DRINK OF THE WEEK. Vermut de Robles in a class of its own!

DRINK OF THE WEEK

A vermouth in a class of its own

Bodegas Robles VRMT Vermut de Robles NV 15%

RRP: €32.00  (1 litre). Manning’s , Ballylickey// Toon’s Bridge Dairy// Good Food Store, Dublin//Wunderkaffee Farran and Connemara Hamper, Clifden. Mary Pawle Wines 

Bodegas Robles and Michelin-starred chef Paco Morales have certainly crafted a vermouth that is as complex and enticing as it is delicious. Combining the aromas and flavours of times past and present. And it is imported to Ireland by Mary Pawles wines. The base is Robles’ 8-year-old Oloroso, and then later a light touch of the PX is added.. 

Amazing aromas with strong hints of the Oloroso sherry base and a “top-up” of Pedro Ximenez, an appealing blend of freshness and maturity. The ten aromatic plants foraged in the locality have their say. An amazing liquid with a superb balance of sweetness and bitterness with the acidity playing a key role as the symphony of flavour plays on and on to the heavenly finalé.

Negroni. Image by eKokki from Pixabay

The aromatic plants add a sense of terroir, and also a burst of freshness and herbal complexity while other Paco additions such as clove and cinnamon echo the ancient cuisine of the Moorish Al-Andalus period (8th -15th century), all adding to the sense that this is indeed a special one. Step into the time capsule and take off!

The producers say it is “A good pairing for nuts, fruits such as orange or lemon, a cheese and raspberry cake., Any seafood and all kinds of fish: tuna, cod, salmon, anchovies., It's perfect with sweet flavors, especially those with more sweet and dark flavour., Olives, cheeses, ham, sausages, smoked meats, mussels, clams.”

It is certainly versatile. Enjoy on its own or with fresh orange juice and ice as an apéritif (try the same with Campari). It can also be used as a base for cocktails, such as the Negroni or the Manhattan. 

Manhattan.
Image by Gerhard Bögner via Pixabay

Cocktails are one of the first things you think about when you have a vermouth on hand. But I have found that some don't do justice to the Robles creation. I felt I had to change the forever formula for the Negroni. And, after a few experiments, determined that VRMT (40ml), Campari (30ml) and Gin (20ml) worked best for me! 

The Manhattan, this based on the Rye and Malt (raised in Bourbon barrels) at Method and Madness, Irish Distillers' micro in Midleton, worked well with the regular recipe (though I did throw in a cap full of Campari as there were no bitters in the house!)

Get a bottle of the VRMT for yourself and enjoy the experimenting!

Stunning Vermouth by Bodegas Robles and a gem from Ermitage

Stunning Vermouth by Bodegas Robles

Bodegas Robles VRMT Vermut de Robles NV 15%

€28.00  (1 litre) Manning’s , Ballylickey// Toon’s Bridge Dairy// Good Food Store, Dublin// Mary Pawle Wines 

Amazing aromas with strong hints of the Oloroso sherry base and a “top-up” of Pedro Ximenez. Layers and layers of flavours on the rich palate, an appealing blend of freshness and maturity. The ten aromatic plants foraged in the locality have their say . An amazing liquid with a superb balance of sweetness and bitterness with the acidity playing a key role as the caravan of flavour rolls on and on to the heavenly finalé.

And we owe this taste of the past and the present and perhaps of a future paradise to Bodegas Robles and Michelin-starred chef Paco Morales who have produced this luscious vermouth with Robles’ 8-year old Oloroso as the base, and then that later light touch of the PX. The aromatic plants add a sense of terroir while other Paco additions such as clove and cinnamon echo the cuisine (of the Moorish Al-Andalus period (8th -15th century), all adding to the sense that this is indeed a special one!

Pairings recommended by the producers are:
A good pairing for nuts, fruits such as orange or lemon, a cheese and raspberry cake. Any sea food and all kinds of fish: tuna, cod, salmon, anchovies. It's perfect with sweet flavours, especially those with more sweet and dark flavour. Olives, cheeses, ham, sausages, smoked meats, mussels, clams.

I did try the vermouth with Macadamia nuts and Valencia almonds, each from Olives West Cork (via Neighbourfood). The suppliers say “addictive and really shouldn't be shared, these Spanish Almonds are crunchy and far superior than the typical almonds on offer. Lovely on their own, in rice dishes tossed with fresh herbs, salads or breads.”

The macadamia nuts come from Australia and are “top grade”. Crunchy on the outside and softer on the inside. The soft, buttery core immediately gives you an idea of it's oily content with 85% mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Quite delicious indeed.

It also paired very well with the creamy Wicklow Bán, a Brie, not so well with a Dunnes Stores extra mature Cheddar (not a reflection at all on the quality of the cheese).

Very versatile, as you can see. But enjoy it too as an aperitif, 40ml or so over ice, is a lovely introduction before sipping it neat with any of the above. I also found it makes a superb Negroni with the usual suspects Gin and Campari, each accounting for a third of the drink. Still experimenting - just as well it comes in a one litre bottle!

Ferraton Les Dionnières Ermitage (AC) 2006, 14%.

Popular in restaurants. Info at Mary Pawle Wines 

Deep ruby is the colour with a lighter rim. Aromas are engaging from the minute you extract the cork (this one has been in place for 16 years!). Lots of dark fruit for me but also a floral cloak (violets). Amazing on the palate, complex. With a gentle power. The aromas continue of course and those fruits and spice are echoed on the palate. And the finish, with that spice outstanding, just goes on and on. Very Highly Recommended.

The Ferraton wine story begins in 1946 in the Rhone Valley with Jean Orëns Ferraton, a vigneron, and son of a vigneron. Michel, his son, inherited the same passion. He decided to give a new dimension to his father’s vineyards and that began in 1998 when Michel Chapoutier, a close friend of the family, shared his know-how. And from the old traditional ways, a path is laid to organic viticulture. An audacious step for Maison Ferraton Père & Fils.

Wine Folly say “the hill of Hermitage is famous for its emboldened Syrah wines that usually need around 5–10 years before you open them”. Reckon I timed this one fairly well. Probably too late to get your hands in this one now but the 2009 and 2010 are worth looking out for.

They continue: “Wines from L’Ermitage do not come cheap.” Ermitage? We need to reverse here, about 1,000 years. An ex crusader had become a hermit on the hill and so it was called Ermitage (meaning hermit’s hill). 

But when the English came, it seems their tongues couldn’t quite handle Ermitage so they added the H. And the new name stuck and is still with us though the old name will appear on some labels as is the case here.

And then there’s Crozes-Hermitage. This is a larger area bordering the famous hill but without the hill’s favourable exposure to the sun and its wines are not as highly regarded. In good harvests though, the Crozes wines can be great value.

Speaking of names, the grape is known as Shiraz in Australia where it is the second most planted red variety. France tops the world rankings for the amount grown with Australia in second spot.

Aside from Syrah, the number one crop in eight of the Northern Rhone’s crus, the other famous grape here is Viognier, about the only grape grown in the other two crus, Condrieu and the minuscule Château-Grille.

Geek Bits

GRAPE VARIETY -100 % Syrah. 30 year old vines grafted in situ.

SOIL - Clay and limestone, with round pebbles at the surface.
South facing.

VINIFICATION - Grapes are destemmed. Maceration in concrete vats, used to slow the change in temperature, for about four weeks (depending on vintage). Extraction made by pumping over and punching down.

MATURING - In oak barrels for 14 to 18 months depending on the vintage (20 to 30% in new oak).

Festival Food & Drink Favourites #3: Bodegas Robles Vermouth VRMT

Festival Food & Drink Favourites #3

Bodegas Robles Vermouth VRMT, Recetta Andalusi, 15%,

€28.00 (1 litre) Mary Pawle Wines  Available also from URRU in Bandon and there may still be some in Toons Bridge in Dublin. 

A Sensational Vermouth That Has Been A Long Time In The Making.

Based on sherry wines that are aged eight years in oak barrels and enhanced by aromas and memories of the Andalusi cuisine (from Al-Andalus period, 8th to 15th centuries), this Vermouth is superb.

Thanks to Bodegas Robles and Michelin Star Chef Paco Morales who have recovered “the tradition of vermouth macerated by time and the work of our winemaking team who enjoy researching their own path and creating new sensation”. 

Its balance between sweet, bitter and acid allows a prolonged presence on the palate. The clove and cinnamon are the main spices responsible for the warm Andalusian aroma characteristic of this vermouth. This is a must try and one of our favourites over the festive season. It is imported by Mary Pawle Wines and comes in a 1L size bottle.

The base of VRMT Robles is organic Oloroso wine that has aged for eight years in oak barrels. A light touch of Pedro Ximénez wine displays a wide range of aromas of quince jelly and honey tones. The intriguing “solera” system mixes very old wines with younger wines thus mothering the young wines. A unique experience of maturity and freshness.

Bodegas Robles’ vineyards have the air of a wildly romantic garden, overrun by a layer of lavender, poppies, clover and wild plants, buzzing with bees and other insects. VRMT Robles is macerated with ten of these aromatic plants in an attempt to translate a real sense of our terroir into the vermouth

The study of Andalusi spices has been fundamental, following the indications of an anonymous manuscript of the thirteenth century: “The knowledge of the use of spices is the main basis of the cuisine, because they are the foundation of cooking and it is built on that basis.” The clove and cinnamon are the main responsible for the warm Andalusi aroma characteristic of our vermouth.

Pairings recommended by the producers are:

A good pairing for nuts, fruits such as orange or lemon, a cheese and raspberry cake., Any sea food and all kinds of fish: tuna, cod, salmon, anchovies., It's perfect with sweet flavours, especially those with more sweet and dark flavor. Olives, cheeses, ham, sausages, smoked meats, mussels, clams.

Very versatile, as you can see. But enjoy it too as an aperitif, 40ml or so over ice, is a lovely introduction before sipping it neat with any of the above. I also found it makes a superb Negroni with the usual suspects Gin and Campari, each accounting for a third of the drink. Still experimenting - just as well it comes in a one litre bottle!

Festival Food & Drink Favourites #1Fabulous Festive Feast from The Glass Curtain

Festival Food & Drink Favourites #2 Eight Degrees Devil’s Ladder Belgian Tripel

A Smooth Vermouth Lesson at Dalcassian Tasting. Much More Too!

A Smooth Vermouth Lesson at Dalcassian Tasting. 
Much More Too! 

Vermouth? Do you know any? You probably do. Perhaps the best known is Martini, made in a number of styles. And then there’s Cinzano. Vermouth may be used as an aperitif. And widely used in cocktails, most notably perhaps in Negroni (usually a mix of equal parts of gin, Campari and sweet red vermouth). Many are produced in Turin but can come from all over. Quite a few are made in Spain and even the venerable Lustau sherry company produce a few.

I got something of a lesson in this particular drink at the very impressive Dalcassian wine and spirits portfolio tasting in the River Lee Hotel last week where the Cocchi firm displayed their range for tasting. They are based in Asti, about an hour’s drive from Turin, and have been making vermouth since 1891. Vermouth is based on wine and is essentially an aromatised wine to which sugar, herbs, spices and other ingredients like gentian, cinchona, wormwood and bitter orange peels have been added.

Our first taste was their Americano which has an abv of 16 degrees. The name “Americano” is both due to the alcohol made bitter (“amaricato”) by the addition of herbs and spices and to the American habit of drinking vermouth with ice and soda. I’ve read too it was rebranded for the American ex-pats - Ernest Hemingway was a noted fan of the drink - who came to love it during Prohibition.

Rosé from Provence

Cocchi have been making this since their foundation, to the same recipe. Drink it with ice, soda and zest of orange, we were told, the we being myself and Beverley from L’Atitude. It is also very successful in cocktails (including a white Negroni) and in combination with spirits such as gin, vodka and Mezcal. They also produce a Rosa that, you’ve guessed it, contains rose petals.

On to the reds now and the introduction was via their Storico, “a little bit more bitter… used as a digestif”. Great for Negroni. Then we had the Vermouth Amaro Cocchi which has been always been made according to the original recipe by Giulio Cocchi where Artemisia is a key ingredient and it is further enriched with rhubarb, quassia wood, chiretta and a double infusion of cinchona.

The final one, Barolo Chinato, a special wine produced with Barolo DOCG. It is aromatised with cinchona, calisaya bark, rhubarb and gentian root and the precious cardamom seed. Characterised by balance and harmony in the aromas with an immediate pleasant taste and a pleasant aromatic persistence. This is really something else and my favourite. Of course, the Barolo base is a big help! So there you are, over to the cocktail moves and shakers!

There were quite a few spirits at the River Lee. Most of you know about the excellent gins coming from Drumshanbo, especially their Gunpowder Irish Gin. They also do a vodka intriguingly entitled Sausage Tree Pure Irish Vodka! But did you know they now produce whiskey. Des Ring, who looks after Munster Sales for Dalcassian, introduced me to the whisky, a very promising one, not yet on the market but do look out for it. Watch out too for Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin’s unique new glassware which should now be in limited stock in your local independents and O'Briens Wine.

Loire

Dalcassian had wines on display from all over the world, from France of course, and from lots of European countries including Spain, Austria, Portugal and Italy. And from further afield we had Sileni from New Zealand and Bodegas Bianchi from Argentina. There were a few representing Australia and also Chile (including Luis Felipe Edwards) with the Taub family doing the honours for the USA.

Enjoyed some excellent whites at the Jaffelin stand (never got back for the reds) from the Petit Chablis to the Viré-Clessé right up to the Meursault 2017, I was well impressed. But if you really want an excellent white at  very good price then do try and get your hands on the Carlos Reynolds Branco from Portugal (still great value there but for how much longer?). I presume their top of the range reds bearing the Gloria Reynolds name are also excellent but again, with a Panel Discussion about to get underway, I missed out on quite a few reds. It was a major portfolio show and there were some 30 pages of wines plus about 20 of spirits!

I rarely miss out a chance to sample Bordeaux though and Alexandre Truffaut took us through the Géricot wines. We began with two very drinkable whites from Entre Deux Mers, one the 2016 Pierre Lurton and the other the 2017 Chateau Des Trois Tours.

Lurton is a well known name in  Bordeaux and his 2016 Rouge gave us a good start on the reds. The old vine Les Dames de Haut Vigneau was even better. Listrac is one of the smaller appellations in the Médoc and one I enjoyed visiting a few short years ago. The excellent Le Grande Demoiselle d’Hosten from 2010 is very high quality indeed. No doubt about the best drop Alexandre poured and that was the Les Fiefs de Lagrange (2016), a still young St Julian but packed full of promise.

The Tenuta Ulisse had quite a strong line-up of both whites and reds and noted were the Sogno di Ulisse Montepulciano D’Abruzzo IGT along with the Tenuta Ulisse Pecorino Terrie di Chieti IGT.

By then though the Panel Discussion was getting underway and I headed there. It was on the future of the restaurant wine list and you may read all (well, a bit) about it here. 

River Lee Hotel