Limerick Strand Hotel Set to Re-Open July 3rd

press release

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER!

Limerick Strand Hotel Set to Re-Open July 3^rd 2020

Re-opening on Friday July 3rd, Limerick Strand Hotel is inviting guests to come and explore the city and environs this summer.

Beautifully perched overlooking the majestic River Shannon, blessed with superb facilities, warm and attentive staff plus a multi-award winning Chef, 4* Limerick Strand is the perfect place for an escape to the city or an ideal base for exploring the incredible surrounds of the Wild Atlantic Way .  

“We have been busy over the past few months working hard to feed our community including meal drops to Front Line Staff and rolling out our “call & collect “ food offering.  However, nothing beats welcoming guests back into the safe embrace of the Limerick Strand, where we have implemented procedures to ensure the well-being of both staff and customers” said Stephen O’ Connor, General Manager.

To celebrate the re-opening they have some incredible offers available to book online with discounts including 10% off a 2 night stay, 15 % off 3 nights and 20% off 4 nights and with room rates starting from €155 per room per night, you can enjoy a few days exploring the city and region, re-connecting with friends and family and making new memories along the way.  Family rooms are available from €185 per night (sleeps 2 adults and 2 kids under 12 yrs).  Last year the hotel unveiled a new look for their contemporary bedrooms, suites and corridors refurbishing all and up-grading facilities. 

Hotel guests can easily explore Limerick city on foot or hire a bike and take advantage of the green spaces along the Shannon river bank or go further a field and explore the beautiful wooden trails and parks which include Curraghchase Forest Park, Ballyhoura Mountain Trails & Cratloe Woods. For the energetic, why not grab a kayak and see Limerick from the water with Limerick City Kayak Tours. Limerick Strand offers a complimentary range of walking, running and cycling map routes for hotel guests and are happy to provide suggested driving itineraries if guests fancy venturing a little further for a day trip as Limerick is the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way.  Also, they are at hand to organise a round of golf at nearby Rathbane and Castletroy golf courses, should you fancy hitting the greens. 

The city is packed with historic places of interest, activities, cultural hot spots and great food stops including the famous Milk Market.   However, the city won’t be ‘packed’ so you will feel comfortable strolling and exploring this summer. Even better, why not order one of Executive Chef Tom Flavin's bespoke Limerick produce inspired Picnic Baskets to go? Using the best of local supplier produce, Tom has created a selection of freshly cut sandwiches, the Strand’s award winning scones and a miniature Dessert selection all washed down with a bottle of Attyflin Estate Apple Juice. Priced at €20 per person and €12.50 per child it is a keenly priced treat.

To make a reservation call 061 421800 or hello@strandlimerick.ie for more details please visit www.strandlimerick.ie.
IMAGES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zzjg0kalnssdvk1/AAAIPkszdvYDFfrNNlEr9huPa?dl=0

Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa announces its re-opening

press release

Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa announces its re-opening

Goatsbridge Trout starter at Powerscourt Hotel

5* Powerscourt Hotel Resort & Spa is thrilled to announce that it will re-open its doors on Thursday, July 2nd under strict Covid-19 policies click here for details.

Located just 30 minutes from Dublin city centre, Powerscourt offers the most stunning vistas of “The Garden of Ireland” with scenic river walks, quaint villages and luxurious surroundings to explore at leisure. With acres of "free to roam" walking trails surrounded by Wicklow’s wonderful landscapes and wilderness, more top class golf courses than you can shake a putter at, miles of nearby golden beaches and a choice of dining and entertainment options second to none, there are few places elsewhere on this earth that can offer the visitor such a wonderful choice within such an intimate, hospitable and secure location. 

“We are working hard to ensure the safety of both our staff and customers and are so fortunate to have incredible surroundings and facilities matched with attentive and loyal staff who are dedicated to delivering the best personable experience possible during these very challenging times” said Peter Borralnan, General Manager.  

ESPA at Powerscourt is set to re-open after July 20^th; full details on services and offers will be advised in the coming weeks as they work closely with ESPA to develop a basis for reopening safely for both customers and ESPA team. A reopening date will be advised as soon as is practical.  The hotel gym and pool will be open between 7am - 8pm daily and will follow strict guideline procedures to ensure the wellbeing of both staff and hotel guests. 

Taking inspiration from its amazing surroundings and facilities, Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa have put together some great re-opening offers to appeal to guests looking for a luxurious stay with freedom to roam and explore without having to travel far beyond the Estate and environs.  Mid-week offers available from €287 per deluxe room per night to include breakfast. 

With families exhausted from educating and entertaining their children at home, it is now time to plan some time-out.  With this in mind, Powerscourt have a fantastic break on offer FROM JULY 20^th which includes an overnight stay in a family room sleeping 4 (2 adults and 2 kids under 12) enjoying a family breakfast in the newly refurbished Sika Restaurant, overlooking the Sugar Loaf Mountain plus an array of fun-filled activities and amenities including scheduled splash-time in the swimming pool, colouring maps, and mini bathrobes for the VIK (very important kids).  At bedtime, children will be treated to a delicious amenity specially created by the talented pastry team.   In addition to the fantastic resort experience, the stay also includes complimentary admission to Cool Planet experience located beside Powerscourt House & Gardens, 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel, offering an interactive and educational experience for the whole family to discover how they can help save the Earth. On an evening of choice, the grown-ups will enjoy a delicious dinner at Sika Restaurant.   The overnight experience to include breakfast daily, Cool Planet entry, dinner on one evening for the adults and scheduled activities and amenities available from €400 per night.

Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa has lots to offer children and adults including complimentary bicycles so you are free to explore the Estate: pedal along the river walk trail, and pay a visit to Powerscourt Waterfall, ideal for timeless family photos. The indoor 20m Swarovski crystal-lit swimming pool is also yours to use, with family access times available, fully equipped gym (Guests will be asked to self-regulate social distancing on gym equipment and while the facility will be regularly cleaned and sanitised, guests will be required to disinfect gym equipment before and after use) and above all the wonderful array of outdoor pursuits on the doorstep.   If it is an adventure break you are looking for, the hotel can organise mountain climbs, escorted walks or more strenuous activities including abseiling and mountain biking.  

For those looking for an active break, Powerscourt Hotel Resort Spa has an exciting GOLFING package available incorporating Powerscourt Golf Club, boasting two championship golf courses and guests can avail of this wonderful 36-hole championship-standard golf complex, set in with the vast grounds of the estate. This stunning golf centre consists of two fantastic courses, the East Course and the West Course and was named the winner of the Best Parkland Venue by The Golfers' Guide to Ireland 2014.   Stay & play packages are available to book online including a two night package with dinner in Sika Restaurant on one night, two rounds of golf and breakfast each morning from €425 per person sharing. 

Golf can also be arranged at Powerscourt Golf Club and Enniskerry is packed with interesting things to do and see. The town itself is brimming with great restaurants, fabulous shops and old-town atmosphere. 

How Australia's Supportive Winemakers Aided Chardonnay Shine. Eventually.

How Australia's Supportive Winemakers Aided Chardonnay Shine. Eventually.

Shaw and Hill Smith (who said it would hard to beat an actual tasting to illustrate the difference between Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills and that from Tasmania)

The day after Wine Australia hosted a webinar on the 2020 harvest, that very subject came up yesterday in the latest Zoom masterclass, organised by Liberty Wines. Two Australians, Michael Hill Smith (co-owner Shaw+Smith) and chief winemaker Adam Wadewitz, were telling us about Chardonnay and the differences between the Adelaide Hills (where their main vineyard is) and Tasmania where they now own the Tolpuddle Vineyard.

Adam, in Tolpuddle

So how did 2020 go? 

Adam said it was challenging but he had an amazing team “up for it”. “Frost early, rain at the long time, poor flowering and then the fires in December, fear of smoke taint”. Those fires came quite close but helped by the wind and advice from Australia Wine Research, the vineyard got through. While the yield was down, “the fruit was pristine, great flavour and acidity. We don’t have huge amounts in the winery but the wines are spectacular!”

Shaw + Smith, for thirty years, have had two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, totalling 55 hectares. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Now a third, at Piccadilly, is being planted.

In introducing Michael and Adam, Liberty Wines MD David Gleave said it was exciting how Chardonnay had moved from being big and oaky over the last 15 years. “Now there’s a huge diversity with regional characteristics.”

Michael put the development down to movement in many areas of winemaking but especially to a change of philosophy of winemakers away from the big rich oaky wines to something much more subtle and refined.

Adam admitted to being obsessed with Chardonnay. “We have learned along the way, moved the varietal to cooler regions, to cooler sites in those regions… more exposure to international examples has led to an evolution in style and so too has farming the right grapes (including Chardonnay) in the right places.”

Quite a few Australian areas now make a balanced Chardonnay (Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Mornington among them) with acidity part of the mix. Michael: “The fruit is still there but the winemaking is supportive, quiet.”

Michael continued: “Chardonnay has always been part of our story here in the Adelaide Hills but our first wine, in 1990, got away from us. Secretly we were a bit disappointed but five weeks later it was awarded White Wine of the Year!”

Adam: “Chardonnay had an amazing connection with the place, purity, acidity, and it was possible to refine it over the years. The new generation want wines to speak of place. We pick earlier to protect the acidity. I agree there has been real change, not only at Shaw+Smith.”

Is there a definitive Adelaide Hills Chardonnay character? Michael: “I think of a slight ripe nectarine. Not skinny but with mid-palate intensity, weight and length and acidity and that lovely stone fruit character, whereas Margaret River has more pear.”

Shaw+Smith are in conversion to organic. Adam is happy: “More bio-diversity, more healthy fruit, ferment is better.”

Cooler in Tasmania

“We use oak but don’t want to see it in the final wine, hard to explain that to accountants”, Adam joked. “We use it for oxygen, tannin, not flavour. Barrel size is a big thing. We used larger at Adelaide Hills but Tasmania is so good, small barrels are more suitable.”

Their move into Tasmania was not quite in character, according to Michael. “We are not easily distracted; we tend to focus on what works well and Adelaide Hills was successful. I’d heard wonderful things about Tasmania but had never heard of Tolpuddle until our visit. I loved the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and three weeks later we owned it with no real idea of how to manage it!”

When Adam visited, he was struck by the extraordinary acidity (like Mosel or Chablis, according to Michael), the extraordinary intensity of flavour. “It is an exciting vineyard,” said Adam. “Great to work in Adelaide Hills and Tasmania, totally different regions and great to apply our understanding that the vines and the winemaking need a different approach.”

An example of layering, with the "mother" centre,
the" baby" to the right

While the Tassie vines were well planted by professionals, the spacing could have been better. They got around that by the method of Layering. That doubled the number of vines which in turn allowed them manage each vine to produce half of the previous yield, so less stress on the individual plant.

With Tasmania on the agenda, it was inevitable that someone would ask about sparkling wines for which the island is so well known. Michael, a big Champagne fan, said sparkling is 60% of the island’s production and that he really rates them. “We know how to make sparkling and Tolpuddle can do it with the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. We know how to do it but I’m not convinced that we will.” And one got the impression that both men would tend towards making top notch still wines. Michael said Tasmania is an emerging place, “exciting stuff coming out” of there, even though it is just 1% of total Australian production.

The final questioner asked if an appellation system would help in promoting Australian wine.

Michael: “We do have very strong laws on defining regions and they are well policed. Don’t think Australians will be told what to plant where. Wine Australia does well with the current regime.”

Quite a few other topics came up over the 90 minutes and we may return to those on another occasion. For the present, we can rest assured that, with people like Michael and Adam leading the way, Australian wine is in good hands.

See also

Australia's 2020 Vintage


Links to Previous masterclasses in this current series, all recent:

Biodynamic winemaking with Austria's Fred Loimer

With Giovanni Manetti in Fontodi Chianti Classico

In the Swartland with Charles and Charl. The Spice Route and Fairview.

Chilean Wine Maestro Aurelio Montes

The Day The Vines Died in Alto Piemonte with Luca de Marchi
Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

Jane Eyre. Winemaker in Burgundy and Australia.

Nino Pieropan fondly remembered in son Andrea’s Masterclass

Behind the scenes at El Bulli with the men behind the versatile wins of Gallina de Piel

Les Frères Bréchet busy making wine in Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas

Taste of the Week. Skeaghanore Smoked Chicken Crown

Taste of the Week
Skeaghanore Smoked Chicken Crown

Regular readers here will know I'm a big fan of tSkeaghanore duck, especially the Duck Leg Confit and the Duck Breast.

But they also do chicken in Skeaghanore and I've given their Smoked Chicken Crown a couple of runs recently and there'll be more for this stunning Taste of the Week.

Another superb flavourful product from the Hickeys whose farm is close to Ballydehob.

You can find their offerings in quite a few places now - check the website below - but I got my latest batch (chicken and duck) - from Bradley's in North Main Street, Cork.

Skeaghanore West Cork Farm
Skeaghanore East
Ballydehob
Co. Cork
Tel:  (028) 37428

Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango, and more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #7

Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango 

Once upon a time, we tasted some samples from Finca Agostino in Mendoza, Argentina, and knew immediately these were wines we shouldn't miss out on. 

Our first consignment arrived in Cork last week, and we're excited to bring five new wines to Ireland.

Four of them are Malbecs, representing four tiers of quality and complexity. What we liked at the original tasting was that there was no suggestion of compromise with even the least expensive of the four, the Uma Malbec. More details here.

White Hag Brews Up

 Hagstravaganza 2020

For one year only, we're going all cyber for our annual festival - you'll be able to order your beer in advance and join us online on the day to enjoy it!

Learn more about our plans and which guest breweries we've lined up so far by heading over to the event page here. 

SARAH JESSICA PARKER ADDS A NEW ROSÉ WINE

This premium rosé – Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé – comes from the South of France and has been crafted in partnership with Sarah Jessica Parker, the founders of Invivo and a family winery in Provence. The new Invivo X, SJP Rosé will have a suggested retail price of €18.00. Currently available from www.WinesOfTheWorld.ie and will be available in other stores throughout summer.

IT'S WHISKEY TIME! at Blacks of Kinsale

Looking back over the past 6 months and all the curve balls that have been thrown our way it's very hard to explain the immense feeling of satisfaction, joy, relief, in fact a whole mixture of emotions as we filled the 1st Founders Club Cask. The ball is now well and truly rolling and momentum is picking up with every day and every still run we complete. More here on the Founders Club (still open for membership!)

Wines Direct Make The Case For Father's Day
This case is full of blockbuster reds to accompany Dad-like activities such as BBQing a big dry-aged steak or dusting off his collection of vinyl. He will enjoy everything from Malbec to Bordeaux and a few new surprises that he may not yet know he likes. Check it out here

Justin Keay: how Franciacorta is facing up to a post-Covid-19 future 

Franciacorta has seen exports grow in recent years to the point 20% is now being exported to key markets including the US and UK. As the region starts to recover from the devastating effects of Covid-19, Justin Keay talks to key players Bellavista, Ca del Bosco and Ferghettina, along with Consorzio President Silvano Brescianini about where the region goes from here...Read More

Class in Glass from Navarra's Tandem Winery

Class  in  Glass  from  Navarra's  Tandem  Winery

Latin is a theme at the Navarra based Tandem winery. Tandem itself is Latin for “finally” (and nothing to do with cycling in this case) while the names of the individual wines are in Latin (or derived from it): Casual, Inmacula, Ars In Vitro, Ars Nova, Macula, Ars Memoria, and Inmune.

Tandem was founded in 2003 by Alicia Eyaralar, José María Fraile and a small group of wine-loving relatives and friends. The vineyard is quite close to Pamplona and on the northern edge of the Navarra wine region. 



Speaking in Cork in 2018, Jose Maria said: “We like freshness and elegance and luckily we’re in the coolest part of the appellation. It is super green where we are, a big contrast with the desert in the south. The Atlantic influence, the cool summer nights, and picking late in the season is good for the grapes and we get that natural acidity.”

Ars in Vitro Navarra (DO) 2016, 14%, €14.95.

The Ars in Vitro (art in glass) is an unfiltered, unoaked red wine with fruit and fragrance and a silky palate. “How wine for me should taste,” remarked Tandem’s Jose Maria Frail, speaking in Cork’s 12 Tables. 

With Jose Maria (left) in Cork 2019

This has been raised in concrete. “Nowadays, concrete is accepted, the epoxy lining has made the difference, more complexity, more tannins, more colour, finesse and elegance.” 

It is a blend of Tempranillo and Merlot. And yes, that acidity is there too, making it a versatile wine at the table. Enjoy, as I did recently,  this complex red, its long lasting red and dark fruit flavours. Fresh, enjoyable, pleasant and ideal for any occasion.

O’Briens say:  “..classy red from a boutique, quality obsessed producer in Navarra…  expresses the pure cool climate Yerri Valley Tempranillo and Merlot fruit without the use of oak".

Ars Nova Navarra (DO) 2014, 14%, €17.45

Dark ruby is the colour here. Joes Maria, as you would expect, had this spot-on at 12 Tables, summing up the blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as fresh, fruity and long. “More complex, more spice and great with lamb.” Great too with duck as I found out later.

This rich and complex red has been aged a minimum 24 months in concrete vats plus 9 months in 300-litre French oak barrels. Open, decant and let it breathe for half an hour before enjoying with a roast leg of lamb (or duck!).

The Latin Ars Nova translates to new art and indeed Ars Nova was a musical movement in the 14th Century which brought about the advent of volume in music. And Tandem thought this very applicable to their philosophy of this wine which also has their trademark acidity. 

Importers O’Brien are also very happy with this one: “One of the finest reds we have seen from Navarra; only a producer performing at the very highest level is capable of making such a wine - a masterpiece in innovation and testament to the passion of this boutique winery.” 

Music to Jose Maria’s ears and to those of Tandem’s customers. Play on, maestro!

Australia 2020 Vintage. Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers.

Australia 2020 Vintage. Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers

Virginia

"Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers."

That’s how veteran winemaker Virginia Willcock described the 2020 vintage at Vasse Felix where she has been part of close to 30 vintages; Virginia is, since 2006, Chief Winemaker at Margaret River’s founding wine estate. 

Monday’s webinar, organised by Wine Australia and moderated by Sarah Ahmed (The Wine Detective), also featured Louisa Rose (Chief Winemaker at 170 year old winery Yalumba in South Australia’s Barossa Valley) and Sarah Crowe (Winemaker and General Manager at Yarra Yering, one of the oldest vineyards in Victoria’s Yarra Valley).

Virginia was talking about the low yield and that was much the same account from across the vast country (Vasse Felix is about 4,000km from Canberra). Low yields yes but beautiful wines to come!

“Margaret River is a very different place”, she enthused. “Very interesting, dynamic, diverse. A unique piece of land formed millions of years ago and great surfing is one result!” The ocean, at three sides of the narrow strip of land, is a massive influence on the vines and the wines. “We have a Mediterranean  climate, cool wet winters, warm dry summers. The maritime influence is of huge significance, our ‘air conditioner’ cools the grapes and gives beautiful extra ripening time. It’s a beautiful cape, so many different areas, different characteristics. We do feel like an island here.”

Harvest 2020. Social distancing in a  Yalumba vineyard in Tasmania

And they certainly felt like it during the 2020 vintage when Covid19 arrived. “We were isolated and there was no vintage party. Our vintage casuals departed early, mainly to catch the last of the flights home. All our own hospitality had been closed down due to the virus and so the staff there helped out in the later stages of the vintage and it was great, some terrific bonding.”

Bush fires not too far away from Yalumba

Conditions over the seasons were pretty good in the area but Virginia points to the springs of 2018 and 2019  (very cool, with some hail) as having been major factors in the low yield for 2020. “Bunch numbers were down and those that survived had low weight. We didn’t get any dramatic vintage conditions. The vines were very healthy, a beautiful vintage.”

“Overall, very happy. Some beautiful whites and great reds with tannins and concentration, a phenomenal vintage for us. Chardonnay is magnificent. Sauvignon Blanc incredible. Cabernet brilliant and Shiraz great also.”

Louisa, who joined Yalumba (Barossa Valley) in 1992 and became Chief Winemaker in 2006, described her 2020 experience in the famed vineyard as “a rollercoaster of a vintage”. “Temperatures in October to December were all over the place. On November 18th, frost saw the overnight temperature drop to below zero. Two days later, as the vines were flowering, we had a 42 degree day!”

Louisa

“And then the bush fires were not too far away. We were lucky here with the wind direction, kept the flames and the smoke away. Still it was a pretty horrific time.”

Luckily, the vines got a break a few weeks before the harvest. The weather got cool and stayed cool and that “refreshed” the vines. After a good ripening period, the harvest started. As expected, the yield was low, as much as 50% down in some cases. Still, like Margaret River, the quality is promising with excellent acidity a factor.

Sarah Crowe told us that Yarra Yering, in the Yarra Valley, is about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. “We are warmer than Burgundy, cooler than Bordeaux. The mountains and the Southern Ocean are major influences.”

Sarah Crowe

And it was much the same conclusion that she reported: “It was a year like none before and, I hope, like none that comes after. Quantities are lower, down by 30%, but we have lovely beautiful wines to come from this harvest, even if it was hard work. Picking was at the end of March with rainfall well above average and temperatures below average. The gumboots got a lot of use!”

The fires didn’t get close here though Covid19 did have an impact. “But we were classed as an essential business on the production side and so we were able to harvest and are pleasantly surprised at the result.”

Now, it’s over to the salespeople.  And the accountants, of course.