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Valtuille 2020, Vino de Villa, César Márquez, Bierzo

Valtuille 2020, Vino de Villa, César Márquez, Bierzo

I am a big fan of Mencía and this is a great example; a lovely, elegant wine with real style – and at a great price too.

€20.86 from WineSpark.com

Aromatic, with wonderful pure refreshing juicy dark fruits; a welcome little bit of grip from the whole-bunch fermentation, and good acidity. It all comes together nicely in a dangerously drinkable, free-flowing wine that will brighten up your dinner. Drink it cool, not chilled and decant if possible.

The grapes come from two plots of vines in the villages of Valtuille. It is made from 85% Mencía, 15% Alicante Bouschet and other local varieties. 100% whole-bunch pressed and then aged in oak casks for a year.

César Márquez is a nephew of Raúl Pérez, one of the leading winemakers in North-West Spain. Márquez was introduced to winemaking by Pérez, and having worked in the family wineries and elsewhere, has now started a project of his own. The results are impressive to say the least. As well as this wine, WineSpark.com has the lighter and fruitier Parajes de Bierzo for a bargain €16.92.

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10 Great Wines from Wines on The Green.

10 Great Wines from Wines on The Green.
Ally Alpine from Wines on the Green / Celtic Whiskey

Celtic Whiskey is best known as one of the leading sprits specialists in the country. Led by Scotsman Ally Alpine they have been to the fore of the Irish whiskey revolution. Celtic also import a very good range of wines, including what is probably the best selection of fortified wines in the country. The entire range is good though, with lots of interesting wines, and often very keenly priced. Their wine name is Wines in the Green, although the two seem interchangeable at times. The wines below are a small selection taken from their full range. Some of their wines are also available elsewhere in specialist retailers such as Mitchell & Son, Jus de Vine, Sweeney’s D3, Clontarf Wines and Grapevine, Dalkey.

Gran Barquero
Gran Barquero is a Montilla-Moriles – wine made in a very similar way to sherry, but in a neighbouring region. It cannot therefore call itself sherry. The soils are albariza and the winemaking is identical. The big difference is the grape; instead of Palomino as in Jerez, Montilla is made exclusively from Pedro Ximénez. The wines, including the two below, offer amazing value for money.

Gran Barquero 10-year-old Fino Montilla-Moriles
15%
€24

Briny, green olives, very bready with a real fruitiness, an attractive earthiness; bone dry and quite delicious. A bargain price too.

Grand Barquero 25-year-old Palo Cortado, Montilla-Moriles
19%
€42

Refined aromas of almonds and orange zest, full-bodied yet fresh with rich peach fruits, lightly toasty, some citrus and a lingering dry finish. Wonderful wine.

Cantina Tramin Cuvée Bianco 2022, Alto Adige
12.5%
€18.00

I have been a big fan of the Tramin Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanc for some time. Both sell for around €20. The Cuvée, made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Sauvignon seems to offer equally good value. Lightly aromatic, with textured pears and apples finishing dry. A great aperitif or with seafood.

I featured both of these Montepulciano d’Abruzzo in an earlier blog. Both represent excellent value for money.

Lupi Reali Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022, Organic
€13.75

Light, juicy and so easy to drink with fresh black cherries and an attractive earthy touch. The perfect midweek wine and a steal at this price.

Valle Reale Montepulicano d’Abruzzo 2022, Organic
€22.50

Made by the same producer as the Lupi Reali above, this is a big step up. Concentrated dark cherry fruit, good acidity and some very well integrated tannins on the finish. This has real grip and style.

Andeluna 1300 Malbec 2022 Mendoza, Argentina
14.5%
€17

This is seriously good value for money. Violet aromas, concentrated dark fruits – loganberries, cassis and dark cherries with a touch of vanilla, and well-integrated tannins on the finish.

Villa Blanche Picpoul de Pinet 2022, Calmel & Jospeh
12.5%
€18

Picpoul is ubiquitous these days, having taken over from Muscadfet as our favourite wine to drink with shellfish and other seafood. This is a very well-made fairly priced Picpoul with clean concentrated apple fruits and a good finish. It is certainly worth the premium over less expensive supermarket versions.

Ànima Negra ÀN/2, 2021, Mallorca
13.5%
€30-34

Ànima Negra was founded in 1994 by two self-taught winemakers who wanted to showcase the indigenous grape varieties of Mallorca. Made primarily from three local varieties – Callet, Mantonegro and Fogoneu, with 15% Syrah, this is a delicious wine packed with pure ripe supple dark fruits set off by an attractive minerality.

Castell d’Encus Acusp 2020, Costers del Segre
€51

Founded by Raül Bobet in 2001, Castell d’Encus has vineyards at 800 – 1,200 metres in Costers del Segre, in the Catalan Pyrenees. The estate produces a range of wonderful, elegant refreshing wines made from various grape varieties. The Ekam Riesling is a personal favourite, but I hadn’t tasted the Acusp, a Pinot Noir, for some years. It is a great wine, refined, pure and expressive, with delicate dark cherry fruits and a fine mineral note. Given current Burgundy prices, it offers value for money.

Quinta do Noval Single Vineyard Unfiltered LBV Port
19.5%
€30

A very delicious vintage-style port, bursting with fresh ripe cassis, dark plums and black cherries. There is nice spicy touch and well-integrated tannins.

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Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022 Bernard Defaix

Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022 Bernard Defaix

Vibrant pure crystalline green apples with a lovely stony mineral edge and a bone dry, slightly austere finish. Superior to many Chablis at around the same price – or more.

€29 from Wine Pair, Dublin 8; D-Six off licence, Dublin 6; Martins off licence, Dublin 3.

Bourgogne Chardonnay, like its red counterpart Bourgogne Pinot Noir, can offer great value for money. It all depends on who makes it and what part of Burgundy it comes from. Wines from the Mâconnais and other parts of southern Burgundy tend to be richer and more textured in style. Cooler regions in the north are generally crisp and mineral with racy green fruits.

Domaine Bernard Defaix produces some very fine complex Chablis from his own vineyards, which includes some premiers crus. He also buys in grapes from other growers. The Defaix Bourgogne Chardonnay is made from bought-in grapes, but it stood out as offering great value for money at a recent tasting in Dublin.

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The Wines on Wednesday

The Wines on Wednesday

Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is one of the most popular Italian red wines, and amongst the cheapest in most Italian restaurants and supermarkets. Most of these are drinkable with soft easy fruits and no hard tannins. But spend a little more and you will find some very good wines. I tasted these three wines at a trade tasting earlier this week. All stood out as offering great value for money.

Lupi Reali Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022, Organic
€13.75

Light, juicy and so easy to drink with fresh black cherries and an attractive earthy touch. The perfect midweek wine and a steal at this price.

From Wines on the Green, Dawson St., celticwhiskeyshop.com; Nolans, Clontarf; McHughs, Kilbarrack & Malahide Road; O’ Driscolls off licence, Cahersiveen.

Valle Reale Montepulicano d’Abruzzo 2022, Organic
€22.50

Made by the same producer as the Lupi Reali above, this is a big step up. Concentrated dark cherry fruit, good acidity and some very well integrated tannins on the finish. This has real grip and styler.

From Wines on the Green, Dawson St, celticwhiskeyshop.com; Nolans, Clontarf; McHughs, Kilbarrack & Malahide Road; O’ Driscolls off licence, Cahersiveen.

Malandrino Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2022 Cataldi Madonna

From one of the finest producers in the region a seductive silky smooth wine packed with rich dark fruits and a lovely lingering finish.

From Avoca; Blackrock Cellar; Deveney’s Dundrum; Drink Store, Stoneybatter; McHugh’s off licences; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Sweeney’s, D3; The Corkscrew, D2; Thomas’s of Foxrock.

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Heidi Schröck & Söhne Blaufränkisch 2022, Ried Kulm, Burgenland

Heidi Schröck & Söhne Blaufränkisch 2022, Ried Kulm, Burgenland

Vibrant fresh dark cherry and plum fruits with a touch of spicy black pepper, good acidity and a tannin-free finish. A great all-purpose wine but best with white meats; chicken or pork chops.

€28 from Blackrock Cellar; The Corkscrew, Dublin 2; Gibney’s, Malahide; Wineonline.ie

The quality of Blaufränkisch from Austria (as well as neighbouring Hungary, Slovenia and Czech Republic) has been increasing rapidly over the last decade or so. The Ried Kulm is from a single vineyard the oldest of Heidi’s sites, planted her great aunts in 1955. Heidi Schröck was one of the first female winemakers in Austria, “certainly the first one to put it on the label” she tells me. “I didn’t think it was too difficult but looking back now it was not easy. It was physically tough. I had no forklift in 1983. Females in those days were watched very closely. I used to contact any female winemaker around the world I read about and made some life-long pen friends.” In 2001, she was a founder member of Eleven Women and their Wines, a group promoting female wine producers. In 2020, she was joined by her sons Georg and Johannes. Based in Rust on the Neusiedlersee, she makes a wide range of red, white, rosé, sparkling and sweet wines.

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A Spanish Christmas

A Spanish Christmas

Spain has been one of the most exciting wine producing countries for a decade or more now. Relying on their own collection of indigenous grape varieties, every region of Spain seems to be offering great unique wines just waiting to be discovered. This week, four Spanish wines, two from well-known regions, the others from less familiar areas.

Together, they make up the complete Spanish Christmas collection.

Cava María Casanovas Brut de Brut NV Organic

Fresh orchard fruits and melons with a touch of brioche. There is plenty of citrus acidity, good depth and great length for a sparkling wine at this price. The prefect way to start proceedings at Christmas or for New Year’s Eve.

€26 from Green Man Wines, D6W; Pinto Wines, D9; Thenudewineco.ie; Corkscrew, D2; Grapevine, Dalkey; McCurtain Wine Cellar, Cork; Whelehan’s, Loughlinstown; A Taste of Spain, D2.

Made from a blend of 30% Macabeo 30% Xarel.lo 40% Parellada, this organic wine is produced on a small family-owned estate in the Penedes. I could write a book on the legal changes afoot regarding sparkling wine in Cataluyna. Suffice to say that there are some excellent sparkling wines being made at the moment, some under the Cava DO, others under the name Corpinnat, and still more labelled Clàssic Penedès. There are big moves towards better quality, and also to organic viticulture.

Gabo do Xil O Barreiro 2022, Valdeorras

Fresh and light, but not lacking in concentration, this has a lively minerality, peach and melon fruits with a lip-smacking dry finish. It has good texture and will probably fill out with time, but it is drinking beautifully now. Enjoy it with the traditional Christmas dinner starters.

€24.95 from Lilith, D7; 64 Wine, Glasthule; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Pinto Wines, D9; Deveney’s, D14.

The Godello grape, recently rescued from near extinction, is now responsible for some of the greatest white wines of Spain. Telmo Rodriguez (see below) was one of the first to become entranced by the wines produced from grapes grown on steep terraced slopes of Valdeorras. He has 23 hectares of vines here, and recently bought one small 2 hectare north-facing vineyard, which he told me, will be his final project.

Rioja Lanzaga LZ 2021 Organic

Fresh, with delightful, sweet/sour dark fruits and a tannin-free finish. Lovely purity of fruit, and decent length. This would go nicely with turkey, ham and all of the other trimmings.

€21 from Ely Maynooth; Green Man Wines, D6W; Lilith, D7; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock.

This is a traditional Basque Rioja, fermented and aged entirely in cement tanks using organic grapes from around the village of Lanziego in Rioja Alavesa.

Pablo Eguzkiza and Telmo Rodríguez met while studying wine in Bordeaux. Together they have been amongst the most influential forces in Spanish winemaking over the last few decades. Both of Basque origin, they were instrumental in reviving the winemaking history and culture in many parts of Spain. Their focus has been to work with indigenous grape varieties and local growers. Rodriguez grew up in Remelluri, the family estate in Rioja Alavesa, the Basque part of Rioja, and is focussing more of his energies here these days.

Lustau Amontillado Los Arcos NV

A lovely rich Amontillado sherry with dried fruits, toasted wood, mahogany polish and butterscotch. The perfect after dinner drink with walnuts and blue cheese.

€14.50-17 for a ½ bottle from Mitchell & Son; O’Briens; Morton’s, Ranelagh; Bradley’s, Cork; Redmond’s, D6; MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Cork; McHugh’s, D5.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s Lustau was one of the most innovative sherry producers, developing the concept of Almacenista and vintage wines. While a generation of other younger wineries now produce an amazing array of wines, Lustau remains the benchmark by which they are judged.

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FOUR MORE WINES FOR CHRISTMAS

FOUR MORE WINES FOR CHRISTMAS

This week, four more wines that I couldn’t quite into my Irish Times articles but are certainly worth considering for your Christmas celebrations.

La Grange 2022 Le Landreau, Domaine Luneau-Papin
Muscadet de Sèvre & Maine, Tiré sur Lie

Fresh, luscious pear and apple fruits, zingy citrus peel, and a lovely saline mineral note. Concentrated and long. All this with a mere 12% alcohol. Perfect as an aperitif, with oysters or other seafood.

€23 from Whelehan’s, Loughlinstown, whelehanswines.ie.

Luneau-Papin is one of the great producers of Muscadet, now in its 9th generation. You have to look hard to see the name Muscadet de Sèvre & Maine sur Lie on the label, as the producer would prefer us to concentrate on the village of Le Landreau where the vines are planted. From vineyards planted in 1974 around the winery, the soils are schist and mica schist, giving real verve to the wine.

Lopez de Haro Rioja Crianza 2020

Medium-bodied with smooth ripe red cherry and raspberry fruits and very subtle vanilla oak. The fruits shine through, and there is good balancing acidity to give it life. Great value for money. This would certainly go nicely with turkey, lamb or dishes with red peppers.

€16 from 64Wine, Glasthule; Green Man Wines, Dublin 6W; Martin’s Off-Licence, D3; Wineonline.ie; Thenudewineco.ie.

Lopez de Haro is part of Vintae, a very dynamic relatively young company, founded in the early part of the 21st century. They have 300 hectares of vines, half of those in Rioja, the rest in Navarra, Aragon, Toro and Ribera del Duero. The Riojas are made in a modern style with plenty of ripe fruit and subtle oak, usually offer great value for money. Look out too for their excellent white Rioja Reserva.

Chapelle de Potensac Médoc 2016

Perfectly balanced fresh, elegant blackcurrant and red cherry fruits, a light spiciness, and soft mature tannins. You could keep it a few more years, but it is perfect now. Great value for money too.

€29 from Whelehan’s, Loughlinstown. Whelehanswines.ie.

Château Potensac has always been one of my favourite wines from Bordeaux, offering a true reflection of the Médoc at very fair prices. The property is owned by Domaines Delon, also proprietors of Ch. Léoville Las Cases, Clos du Marquis and Château Nénin in Pomerol. La Chapelle is the second wine of Potensac, first released in 2002. Like its elder brother it is a classic Médoc. 75% Merlot, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc.

Castas Escondidas 2018, Douro, Casa Ferreirinha

Smooth and rich with intense firm dark fruits, good freshness and acidity, with plenty of well-integrated tannins. You could drink it now; I would decant it just before dinner. A bit too tannic for turkey, but this would be great with game and red meats.

€56.95 from Contarf Wines; Redmonds, D6; Pinto Wines, D9; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; Wineonline.ie.

Casa Ferreirinha was the first producer in the Douro region to dedicate themselves exclusively to table wine, as opposed to Port. Owned by Sogrape, they have 520 hectares of vines in various parts of the Douro valley. Castas Escondidas or ‘hidden varieties’, is a blend of some of the lesser-known grape varieties of the Douro, including Tinta Amarela, Touriga Femea, Tinta Francisca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Bastardo, Marufo Tinto and some old field blends.

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Dinner with the Bartons.

Dinner with the Bartons.
Lilian & Damien Barton Sartorius

Château Léoville Barton & Château Langoa Barton

Lilian Barton Sartorius visited the K Club in Kildare recently to host a dinner featuring a selection of her wines. She was accompanied by her son, Damien and his wife Sara. Lilian’s late father Anthony Barton was born in what is now the K Club, so it was a homecoming of sorts for the family. The menu consisted almost entirely of game, not a bad thing in my book, very seasonal and very well cooked by the kitchen team.

I have always been a huge fan of both the Barton wines. The twin properties of Langoa Barton and Léoville Barton, situated opposite each other in Saint-Julien, produce classic Bordeaux at a reasonable price. In many years they are every bit as good as far more expensive second growths. In contrast to many other châteaux, they have always resisted the temptation to produce over-extracted, over-alcoholic and over-oaked wines. Damien is taking over Langoa Barton, while his sister Melanie, a qualified enologist, is working at Château Mauvesin Barton, their recent acquisition in Moulis.

All of the wines below, and other vintages, should be available through specialist wine shops.

La Réserve de Léoville-Barton 2017, Saint-Julien

Served from a magnum with guinea fowl sausage and winter truffle, this was a great start to the evening. Very much in the house style with elegant blackcurrant and dark cherry fruits, some cedarwood and spice, light tannins and a dry finish. 16/20

Château Langoa-Barton 2009 Troisième Cru Classé, Saint-Julien

Served with wild squab pigeon, smoked prune purée, parsnip crisp. Beautifully perfumed with ripe opulent rounded cassis, cedar and mahogany polish. Warming, mature and very seductive. ‘Sexy’ according to Damien Barton, and I can see what he means. 16.5/20

Château Léoville Barton 2015, Deuxième cru classé, Saint-Julien

Served with loin of venison with mushrooms, parsnip purée. Classic Léoville Barton; medium-bodied with very refined ripe blackcurrant and berry fruits, dark chocolate and very elegant but firm tannins. Linear and long. Delicious now but will certainly keep. 17/20

Château Léoville Barton 2012, Deuxième Cru Classé, Saint-Julien

A lighter more elegant style and slightly austere too, with concentrated blackcurrant fruits, good fresh acidity and a sappiness on the finish. Possibly needs a few years more? 16.5/20

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THREE MORE CHRISTMAS WINES ON WEDNESDAY

THREE MORE CHRISTMAS WINES ON WEDNESDAY

Three more great wines this week that I couldn’t fit into my Irish Times articles, but they would certainly go down well with turkey, duck, beef, mushrooms or whatever Christmas dinner you are cooking this year.

Crozes Hermitage La Matinière 2021 Ferraton Père & Fils
12.5%
€23.95/18.45 from O’Briens.

Smooth ripe blackcurrant and cassis fruits with a light touch of oak. This is made in a very seductive style and seems more powerful than the 12.5% advertised on the label. Not one for keeping but this would go very nicely with Christmas dinner – turkey, beef or goose.

I am just back from an excellent trip to Crozes-Hermitage, where I tried lots of exciting wines, both red and white, and mostly very reasonably priced. I didn’t visit Ferraton, who are owned by Chapoutier, but I tasted this recently and thought it offered great value for money at €18.45.

Stonier Pinot Noir 2020, Mornington Peninsula Australia
13.5%
€29.96 down from €34.95 from O’Briens

Medium-bodied with fresh sweet/sour morello cherry fruits and a nice savoury touch on the finish. We enjoyed it with venison steak, but this would go with most Christmas dinner options.

The Mornington Peninsula, an hour’s drive from Melbourne, is a very popular weekend destination for Melburnians. As well as wineries, attractions include great beaches, restaurants and hot springs. Winewise, it is known for producing very high-quality Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Sancerre Rouge Silex 2021 Domaine Delaporte
13%
€39.95 from Whelehan’s, Loughlinstown, Whelehans.ie.

A delicious soft Pinot Noir with velvety dark cherries and cassis and a smooth tannin-free finish. It has just enough acidity to maintain freshness and elegance. Another wine to enjoy with whatever Christmas dinner you are serving.

As Burgundy increases in price, Pinotphiles are looking elsewhere for value. Red Sancerre has improved hugely in recent years, possibly due to climate change, but also because some growers are taking it very seriously.

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The Irishman Legacy Irish Whiskey.

The Irishman Legacy Irish Whiskey.

I was sorry to miss the preview in St. Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny but delighted to receive a bottle of The Irishman Legacy, a single malt aged in barrels from Château La Nerthe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The first known record of distillation in Ireland dates back 700 years to The Red Book of Ossory, which is kept in St. Canice’s. It is believed to have been written by the bishop shortly after his arrival from the Papal residence in Avignon, hence the connection to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Pope’s summer residence.

The Legacy is currently available exclusively through the ten members establishments of The Kilkenny Whiskey Guild and The Loop for €75 and will go on release elsewhere in 2024 to celebrate the 700th anniversary.

Creamy and rich with a medley of peach, blackcurrant and morello cherry fruits, a touch of caramel, backed up some subtle toasted nuts and leather. A lovely whiskey.

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