Two Superb Reds in my Mystery Case from Wines Direct

The Mystery Case

I've often seen Wines Direct advertise their Mystery Case, six reds and six wines, quality guaranteed with twenty five per cent off and free delivery. Sounds good and this time I ordered one. No regrets so far! Au contraire. The first two opened turned out to be two gems, one from Italy, the other from Spain.

Nicodemi “Le Murate” Colline Teramane Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (DOCG) 2017, 13.5%, €15.60 Wines Direct

Abruzzo is a DOC zone in the east of Italy. It borders the Adriatic and has the Apennines to the west, Puglia to the south. In and near the mountains, wild horses and bears may be seen here, and certainly saffron. Our producers, Nicodemi, are an hour away from the mountains, twenty minutes from the coast. And this wine is made from the Montepulciano grape. By the way, just to confuse things, there is a town called Montepulciano in Tuscany, also well known for its wines!

The Colline Teramane is a sub zone of the general Montepulciano zone and has that extra letter (G) at the end indicating its superiority. This particular wine is smooth and medium-bodied with a dark ruby colour. Black berry fruit and ripe plum feature in the attractive aromas, cracked black pepper notes there too. No shortage of rounded flavours on the warm and enticing palate, and it’s round and smooth right to the very satisfactory finish, soft tannins and a soft mouthfeel also. Soft and generous as I’ve come to expect from these wines in general and this is one of the better examples. VHR

Foods pairings recommended by Wines Direct include: Spicy Food, Pasta and Pizza, Hard Cheese, Game. Speciality foods of the region include lamb (they have one called Abbachio al Diavolo, hot suff!), Scamorza (check out the Toons Bridge Dairy version of this cheese), mortadella (spicy, garlicky), pork liver sausage, dried pasta and saffron. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees.

The Nicodemi estate abides by all the rules that organic farming demands, leaving wild grasses to grow around the rows, oxygenating and enriching the soil. “We believe in biodiversity and even our new vines are selected from our heirloom cultivars, because something that was good in the past can play a role in the future…. With careful actions, respectful of the grapes, our experience helps us turn them into wine without pushing too hard”. Nicodemi are also well-known for their Trebbiano.

Bodegas Maximo Abete ‘Guerinda El Maximo’ Tinto Crianza Navarra DO 2016, 14.5%, €18.55 Wines Direct.

This red blend, of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha, is named in honour of the family’s father and was indeed the first wine Maximo made here in Vallervitos, “an incredible place” in the middle of the Sierra de Guerinda. His moustache was also of the large variety and an illustration dominates the label of the tallish bottle with a plastic disc over the top of its cork rather than foil or similar. 

The wine is dark, close to purple, with a  crimson rim. Nose of dark fruit, some herbal notes also. Complex and smooth, blackberry fruit and peppery on the palate, it has a lively acidity and ripe tannins, all echoed in a persistent finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The fruit is grown at altitude (700m) and the importers say that El Maximo showcases Navarra’s strengths as a DO. It certainly does. Recommended pairings are soft cheese, game, beef and lamb. Open 30 minutes before serving at the recommended temperature is 16 to 18 degrees.

Cush Restaurant opens in Ballycotton, Co. Cork

Cush Restaurant opens in Ballycotton, Co. Cork

Cush Restaurant, a contemporary Irish food restaurant offering refined dining, has opened in the picturesque village of Ballycotton.  The 40-seater restaurant has opened in what was previously known as restaurant Pier 26, overlooking Ballycotton Pier and the Ballycotton lighthouse. The restaurant has had a total refurbishment as is now headed up by an Irish culinary rising star, chef Dan Guerin.  Diners can expect a dining experience in a truly unique scenic setting.  

The menu draws on inspiration from both the coastline, the terroir of region and the seasonality of produce.Transforming local produce seamlessly from nature to the plate is the foundation of Dan Guerin’s food philosophy.  The menus at Cush Restaurant will change and evolve on a regular basis, but always a showcase for ingredients from trusted local suppliers. 

Dan spent his foundation culinary years mastering his craft in high profile establishments such as Sage in Midleton, and Michelin-star restaurant Campagne in Kilkenny. His cooking is largely influenced by where he lives and he creates dishes that are layered with flavours from local suppliers and the Irish countryside. 

Dan says, “At Cush we are so lucky to be surrounded by exceptional producers,  and located right on the coastline gives us instant access to a wide variety of ingredients. I like to be as creative with our menus. By using our imagination and keeping our cooking style simple, we bring out the best of our hero ingredients to produce dishes that reflect our respect for our locality. ” 

The weekend lunchtime menu will feature dishes such as Slip Sole on the Bone with Seaweed Butter Sauce; Roast King Oyster Mushroom, Slow Cooked Egg and Crispy Onions; and Velvet Cloud Panna Cotta with Poached Rhubarb and Gingerbread. 

On the evening menu, diners can expect Warm Natural Smoked Haddock, Potato Veloute and Crispy Egg to start; mains such as Roast Rump of Lamb, Harissa Spiced Shoulder Pastilla, New Season Vegetables and Mint; and Crème Caramel, Raisin and Vanilla Tuille for dessert.

As part of the wider offering Cush Maritime Bar and Cush Guesthouse are also open and newly refurbished. Cush Maritime Bar is a cosy, welcoming, traditional Irish pub. The pub features salvage from local wrecks and nautical memorabilia and serves a wide range of gins, aperitifs and cocktails. The cocktails are classic simple recipes with a special Cush twist and include; Basil Gimlet, Bourbon old fashioned, Classic negroni, French 75, Espresso martini, Hot port & apple brandy cup.

Cush Guesthouse offers cosy, tastefully decorated bedrooms with spectacular sea views. The perfect base for those attending a concert in Sea Church, taking part in activities at Ballycotton Sea Adventures or simply looking for a relaxing weekend away. Rooms start at €95 per night. 

Cush Restaurant is open Thursday through Sunday for the winter season. Early bird menu available each evening between  5pm - 7pm and á la carte dinner service from 7pm - 10pm. Lunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 12pm - 2pm. Cush Restaurant is located by the pier at Ballycotton, Co. Cork.  To book call (021) 464 6768 or visit www.cush.ie.

Keep up to date with the latest news by following Cush Restaurant @cushballycotton.

press release

Taste of the Week. Eve's Leaves Relishes

Taste of the Week
Eve's Leaves Relishes

Came across these excellent relishes during the Cork & Kerry Food Fair in the City Hall late last year. Nice small pots means the insides doesn't go to waste.

Not that there was much danger of that as these are well-made and well balanced. Take their hugely popular Tomato Chilli Relish for example. Along with juicy tomatoes, you get fresh garlic and a hint of chilli, "just enough to give it a slight kick without being overpowering". Very versatile too.

The Smoky Tomato Relish is another good all-rounder and a perfect match for goats cheese and vegan dishes. The Piccalilli, an old-time favourite, is excellent with cheese, cold meats or just on its own!

All the relishes are free from dairy and gluten and are vegan friendly! Indeed all their veg & salad, handmade relishes, edible flowers and micro greens grown at the foot of Cnoc na dTobar mountain in Kerry, are chemical-free.

Eve's Leaves
Killurley West
Cahersiveen
Co. Kerry
Tel: 085 8110144

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.

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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.