Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc is hard to beat. Loire and Marlborough getting closer?

Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc is hard to beat
Loire and Marlborough getting closer?

The Loire

When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, there are two main "religions" and many splinter groups. In the main, there is a "battle" between those who believe in wines made in the Loire area (the source) and those converts to the more intense Marlborough gospel. But the grape grows well in many places and SBs from Australia, Chile, and California, and more, will have their disciplines. And though you'll find excellent examples in all areas, I must admit I'm almost always more comfortable with a bottle from the Loire.

Here, there is even a split, as Sancerre is perhaps the best-known. Below, we have two from Pouilly Fumé which is generally more or less of similar standard as Sancerre (across the river). Indeed, the World Atlas of Wine declares: “It would be a brave taster who maintained he or she could always tell a Pouilly Fumé from a Sancerre. The best of each are on the same level; the Sancerre perhaps slightly fuller and more obvious, the Pouilly Fumé more perfumed.”

Perhaps though there is a middle ground emerging between the Loire and Marlborough. Just like the world in general, the wine world is changing, quite often because of the exchange of knowledge and know-how between different regions and you will read that the gap between the Loire and Marlborough is narrowing. Wines from both areas were brought together in a London tasting in 2019. Jamie Goode and Rebecca Gibb MW made the case for the regions. In blind tastings, several MWs and leading wine experts mistook New Zealand Sauvignons for Loire wines and vice versa.

Victoria Kukla told DRN: “New Zealand and the Loire are always pitted against each other when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc. People have preconceptions about both regions, but Sauvignon Blanc has evolved so much and there’s so much talent working in New Zealand and going over to the Loire, and vice versa and we just felt that with this tasting we wanted to challenge all the preconceptions that people had.” Read more here. Henri Bourgeois below are involved in wine-making in both France and New Zealand.

Henri Bourgeois La Porte de l' Abbaye Pouilly-Fumé 2018, 13%, €25.95 O’Briens Wine.

For 10 generations, the label declares, the Bourgeois family have been producing handcrafted wines that “reflect our terroirs, our traditions, our passions”. Food pairings suggested for this Sauvignon Blanc are: fish, white meat, goat cheese or a simple scallops tartare with lime. Best served 10-12 degrees. Other suggestions I’ve seen are Turbot with spinach and feta cheese, or a Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese with toasted sesame seeds.

O’Brien’s are very strong on this one: “Henri Bourgeois is one of the Loire's most celebrated premium producers. This Sauvignon Blanc has been a real revelation. This unoaked white wine has an electric balance between fresh mouth-watering fruit and a benchmark mineral character characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc grown on a great terroir. Absolutely delicious.” And, having giving it a good run, I agree.

Colour is light straw with green tints. Pear and citrus combine in the calm scents, nothing like the pungent Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs. Quite a minerally tingle on the palate, lime and pear in the mouthwatering flavour, fresh and lively and the finish is persistent and dry. Matured on its lees for five months, it has an excellent mouthfeel. Concentrated and elegant, this is Very Highly Recommended.

Gitton Père & Fils Clos Joanne D’Orion Pouilly Fumé (AOC) 2017, 13%, Karwig 13.95 in 2019 closing-down sale

This Sauvignon Blanc shows as a lovely bright gold in the glass. More herbaceous than fruity in the aromas (which are nowhere near as pungent as you’d find in the Marlborough version). Fresh and fruity on the palate. Crisp and acidic, and dry of course, and the cirtrus-y finish is long and satisfying. Suggested pairings are white fish, seafood, and goats cheese. Highly Recommended.

Pouilly Fumé is one the signature wines of the Loire area. The fumé is French for 'smoky'. According to Wine-Searcher, it denotes the struck gunflint aroma that characterises the local Sauvignon Blanc wines. This distinctive smell is often referred to as pierre à fusil, which means 'flint' (literally 'rifle stone'). It is a key point of differentiation for Pouilly-Fumé's winemakers, and a source of great local pride.” Can’t say I got any convincing trace of it in the scent here!

Finding the food of love on Sligo Food Trail

press release

Finding the food of love on Sligo Food Trail

The food of love on Sligo Food Trail. Find these Valentine's Cakes at The Bakehouse at Lyons Café

St. Valentine’s Day is synonymous not only with love, but with food as well. To celebrate the most romantic night of the year everyone loves to dine out in style. Here’s the Sligo Food Trail guide to finding the most fabulous food of love without a tacky plastic rose in sight.

Castles in the air …What could be more romantic than whisking your Valentine away on a luxurious overnight break in magical Markree Castle. The lavish package includes early check in and a very late check out (2.30pm) as well as afternoon tea with Prosecco, chocolates, Voya seaweed products and a 5-course candlelit dinner from chef Lee Mastin. Treat the love of your life to this very special break for just €145pps. Email to book.

Take the love tour
Sligo Food Tours fare kicking off their 2020 season with a Valentine’s Special on Friday 14^th February from 2.30-5pm all around Sligo town. Hans and Gaby Wieland promise a food experience packed with flavour, freshness and fun not to mention the food of love, aphrodisiac ingredients and some special treats too. Book the Sligo Love Tour here. 

Fine dining Valentine fare
Award winning fine dining restaurant Eala Bhán along the Garavogue River has a very special Valentine’s Menu from chef Marcin Szczodrowski. It’s four delicious courses with a glass of bubbly Prosecco for just €44.95 and it is available from 13-16 February.

Super sexy Supper ClubsSupper Clubs are the casual side of eating out with your loved one. Three fabulous cafés on Sligo Food Trail are offering Valentine’s Supper Clubs to make you swoon. In Strandhill, Shell’s Seaside Café invite you to bring your beloved and celebrate Valentines with a lovely three course meal for €35. You can even bring your own bottle (BYOB). Call 071 9122938 to reserve your table.

Nook in Collooney promises four 4 courses of seasonal sexy food, Prosecco cocktails and cheesy love. It’s perfect for couples, groups of friends, double daters and lovers of good food and costs €40 (BYOB). Call 0719118973 to secure your spot on either Friday 14^th or Saturday 15^th February.

The Jam Pot in Grange are also taking booking for their Valentine's Supper Club on Friday 14th February at 7.30pm. Ideal for couples or groups of friends, the cost is just€40 for 4 courses. To book, call 087 1644228.

Stay in Sligo – the land of hearts desireA one (or two) night stay in The Glasshouse in the heart of Sligo town could be just the ticket for Valentine’s weekend. Star Chef Alan Fitzmaurice has created a sumptuous six course menu including his signature hand crafted chocolates. You’ll find more of those chocolatey delights plus a bottle of Prosecco awaiting you in your room on arrival. Available from 14-16 February from €250 per couple. Non-residents can enjoy dinner for just €45. Phone 071 9194300 to book. Sligo Park Hotel has a two night romantic escape with dinner in their award winning AA Rosette Hazelwood Restaurant. Book on 071 919 0400.

Love TokensIf gift giving is more your style, you’ll find Sligo Food Trail rich in tasty treasures to suit your love. Choose some elegant wines from Hargadon’s Wine Shop, a Lough Gill Brewery craft beer set or a voucher for any of our delectable dining spots, food tours, food experiences or a romantic break away. Ideal fare for every food lover.

You’ll find details on all Sligo Food Trail members on the website.

Taste of the Week. Davidson’s Peppercorn Steak Bombs

Taste of the Week

Davidson’s Peppercorn Steak Bombs

Ready to go. The chips, by the way, are done like wedges in the oven with a little olive oil. Roosters were used.

“These are our Peppercorn Steak Bombs, minced chuck beef with a creamy pepper filling, lightly seasoned and rolled in a peppery crumb. Delicious.”

Before

When our award-winning local butcher Chris posts something like this on social media, we are first in the queue and are at the Davidson’s door in  Montenotte in no time at all. 

We’ve never been disappointed and this latest offering is up there with the best of them, a bit of medium heat from the pepper taking the top notch meat to a new level, a new Taste of the Week!

Davidson’s Craft Butcher 

7 St Christopher’s Drive

Montenotte

Cork City

(021) 451 8184

MAURA LAVERTY – THIS WAS YOUR LIFE. "FULL and PLENTY" at BALLYMALOE

press release

MAURA LAVERTY – THIS WAS YOUR LIFE

Ballymaloe Grainstore

Pre-Show Dinner in Ballymaloe House Will Feature Recipes from Maura Laverty’s Iconic Cookery Book, Full and Plenty

Friday 28 February 2020

The sparkling new play, Maura Laverty – This Was Your Life, comes to Ballymaloe Grainstore on Friday 28 February. It tells the rollercoaster life of the broadcaster, playwright, novelist and agony aunt, Maura Laverty.

A household name in Ireland for three decades, her work was often controversial and her novels were banned by the censors for their sexual frankness.  In the 1960s her cookery books, with their unique blend of recipes and stories, were found in nearly every home in the country.

Maura is spirited back from the dead as a guest on a surreal TV show called This Was Your Life. She cooks a recipe on stage from her iconic 1960 cookbook, Full and Plenty, and talks about her dramatic and difficult life.

The host gets Maura to reveal dark secrets and confront the price she paid for her success.  Moving from comedy to tragedy, the play reassesses the legacy of a trailblazing Irishwoman and examines a life of triumph and heartache.

A pre-show dinner inspired by Maura’s Full and Plenty recipes will be served in Ballymaloe House at 6pm.  Head Chef Dervilla O’Flynn has created a three-course menu of deliciously ‘retro’ choices. Booking [€53 per person] is essential on 021 465 2531. A special ‘Play and Stay’ accommodation package includes overnight in Ballymaloe House, dinner, show tickets and breakfast.  Packages are from €185 per person sharing.

The Curious Ensemble production is written by Yvonne Quinn and Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, the authors of the enduringly popular award-winning Stolen Child. It stars Bairbre Ní Chaoimh as Maura and Malachy McKenna as television host, Rip Riley.  It is directed by Joan Sheehy.

Running time is 1 hour and 20 minutes with no interval.

Tickets for Maura Laverty – This Was Your Life in Ballymaloe Grainstore on Friday 28 February are €22.  They can be bought online at www.ballymaloegrainstore.com or by phone on 021 475 7200.

MAURA LAVERTY FULL AND PLENTY MENU IN BALLYMALOE HOUSE

Starter

 Cream of Spinach Soup 

or 

Winter Salad of Farm Eggs, Beetroot and Lettuce with Traditional Dressing

Main Course

 Steak and Kidney Pie 

or 

Duck Rineanna with Apple and Cider Stuffing

Duchesse Potatoes, Leeks au Gratin, Glazed Carrots

Dessert

Floating Islands with Poached Rhubarb or Plums

PRESS QUOTES FOR MAURA LAVERTY – THIS WAS YOUR LIFE:

Writer Maura Laverty’s life is a fascinating tale of talent and tenacity; she is brought back to life in this charming play full of detail, wit and tragedy. Bairbre Ní Chaoimh (who plays Laverty in this hugely enjoyable production) cooks a Spanish omelette as the show progresses.  For younger audiences this is a fascinating picture of how a strong woman refused to play nice in the restrictive post-war decades and worked her way bang into the centre of Irish cultural life. Her ghost will be well pleased. – The Irish Independent

A witty and entertaining journey through the writer’s life, with Ms Ní Chaoimh in splendid form as the pugnacious Laverty. – Irish Mail on Sunday

Great Start to the Day at Good Day Deli

Great Start to the Day at Good Day Deli

GDD Benny

It was with a good gut feeling that we headed to Good Day Deli for a recent breakfast. And it was with a very good gut feeling that we left this oasis in the gardens of Nano Nagle Place off Douglas Street Cork.

You won’t get your Full Irish here as GDD is close to being fully vegetarian; they do offer a few (sustainable) fish dishes. Owners Claire and Kristin bill the restaurant as a “Sustainable Foods Cafe serving a mix of healthy, local, seasonal, organic and fair trade foods with a commitment to sustainability throughout our food chain. We aim to inspire sustainable lifestyles in Ireland by empowering people to make good food choices that will boost health and wellbeing; elevate local producers; support animal welfare; and protect the environment now and for future generations.”. 

Pear & Pancakes

And they have a host of local suppliers recruited to help them attain those goals.  Organic for Us (milk), Holo Organics (Kombucha); My Goodness (Kefir), Wilkie’s Organic Chocolate, West Cork Coffee, Blanco Nino (tortillas), Pana Bread, and Leamlara Micro-greens, are among the names on the January list.

There is a Kia Orana (welcome) sign on the path up to the restaurant and the welcome inside is warm, smiles and chat and no shortage of info about the menu. We are spoiled for choice, everything from Morena Granola to a Vibrant Vegan Trio to Connolly’s Any Way Organic Eggs. 

I’ve enjoyed their Benny here before and was tempted by the Smoked Beetroot version, also by the Stack of Seared Toons Bridge Halloumi. The Kia Orana Bruschetta (Ardsallagh Goats Cheese with caramelised Mealagulla apples) also beckoned.

My pick though was the Good Day Deli Smoked Salmon Benny. Frank Hederman’s superb salmon came with two organic poached eggs, a very well made Hollandaise (perfect in both quality and quantity), toasted seeds and leafy greens all on sourdough. Delicious!

CL’s choice was the The Hibiscus Poached Pear Pancakes (chunkier than usual), tasty too with a poached organic pear, coconut mascarpone and a drizzle of the Hivemind Honey from the innovative Crosshaven farm.

The drinks here are that bit different too, including a selection of natural wines via Le Caveau. Of course, they have teas and coffees but be sure and study the menu further. You may well like the Coco Mocha (a mocha or hot chocolate with rich Wilkies chocolate plus West Cork Coffee Espresso with coffee, coconut and Maple Cream Whip!)

And then there’s the Hibiscus Soda (a mix of Hibiscus and Poached Pear, with citrus fruits juice, fresh mint and Fizz). A beautifully refreshing soda is what the menu card says and I can confirm that for sure. Absolutely delicious and refreshing. And another superb drink, CL’s choice, was the Apple Juice from Mealagulla in Ovens.

Just as much choice on the lunch menu. But that’s another day’s work! Or should I say another day’s pleasure.

Good Day Deli 

Nano Nagle Place, Douglas Street, Cork T12X704

Phone: 021 4322107

Amuse Bouche

They’ve been watching a Jamie Oliver cookery show. Her choice. Jamie Oliver’s doing locally sourced fish. Pamela doesn’t even eat fish fingers for fear of choking on the bones, but she is obsessed with Jamie Oliver. She thinks he’s good-looking in a London sort of way. ‘Like Michael Portillo,’ she explains, and Sammy understands this is something to do with the way they are both fleshy about the lip….  Sammy thinks Jamie Oliver is a gobshite. He has no interest in locally sourced fish.

He’d barely had time to get comfortable before Pamela suggested he go upstairs and have a word with Mark.

‘You should go up and talk to him,’ she said.

from The Fire Starters by Jan Carson (2019). Highly Recommended.

Come to Table. The café in Brown Thomas Cork

Come to Table.

The café in Brown Thomas Cork

If you are in Cork City centre outside Brown Thomas and someone asks you the location of the restaurant in this store - there are two possible answers. If the visitor is from the US, Table (the name of the restaurant) is on the third floor, if he or she is from the UK, Table is on the second floor*. No confusion though about the quality at Table; it is excellent as we found out at a recent lunch.

We were in for lunch. After a smile and a welcome, we were shown to our table and the menu handed to us. It was headed Brunch but all the dishes listed were lunch items - no Eggs Benedict or Smoked Salmon and Eggs.

It was quite a tempting selection in any event, soup or chowder to start with (if you wished), then lots of salads, a more substantial cod dish, chicken supreme also, there were a few veggie options (including a sweet potato and red lentil dhal), a Bacon Cheeseburger plus a Tex Mex Chicken Burger.

I had put my eye immediately on the Salmon Nicoise, Marinated Green beans, Baby Potatoes, egg, crispy croutons and green leaves. And, after a hesitation or two, that was what I ordered. Very happy with this large plateful of tasty fish and veg (those green marinated beans were a standout).

CL picked the Falafel and roasted Mediterranean Vegetable Salad, lemon tahini dressing (vegan). This dish had just been added to the menu and our friendly server told her the chef would be looking for feedback. And he got a good one. Another dish packed full of flavour and not a little colour. The Kemp sisters, owners of the café, are indeed noted for light and colourful dishes, just like the modern art prints around the walls.

We took up the option of having a cup of soup with the mains. The soup of the day was Sweet Potato and Coconut. It was really top notch and so too was the brown bread that came with it. They have a short list of wines here, some bubbles too. But we went for the juices and got two very good ones indeed. CL had a generous glass (all portions are fairly generous here) of just squeezed orange juice while I hit the jackpot with a bottle of Rhubarb and Ginger Lemonade (produced by Limerick’s Wild Orchard).

Finished off with a cup of coffee and a Apple and Cinnamon Crumble with Vanilla Ice-cream from Featherbed Farm. Again that dessert was quite large; more importantly, it was also top notch, the real thing!

Table is run by sisters Peaches and Domini Kemp, who started off their joint food business about 20 years ago with “one employee, one small van and a helluva lot of prayers”. Their first venture was to introduce bagels to Ireland. More recently, they are also to be found in stores such as Brown Thomas, under the Little Museum of Dublin in Hatch and Sons, and in the Irish Museum of Modern Art. What a long way they have come!

. 

Table 

Brown Thomas

19 Patrick Street

Cork

021 480 5555

* Apparently, the Americans start counting from the ground floor while the UK and Ireland start from the floor above the ground level. But, with the globalisation of the English language, there’s bound to be some confusion.

Taste of the Week. Wicklow Blue

Taste of the Week

Wicklow Blue

I’ve highlighted this delicious Wicklow cheese here a few years back and it’s well due another run as Taste of the Week. It is delicate and mild, no extreme tang here.

This beautiful cheese is also 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.  

Wicklow Farmhouse Cheese

Curranstown,

Arklow,

Co. Wicklow

GPS Coordinates:

52.779588, -6.196921

Phone: +353 (0) 402 91713
Mobile: +353 (0) 872515980

Email: wfcheese@eircom.net
Web: www.wicklowfarmhousecheese.ie

Organic Wine Film Features in The 1st Night of Ideas

Organic Wine Film Features in The 1st Night of Ideas

My friend Mary recalls, that back then (twenty years ago),  there were probably about 40 stands, now it’s over 1,200 and still increasing*. She was talking about the organic wine fair, Millésime Bio, in Montpelier at the end of this month. 

Funny how things come together. Just finished reading that message when I noticed this intriguing title on a Facebook post: The 1st Night of Ideas in Cork: 'Wine Calling’. As you probably guessed, the wine word hooked me.

What’s it all about? The Irish Premiere Screening of 'Wine Calling’ is the short answer. Cork International Film Festival, in partnership with the French Embassy in Ireland, Institut Français and Alliance Française Cork, presents the Irish premiere of French documentary ‘Wine Calling’ (Le vin se lève) as part of The Night of Ideas, a worldwide initiative spearheaded by the Institut Français.

The post continues: “While there are more than 3,000 (me: reckon there’s an important zero missing here) wine producers in France, less than 3% of them use natural methods of wine production. For ethical reasons, this small community has chosen environmentally friendly practices, aimed at finding the natural expression of terroir and the living character of the wine. Director Bruno Sauvard followed this revolution in the South of France over the course of a year, from the harvest to the bottling, revealing a global movement for organic taste and sustainability.”

Less than ten years ago I remember a leading executive of the very large importer (UK and Ireland) discounting the possibility. Besides, some prominent wine writers were among the sceptics.  But the message was getting across. In 2013, at that year's Lit Fest in Ballymaloe, Mary Dowey (then with the Irish Times and a source of encouragement to Mary Pawle) said she thought the move to organic and biodynamic was one of “the most positive sides to the wine world”.  

The rise of organic wine has been quite remarkable over a relatively short period of time as Mary Pawle’s experience and figures (approximate) indicate. It was indeed Mary who was telling me about Millesime Bio. She and Ivan will be there.

“Mainly,’’ she says,  “it’s a perfect opportunity to catch up with most of our producers, taste new vintages and tank samples and generally keep up to date with the ever increasing organic wine scene and we usually have one or two gaps in our range that we want to fill.’’ Bio is held over three days, 27th, 28th, 29th January.

The Cellar Theatre in the old wine vaults of Woodford Bourne on Sheares Street, a very appropriate venue.

Still a social call to some degree for the Kenmare based wine importer but Mary brings good walking shoes. “Nowadays I have to plan my meetings carefully to minimise trekking from hall to hall.  It’s not all work though and we do have plenty of fun meeting up with old friends and importers from other countries who we've known for many years and Montpellier has plenty of decent restaurants to keep us happy in the evenings.”

While Mary and Ivan will be in the south of France, the film will be screened in the intimate Cellar Theatre of the Mardyke Entertainment Complex in Sheares Street, Cork and will be followed by a panel discussion on The Night of Ideas theme “Being alive: ecological balances and the relation of man to the world, in a global context of biodiversity loss as a result of climate change” with special guest contributors: Nicolas Manuel, film producer;  Colm McCan and Pascal Rossignol, Le Caveau Wines; Dr. Oliver Moore, University College Cork Centre for Cooperative Studies and ACR2020 and Joe McNamee, Food Columnist and Food Feature Writer, the Irish Examiner, Contributing Editor with the McKennas’ Irish Food Guide, Contributing Editor with Taste of Ireland. And the finalé will be a wine reception, an opportunity to sample organic and natural French wines, specially selected by Le Caveau Wines.

Tickets: €12 / €10 concession. Book here via the Cork International Film Festival.  The January 30th event is scheduled to commence at 6.00pm and finish at 8.30pm.

Find out about more about the other Night of Ideas events in Ireland :

Dublin: The Night of Ideas 2020 @ IFI

Galway: The Night of Ideas 2020

Limerick: the first Night of Ideas 2020

#lanuitdesidees

#nightofideas

• Bio is even bigger again this year. According to the official 2020 listings, Vignerons Propriétés Associés have stall number one while Les Vignerons D’Estezargues have stall number 1356.
• Spain's Bodegas Pinuaga, one of the growers that Mary Pawle imports from, are very clear in their motives for using organic methods and they explain it well here - you may have to use the translate button! 

A Superb Set of Organic Wines from Bodegas y Vinedos Pinuaga

A Superb Set of Wines from Bodegas y Vinedos Pinuaga 

In 1960, the first generation of Pinuaga winemakers established the winery in the village of Corral de Almaguer, province of Toledo.  They planted special old clones of Tempranillo  called Cencibel with smaller grains, silky skin and longer ripening cycles.

Today, the second and third generation of the Pinuaga family, Valentin and Esther, maintain the old vines with much care and pride, following a minimal intervention philosophy, using natural and artisanal winemaking processes and recovering indigenous clones.The quality of the wines is driven by the characteristic of the soils, age of vines, grape variety and organic farming practices; all of these parameters are present in every wine, making them singular and unique.

Altitude is a key factor here, as it is in much of Spain. According to the World Atlas of Wine, “a good 90% of all Spanish vineyards lie at altitudes higher than any major French wine region” and this, especially in Castilla y Leon, helps maintain acidity enough to keep the wines relatively fresh. The altitude benefit means “growers can depend on cool nights to ‘fix’ colour and flavour in the grapes ripened during the torrid summer days”.  

The Pinuaga vineyard area is really windy. The winemakers appreciate its benefits: “The vineyards are well aerated so it's a very healthy terroir. There is a lot of changes between the day and night temperatures too, which are very good for the ripening of the fruits.”

Pinuaga is situated close to the city of Toledo in central Spain, this is a huge wine making region with more land under vine than the whole of Australia. The wines are now being imported to Ireland by Mary Pawle and, as is consistently the case with Mary, are keenly priced.

Bodegas Pinuaga are very clear in their motives for using organic methods and they explain it well here - you may have to use the translate button! You'll notice they use cork in all their bottles. Why? "The use of cork helps maintain cork oak trees, which amongst many other things retain Co2. We have just received our first certificate with the details on our contribution in tons of retention of Co2." Their use of cork stoppers in the 12 months ended 31st December 2018 yielded a certified saving of 14.17 tonnes of Co2.

Bodegas Pinuaga Tinto (Tempranillo) “Nature” Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2016, 13.5%, €16.60, Mary Pawle.

Dark red, more or less burgundy, is the colour. Red berries feature in aromas, blackcurrant and plum also in the mix. Much the same vibrant fruit features on the palate, some spice too, well-integrated tannins. Smooth and easy-drinking but with quite a noticeable backbone to it, right through to the lingering finish. One of the best Tempranillos I’ve come across and so Very Highly Recommended.

The fruit is hand-harvested by night, aged in stainless steel for almost a year and then “a slight oak ageing in used barriques for 3 months”. The producers are very happy with this organic wine: “It is a very versatile wine that you can pair or simply drink on its own." It is indeed, very quaffable and suggested pairings are:  Rice, pasta and all sorts of tapas. Casseroles also suggested.

Bodegas Pinuaga Bianco, Vino de la Tierra Castilla 2018, 12.5%, €13.20 Mary Pawle

This is produced from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are hand harvested mid August, fermented in small steel tanks and kept on lees for a minimum of 2 months. 

Light gold, hint of green. Apples, gooseberries, leaf notes, in the aromas. More towards citrus on the palate, something of a tingle as well. Good nettle-y acidity though. And a long dry finish, fruit and a little spice there to the end. It’s easy drinking and the producers suggest this crisp and lively wine as a suitable companion for salads, pastas or tapas or, because it is so refreshing, excellent too to drink on its own. Very Highly Recommended.

Sauvignon Blanc is known as a cool climate grape (the Loire and Marlborough for example) and the Toledo terroir that Pinuaga farms has a couple of things going for it in that regard. First the altitude is close to 800 meters above sea-level and, second, the area is quite windy. 

In addition, there is quite a difference between the day and night temperatures, very good for the ripening of the fruits. Decanter indicates that a large diurnal range can help grapes to ripen in a more balanced way. “Warmer daytime temperatures help to foster sugar development, but cool nights can help to preserve aromas, freshness and acidity.” 

Read more from Decanter here. 

Bodegas Pinuaga Tinto, Vino de la Tierra Castilla 2018, 13%, €13.20, 

This lively young wine is a blend of Garnacha & Tempranillo (Cencibel) grapes, from a single vineyard of 5Ha of Grenache and  3 Ha of old Tempranillo bush vines. Hand harvested in early September. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel tanks.

Mid to dark ruby, bright. Fresh and fruity on the nose, nothing too intense. Young and expressive, crisp and lively plus a decent finish as well. Your lips will tell you the tannins are still a factor. Nice touch of smoothness though in the mouthfeel. Very approachable and should have no problem pairing with the suggested salads, tapas, pintos and bbq (serve at 12 degrees). Good idea to have a few of these in the cellar or in your usual cool dark spot! Highly Recommended.

Bodegas Pinuaga Tinto “La Senda” Vino de la Tierra de Castilla  2017, 13.5%, €14.80 

Mid to dark ruby. A Burgundy nose is suggested but a warm and fairly intense one. There’s the rich dark fruit of the Merlot, the red fruit flavours of the Tempranillo, a touch of spice and acidity too and the whole reaches a delightful harmony from the sip to well after the swallow.  This unoaked blend has an impressive depth of flavour, a wine with back-bone, yet is an easy-drinking style, a casual wine on its own or with casual food such as Tapas, pizzas and pastas.  The suggested serving temperature is 16 degrees and the pairing suggestion that grabbed my attention was grilled rosemary scented lamb chops. Very Highly Recommended.

It is organic and the blend, “aged over lees during 5 – 6 months in small stainless steel tanks”, is 80% Merlot and 20% Tempranillo. No surprise that Merlot makes an appearance here as Bordeaux had a long history and influence in the north of Spain. Pinuaga is a Basque surname that means 'place in the pines’. La Senda means a path. Looks like a pair of sandals on the label!

Bodegas Pinuaga Tinto “Colección” Vino de la Tierra de Castilla  2016, 14.5%, €21.00 Mary Pawle

"This is a very special wine for us as it is the first wine we made at Pinuaga and hence why we call it Colección; Many of our customers recognize the label as the original Pinuaga wine. Grape Variety: 100% Tempranillo (Indigenous clone of Cencibel)."

Mid ruby’s the colour of this deep and intense organic wine. Aromas, red fruits to the fore, are a little on the shy side. It comes into its own on the palate, full of rich red fruit flavours, a touch of spice, smooth and rounded, tannins well integrated. Rich concentrated and elegant, it is certainly rather special and is Very Highly Recommended.

It is 100% Tempranillo from a single plot, aged for approximately 9 months in oak and that contributes to its overall character.