A Superb French Chardonnay. And Meet Karwig’s Italians

A Superb French Chardonnay.

And Meet Karwig’s Italians

Château Martinolles Chardonnay Limoux (AOC) 2014, 13.5%, €19.65 Karwig Wines

A superb wine from an intriguing historical Languedoc area. The Saint-Hilaire monastery actually used to adjoin the property, and it was there in 1531, that the method for making sparkling wines was discovered.

The fruit, one hundred per cent Chardonnay, is hand-harvested from old vines and is aged for 9 months in oak barrels (one-third new and two-thirds aged), a mixture of French and American oak. It is light gold in colour and you should find white fruits (quince and particularly lime) in the aromas. It is very impressive on the palate, intense in flavour and with a balancing acidity, elegant with a long finalé. A very pleasant surprise indeed and Very Highly Recommended.

Selvapiana Chianti Rufina (DOCG) 2013, 13%, €23.50 Karwig Wines

This a bright ruby from the organic vineyards of Selvapiana. Ripe red fruits in the aromas. On the palate, it is vibrant, ripe and juicy, some spice too, tannins just about in play, a refreshing acidity. It is medium to full bodied, rather elegant, lively and long, rather moreish and Highly Recommended. Try it with pasta, steak and pork chops.

Rufina is one of the sub zones of Chianti. The usual advice is to buy your Chianti from Chianti Classico, the name given to wines from the original historic boundaries. But Wine Folly writes: Both Chianti Classico and Chianti Rufina are likely to be of higher quality, since they are made in smaller quantities from distinct historical areas. This Rufina certainly underlines that point.

Caldora Colle dei Venti Pecorino, Terre di Chieti (IGT) 2015, 13%, €16.70 Karwig Wines

Okay. I haven't lost my marbles! I am talking about a wine, not the famous sheep's cheese of Italy. The Pecorino grape is so called because a bunch resembles a sheep’s head. That’s the winery's story. Another is that the bunches are a favourite treat for the sheep. Wine-Searcher.com says: Pecorino cheese is, coincidentally, a surprisingly good food match for Pecorino wine.

Making wine from native vines is a “point of pride” for Caldora. This hilltop vineyard overlooks a beach (Lido Riccio); on the summer nights, the fresh sea breeze allows a thermal range “fundamental for the complex aromatic structure of the wine”.

Color is quite a light straw yellow. White fruit aromas, herbal hints too, even a slight whiff of liquorice; fresh and crisp, dry and minerally, with excellent acidity and a  persistent finish. Recommended.

Conte Loredan Gasparini Cabernet Sauvignon, Montello E Colli Asolani (DOC) 2014, 13%, €17.25, Karwig Wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted vine in the area of Montello, a small hill 30 miles north of Venice. Half of this is aged in big oak barrels, half in stainless steel.

The colour is purple, deep and dark and there are blackcurrant aromas with hints of herb. Straight away on the palate you'll notice its freshness, its fruit flavours and then that lovely acidity (food is a welcome accompaniment here!). Tannins are fine and the finish is lengthy. This warm and soft wine is Highly Recommended.

Doneraile Farmers Market

Doneraile Farmers Market

Enjoyed my recent visit to the Farmers Market at Doneraile Court. It is a rather small market but there is quite a bit of quality there. And, of course, you can make a day of it by adding lunch in the Tea Rooms plus a walk in the park which has the added interest of three herds of deer.

My first stop was the Bee Sensations Stall where Tom and Croén Ruttle sell honey from their own hives. And not just honey in jars but also in comb form. Besides they use honey instead of sugar in their jams. And these are irresistible! How can you say no to Strawberry, Champagne and Passionfruit? Especially after trying a sample.

We also bought a pot of their Croén’s Kitchen Gourmet Honey, Plum and Passionfruit jam where the Passionfruit tones down, in a nice way, the sweetness of the plum. And another pot that found its way to the city was the Gourmet Honey Seville Orange and Ginger Marmalade.  And some jars of honey as well.

They also do Natural Beeswax Candles and Soaps, Honey Based Sweets, Breads and Preserves.

Hard to drag oneself away from Bee Sensations but we did and got as far as the Skellig Pantry, all the way from Ballinskelligs with some gorgeous fish products, including smoked trout. Also some patés and the one we enjoyed most was their tasty tub of mackerel.

Had a pack of cheese crackers, courtesy of Dan of the Mustard Seed in the car, and was looking for something to go with them. Found it at the Odd Couple Stall, the same Odd Couple that operate an Italian shop in McCurtain Street. They had a range of artisan cheeses from Italy; they personally know the producers. I was interested in the Pecorino, a semi-mature one from Sardinia (they also have some from Sicily). And must say that it went down perfectly with the crackers.

Also picked up a few other bits and pieces at different stalls, including a half dozen organic eggs that cost a rather hefty €3.50. Others stalls there include Dolls House Designs (amazing dolls houses) and the Good Little Cook with their pastas and sauces, including their  award-winning cocoa tagliatelle and Joanne, the Cake Fairy, based in North Cork, who’ll make all your cake dreams come true!

And there is more. Well worth a trip down from the city – you’ll be there in no time. The next market is scheduled for July 14^th (11.00am to 3.00pm).

Blas na hEireann update on Bee Sensations July 2015 here