Spanish Wine Sale at Supervalu. Look out for Lunático Double!

Spanish Wine Sale at Supervalu
Look out for Lunático Double!

Lunático Bianco Jumilla (DOP) 2018, 13%, Regular price €18.99, down to 12.00 during February offer.

This casual and easy-drinking wine has a rose gold colour, very clean and bright, quite attractive. Quite intense with both floral and ripe fruit notes. Creamy, with an unmistakable touch of oak (in which it has spent 3 months), fresh and fruity and a decent finalé. Perfect to pair with fish, white meats, medium strong cheese, cured fish, and Asian salads.  Take note of the serving temperature of 8 to 10 degrees. A superb Viognier and well worth looking out for in the sale.

Look out also for the Lunático red. This young Monastrell is part of SuperValu’s Specially Sourced Signature Range and has spent 12 months in French oak. It is 100% Monastrell (probably better known to many by its French name Mourvedre). Jumilla is one of the better areas for this grape.

Colour is medium purple with the legs slow to clear. Black berries feature in the aromas. On the palate, the rich berry flavours are enhanced by the sweet oak spice. It is rich and smooth overall with a long and pleasant finish and, I must say, I have a preference for the red over the white. But that’s personal. Do your own thing - especially in wine. 

Mosaic “Winemaker Selection” Priorat (DO) 2016, 14.5%, €12.00 (was 23.99) SuperValu

Full bodied red Priorat wines from a small region in Catalonia (north-eastern Spain), have been finding a much wider audience in the past few decades. So I was expecting good things from this Mosaic blend. And I got them.

Colour of this very accessible wine is purple. There are complex aromas with red fruits and spice featuring. Intense and full-bodied, moderate spice all the way, fresh and dry, tannins silky smooth with hardly a bite at all in a deliciously lingering finish. High quality here, and now at a terrific price.

Condado de Oriza Roble Ribera Del Duero (DO) 2017, 13.5%, €10.00 (14.99)

Say “hola” to this impressive youth from Ribera Del Duero where they’ll tell you they make better wines from the Tempranillo grape than their Riojan counterparts. 

Wine has been produced in this beautiful region since Roman times, though it became well known outside of Spain only in the 1990s. Just two hours north of Madrid, there are about 300 vineyards following the banks of the Duero River in the Castilla y León region, a flowing swathe of land that’s approximately 115 kms long and 35 kms wide. A few years back, Larousse Wine described the DO as “truly the queen of the Iberian peninsula and the cradle of the greatest wines”.

This Condado de Oriza is one hundred per cent Tempranillo (also known here as Tinta del Pais) and has been aged in new American oak for six months, a style known as Roble. After the oak, it is kept in bottle in the cellar for another six months.

It has a dark ruby colour. Ripe darker fruits (plum, cherry) in the aromas, plus spice and fresh herb notes. Rich fruit flavours fill the palate, muted spice, hints of the oak, full bodied and the finish is strong and long.

Serve it at 16 to 17 degrees and pair, the vineyard advise, with lamb chops, pies, cured or semi-cured Manchego or Gouda cheese, as well as dates wrapped in bacon.

Abellio Albarino Rias Baixas (DO), 12.5%, €10.00 (was 14.99).

Liked the colour of this current Wine of the Month immediately, an inviting medium gold. It is hand-harvested and ideal with shellfish and fish and also recommended for lightly spiced Asian chicken dishes. The medium intense aromas are of white fruit. It has a smooth character on the palate, intense fruit (pear, apple and peach) with refreshing minerality. It is zesty and well balanced.

On the Case!

As usual the Supervalu buyers have come up with a very attractive case deal, featuring the aromatic and soft La Miranda de Secastilla. Normal price for this six bottle deal in a wooden is ninety euro but during the Spanish sale you can get it for €50.00. Not to be sniffed at! Though you probably will have a nose or two at the fruity aromas before enjoying!

Like Cava, Spain's excellent sparkling wine, made in the same way as Champagne but better-priced, especially in this sale. We reviewed a couple recently - check it out here. 

* By the way....  If you buy any 6 normal sized bottles, including wines already on offer, you save another €10.00. So buy and enjoy responsibly.

Amicus: ace restaurant in Cork city centre.

Amicus: ace restaurant in Cork city centre.

Chicken Creole

Amicus on Paul Street is one of the unsung heroes of the Cork food scene, just quietly and efficiently getting on with the job over the years. 

Called to the popular venue the other day for a bite of lunch and saw its popularity at first hand, feeding everyone from singles to family groups. I have been aware about its attraction to families as one of my daughters often sings its praises, finding the staff so helpful when she appeared with two smallies and a big buggy.

It was established in 2001 by Robert and Ursula Hales with a mission to provide guests with flavoursome dishes, freshly prepared using locally sourced ingredients, with a service that is friendly and efficient, in surroundings that are bright modern and welcoming. They score highly on all counts!

Amicus is open seven days a week serving breakfast to dinner and everything in-between. Fully licensed they have a well-chosen wine list, house infused cocktails and a selection of craft beers and ciders. 

They have their own allotments and support local suppliers including the English Market. And local breweries and ciders, including, Cotton Ball, Franciscan Well, Heineken and Stonewell are also supported. 

So back to our lunch. We were in early, maybe a dozen or so ahead of us. But, within 20 minutes, downstairs was full (maybe 70 covers, I’m guessing) and then the staff began directing customers to the upstairs room. I reckon by one o’clock, they were serving over a 100 and doing it with efficiency and friendliness. You just had to admire it, especially the guys flying down the stairs with three dishes full!

Just like the restaurant itself, the menu is large (and there is also a well-priced Express Menu for those in a hurry). We were in no rush and took our time to check out the soups and starters, the sandwiches, the specials (on the wall), the burgers, the sharing boards, the salads, the pastas, the pizzas, the panini, the main event, and the sides, the desserts, and the drinks and more! You can see why families would make their way here, something for everybody!

So what did I have? Eventually I settled on the Chicken Creole: Sliced Chicken Tossed in Creole Sauce, in a Pitta Bread Served with Salad & Home Cut Chips, all for 11.50. And it was top notch, top quality chicken and no shortage of it, the sauce nicely judged, enough to make a lively difference and not at all overpowering. A classy salad too and the same would be said of the chips, crispy enough on the outside, soft and inviting inside.

And CL more or less had the same salad, certainly the same chips, with her Panini which was packed with Sun-dried tomato, spinach, pesto and goats cheese. I got a few bites of it towards the end and was surprised it was so good, so full of flavour. Quite a feed for just €7.95. 

By now, a short queue was seen by the door but the staff were managing it very well and no one seemed to be waiting that long. Despite the large numbers, the servers still had time to check back and ask how things were going. Even when paying, the guy at the till (also keeping an eye on the  queue) was able to point to our table without hesitation and produce the correct docket. You just had to say chapeaux! Would have taken my hat off, had I been wearing one. 

Amicus  

Paul Street

Cork City Centre

Tel: 021 4276455

Amuse Bouche

Not far from me, a little girl is sitting on the aisle seat. A peach glows in her hand… She asked her mother, What do we miss the most when we die?….

.. Food, I almost said to the girl. We miss peaches, strawberries, delicacies like Sandhurst curry, kebab pasanda and rogan josh. The dead do not eat marzipan. The smell of bakeries torment them day and night.

… The train is cutting through villages.

from Chef by Jaspreet Singh (2008). Very Highly Recommended.

Five star Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Cazes family vineyard.

J.M. Cazes Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf-du-Pape (AOC) 2016, 15%, €43.95* O’Briens Wine

The castle ruin, with the Rhone in the distance.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is in the Vaucluse department in Provence. It is a commune and its castle, now a ruin, has dominated the view of the village since it was built by Pope John Paul XX11 (one of the Avignon popes) in the 14th century. Its wines came to prominence at this time, outlasted the reign of the French popes, and it is now the most famous of the crus of the southern Rhone.

The Cazes family, owners of the famous Château Lynch-Bages in Pauillac, moved into Châteauneuf country in 2006. Not just any vineyard; they went straight to the heart of the region and purchased the Domaine des Sénéchaux, one of the oldest of the local vineyards and about an 8 minute walk from the castle ruins. The parcels that produce this superb red wine are south and south-west facing and composed of quartzite pebbles.

This blend, rounded and unctuous, is made with 60% Grenache Noir, 22% Syrah,17% Mourvèdre, 1% others. A dark and inviting garnet robe. A complex bouquet, cherries and berries, balsamic hints and a touch of spice. Smooth, fruity and spicy on the generous palate. The harmonious finish, with subtle hints of the oak, is elegant and long. The Southern Rhone at its very best, this is Very Highly Recommended. I reckon it would have pleased General de Gaulle, one of Chateauneuf’s admirers.

Entrance to the papal palace in Avignon. Chateauneuf was, by some accounts, a summer residence

This complex red is great with “an infinite number of dishes and most cheeses”, according to my well-worn Côtes du Rhone handbook. It also draws attention to the bottle itself: “The very bottle speaks for itself, the glass being embossed with the Papal Arms of the City of Avignon, and the entwined key of Saint Peter! In short, the keys to paradise!”

JM Cazes report that the 2016 vintage went well from start to finish and even that pesky Mistral wind was a help and “did a good job of drying the grapes… well ripened and in impeccable sanitary condition”. The estate also produces fleshy, aromatic whites that reflect the rich characters of the terroir. 

The famous "pebbles" whose importance seems to be taking a downgrade in the latest World Atlas of Wine.
They say the heat retention properties of the galets "is not the boon it once was".

That Mistral, a regular feature here (Mont Ventoux means the windy mountain), was particularly nasty in 1956, blowing for three weeks with wind speeds reaching over 100kph and causing the temperature to drop as low as minus 15 degrees. The majority of the Rhone region’s olive trees suffered serious frost damage but the vines resisted so well that many olive farmers turned to vine cultivation.

* This is an excellent wine indeed and the price is high. But there was quite a large deduction (14 euro) during the O'Briens Fine Wine Sale before Christmas.

Taste of the Week. Knockanore Cheddar with Garlic & Herbs

Taste of the Week

Knockanore Cheddar with Garlic & Herbs

Wheels of fresh cheese, waiting to be stored in the dairy. (Bus Bia Tour 2015)

Eamonn and Patricia Lonergan began making cheese on their farm in the lush rolling countryside of Knockanore (West Waterford) in 1987. The cows graze on quality grass, they’re milked and the Lonergan’s use traditional methods, right on the farm, to make a variety of delicious cheeses.

This one, bought at the shop attached to the Farmgate Restaurant in Midleton (East Cork), has garlic and herbs added. Additions to cheese don’t always click with me but this “blend” is absolutely perfect and our Taste of the Week.

The  cheese is made from raw unpasteurised milk and the rennet used is vegetarian.

Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese 

Ballyneety

Knockanore

Co. Waterford.

Celebrating Café Culture on Sligo Food Trail with a new video series. No 1: Pudding Row, Easkey

Celebrating Café Culture on Sligo Food Trail with a new video series
No 1: Pudding Row, Easkey

Sligo Food Trail is richly endowed with incredible cafés and to celebrate them are launching a new video series entitled Café Culture. Each will feature a different café on Sligo Food Trail. Pudding Row in Easkey is first up and it is a true gem in every way. Opened five years ago by Easkey native Dervla James and her husband Johny Conlon, Pudding Row has become a destination café on the Wild Atlantic Way.

Dervla has brought the vast experience garnered in Dublin’s iconic Cake Café, The Pepper Pot and a stint in Germany, to this cosy café and bakery. Every one of the tempting breads and cakes are baked in house every day. They are proudly committed to local, organic produce where possible using Carrowgarry Farm for organic fruit, veg and salad leaves and Andarl farm in Mayo provide free Range Pork and bacon. Free range eggs come from Woodville Farm and award winning local honey from Zoe Lally in Rathlee.

Pudding Row has received a slew of awards including Cafe of the Year in the Irish Restaurant Awards, Vogue Magazine Editor’s Choice, McKenna Guide’s Café of the Year and an appearance on the McKenna Guide's Top 100 Restaurants every year since opening.

Their signature dish is a stunning pear and bacon sandwich on homemade white bread. Food writer John McKenna says "I'd walk all the way to Easkey for a slice of Dervla's Victoria Sponge!" … and who are we to argue?

Watch out for the next in the Sligo Food Trail Café Culture series. They will be released regularly on social media and will be available on the website www.sligofoodtrail.ie

View the short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpATU5fjDRA

Barnabrow House Gourmet Evening. From Cock-a-leekie to Grand Cru Sauternes

Barnabrow House Gourmet Evening. 

From Cock-a-leekie to Grand Cru Sauterne

A warm welcome to Barnabrow House from owner Geraldine Kidd to guests from near and far (Liverpool, Dublin and Clare) was followed by Head Chef Stuart Bowes giving us a few tantalising hints about the multi-course menu ahead while Donie O'Brien (ENO) introduced the first of his wines for their annual Gourmet Evening. We were already acquainted with the Cava Pares Balta "Organic" as we came in. Cava, as you know, is made in the traditional method, just like champagne and Donie also told us about the beautiful vineyard (bees and butterflies in abundance) and that their own sheep graze among the vines.

And the Penedes Cava proved quite a match for the opening course from Stuart's homeland: Cock-a-Leekie, made with five ingredients (East Ferry Farm Free Range Chicken, leeks, Agen Prunes, puffed rice and stock). The prunes certainly enhanced the soup.

Add caption

On then to the Braised Frank Murphy Beef cheek, Gnocchi Romano and gremolata. The local beef paired very well indeed with Donie's selection, the Chateau Fontareche Cuvée Pierre Mignard, produced in Corbieres by one of his friends.

Our fish course followed and the Wild Halibut Brandade, scallop, roast parsnip with tomato and curry was another excellent combination, the rich tomato sauce and the light curry perked up the halibut and the scallop without ever threatening to overpower them. Another thumbs up for Stuart. Donie could never be accused of being a wine snob and the down to earth Kerryman admitted to "not being a Chablis man" but he still managed to pick a beauty here, the very impressive Domaine des Malandes 2017 (which will be fully organic from 2021).

The rabbit was perhaps the surprise of the menu and Stuart encouraged us to enjoy it. I certainly did, not least because it was served with a terrific Bordeaux: Château de Parenchère Cuvée Raphael (2016). Donie was very enthusiastic about this and told us they have a great terroir and get the best out of it. "Smooth, rich and opulent, " he said. "And it should go well with the rabbit." And it did!  I've been eating rabbit from my schooldays and I thought Stuart's Pancetta-wrapped version was superb, with Feuillatte with Turnip Fricassee, Golden Raisins, and Star Anise.

Our three cheeses came with terrific oatcakes and a well judged Spiced cranberry and grape chutney. The three, from the bottom, were Ardsallagh Goats, Cooleeney Soft Cows Milk, and Hegarty's Smoked Cheddar.  Enjoyed that plate as we sipped our Château Caillou Grand Cru Classé Sauternes 2007, the same wine that did its sweet duty for dessert, its honey and apricot notes a terrific match.

Blood Orange Trifle, Cointreau, Warm Orange Espuma, and Luker Chocolate.
Why don't we see more desserts like this? Hint from the chef: Don't delay.
Blood oranges from Sicily are at their best now. And another tip:
Give them a good soaking with the Cointreau!

Sweet finalé. Barry's Tea or Maher's Coffee with a selection of the splendid Petit Fours: Rum and Raisin, Chocolate Truffle, and Jelly.

Good night! And a good night's sleep was followed by an excellent breakfast at Barnabrow.
Amazing selection of fruits, yogurts, breads and more, including honeycomb, not to
mention the cooked dishes, egg dishes galore (including Benny of course) and, if you were game for it (I wasn't), the Full Irish! Storm Dennis had been playing around all weekend but our attention
was very much on the stormer being played by the Barnabrow chef and his teams,
both in the kitchen and front of house.

Supervalu Highlight Increase in Sales of Cava during 2020 Spanish Wine Launch

Supervalu Highlight Increase in Sales of Cava

 during 2020 Spanish Wine Launch

Supervalu have had a long association with Spanish wines and recently launched their 2020 selection. It includes the two Cava below. 

Head wine buyer Kevin O’Callaghan: “Ten years ago, Spanish wines sales were dominated by red wines, but today Spanish white wines have enjoyed a 9% growth and now account for 22% of total Spanish wine sales, a sizeable increase considering ten years ago SuperValu’s Spanish white wine sales amounted to less than 6%...while Spanish Cava has also seen growth of 18%…”

Cava is a different distinctive under-rated sparkling wine, made in Spain using the same method as Champagne. There’s a great choice with the Spanish, mainly Catalan, wine whereas many of the big Champagne houses are nowadays owned by the LVMH Group and many smaller producers are now selling their grapes to the big names rather than sticking to the increasingly more difficult independent route. Prosecco is extremely popular in Ireland of course and sometimes I wonder why. Having said that, there are some really good examples of the main Italian sparkler.

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Heredad 12%, €30.00*.

Light gold is the colour of this elegant Cava, so elegantly presented, constant little fountains send micro-bubbles to the top while slightly bigger ones cling to the sides. Fruit (apple), and a touch of honey in the intense aromas. Mouthfeel is excellent (it has spent some time on the lees), and the high standard, fruity and full of flavour, plus that biscuity touch, is maintained all through to a long impressive finish. 

This premium Cava comes in a decorated bottle. Patiently resting in its precious bottle, it is allowed to quietly mature for the most time in the calm darkness of the Segura Viudas cellars before a last poignettage, from Head Winemaker Gabriel Suberviola, intensifies the contact of the lees for a more complex and finished bouquet. Poignettage occurs when the bottle is shaken vigorously so that the dosage liqueur marries perfectly with the wine. Some of you may be familiar with dosage; it not, check here. 

Notes indicate that it pairs well with meat dishes, such as pork and chicken. It is produced in the Penedès area (near Barcelona) and the blend is of just two grapes: Macabeo (67%) and Parellada.

Gran Troya Cava Brut NV 11.5%, €26.00*  

It may be a little less intense in all aspects than the Segura Viudas and it’s very approachable. If you haven’t tried Cava before, this is a terrific introduction. Indeed, if you are not familiar with Cava,  start with the Troya and then make Segura Viudas your next drop.

The Troya colour is a pale gold and there is no shortage of tiny bubbles rising to the top and forming a ring around the perimeter of the glass. It is reasonably intense, mellow aromas, and fruity in the mouth with a long dry finish. A fairly typical Cava. The grapes used are the traditional Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada “from our own vineyards”. Try with olives, grilled almonds. Serve at 6-8 degrees.

* Watch out for the regular Supervalu offers. For instance, during the second half of February, the Segura Viudas is on offer at €20, and I have seen the Gran Troya as low as €12.00.

SAVE THE DATE: DESIGN POP RETURNS

press release

SAVE THE DATE: DESIGN POP

May 22-24, 2020

Various Locations, Cork City

6 designers X 6 food producers = 6 pop-up pavilions

PLUS exhibitions, talks, workshops and more

Watch highlights from the 2019 event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3NhdIPHmRY

The Choice Machine (2019)

Following it’s hugely successful debut in Cork in Spring 2019, Design Pop, Cork’s new trendy design and food festival is gearing up to return from May 22nd - 24th, 2020.

Design Pop brings together six top Irish designers to create six pop-up installation structures which will go on display in various locations across the city over three days. Each designer is paired with a Cork-based food or drink producer to create a bespoke space which the public are invited to explore and interact with. The 2019 edition saw designers Shane O’Driscoll, Alan Macilwraith, Fíor studios, Meitheal Architects, Conor Merriman, and Alex Pentex team up with food specialists Banana Melon, Good Day Deli, All Full up, My Goodness, Soma and Applebee cakes. The new pairings for the 2020 festival will be revealed in the coming weeks.

As well as this exciting new design and food trail across the city, the festival also hosts a jam-packed programme of exhibitions, talks, and workshops, which will take place both within the designed structures and in more unusual spaces around Cork allowing artists, creatives, food stylists, producers, designers, and makers, to discuss and showcase their work processes. The weekend is truly a celebration of innovation, creativity and Cork. Save the date now: May 22-24, 2020.

Speaking about the 2020 edition, Festival Director Amy McKeogh, an architect with a masters degree from University College Cork, commented: “Design POP’s first year was a huge success and a wonderful experience for all involved. Design POP celebrated Cork, Design and Food in new and exciting ways. I am really looking forward to seeing how we build on the success of last year and to see what is created this year by all the talented collaborators.”

Our ambition is to make Design POP the number one cultural, creative and design-led event in Ireland and it seeks to establish Cork as the heart of it all.”

Stay tuned as the full line-up will be revealed in the coming weeks. Join the mailing list to be one of the first to hear about what the festival has in store! www.designpop.ie

If you would like to sponsor the festival, or volunteer throughout the weekend, contact the team at hello@designpop.ie

Pigalle Bar & Kitchen flying the flag as Cork’s south bank shows signs of catching up with the north.

Pigalle Bar & Kitchen flying the flag as Cork’s south bank shows signs of catching up with the north.

When I enter the restaurant, there’s a long bar on my left, with its polished counter reflecting a row of craft beer taps, shelving behind all a-dazzle with shiny glasses and bottles. The right hand side is lined with booths, a comfortable banquette to the wall, comfortable chairs opposite. The rear wall has a trio of mirrors and behind me, to the front, two windows look out onto the street. Above the counter, French and Spanish posters evoke a continental feeling.  

I’m in Pigalle Café and Bar on Barrack Street. And while there is a continental feel here, it is all based on local produce. Chef Mark Ahern, ex House Café, and less than a year here in Pigalle: “Our menus concentrate on locally supplied natural and seasonal produce wherever possible. An exciting result of this is a menu that is constantly evolving and changing. We are an island with beautiful rich land and outstanding produce that is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean, this must translate on to every dish." 

And here it does. Deliciously. It is marvellous. Just one meal here and it goes straight into my shortlist. Put it on yours. The welcome is warm and soon we are studying the current menu. There are regular changes. We take our time, get all the info we need from our server (we didn't have to ask), and when we are good and ready, our order is taken!

Then we turn to the drink options. No shortage. A pageful of tempting wines, lots of gins, no lack of cocktails. And those beers. Not just craft beers; being so close to South Main Street, the ever popular Beamish is a stalwart here. But we do order craft, a glass of the KPA (€3.00) by Blacks of Kinsale who have three taps here. The taps rotate though. Four of the seven red wines are available by the glass and I pick one for my duck: a 2016 Monastrell from Bodegas Sierra Norte (Spain), a dangerously drinkable velvety juicy flavoursome glass for €9.50.

Turbot charged start

And the meal? Excellent, no culinary uniformity here as the flavours of the sea and the land are impeccably presented in a variety of stunning dishes.

Ox Tongue

There are five starters on offer, including Buffalo Cauliflower Wings with Macroom Buffalo Blue, and Ballyhoura Mushrooms, sticky rice cakes with smoked curry Peanut Rayu. There’s also a Irish Charcuterie Plate, coppa, chorizo, salami, toasts, pickles and chutney. 

And there’s a new dish here: Ox Tongue, Chorizo broth, brioche crumb and watercress. It’s a big hit with CL. The tongue comes shredded (as you might get featherblade) and enclosed in two balls; it is delicious, the broth a stunning enriching companion in the bowl (8.00).

My pick is the Tempura Turbot, Shichimi Pepper and squid ink aioli. The fish, under the thin veil of tempura, is perfectly cooked, white as a new golfball, delicate and delicious and the well judged spice in the aioli enriches the turbot without in any way threatening to takeover the flavours of the sea.

Sole

Duck & Greens

There’s a half-dozen mains to choose from. This time CL picks the market fish of the day which is Lemon Sole served with Prawns, Mustard Crust, sprouting broccoli, potato terrine. The delicate fish dish is once again superbly executed. Oh, by the way, we also ordered a side of beef dripping fries. An eye-catching mouth-watering stack was delivered. And heartily demolished, chip by chip.

Our other pick was the Carrigcleena Duck, Cabbage Farci, Wild Rice, black garlic and Plum  sauce (24.00, just like the Lemon Sole). Another accomplished dish from the team in the kitchen. Just superb. Love the robust greens here, from the Coal Quay Market, and there was a bonus when some sprouting broccoli was added to the list. Yum!

Couldn’t raise a gallop when it came to dessert, even though the short list was very tempting! Still, I think I may be crossing the bridge(s) more often, now the south bank is showing signs of catching up with the north.

Pigalle

Pigalle

111 Barrack Street

Cork

Phone: 0214323214

Amuse Bouche

Inès gazed out now at the rows and rows of Pinot Noir grapes that crawled towards the horizon. She wondered if the vines she could see now were descendants of the ones Michel had once cultivated so carefully. Even if they weren’t, certainly they carried a piece of him. His blood had spilled here, seeped into the soil, become part of the earth itself before the Nazis had hauled him away. He had given all he had to this land. And now it would help sustain the granddaughter he never had the chance to know.

from The Winemaker’s Wife by Kristin Harmel (2019). Very Highly Recommended.