Bodega El Cerrón Remordimiento 2020, Jumilla
14%
€19.95
This is a delicious medium-bodied wine with supple pure dark fruits, an attractive freshness, and a herby touch with light tannins. It offers great value for money.
Food: A good all-rounder, light enough to go with most white meats, it would also make a great partner for grilled or roast lamb.
From 64 Wine, Glasthule; Redmond’s, D6; Blackrock Cellar; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; Fine Wine & Food Athlone.
Monastrell grown in the Murcia region of southwest Spain can produce very big, tannic, alcoholic wines. There are exceptions though. Earlier this year, I was delighted to come across the wines of Bodega Cerrón. All four wines I tasted were fresh, elegant and vibrant with a wonderful purity of fruit. I feature the Remordimiento as it has the widest availability, but the Matas Altas (€25 from Drinkstore, D7) is well worth seeking out.
Juan José and Carlos Cerrón are the fourth generation to farm a series of small plots of vines located at 870-980 metres around the village of Fuente-Álamo in the Jumilla D.O. The ungrafted bush vines are farmed biodynamically in limestone soils.
I have tasted the wines of Herbert Zillinger three times over the last year or so. On each occasion I have been blown away by them. I met Zillinger briefly at VieVinum, the biannual showcase Austrian wine fair. He came across as modest and unassuming but very assured when talking about his wines.
Zillinger is based in Weinviertel, a large area in north-eastern Austria, better known for producing decent everyday wines, usually made from Grüner Veltliner. The Zillinger wines are anything but everyday. He and his partner Carmen farm biodynamically in deep loess soils. They work naturally, adding only a small amount of SO2. Zillinger are members of respect-BIODYN, a group of biodynamic producers in Austria, Germany and elsewhere, including some of the very best estates. The results are spectacular. As he writes on his website “we don’t compromise. We create unique wines, wines with a profile, structure and ‘USP”. I am a big fan of Grüner Veltliner from Kamptal; these wines are different but every bit as good.
Wine Mason is the Irish importer. They list four of his wines. I see from his website he produces over a dozen, all in small quantities.
Neuland Grüner Veltliner 2021, Weinviertel Tight and closed at first, but then explodes with flavour; layers of textured ripe green fruits, lots of ginger spice, and a dry finish. 17/20
€26 from Barnhill Stores, Dalkey, Co. Dublin; TheAllotment.com; Lilith, Dublin7; La Touche, Greystones; MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Cork; The Wine Pair, Dublin 8; SIX, Dublin 6.
Horizont Grüner Veltliner 2021, Weinviertal Intense ripe peaches and apricots, with spice aplenty, a very mineral backbone and long finish. Gorgeous wine. 17.5/20
€29-31 from Redmonds, Ranelagh, Dublin 6; La Touche, Greystones, Co. Wicklow.
Radikal Grüner Veltliner 2019, Weinviertal Rich, powerful and exotic with intense honey, pineapple chunks, some herbal notes too. Lingering finish. A sensational wine that will develop further. 18/20
Irish green entrepreneur Dr. Eddie O’Connor has acquired Château Tour des Termes in Saint-Estèphe, one of the leading communes of Bordeaux. He purchased the estate from the Anney family, who have worked on the estate for five generations. O’Connor’s first move was to appoint Julien Brustis as Director General to work with Christophe Anney on a smooth transition.
O’Connor, a wine afficionado, commented “I have always wanted to own a vineyard in Bordeaux, the world’s greatest wine producing area. Building on what has been achieved by Christoph Anney and his forebears we intend to create a sustainable vineyard which copes in the best way possible with global warming”.
O’Connor has been working in the sustainable offshore wind energy sector since developer of offshore wind in the Irish and North Seas since 2003 and Onshore wind in the Irish and North Seas since 2003 and further afield in Chile and the U.S. since 1992. He has dedicated his career to decarbonisation of energy supply using the Supergrid.
Every now and again you come across a producer that might be special. I met Hungarian winemaker Zoltán Heimann on a visit to Dublin last year. He is obviously a very bright and capable winemaker, and he is making some fantastic wines.
The Heimann winery was established by his parents, his mother making the wine and his father, also Zoltán, involved in the viticulture. They are based in Szekszárd in the southern part of the country, red wine country I am told. Zoltán studied winemaking at Geisenheim, Montpellier and Bordeaux before returning home.
The family has a passion for Kadarka and Kékfrankos, two indigenous grape varieties. Zoltán senior has been working with the local university to produce better lower-yielding clones of both varieties to improve the quality of their grapes.
Kadarka has a long history in Hungary, and was an important constituent in the legendary Bull’s Blood/ Bikavér. Handled carefully, it can produce mouth-watering fresh wines with crunchy dark fruits.
Kékfrankos is the Hungarian name for Blaufränkisch, a variety grown all over central Europe. There are several leading proponents in Austria producing great wines. The wines are typically low in alcohol, medium-bodied, with pure fresh fruits. I love them.
I tasted three wines from Heimann and was blown away by them. All had an amazing purity, lively acidity, and perfectly ripe fruits combined with a beguiling freshness.
Hungary has been making great wines for decades now; we just don’t see them here in Ireland. The Heimann wines, along with some from other interesting Hungarian producers, are imported by Balázs Rakamazi of Vinifinesse. JN Wines also import wines from the Sebestyén winery also in the Szekszárd region.
Kadarka Szekszárd 2021, Heimann
Fresh reviving red fruits and morello cherries with nicely balancing acidity and a touch of spice. A lovely vin de soif. 16/20 €26.75 – €26-28.
Kékfrankos 2018 Heimann
Dried rose petals, leafy developing leafy smoky notes with red fruits and a mineral bite. 16.5/20 €26-28
Kékfrankos Bati Kereszt 2019, Heimann
This is a seriously good wine; lovely fresh nose, dark fruits, plums and blackcurrants and floral notes; the palate has the same bright, ripe, rounded fruits and a chalky dry finish. Classic Kékfrankos / Blaufränkisch. 17.5/20 €35-37
The Heimann wines are available from the following outlets: The Corkscrew, D2; 64Wine, Glasthule; Blackrock Cellar; Clontarf Wines, D3; Pinto Wines, D9; Pete’s Provisions, D5; Elm Epicurean, D4; Margadh, D13; Provender Stores, D8.
How often have we heard the description ‘modest, quietly spoken and lets the wine do the talking’ only to meet a brash, overly confident winemaker? One of my very best trips ever was to Beaujolais with the late Tomás Clancy in 2016. We spent three or four wonderful days visiting many of the great producers of the region including Jean-Paul Brun. I had been enjoying the wines for years, so it was a pleasure to meet him, all the more so because he was genuinely modest and let us taste the wines in peace, only answering questions when asked, having given us a brief introduction to his domaine. Even the signage (see above) was modest. The wines then and now are wonderful, always light in alcohol, pure in fruit and full of character. At a recent Wines Direct tasting, I tasted five of his wines, each one a charmer. All are available exclusively from Winesdirect.ie and their shop in Mullingar.
Beaujolais Blanc 2021 Domaines des Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun Delightful lively Chardonnay with lightly textured orange peel and green apples. €23.35
Roussanne Blanc Jean-Paul Brun Vin de France 2021 Made from vines planted in the Beaujolais region. Creamy, with a seductive rich texture and apricot fruits. Very moreish. Organic. €24.75
Côtes de Brouilly 2021 Domaine des Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun Textbook Beaujolais; fresh slightly grippy zippy red cherry fruits, good acidity and a supple finish. It has a wonderful diaphanous quality. An unputdownable vine de soif. Organic. €26
Moulin-à-Vent Domaine des Terres Dorées 2021, Jean-Paul Brun Wow! An amazing concentration of slightly savoury refreshing juicy dark fruits. Seemingly light, but it has genuine structure that calls out for little ageing. Lovely wine. €29.25
Morgon Côte de Puy 2021 Domaine des Terres Dorées, Jean-Paul Brun
Another stunner. Restrained, elegant yet concentrated with a lovely mineral backbone and slightly chewy tannins. Gorgeous now but will certainly keep and improve. Organic. €32.70
Textbook Chianti Classico with violet and red fruit aromas; medium-bodied with dark cherry fruits. Good but not intrusive acidity and perfectly judged tannins on the finish. Try this with most plainly grilled red meats or mushroom-based dishes.
Tasted and Coravined before Christmas this was a treat on a chilly February evening. Fèlsina is based on the south-eastern border of Chianti Classico. It has been run by the Poggiali family since 1966. While the Riserva, Fontalloro, Rancio and single vineyard Colonia are all very good (as is their olive oil) I have always been very fond of the Chianti Classico.
€31.95 from StationtoStationWine.ie; Wineonline.ie; Eldons, Clonmel; The Allotment.ie.
Rich and textured with harmonious, lush, creamy soft ripe stone fruits – peaches and apricots – with subtle toasted nuts and just enough acidity. Outstanding wine. 17.5/20
The 2020 vintage is available for €53 although you may still be able to find the 2018 and 2019 vintages in some shops. From Deveney’s – Dundrum; Martins; McHugh’s; Redmonds of Ranelagh; The Corkscrew, D2; Nectar Wines; Mitchell and Son; Wineonline.ie.
I received a sample of this a few years back and wondered how it might age, so I Coravined it and tried it again recently. It is the top wine from Belondrade y Lurton, a project started by Didier Belondrade in 1994. The wines are made in a very smart minimalist winery overlooking the vines. Belondrade has 23 plots of vines, all in La Seca, one of the top wine-growing regions of Rueda. Spontaneous fermentation, fermented and aged in French oak of various age and size.
Quite delicious with easy smooth dark fruits, a lick of dusty leather, spice and black pepper. This has a lovely soft subtle ripeness and the tannins are light at this stage.
A present from my sister who lives in California, and knows I am a fan of Anthill. The winery is better known for their Pinot, but the Syrah, from a cool-climate vineyard a few kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, is equally good.
Anthill Farms are imported by Winemason and I see Mitchell & Son has the 2016 vintage for €48.95.
This week a red Burgundy that offers great value for money. It is from Maranges, at the southern end of the Côte d’Or.
Concentrated and ripe with fresh red cherry fruits dusted with spice and a lovely long finish. It will evolve further over the next year or two, but is very seductive already; I bought a few bottles for the coming festive season.
€29.95 from Mitchell & Son, chq, D1 and Sandycove; La Touche Wines, Greystones; Morton’s, Ranelagh; TheNudeWineCo.ie.
Maranges, like Marsannay at the other end of the Côte d’Or, is one of the lesser-known, and therefore more reasonably priced names in Burgundy. Located just south of Santenay, it was part of Côtes de Beaune Villages appellation until 1989. There are seven Premiers Crus vineyards, and 90% of production is of red wine.
Founded in 1894, Domaine Maurice Charleux is situated in Dezize-lès-Maranges, part of Maranges. Today the domaine covers just under 12 hectares, of which 85% is Pinot Noir. They produce three premiers crus. The Vieilles Vignes is made from a few hectares of vines planted in 1933 and 1937.
Just back from one of the tasting highlights of the year: Spit! This is a group of four of our finest small importers who come together twice a year to show their wines. One is primarily Spanish, one Burgundian, another Italian, and one Austro-German-Portuguese, but all have a selection from various parts of Europe and South Africa.
Below, a few of my favourites, but there were many, many more.
