Secrets of Burren Brewery and the wild yeast that led to "Euphoria", with more on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #11

The secrets of brewing - Burren Brewery

Peter in a still from the video

How Peter Curtin gathered the wild yeast that led to the amazing "Euphoria"

Check out the video here

More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #11

 Blacks of Kinsale may be filling casks of whiskey these days

but have just announced a new beer!

taste! Light and refreshing with Mango, Pineapple and Grapefruit Perfect for the summer, whenever it arrives! Details on the whiskey and the beer here.

Drink Pink. That's The Summertime Message from O'Briens WinE

By Lynne Coyle MW | O'Briens Wine Director says Rosé is most definitely the hottest wine trend this summer. Rain, hail or shine its popularity knows no bounds. Whether still or sparkling, with or without food, of the palest pink or a darker hue, rosé wine is making itself known at every wine drinking occasion.

Almost all red grapes can be made into a rosé wine, the grapes used are usually the traditional grapes grown in the region of origin. The styles are varied and the wines versatility and pinkness only adds to their charm; get drinking pink this summer with a selection of our press recommended rosés. Read more here.

O'Hara's Launch New Tropical IPA
Introducing our latest beer to Ireland - Tropical IPA - A 7.2% IPA bursting with tropical flavours of tangerine, papaya, citrus and mango. More info on their Facebook page

Waterford Distillery Bring Forward New Single Farm Origins.

After the rather unexpected success of our first commercial bottlings, which sold out within a matter of hours in major retailers across Europe, we have brought forward four new whisky bottlings to meet demand. Will be available from specialist retailers from the end of July 2020 onwards. Website: https://waterfordwhisky.com/

In flight above the Langhe with brunch in a winery. Barolo from above!

I'll be staycationing this year but here's one that just might tempt me away......

In Balloon organizes turistic hot air balloon flights, one of the most unique, original and emotionals ways to live a trip experience. We leave from the artistic Commune of Barolo surrounded by the suggestive Langhe, World Heritage Site protected by UNESCO.

More details here

Barolo 2016 is something rare!

Barolo 2016 is something rare!

Franco Massolino (with a map of the Barolo area in background).

“Barolo 2016 is something rare! An outstanding vintage. Unique.” So said Franco Massolino during a Liberty Wines organised online masterclass last Friday. Fellow Barolo winemaker Giuseppe Vajra was our other speaker, both introduced by Tim Platt (Sales Director Liberty). Dennis Drazan Sunjic coordinated the speakers and also the question and answer session at the end.

So what made 2016 so good? Franco pointed to the weather during the year that gave them “the longest cycle of vegetation”. “The winter was relatively warm, and dry. Spring came early. A lot of rain at the right time. “We never had temperature too high and it was never too dry. September unusually warm, but not crazy.” Following the warm days and cool nights of September,  “complete ripeness was achieved in our harvest”.

He said the wine has the identity of the village, it is complete, elegant, powerful. “With longevity, 30 or 40 years no problem. The different wines underlined the identity of our various vineyards. The Barolo has achieved an outstanding level of expression, a really classical expression.”

Giuseppe

Giuseppe confirmed Franco’s assessment. “He is really spot-on, it is a killer vintage, a textbook classico vintage that expresses a sense of place and highlights the differences in the various terroirs.”

It was the first year that Giuseppe had kept a diary of the season. And the first benign sign he noticed was the “abundant flowering”. In the wine, there is a promise of longevity, the tannins are not in your face, ”so you can already enjoy it and I think that the flowerings is key in this”.

Dennis asked him to talk about recent vintages and Giuseppe said the 2015 is very good and the 2017 is excellent and interesting. But 2014 was challenging because of rain and hail. Franco though was more optimistic about the 2014, perhaps because they were able to salvage some “small quantities with outstanding qualities”. Obviously the hail didn’t hit every vineyard equally. “We have some small quantities and are extremely proud of it”. Seems to be the classic case of a good winemaker producing an excellent wine in a bad year.

Dennis then posed a tough question for the duo. “Which is your best cru from 2016?” Very hard for Giuseppe to answer as they had invested so much hard work into each. He didn’t really want to pick one but, under gentle pressure, went for the Barolo Bricco delle Viole for “its flair and elegance”. 

Franco agreed that it was a tough question and he picked the Barolo Parussi. “I got great satisfaction from that as it is the youngest of our vineyards.” He quickly added that the Marghleria “is also very good.”. Both men agreed that 2016 was similar to 2008.

Franco admitted to “still trying to understand more”..”to take care of each plant in the best possible way.” You can gather that the improvement in the fortunes of Barolo over recent decades owes much to men like these. He continued: “There is a big difference to what happened in the 70s and 80s when the goal was to produce as much as possible. There was attention too to quality but not like today.”

The soil - like lasagna

Franco’s family have been in the wine business here for 120 years. “Our range of wines represent the historic style of Barolo, a unique wine in this micro-climate, the right place to show Nebiolo’s potential. We try to balance all our wines, to respect the identity and delicate notes of the variety. We don’t change a lot in the winery.”

Franco

Giuseppe was dragged away from his soccer games (he was playing too much of it - well he was just 15) to plant his first vineyard. He and his current team are still youthful and he is proud of their work. “We hope we get wiser as we go on. We started organically and our first vintage in 1972 was not a good one, not worth ageing!” The whole extended family are at work here in this “multicultural team” near the village of Barolo.

Franco’s family are in the area of Serralunga d’Alba “where every hill can be different” and that results “in great variety” in the wines around here. The family is involved here too and they “always look for the best expression.. while looking after our vineyard”. In fact, most of them are out and about in the vines these days, staying away from the offices due to Covid19.

The virus was also on Giuseppe’s mind. “We think of all you hospitality people these days. Stay strong!” He talked about the soil of the area, “basically sedimentary”, layers laid down over the years ”like lasagna”. And he reckoned that tiny variations in the ph readings (a measurement of acidity and alkalinity) for the two areas may account for the differences between wines from the two villages.

Check out the Barolo producers below:

Massolino http://www.massolino.it/

Vajra http://www.gdvajra.it/en/homepage

Recent Masterclasses:
 Charles Heidsieck, one of the most admired Champagne houses.
Meet Ted Lemon of California's Littorai vineyard

Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte

Barolo and Barbaresco. Two of the best from Italy’s Piemonte. 

Ascheri Barolo (DOCG) 2015, 14%, €35.95 O’Briens Wine

“In a world where wines are generally produced using the same grapes, the same technology, the same additives, the same oak for ageing and above all the same wine makers, our aim is to obtain a wine which is the expression of the vineyard it comes from, of the grapes it is made of, and above all of our own ideas.” So say Ascheri on their website. The result, in this case at least, is excellent.

The DO is in the Piemonte, not too far from Turin and a next door neighbour to the Barbaresco. Since its earliest days Barolo is referred to as “the king of wines and the wine of kings”, the red wines of the area having been developed by various noble families. Counts (including di Cavour, a leader of the Italian unification movement) and Vittoria Emanuele II (the first king of a unified Italy) were among those associated with the area.

Speaking of unity, I am reminded that there are differences in Barolo bottles. Those from the northern side where the soil is softer tend to to be smoother, less tannic, and more approachable.  From the south and its slightly older soil, you'll find the wines are a little bit more "muscle'y", more spicy, a bit more structured. Besides, there is a traditional approach (buy to lay down) and a modern approach (buy to drink soon) and each has its passionate devotees here.

But back to the matter in hand. Mid to light ruby, close to the normal Pinot Noir colour. Beautiful aromas, light fruit, sweet and floral notes. Soft and round on the palate, elegant rounded fruit flavours. There an overall harmony here, an amicable unity of flavour tannin and a refined power, with a gentle lingering finish.  Complex, soft and round, this 100% Nebbiolo is Very Highly Recommended. "Good Barolo," according to the World Atlas of Wine, "is arguably the world's most uncompromising wine.. ."

Try this “classic of the wine world” with Fillet Steak, Pork, Rib-Eye Steak, Roast lamb/beef. Perhaps with one of those wild mushroom risottos recommended for the Barbaresco. Best served at 14°/16°C.

As you may know by now, I usually keep an eye on the sales and offers for wine and was glad to get this for 24.95 in the O’Briens pre Christmas Fine Wine Sale. The Nebbiolo vines are grown on steep hillsides and all grapes are picked by hand. The wine is aged for 12 months in steel tanks, 24 months in large oak barrels (70% old, 30% new).

You may come across, most likely in Italy, a Barolo Chinato; this is an aromatised wine made from a base of Barolo wine and usually drank as a digestif.

Barbaresco Pora Riserva 2011 (DOCG), 14.5%

Only in the very good vintages, the best grapes from historical crus (single vineyards) of the Barbaresco appellation are vinified separately. They are released after four years of ageing, as Riserva. It is bottled by “one of the best cooperatives in Europe” (according to The Modern History of Italian Wine), a cooperative founded in 1958 by Fiorini Marengo “to give dignity to a depressed area”. Now the famous wine brings dignity to the table. And indeed, it is referred to as "the wine of queens".

The proud past of Barbaresco and the dedication of its creators have made the Produttori one of the greatest producers in a great wine-producing area; it... ”continues to set some of the highest standards of wine making for any cooperative in the world”. (Robert M. Parker, Jr.; The Wine Advocate, 2-28-90). “Textbook Barbaresco made in traditional style” according to Vino Italiano.

Colour is mid-ruby. Sweet ripe fruit aromas. Sweet cherry and plum and a wash of spice flows across the palate. Smooth, with a medium body, with pliant tannins, this harmonious wine, somewhat lighter and brighter on the palate than its neighbour, is quite exquisite with a long and pleasurable finish. Good acidity also and that helps it go well with the rich food (best described as forestale, according to Vino Italiano) that local restaurants serve: wild mushroom risottos, golden Toma cheeses, all sorts of chestnut and hazelnut torte. Very Highly Recommended.

A quick check on the internet showed that you can buy the Pora for €68.33 (for the 2014) at Millesima; my 2011 was bought at the 2019 Karwig Wine closing down sale for much less. Production in 2011 was 16,666 bottles, and this bottle is numbered 4877. The DOCG, in the Piemonte, is not too far from Turin.

In great vintages, nine single-vineyard Barbarescos are produced from nine classic premium sites within the Barbaresco village boundaries: Rabaja, Asili, Montestefano, Pora, Ovello, Rio Sordo, Montefico, Moccagatta and Pajè.

These are the geographical names of sites where Nebbiolo grapes have always been cultivated. The names of the single-vineyards, the total number of bottles produced, and the name of the owners of the vineyards are marked on the labels.

The current edition of the prestigious World Atlas of Wine also has high regard for the Produttori, naming it in a handful of "outstanding producers in Barbaresco today". It also tells us that Nebbiolo finds its "most dazzling expression... in the Barbaresco zone .. and around the village of Barolo".

Barolo and Amarone. Two Italians Worth Meeting

Venice

Barolo and Amarone. Two Italians Worth Meeting

A good few years back, a mixed nationality group of tourists, including yours truly, were slowly making our way across Italy. There were a few Australians in the party - they were mainly beer-drinkers (stubbies rather than stickies) but included one winemaker - and their conversation regularly featured the word Barolo. It seemed like a holy grail to them. Later I would find out why! Perhaps they also mentioned Amarone but I can't recall. These two wines from the north of Italy are well worth getting to know!

Ciabot Berton Barolo (DOCG) “La Morra” 2011, 14.5%, €32.95 Le Caveau

Nebbiolo is regarded as native to the Piedmont region and produces some of Italy's “most uniquely perfumed and powerful reds”. Since early days, one of those wines, Barolo, was referred to as the “king of wines, the wine of kings”. This La Morra is a right royal example.

It comes from a prestigious and historical cru. The winemaking is “fairly” traditional. The 100 per cent Nebbiolo is aged 18 months in 25 hl Slavonian oak casks (useful for stabilising and harmonising) and then 6 months in steel vats before bottling.

According to Vino Italiano: “…. the top wines in the DOCG are said to hail from the communes of Monteforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto, Barolo and La Morra.” The hilly land concerned lies generally to the south-west of Alba and much of it is a protected World Heritage site since 2014.

This gorgeous light red wine has aromas of blackberry in Autumn, gentle hints of cherry too, plus floral notes. On the palate it is smooth round and rich, some spice too. Concentrated and elegant, perfumed and powerful. The excellent acidity heralds a long, fresh finish, a finish as satisfying as all that goes before. Very Highly Recommended.

Luigi Righetti Amarone della Valpolicella (DOCG) Classico 2012, 15%, €25.95 Karwig Wines

Amarone, some of you will know, is a style, not a grape and the style was developed in the area of Valpolicella where local wine-makers searched for a way to increase the body, complexity and alcohol content of their wines, made generally from Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara fruits. Amarone della Valpolicella is an intensely flavoured dry red wine made from dried grapes. 

Righetti may not always feature in the lists of top wine-makers here but his is a good one; you may take a certain confidence from the G in the DOCG. Colour is a deep ruby red. The complex nose features oodles of dried red fruit. It is rich and dry with concentrated flavour - the alcohol is also high; some spice too and a noticeable tartness, all characteristics carried through to the finalé. Very enjoyable wine and Very Highly Recommended.

See also (from current Italian series):

Fontanafredda. Important Player in Italian Wine
Two Amazing Whites from Italy.

Wines of Italy's Marche

In the Heart of Chianti

From the Islands

Pighin's "Grave wines are bargains". Good too!

Sweet Favourite of the Romans. Still Going Strong.

Montepulciano and Montepulciano confused?
Pinot Grigio, one of the most popular grapes.

Wines from the Alps

Velenosi from the Marche

Three Classy Reds. Don't judge a book by the cover!

Three Classy Reds

Don't judge a book by the cover. The plain label on the Gamay could well lead you to believe this is a bottom shelf wine whereas it is anything but. Perhaps, especially if you bought bottom shelf Moroccan wines on French holidays years ago, you wouldn't be expecting a great deal from the Volubilia but it is a lovely surprise. And no surprise really with the Italian. You'd expect this to be good and it is very good indeed.

Clos du Tue-Boeuf Gamay 2015, Vin de France, 12%, €18.85 Le Caveau

Light red, fairly typical of the grape, is the colour of this natural beauty. The aromas are of strawberries and raspberries. On the vibrant palate, you'll find the same mix of fruit flavours, with a light tang of cider apples; it is light and fresh and smooth for sure, fine tannins and then a long finish.

The two Puzelat brothers, regarded, by Jamie Goode, as “natural wine royalty”, mature this for 4-6 months in large wooden vats. The organic grapes are bought in from trusted local winegrowers in the Loire. “The wines are quite unique, highly expressive of their terroir, authentic, filled with life and have a very strong personality.” That lively personality is very evident, pleasingly so, in this example and it is Very Highly Recommended. By the way, it is neither filtered nor fined, so do decant!

La Zouina Volubilia Classic Red, Morocco 2012, 13.5%, €22.95 Le Caveau

This is a relatively new French run chateau. Bordeaux know-how plus freedom to experiment has helped produce this excellent result from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (50%), Syrah, Mourvedre, and Tempranillo.

Colour is medium red. And the aromas include warm blackcurrant. It is medium bodied, smooth and fresh, well endowed with concentrated berry flavours, medium spice, fine tannins. It is well balanced with a long and juicy finish. A surprise from Africa and Very Highly Recommended.

Ascheri Coste & Bricco Barolo (DOCG) 2010, 14.5%, €47.00 (down to 30 in recent Fine Wine sale) O’Brien Wines

No surprise that this one was good as I had tasted it at the O’Brien Wine Fair in Cork. Nebbiolo is the grape here. Made from two select plots from Ascheri’s single vineyard, this is their top cuvée. 

The wine has spent 26 months in Slavonian barrels, six months in steel and a further nine in bottle before release. According to Grapes & Wines, Italian Nebbiolo ages better than those of California and Australia. And indeed the producers reckon this will last for 18 to 20 years if kept in a cool dark place.

I couldn't wait that long to tuck into this garnet coloured wine. Small red fruits feature in the aromas, also some herbal hints. It has a palate full of rich flavours, spice too and an acidity that helps put all in harmony. This elegant and inviting wine is Very Highly Recommended.

They, Ascheri, recommended matching it with hard mature cheese, pheasant, pigeon, roast lamb and beef, Mediterranean vegetables. I've tried and tested it here with Parmesan and Walnut crusted rack of lamb with roasted vegetables, the lamb bought at our local craft butchers, Davidson’s of Montenotte, Cork.

All Red For You. Garnacha-Syrah-Nebbiolo

All Red For You

Garnacha-Syrah-Nebbiolo

Ricossa Barola 2010 (DOCG), 14%, €17.00 (down from 22.99), SuperValu Christmas

In the Langhe hills it’s the aromas - of truffles, mushrooms, hazelnuts, coffee, and above all else, Barolo or Barbaresco wine - that sweep people off their feet. (Vino Italia).

Barolo, by the way, is a place in Piedmonte (Italy) and the grape is Nebbiolo. There is a minimum aging requirement of three years (two in barrel) and the result has been described as the king of wine, the wine of kings.

So let's be king for a day and try this vibrant ruby red. And yes there are gorgeous dark red fruit (cherries mainly) wafting up from the glass. The Riedel (Veritas 6449/67) has been made for New World Pinot Noir but it certainly works well here! The fruits are agreeably prominent on the palate but there is a great balance, some spicy elements too, a sweet and savoury experience and then the long dry finish. I really like this one, feeling rather royal! Very Highly Recommended.

Marco Real Corraliza de Los Roncaleses 2012, Santacara (Navarra DO), 15%, €15.50 Karwig Wines

Colour here is a bright cherry, long lasting legs. For me, nose is more fruit (cherry) than floral (which is highlighted on the label). Soft and full-bodied and elegant too, moderate acidity and yet, despite the high abv, the balance is fine; the finish is long and pleasant. Highly Recommended.

It is one hundred per cent Garnacha and wines made from this variety can be high in alcohol (as is the case here) and heady (not the case here!).  By the way, I had this with Poulet Basquaise and it was an excellent match.

Think I may have been fairly close to this vineyard a few years ago when I came over the mountains from France to Roncesvalles, a major stop on the camino to Santiago. It was lunchtime and I was hoping to get the  Pilgrim’s Meal but was told it was available only in the evening!

Finca Pasion Mi Fuego Syrah 2012 (Argentina), 13.5%, €13.50 Karwig Wines

Colour is a dark red (with a lighter rim) and it has ripe fruits aromas. Then you get the fruit again on the palate, spice too and quite fine tannins, a pleasant presence in the mouth plus persistent finish. Hand-harvested and estate bottled, this is easily quaffable and Highly Recommended.