The best wines to drink with pizza

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday, 14th October, 2017

Who doesn’t like pizza? One of the happiest times in my life was when, as a student, I worked in a branch of Round Table Pizza in California. I was happy, but rapidly gained weight, as a diet of two pizzas a day, every day for a month would count as serious carb-loading today. I declined the offer of a place at its Pizza University, which was probably good for my health. In the restaurant we offered beer (Budweiser) and a choice of three wines – red, white and rosé – all served from a tap linked by pipe to wine kegs out the back.

So what should we drink with our pizza? Beer is good; I tend to go for a lighter IPA or a crisp Pilsner. But most of the time, I drink wine. As a broad rule I tend to prefer light fruity red wines with pizzas that have tomato sauce and/or meats such as salami, sausage and pepperoni. Italian reds tend to be have good acidity and are relatively low in alcohol – perfect for cutting through melted, fatty cheese and matching the acidity of a tomato sauce. Steer clear of red wines with a lot of tannin. This is not really the time for a fine Bordeaux.

Given that the southern parts of Italy are very fond of all sorts of tomato-based dishes, it is not surprising that they have the wines to accompany them. Red wines such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Nero d’Avola both work well. From elsewhere in Italy, an inexpensive Chianti, a Valpolicella or a Barbera from Piemonte share the same fresh juicy character. All of the above are usually fairly inexpensive, €10-€15 a bottle. Outside Italy, an unoaked Rioja or a Beaujolais would do equally well. If I have mushroom pizza, I usually go for an inexpensive Pinot Noir. With a spicy pepperoni, I sometimes leave Italy and go for an Australian Shiraz or a Malbec from Argentina.

White wine can go equally well with some pizza; Chardonnay with a margarita or red peppers, or something lighter with a pizza Bianca (no tomatoes), seafood, goat’s cheese, mozzarella or with fresh Parma ham and rocket. Again, I would instinctively look first to Italy, and Soave, Pinot Grigio, a good Verdicchio, or a white from Campania, such as the Gerco di Tufo below. A dry rosé goes really well with lighter pizza, and is a fantastic match for pissaladière, the Provençal version of pizza.

My own favourite home-made pizza is the umami, made without a tomato sauce but scattered with a few chopped cherry tomatoes and some or all of the following; anchovies (essential), onions, black olives, capers, garlic, roasted peppers, finished with a dusting of Parmesan. With it I usually go straight for a medium-bodied Chianti.

Greco di Tufo 2016, Castellore 13% €9.99

Crisp textured autumnal yellow fruits. Perfect with seafood pizza.

Stockist: Aldi

Chianti Colli Senesi 2015, Medici Riccardi 12.5% €9.99

The refreshing light red cherry fruits and good acidity would go nicely with a ham or salami pizza.

Stockists: Lidl

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2015, La Piuma 13% €12.95

Medium-bodied rounded plums and dark cherries. With a cheese special?

Stockists: O’Briens

Valpolicella 2016, Alpha Zeta 12.5% €14.99

Instantly pleasing gluggable juicy light red cherry fruits. With a classic Margarita pizza.

Stockists: Callans, Dundalk; Clontarf Wines; Mannings, Cork; The Malt House, Trim; Power & Co, Lucan;  Red Island, Skerries; wineonline.ie

Three easy-to-make cocktails to while away those lazy days

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 19th August, 2017.

This week, a few refreshing cocktails to enjoy in the sunshine. I am not usually a fan of wine cocktails; it seems sacrilegious to dilute or adulterate such a great beverage.

However, in the summer, when reviving low-alcohol drinks are essential, they seem appropriate. Gin is the great cocktail spirit, and there is no shortage of refreshing drinks to conjure up.

Elderflower & Savvy

It is often said that Sauvignon Blanc smells and tastes of elderflower, so not surprisingly, the two go well together. If you are feeling lazy, the Blossom Hill Elderflower & Lemon Spritz (5.5% alcohol), a very refreshing summery glass of wine, is an easy alternative.

Ingredients:
One  bottle of chilled inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Chile or elsewhere;
150-200ml elderflower cordial;
1 750ml bottle of chilled sparkling water;
Two unwaxed limes (available in Marks & Spencer) or unwaxed lemons;
Ice.

Method:
Mix the cordial and wine together in a large jug, add sliced limes (or lemons), sparkling water and ice, tasting as you proceed, until it seems right. Serve with a sprig of mint.

Rebujito

I adore all kinds of sherry, and fino is a fantastic summer drink. However, fino’s 15% alcohol means a certain level of restraint is required. Rebujito is the favoured fiestas drink in Andalucía, and could not be easier to make.

The fino featured below is exquisite, and possibly wasted here. You could buy a bottle of Tio Pepe for the cocktail and save the Callejuela for a treat before dinner.

Spirits writer David Broom recommends using fino sherry instead of vodka for a lighter Bloody Mary, which worked very well. Alternatively, you could make a  P&T – a white port & tonic, garnished with lemon and mint.

Ingredients:
One bottle chilled fino sherry;
1 750 ml bottle of chilled sparkling water;
Ice;
One lemon.

Method:
Mix roughly equal quantities of sherry and sparkling water (some people use fizzy lemonade). Add a few cubes of ice and a few slices of lemon. Garnish with mint. Gin is a great summery drink, whether mixed with tonic water, or in a classic Tom Collins. This recipe, courtesy of Susie Atkins in the Telegraph, is delicious.

Ingredients:

50ml gin;
Two sprigs of fresh mint;
1cm slice of cucumber quartered;
100ml Elderflower pressé (or cordial mixed with sparkling water);
Ice;
A sprig of mint and slice of lemon to garnish.

Method:

Put the two sprigs of mint and slices of cucumber and gin into a cocktail shaker. Muddle (or bash) them around together for a minute, strain into a tall glass, add elderflower pressé and a few cubes of ice, and garnish with lemon and mint.

Bargain Wine:

 Costa Fresca Sauvignon Blanc 2016, San Antonio Valley,
14%, €13.30

 A very attractive Sauvignon with rich textured tropical fruit and great intensity for a wine at this price. Stockists: Marks & Spencer.

 Lone Kauri Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Marlborough,
13%, €14.99 – €10 on promotion

Elderflower aromas and  rich gooseberry fruits; classic Marlborough Sauvignon. Stockists: SuperValu.

Callejuela Manzanilla Fina NV,
15%, €17

 Mouth-watering and fresh with citrus fruits and subtle green olives and almonds. Perfect on its own or in the Rebujito above. Stockists: World Wide Wines; Green Man Wines; Redmonds; Whelehan’s; 64 Wines.

 Boyle’s Small Batch Irish Botanical Gin,
40%, €24.99

 Excellent award-winning gin (made by Blackwater distillery) full of fruit, vibrant juniper and elderflower. Stockists: Aldi.

Time to go on the dry and roll out the Riesling

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 4th August, 2017

As we move into full summer mode, it is time to return to one of the great loves of my life, Riesling. If you are beginning to suffer from Sauvignon fatigue, or tiring of tasteless Pinot Grigio, then this is the time to acquaint yourself with one of the world’s great wines. Dry (and even off-dry) Riesling is fresh and aromatic, perfect for drinking with or without food during the summer months. The wines usually have a class and complexity that leaves the two aforementioned grape varieties trailing in their wake.

Germany is still the best producer of Riesling in the world. A few words worth remembering here; trocken means dry in German, so you can expect these to be fairly dry or bone dry. A Kabinett without the word trocken will be off-dry, but don’t let this put you off; this is a classic style that the Mosel region does really well. The wines can be exceptional. But the fashion in Germany is for trocken, so most wines will be dry.

After Germany, Austria, Australia and Alsace all make very good dry versions. The Austrian wines tend to be a little more full-bodied, but it depends on vintage and winemaker. My favourite region is probably Kamptal, but many other Riesling aficionados prefer the richer style found in the Wachau.

National grape

Most parts of Germany produce a decent Riesling; it is their national grape after all. The Mosel and Rheingau are probably the best known, but the Rheinhessen, Nahe and Franken all offer wines that are every bit as good. Each region produces wine with its own distinctive style, while still remaining unmistakably Riesling.  Most decent retail shops now have at least one German or Austrian Riesling, including some of the multiples. I would steer clear of those under €10, unless you want to relive past experiences with Liebfraumilch and other sweetish nasties. The best German and Austrian Rieslings are in great demand at home and abroad, so sadly, the best do not come cheap. However, the overall quality is both very high and consistent. As Riesling ages very well, don’t be too concerned if you are offered wines that are two to three years old. You should be in for a treat.

The lighter off-dry wines of the Mosel are perfect deckchair wines, for sipping in the shade, on their own, or with a few nibbles. The bigger, drier trocken wines fit this bill too, but are also very much at home with seafood and white meats. My own favourite match is with fresh Irish crab, but Riesling also makes a great partner for many Asian foods, sushi and green curry in particular.

Four Rieslings to try

 Wehlener Klosterberg Riesling Kabinett 2014, Markus Molitor 10%. €26.95

Pristine, lightly honeyed peaches with a clean mineral core, the off-dry finish perfectly balanced by the lively acidity. Stockists: Searsons, Monkstown; Baggot Street Wines.

Platin Riesling 2015, Niederösterreich, Jurtschitsch, Austria 12.5%. €22.50

Bone dry with delightful rich apricot fruits  cut through with citrus and spice. Stockists: Quintessential Wines, Drogheda; 64 Wine.

Riesling Trocken 2016, Wagner Stempel, Rheinhessen 12%. €20

Succulent, mouthwatering peach and pineapple with a fine crisp dry finish. Stockists: Avoca Rathcoole; Drinkstore; Sweeney’s; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Martin’s, Fairview; Clontarf Wines.

Dr L Riesling 2015, Loosen, Mosel 8.5%. €14

Lean, clean fresh green apple and pear fruits with an off-dry finish.

Stockists: Morton’s, Ranelagh; Jus de Vine; Nolan’s, Clontarf.