresh too with minerality, and acidity enough to balance. Finish is persistent. Highly Recommended.

Fonte do Ouro Tinto DÃO (DOC) 2017, 13%, on offer 13.95, was 16.95. O’Brien’s
And here's another good one from the same stable, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro and Jaen. This fresh and smooth wine has spent six months in oak and should be served at 16 to 18 degrees and will go well with red meats.

It has a dark ruby colour. Fairly rich aromas of blackcurrant and cherry. I see lots of references to Earl Grey Tea but must admit I didn't pick it up in the nose. There’s a great mix of those fruit flavours on the palate, fresh, with a touch of spice, smooth tannins and a very satisfying finish. Highly Recommended.

All three grapes are popular in the region. The Alfrocheiro adds depth of colour, Touriga Nacional is considered to be the country’s finest, while Jaen is the local name for the what the Spanish call Mencía.



Colpasso Nero D’Avola Appassimento Sicily (DOC) 2018, 14%, on offer at €12.95 (was 15.95). New to O’Brien’s.

Appassimento? You may well ask. If you ask Wine Spectator, they’ll tell you it is the Italian term for drying harvested grapes, traditionally on bamboo racks or straw mats, for a few weeks up to several months, to concentrate the sugars and flavors. 

Appassimento is most associated with northern Italy but there are many examples in the south and this Colpasso is one. Here they make a careful selection of the very best Nero D’Avola grape in the Sicilian area of Agrigento and Vittoria. Some of the grapes are partially dried prior to vinification “giving the wine an incredible intense flavour”. You’ll note that intensity at your very first sip.

Colour is a dark ruby. Those rich red fruit are noticeable in the aromas, immediately. And the flavours are indeed rich and intense, the main feature of the velvety palate, some spice there too, and a hint of sweetness. A good example of appassimento, easy drinking and Highly Recommended.

Check out my post on a few of the O'Brien rosés here