A stunning Pinot Gris from New Zealand’s Marlborough

 A stunning Pinot Gris from 

New Zealand’s Marlborough

Tinpot Hut Pinot Gris Marlborough 2022, 13.0% ABV

RRP €24.99. Stockists: Red Island Wine Co. World Wide Wines. Bradleys Cork.
Wineonline.ie

The name Pinot Gris is well down the list when people think of the different grape varieties. So what is it? Is it part of the Pinot family? Pinot Gris (better known to most of us as Pinot Grigio) is a pink grape mutation of Pinot Noir as is Pinot Blanc. 

While Pinot Gris, as Pinot Grigio, is grown in many countries, it is mostly associated with Italy but is increasingly grown in New Zealand’s Marlborough. Our excellent example comes from Fiona Turner’s Tinpot Hut winery there. Tinpot say it is a dry style with fresh pear, white peach & spice notes. 

Very pale straw is the colour here. Aromas are fragrant, led by pear, peach and lime with a streak of spice there too, all a build-up to an amazing palate,  intense ripe fruit flavours, succulent and beautifully balanced, silky with good weight, lip-smacking and the flavour-packed finish lingers. Very Highly Recommended.

The Tinpot Hut story began in 2003 when winemaker Fiona Turner and her husband Hamish established their own 20 hectare vineyard in Marlborough’s emerging sub-region of Blind River.

When I met her in Cork’s Electric, a good few years back, Fiona explained that the name of her range of wines comes from a historic Marlborough mustering hut; that ‘Tinpot Hut’ links the area’s sheep farming past with its current state as one of the world’s most dynamic wine regions.

Fruit is sourced from Fiona’s ‘Home Block’ and is supplemented by grapes from selected vineyards. She is assisted by Matt Thomson, a friend and colleague with whom she has worked for many years.

The 2022 growing season was characterised by La Nina conditions. Warm flowering conditions and regular rainfall during berry sizing meant rigorous canopy and yield management was crucial to bring the vines and yields into balance, producing fruit of exceptional character. 

In the winery, once settled, the clear juice was cool fermented in stainless steel using an aromatic yeast to help tease out the delicate flavours, and to retain the fresh fruit characteristics and underlying spicy notes, ( a very successful operation indeed!)

Tinpot advises matching with Asian cuisine, a summer barbecue or winter roast chicken. Wine Folly suggests: white meats, seafoods and food with a fruit element (lemons, oranges, peaches or apricot).

Marlborough, on the north-eastern corner of the South Island, is well known for its excellent Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. You may  also add Riesling and Pinot Gris to that list. And if you want good examples of each of them be sure and check out  Fiona’s Tinpot Hut range that extends to superb Chardonnay,  Grüner Veltliner and Riesling.

CorkBillyBeers #8. Craft porter with West Kerry, Bradleys, Clonakilty, O'Donovan's, Whiplash, Einstock, The Cru

CorkBillyBeers #8

Craft porter with West Kerry, Bradleys, Clonakilty, O'Donovan's, Whiplash, Einstock, The Cru

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West Kerry Carraig Dubh Porter, 6.00% ABV, 500 ml bottle Bradleys

“The original beer was red which became Cúl Dorcha, then came Carraig Dhubh a porter because we like the sound of the word as opposed to stout!” Hard for us amateurs to describe the difference between stout and porter if the professionals chose to call this one porter on the basis of how it sounds!

But agree we can (as Yoda might put it) that this is quite a beer. Smooth, seductive, chocolate-ly and there is no letting go as the lingering finish is along the same lines. One to sip and savour, arís is arís.

How does it look? Well, black as you’d expect and it comes with a quickly vanishing head. Aromas coming from the malt are coffee and caramel. The roasted flavours are on the bold side, and really wake up those taste buds. Lots of chocolate malt here but there is also a balance and it never gets too sweet, just spot on. The aromas and flavours continue to make this a superb experience right through to the finalé. They also do a barrel aged version - must sometime try that!

West Kerry are somewhat unusual in that all their beers are brewed with the same yeast. “Breweries normally match the style of beers to different yeast types, but we like to do it the other way around, and we design the recipe for each of our beers ourselves. But what we like to think makes our beers even more special is our water, which is full of lime and as luck would have it, ale yeast loves limey water, ensuring our beers are flavoursome, and feel round and soft in the mouth.”

It is bottle conditioned and made from malted barley, hops, yeast and spring water “from our own spring”. Traditional, yes. A bottle (or two) would go down well at the threshings I remember - but not too many threshings on farms anymore. 

Not only was Beoir Chorcha Dhuibhne the first brewery in Kerry when set up in 2008, but it was the first micro-brewery in Ireland to be founded and managed by a woman, and Adrienne continues to run the brewery ever since. 

Remembering those early days, Adrienne recalls “I realised the wonderful potential around developing beers with an intense connection to the ground they were made on … using water from 150 feet below the brewery connects me back to the family members who have gone before us, and in turn they are connected out to the world through the beers we produce here”.

You may enjoy a tour the brewhouse and then a tasting in the pub afterwards or take a technical tour where you get to pick the brains of one of the brewers. More details here.  I’m well overdue a visit to Tig Bhric myself.

Very Highly Recommended

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Clonakilty Smuggler Porter, 6.0% ABV, 500 ml bottle O’Donovan’s

What is the difference between Stout and Porter? 

Author Mark Dredge says Porter typically has less roasted barley flavour than a Stout.

Traditionally, Stout became regarded as stronger than Porter (or was that just the marketing!). Then again, you have Baltic porter, stronger than most stouts (except perhaps those barrel-aged).  No easy answer to the question anymore as there are so many sub styles, so many different brewers and so many variations from brewery to brewery.

Dark stuff this Clonakilty bottle with the startlingly blue-eyed boy on the label. Previously the bubbly frothy tan head sank slowly, but this time it made a rather quick exit (even though I poured slowly, as instructed). I must say, without ever counting them up, that I think the porter heads generally slip away much quicker than their stout equivalent.

Moderate aromas of roast and chocolate as the head sinks another notch, just a thin disc now. And, now on the palate, it is sweet chocolate, coffee too and a medium touch of bitterness all through to keep it all in balance and there is a good dry finish.

They say: We are passionate about making beer with no compromise, brewing small batches with big personality. Using locally sourced grains, the best hops and water from our own well, our beers are handcrafted with care…. 

Pour slowly for a smooth creamy head. Enjoy at 10-12 degrees. It goes well with dark meats, rich desserts and chocolate, and is delicious and satisfying on its own.

The Deasy family brewed beer in Clonakilty (known as the brewery town) for almost 200 years, including the famous Clonakilty Wrastler. The Deasys also had a legendary reputation as successful smugglers along the dramatic and rugged coast of West Cork.

They, the current brewers, say: We are passionate about making beer with no compromise, brewing small batches with big personality. Using locally sourced grains, the best hops and water from our own well, our beers are handcrafted with care in our Brewhouse in Clonakilty by head brewer ‘Thirsty’ Frank Fredriksen and his team.

Clonakilty is at the centre of such a positive mix of beautiful scenery, amazing food, interesting characters, quirky local stories and strong town spirit. …It also pushes us to brew beer that stands with the best and make the town proud of what we do.

Highly Recommended.

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Whiplash The Sup Porter 5.0%, 330 ml can Bradleys

Thought I’d throw this in here (we’ve had it previously) to fill a small gap in the session…..lighter than the stout and with an almost cherry like flavour..a little beauty that sure can speak for itself…

The Sup is a glass of the black stuff with a classic tan head. And there’s more! The aromas, chocolate and caramel, are a gentle and pleasant introduction. The firm shakehands comes in the mouth, again chocolate and caramel, but now more assertive, again in the most pleasant of ways, plus that cherry bonus.

As with many porters, it is more about the malts. They say: This porter has been on our “to brew” list for years now and we decided it was finally time. …... The main star in this is CaraBohemian – a kind of rich and decadent Czech Brown Malt but it oozes fruity Bournville dark chocolate with a hint of coffee in there too.

Not too sure about the Bournville bit; that bar was a favourite of mine (back in the day, before the day!) and I can’t say I recognise it here. Nice soft finish though with a hint of sweetness. Been years since I had a bar of Bournville! Must try one soon.

Bournville or not, this is delicious, quite a sophisticated porter. Should be versatile at the table, morning with pancakes and Nutella, lunch with Smoked Scamorza by Toonsbridge, evening with a few squares of a certain chocolate.  Or perhaps any time, with just a few of the Apple Farm cherries when they ripen next summer!

Highly Recommended

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Einstock Icelandic Toasted Porter 6.0% ABV, 330 ml can The Cru

The traditional colours of porter are here: black body, tan head (that sinks away). Aromas are very much in the tradition as well, especially the slightly roasted chocolate. Chocolate, coffee and caramel feature also in the flavours. 

This is quite a combo actually, really well executed by the Icelandic brewery. Toasty and rich, with a smooth punch on the palate plus a very satisfying finish indeed, it is quite a porter. Had been a little sceptical about this small can but now it is a big thumbs up.

The headings on the can don’t mention it but this is the brewery’s take on a Baltic Porter, though it is mentioned in the text. So this take is out of a direct comparison with the other porters in this quartet.

They say: Aromatic Icelandic roasted coffee subtly bands together with toasted malt undertones to create our take on Baltic Porter..What is a Baltic Porter? The rise in popularity of the English-style Porter took over shipping ports around the world in the 18th century. It primarily gained recognition when it was introduced to London's working class, the porters, who loaded ships and traded with the Baltic states. As this popular style reached the Baltic region, local brewers tried their hand at this famous recipe, but this time with a local twist. Since the native climate of the Baltics was measurably cooler than England, brewers began using lager yeast to ferment their porters instead of ale yeast (which typically ferments at higher temperatures)……Lager malt, Munich malt, chocolate malt, Bavarian Northern Brewer hops, and authentic Icelandic roasted coffee.

Food pairings suggested are: Rich and roasty notes bring out the best of steak, lamb chops, game and roasts.

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A terrific red that highlights the ongoing improvement in quality of wines from Portugal’s Dão

A terrific red that highlights the ongoing improvement in quality of wines from Portugal’s Dão

Fonte do Ouro Tinto Dão (DOC) 2020, 13.5% ABV, €17.25 

Like many Portuguese wines, this is a blend. All three grapes used are popular in the region. The Alfrocheiro adds depth of colour, Touriga Nacional (with its expressive violet scent) is considered to be the country’s finest, while Jaen is the local name for the what the Spanish call Mencía. By the way, Touriga Nacional probably started “life” in the Dão.

A government study in 2017 listed no fewer than 230 indigenous varieties and, according to the marvellous book Foot Trodden, there are many many more yet to be identified. No wonder there are so many blends in the country.

Portuguese wines can often be a hard sell because of the unfamiliar names of the grapes but don’t let that put you off. I like the neat way Boas Quintas (the producers) sum it up on the label: ruby colour, blackcurrant and cherry aromas, fresh, smooth with elegant tannins, 

It indeed has a dark ruby colour. Fairly rich aromas of blackberry, dark cherry and plum. There’s a great mix of the fruit flavours on the palate, with a touch of spice, smooth with elegant tannins and a very satisfying and persistent finish. This supple and fresh wine, full of vitality, has spent six months in oak and should be served at 16 to 18 degrees and will go well with red meats. Full of Dão character and Very Highly Recommended.

Importers and distributors O’Brien’s: A delicious red, showcasing the quality of winemaking in the Dão region of Portugal. Aged for 6 months in French oak it is a blend of indigenous grapes: primarily Touriga Nacional. 

And the region, for so long shackled by the dictator Salazar imposed cooperative system, that rewarded quantity over quality, certainly needed the improvement in quality which has taken place in the last 20 years or so. There have been setbacks of course, most notably the devastating fires of 2017. Casa de Mouraz, some of whose wines are imported to Ireland by Mary Pawle, was one vineyard that suffered badly as the flames raged in the  Dão.

The top Dão wines are now some of the most highly rated in Europe, winning consistent praise on both sides of the Atlantic, says wine-searcher.com. “It is in the north of the country. It takes its name from the Dão river, along which the majority of the region's vineyards are located.”

Boas Quintas also produce a white blend under their Fonte do Ouro brand and that too is worth looking out for.

* Current price of my 2020 red is €17.25 (I got it on offer, before Christmas, at 13.95. 

 

Where's the Beef? Ten of the best in Cork City

Where's the Beef?

Ten of the best in Cork City

(beef round-up for 2022/23)

Brown's Brasserie at BT Jan 2023 €15.50
French Dip: Rotisserie North Cork Sirloin, Emmental Cheese,
Caramelized Onion Emulsion, Red Wine Jus, ODB Sourdough

Impressive steak salad at Liberty Grill Aug 22

Cork City has had a long, and continuing, history in beef. Such was the scale of the trade here in the 18th century that it was known as the slaughterhouse of Ireland. 

And it wasn’t just Ireland. In 1756, France and Britain were at each other’s throats in the Seven Years War and “the Great Ox-slaying city of Cork” emerged as the Royal Navy’s preferred supplier for beef, pork and butter.

So where’s the beef now? Let me take you on a lunch-time tour of the city and check out what is on offer. Some terrific beef-based dishes in Liberty Grill, Market Lane, Nua Asador, Oliver Plunkett, On The Pig's Back, Sketch at The Imperial and Woodside Farm, Bella Napoli and L'Atitude 51and all were enjoyed over the past few months.

We’re starting with a beauty at Liberty Grill on Washington Street: a seared beef salad (vodka and chilli marinated fillet strips, chargrilled on leaves with balsamic onions, rustic potatoes, red peppers and toasted pecans) was outstanding, a highlight being the palate pleasing combination of the meat and balsamic onions. A terrific dish for €15.50.

Market Lane: Korean bulgogi steak sandwich
Dec 2022

Now (a different day, of course!), it is the turn of Market Lane and their superb Korean bulgogi steak sandwich on sourdough baguette, chilli, sesame and soy marinade, carrots, spring onions, lime mayo and with a helping of excellent house chips (€16.90). The marinade is key here and the kitchen certainly did it well and the meat was top quality; the sourdough was moistened as well and they all worked so well together, enhanced by the crunch of carrot strips and the onions, the salad leaves and those very tasty fries. A terrific dish and well priced.

Picanha Steak by Nua Asador May 2022

We make a visit to the Marina Market and the Nua Asador stall where Chef Victor Franca, in partnership with Tom Durcan Meats, serves up, without gas or electricity, just fire, the best of Irish beef in a Brazilian style. You’ll really enjoy the Picanha Steak with sourdough bread, grilled baby potatoes, chargrilled onions, Farofa, and Chimichurri Sauce (13.00).

Oliver Plunkett's Seared Steak Sandwich July 2022

It was a visit to the Oliver Plunkett that started me on this beef trail. Here’s why: Seared Steak Sandwich was worth every cent of the €18.95. Four generous slices of beef wrapped in Garlic Ciabatta, with a red onion and Smoky Bacon Jam, Pepper Jack Chips, Brandy Pepper Sauce and a Little Salad.

I wasn’t letting go of this, clinging on until the last bite. It was sensual, an enthralling mix of textures and flavours. The steak was ace,  cooked to perfection and so easy to slice. And then the enhancement, that garlic ciabatta, the onion and the bacon jam. The Brandy Pepper Sauce was another major player on the palate, deeply enticingly enhancing everything else. The salad too was perfect and then those Pepper Jack Chips, cheesy, tasty, delicious.

On the pig's back with Bourguignon Beef Baguette Oct 2022

Next stop is Douglas to visit On the Pig’s Back and enjoy their Bourguignon Beef Baguette: Braised Beef Brisket, Mushrooms, Bacon and Pearl Onions on Toasted Arbutus Baguette with Red Wine Jus. Just five-star lunch-ing, spot-on for the cool day, quite a warming ensemble, robed deliciously in the red wine jus. Love the French touch!

Delicious steak at Sketch Oct 2022

Here we are in Sketch, the bright and airy dining room in the lovely Imperial Hotel, a room where new executive chef Ali Honour is making her mark. There was a group of us and the Steak Sandwich (6oz Sirloin, Onions, Garlic Butter, Focaccia, Lettuce, Tomato, Fries) for  €19.00 proved very popular, ordered by three of the seven adults. The meat and the Focaccia were absolute top notch and all three were well satisfied.

Beautiful! Beef Burger by Woodside Farm Oct 2022

Alphabetically, Woodside Farm is our final destination and they are found every Thursday in Mahon Point Farmers Market (and at other markets on other days). They are perhaps best known for their magnificent free range pork but they also do a highly rated Beef Burger and serve it with relish and salad in a lovely bun, for 8 euro  (if I remember rightly). Superb meat and great value.

All their offerings are cooked and filled in front of you, and there's a chat as well, as the salads and relishes are added. And, if necessary, they even provide a tailor-made insulated envelope to take your purchases back to the office or home.

Bella Napoli Dec 2022

Bella Napoli came up Rigatoni with Ragu Napoletano with six-hour braised beef in an onion and tomato sauce served with rigatoni pasta and bruschetta (17 euro). I hit the jackpot here. This was beautifully cooked, the quality of the beef was top class and plenty of it as was also the case with the ragu. Very happy with this one.

L'Atitude pic Dec 2022

Slow-Braised Beef Cheeks, Celeriac Mash, Spiced Pickled Cranberries (a cool inclusion) was one of the highlights of a recent visit to L'Atitude, a superb dish in an impressively expanded menu and well worthy of inclusion here. More details at https://www.corkbilly.com/2022/12/wine-and-dine-at-latitude-huge-choice.html

* All these dishes enjoyed relatively recently but remember that menus and chefs change.

Eating Across Asia At Carrigaline’s Aroi

Eating Across Asia 

At Carrigaline’s Aroi

Gyoza (Aroi pic)

I had visited the new Aroi Restaurant in Carrigaline when it opened a few weeks before Christmas and had promised myself I’d go back to continue eating my way across Asia. 

Nasi Goreng (Aroi pic)

Not too difficult to do that here in this impressive space as the wide-ranging menu features dishes from Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Indonesia. Menu headings include nibbles, starters, soups, and salads. Mains include Signature, Rice, Curry, Stir Fried, Grilled, Wok Noodles. Sides of course and yes they do desserts as well! Full bar and a long cocktail list as well.

Was in the area last week and decided to call in and do some more “research”. It wasn’t the best of nights outside on the main street but the restaurant was well heated and there was a warm welcome from the staff.

Soon we were seated in one of the comfortable booths and studying the menu, avoiding any dish that we had eaten on the first visit.  No shortage of starters available, all reasonably priced between six and seven euro. 

Yangnyeom Chicken

We had enjoyed Gyoza, Japanese pan-fried dumplings, in Electric a few months ago so I picked the Vegetable Gyoza (Japanese crispy gyoza filled with vegetables, carrots, cabbage). An excellent opener, full of flavour and enhanced by spicy sesame chilli dipping sauce (€6.50). 

Udon Noodles with seafood

We moved on to Korea for our other starter: Yangnyeom Chicken is Korean style crispy (Chicken drumettes, seasoned with sweet and spicy gochujang sauce, spring onion and sesame seed). A more substantial starter (7.00), very tasty indeed and again the sauce, the gochujang sauce, did the business.

By the way, we can recommend the starters from our first visit, the Porpia Bpet Tod (Crispy homemade Duck spring roll served with sweet chilli) and the really excellent Kajang Satay (their authentic recipe from the town of Kajang in Malaysia, Chicken thigh meat skewer marinated with local spice served with peanut sauce).

Kajang Satay (from first visit)

Now, we were up and running and looking forward to our mains. Most of these are under fifteen euro except for the signature dishes which range from 16.50 to 20.00. Previously we loved The Teriyaki Salmon (Baked sesame-crusted Salmon Teriyaki on a bed of wok-fry Asian green vegetables, ginger, garlic garnished with pickled ginger). 

Amazing how they (Asian restaurants in general) always seem to get these green vegetables spot-on. Also the flavourful and aromatic Isaan style Crispy Roast Duck. This was Sliced half Duck cooked to perfection, bedded on top of those marvellous Asian green vegetables with tamarind sauce.

On this occasion, I struck “gold” with the Kuala Lumpur Nasi Goreng (17.00). It is very well presented with the Malaysian spicy fried rice with Prawns, Chicken, chilli paste, mixed vegetables, building quite a dome in the middle and topped with fried egg; it is served with Chicken satay skewer and Prawn crackers.

CL meanwhile took her time as she savoured every little bit of her Seafood Yaki Udon (Wok fried Scallops, Prawns, Mussels, Squids with Japanese Udon noodles, ginger chilli paste, green beans, bamboo shoots, bell peppers, scallions and toasted sesame seeds). A top dish indeed for 20 euro. Total bill, excluding tips, on a no-drink night was fifty two euro. Good food, friendly service and good value we thought. And still more regional Asian dishes left to explore on that menu!

Mitchell & Son In Cork Whiskey Fest "Spot"light. Fercullen Now In USA!

Mitchell & Son 

In Cork Whiskey Fest "Spot"light 

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Fercullen Now In USA!

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The famous Mitchell & Son bottles will be the subject of a masterclass during the Cork Whiskey Fest in March. Details below but first we sample the original Green Spot, the current fill in my Bradley's Hip Flask.

Mitchell & Son Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, 40% ABV

Widely available at c. €65.00

Fresh and gentle aromatics, apple and elderflower plus honey notes. Light fruit notes on the mellow palate, exotic such as mango and pineapple, more closer to home like apple, and honey too.  Mellow yes but quite full bodied with a light spicy and lingering finish from this gorgeous pale-gold coloured whiskey, the original Green Spot.

This is now produced in Midleton. That was not always the case: The Green Spot name originated from the Mitchell family’s practice (started around 1900) of marking casks of different ages with a daub of coloured paint. Originally there was a ‘Blue Spot’, ‘Red Spot’ and even a ‘Yellow Spot’, but Green Spot emerged as their most popular whiskey and is one of the few “whiskey bonder brands” to survive to modern day.

Single Pot Still whiskey is unique to Ireland in general and to the Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork, in particular, and is regarded as the quintessential style of Irish whiskey. Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills, Pot Still whiskeys are characterised by full, complex flavours and a wonderful, creamy mouthfeel.

Cork Whiskey Fest. I've reserved my ticket for the Spot Masterclass, details.....

You can learn more, much more, about the Spots and whiskey in general at Cork Whiskey Fest 2023. 

On the Saturday (Mar 25th), Midleton legend Ger Garland and Brand Ambassador Matthew Smith guide you through a selection of Spot whiskey along with their finishing wines, for this stellar masterclass. Mitchell and Sons Wine & Spirits Merchants are the sole remaining licenced bonder with Irish Distillers. Their wine finished single pot still Irish whiskeys are a pillar in Irish Whiskey. 

The festival will take place from 24th – 26th March across Cork City’s historic Victorian Quarter. Centred on MacCurtain St, CWF 2023 will concentrate whiskey fans on 1 street, for 3 days for plenty of craic and fantastic whiskey experiences. You will be hosted by many Festival Friends, in the many bars and rooms of The VQ, that will make Cork the epicentre of Irish Whiskey for one weekend. Come join the many masterclasses and events that CWF 2023 has to offer, on the tickets page.

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Fercullen Now In USA!

 

 Powerscourt Distillery is delighted to announce that the US arm of Zamora Company will import, sell, and market Fercullen in the market, effective immediately.

“We at the Powerscourt Distillery have waited until the right time and crucially finding the right partner before we launched Fercullen Irish Whiskey into the US market and we are in a great position to appoint Zamora Company USA as our national importers,” Ryan Stapleton, Powerscourt Distillery's global head of sales.

Fercullen Falls, Fercullen Single Malt, 15 Year Old Fercullen Whiskey, and limited edition Fercullen 21 Year Old, will be available in the States.

“As we continue to grow our world-class spirits and wines in the US, Irish whiskey has long been at the top of our list of categories to strengthen our portfolio, and Fercullen from the Powerscourt Distillery has always been our top choice,” said Andrew Stewart, global brand manager at Zamora Company USA.

We look forward to bringing our core Fercullen and limited release Irish whiskeys to the US in 2023 and to working closely with the excellent team at Zamora Company USA in the years to come.