HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW

HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW

Euro Trio from 2007

BUZET 2007: They said I could keep it up to five years. They also said “it's a wine for today and for tomorrow”. Now, I say, it is a wine of yesterday.

Les Vignerons de Buzet is one of the leading wine producers in South-Western France and they can’t half boast. “Since the ancient times of the Roman legions and up till now wines of this region have a remarkably exquisite bouquet and unforgettable harmonious flavour.”

The land around the château was cleared in the 7th Century. Its soils were conducive to vine-growing and were well exposed to the sun. The Chateau they refer to is Bougigues and I enjoyed a bottle of the 2007 red yesterday. It is deep in colour with a modest though pleasant nose. On the palate it is dry but this full bodied wine has plenty of fruity charm and is easy to drink.

Bought this bottle in the Sarlat branch of the ubiquitous Leclerc  and it cost me all of €4.89.

ORBALLO ALBARINO 2007: From the Rías Baixas  , the most eastern region of Spain. My bottle weighed in at 12.5% and cost €12.99 from Curious Wines a couple of months back. 

The local Albarino (which accounts for 90% of all plantings in the region) produces a lively crisp, aromatic and bone dry (razor sharp, according to Janice Robinson) wine which is a refreshing alternative and is ideal with a wide selection of seafood.

It is bright and pale lemon in colour, with fruity citrus aromas on the nose. The palate is full-flavoured, the ripe fruit balanced by a refreshing smack of acidity. To sum it up: Dry, modestly fragrant, fruity, easy to drink.

Bodegas La Val is a relative newcomer as this bodega was only founded 20 years ago. It has since grown to become one of the largest vineyard owners in , with over 90 hectares. This 2007 vintage won a Silver Medal at the 2007 Decanter World Wine Awards.

How to pronounce Rías Baixas? Go here

BAGLIO CURATOLO NERO D’AVOLA 2007: The Curatolo family have been making wines in Sicily since 1875 and the Baglio Curatolo Nero D’Avola is included in their Premium list. This almost black 13.5% product is strong all round: plum in the bouquet and on the palate. It is full bodied with a powerful structure that makes you sit up and take notice immediately and has a long spicy finish. It has been aged for six months in French or American barrels and is a really smashing wine to go with red meat, ideal with Osso Buco.

The Curatolo range, including their famous Marsala, is distributed here by Liberty Wines. 

STUBBIES and STICKIES

At rest in Monbazillac

REAL STICKY FROM COOKOOTHAMA

The Ozzies like their nicknames. A few years back I met a couple of guys from down under who said they described local journeys as three stubbies or four stubbies and so on. If you were going from, say Tivoli to Carrigtwohill, that would be a three stubby. Stubbies are small bottles of beer, so you could have one in the Island Gate, Waterman’s and the Elm Tree. Therefore a 3 stubbies trip!

Their name for dessert wines is Stickies. They are intensely flavoured and the rich taste lingers and reverberates in the mouth for quite a while.

Stickies are deep gold in colour with strong bouquets and a rich sweet flavour.  Their intensity of flavour means they are often sold in half bottles and drunk to accompany or even replace desserts.

Came across one recently in a local Centra which was then being upgraded  to a Supervalu and for just over sixteen euro I drove off home with 375 millilitres of a 2002 Darlington Point Cookoothama which proudly proclaimed on the front label that it was Botrytis Semillon.

The nickname is well applied here. It sure sticks. Golden yellow in colour, its sweetness besieges the nose. Candied fruit, they say, mainly orange, hints too of honey. And you get all that too on the palate where it lingers and lingers.

But can you get too much of a sweet thing? It varies from person to person but the answer is yes. This is so sweet, it could be a step too far for some and some nearby fell away.


A day later and revision. Ten hours or so in the fridge and the Cookoothama is somehow toned down, both nose and palate. Absolutely gorgeous. What a difference a day makes!

Think I’ll stick with the Europeans for a while. One of the best known (and it is a smashing one – they have an example on the Fenns Quay wine list) is the Hungarian Tokaji but most European wine countries have at least one example.

This summer, I was in the right area to try some of the French examples, staying in the Dordogne area, close to Bergerac which is next door to Bordeaux and the famous Sauternes.

Had something of a three cornered contest here between the Bordeaux contender and two from Bergerac: Monbazillac and Saussignac. Must say that I’ve come out in favour of the vins liquoreux (sound so much better than stickies!)  from Château Monbazillac.

While in the Dordogne area I also, more or less by accident, came to like the medium sweet wines, known in France as Moelleux. It might be a good place to start if you are feeling your way in this type of wine.

One that I did like was Cote de Bergerac Terrasses d’Autan 2009. It has fruity aromas, sweet white fruits such as peach, apricot and mango, on the palate and may be drunk as an aperitif, with a starter such as paté or with dessert. It was light and medium sweet as indicated and, take it from me, not at all sticky!

FOOD ABOUT TOWN

AROUND TOWN THIS WEEK 

The International Airport Hotel  was the venue this week for a lunch, hosted by hotel manager Aaron Mansworth, in honour of recently elected FAI vice president Tony Fitzgerald. The Munster team were leaving as we were arriving and there were good luck hand-shakes all round for their game away to London Irish.

The hotel staff were obviously busy but that didn't stop them putting on an immaculate reception and lunch for Fitzgerald and friends from the world of football and the media. Really impressed with the soup (celeriac) and the main course (beef or salmon) as I have been with the grub here at various functions in the past.

Also made a coffee call during the week to the Farmgate Cafe. I was meeting up with Italian food journalist Vittorio Castellani. He was delighted with the choice of sweet things available and was more than pleased with the lemon tart slice (served with a large dollop of cream). I also went for that and the friendly staff served it up with a smile. I’ve rarely eaten cream at that hour of the morning and didn't over-indulge here but must say, in agreement with expert Vittorio, that the lemon tart was done to perfection.

Nash 19 was another venue that impressed the Italian as I knew it would! I was back there later in the week looking for something to eat on Friday night (staying in for the match!). Had a nice short chat with a busy Mairéad before deciding on the Fish Pie.

Sounds ordinary enough, doesn't it.  But give Chef Pamela fresh fish, potatoes, leek, cream, butter, flour, seasoning, fish sauce and herbs and you end up with a high quality meal for two for just €10.95. A week or two earlier, we had tried the Lamb Tagine and that too was a five star product.

WINE EVENT AT THE CORNSTORE

WINE EVENTS 

Wine writer Mary Dowey is in town on Thursday (7.30) night to present an evening of Fine Food and Wine at the Cornstore .

Mary is one of Ireland's leading wine writers. With a background in food and travel journalism, she puts wine into a broader context than is usual in the sometimes narrow and pedantic world of wine criticism. She has written two wine books, one food and wine book and one travel book.

Mary enjoys describing regions noted for their food and wine with visitors in mind. Besides evoking landscape and atmosphere, she loves unearthing artisan food producers, interesting shops and unmissable markets; great restaurants whether Michelin-starred or miniscule and homely; hotels and B&Bs where eating well is considered as important as sleeping well.

 In all of her writing, she champions quality at a reasonable price, never losing sight of the consumer.

Mary has a home in Dublin and a pied-à-terre in north-west Provence.  See her website on the area here . She is a member of the NUJ, the Circle of Wine Writers and the Society of Authors.

Thursday then is an opportunity to learn about wine appreciation while at the same time enjoying the top class dishes from the Cornstore’s Award winning menus. Tickets are €59.00 and cover a six course meal with champagne and reserve wines included. Reservations on 4274777.

And on Friday there is another Food Wine event, this at the O’Brien’s Chop House in Lismore where the host is Anthony Tindal of Tindal Wine Merchants. The full menu may be seen here 

O'Briens,  renowned for its traditional robust locally sourced Irish food, is on the main street in Lismore and the contact number is 058 53810.

LATIN FLAVOUR

Vittorio Castellani

CITY BEAT with ITALIAN NOTES 

Vittorio Castellani (aka Chef Kumalo) is a Turin based Italian food journalist who I had the pleasure of guiding around the food spots of the city centre in midweek.

Not simply a journalist. A member of the Association of Journalists of Rome since 2000, as well as writing for some of the main wine and food periodicals, travelling and lifestyle magazines and important websites, he has also worked with most of the prestigious names in the wine and food business. He conducted the World Food Agenda on the programme for RAI television “La prova del cuoco” hosted by Antonella Clerici from 2004 to 2006.

For 15 years he has been working as an event designer, art director, International Food Festival and Events Consultant from the first exhibition of “Salone del Gusto” in Turin and the “Forum Gastronomic” held in Gerona.

Thanks to his double skills as journalist and event organizer, Vittorio works with many private educational institutes and universities: with a Master in Gastronomic Journalism from Gambero Rosso, a Master in Mediterranean Journeys , Wine and Food Itinerary, Tourism , Communication and Culture at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature at Turin University.

In his professional capacity, he regularly travels abroad reporting on the many Gastronomic events over the five continents, where he has developed an important network of qualified colleagues, event organizers, importers, distributors, world class chefs and experts in food and tourism. For a list of his books take a look at one of his sites here

He came to Ireland primarily to join in the fun at the Kinsale Food Fest this weekend. He got in touch before leaving Italy and, on arrival, we arranged to meet at the English Market. Where else? Upstairs at the Farmgate Cafe, a cup of coffee got the ball rolling and I filled him in on the food scene, including restaurants, in the city.

Time then for a tour of the market. Some time later, with many notes and photos taken and spiced beef explained, we ventured out into the street for a little orientation walk that included the Coal Quay, Paul Street (including Rory Gallagher memorial), the art gallery and Opera House, up past Larry Tomkins (all the different types of football explained here) and then a stroll down Patrick Street and back to Prince’s Street.

Final call was to Nash 19 and here he was very impressed indeed with the set-up here, the quality and variety, the shop, the restaurant (self-service and sit-down). Gourmandissimo may have been the word he used in reaction but I could be open to correction! After that it was time to say goodbye as he headed back to the Farmgate for another appointment.

Handshakes all round and an invite to Turin. Que sera, sera.

WINE & DINE WEEKEND

A bumper Weekend Catch, fresh from the Net.

Opera House

THE WEEKEND CATCH

Restaurant & Bar Scene in Cork

via Twitter & Facebook

Control and click to follow the links and find out more.

Cafe Paradiso The October recipe of the month has just gone up on the Paradiso website, a very useful and adaptable gnocchi dish. While you're there, check out the archives. Cafe Paradiso: Potato gnocchi in sage & hazelnut butter with chanterelles and sweetcorn

rachelallen1  Hi everyone. I'm delighted to announce that my new book has been released. Entertaining At Home is about cooking...http://fb.me/GJmcOrhc

DeesWholefoods So your breakfast cereal says "high in fibre, low in fat" so it must be good for you? Have a look at the salt and... http://fb.me/GVuT5E24

ummera Kinsale Gourmet Festival on this weekend! Find a very tempting Smoked Duck Salad at the Madhatters Taste of Kinsalehttp://ow.ly/2OQHQ

Nash 19 Check out our discussion board for Pams latest Recipe.......

Pat_Whelan Pat Whelan Hey guys check out my Spicy Lamb Meatballs recipe from my book "An Irish Butcher Shop" available on our blog http://bit.ly/dudjhO

Food Safety Authority of Ireland Latest list of food premises that have been served a Closure Order or a Prohibition Order: http://bit.ly/aHxCEi

clodaghmckenna The October issue of LOVE FOOD is now up on the website - full of info on upcoming cookery courses, new Canal Cafe...http://fb.me/J5ZveKTL

Curious Wines: Ireland's Online Wine Store Do you feel lucky, Punks? November contest from Curious Curious: The Curious Wines Wine Blog » Blog Archive » November Contest: Do You Feel Lucky, Punk?

No.5 Fenns Quay Restaurant we’ve been recently trying out Baldwins farmhouse ice cream based in Knockanore Co.Waterford delicously creamy with that homemade taste www.baldwinsicecream.com the rum and raisin has a great kick !

Food Safety Authority of Ireland Latest food alert: A batch of bottled water recalled due to the presence of enterococci. Click here for more info on the alert: http://bit.ly/bDGYV7

Nautilus restaurant We have two new starters on the menu, why not come and try them at the weekend?

SAVEURMAG  52 art photos of candy from @kanarick. Warning: may cause candy-cravings. http://bit.ly/cv269p

Red Nose Wine Some of the Languedoc's finest now at Red Nose Wine and online www.rednosewine.com

Bordbia Got query in re taking meat out of crab - we've some video clips on this on Youtube - for those interested check out http://bit.ly/bvN1Ou

foodforlivingie Check out my blog today on www.foodforliving.ie for my article on cancer prevention and diet, as well as a great pizza dough recipe

Wine Alliance Wine By Brad Semillon / Sauvignon 2009 Country / Region : Margaret River, Australia Year : 2009 Grape Variety : Semillon (70%), Sauvignon Blanc (30%) Style : Crisp, Fruity White ABV : 13% Drink By : 2014 

Hayfield Manor Hotel Kick start your Jazz day with our Jazz Brunch on Sunday, October 25th! Book now on 021-4845909! Cork Restaurants, Restaurants Cork City, Hotel Restaurants Cork, Fine Dining Cork Restaurants www.hayfieldmanor.ie

CliffHouseHotel Cliff House Hotel RT @ballyvolanehse: Wine dinner with Tindal Merchants at O'Brien Chop House Lismore on Friday, 15 October. http://fb.me/KvbYVEq3

Ireland.com - Blogs - The Food & Drink Blog – WINES: HOME and AWAY Bergerac: How good is your nose?

Soups galore at http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/5132/sweet-potato-and-butternut-squash-soup.aspx

Control and click to follow the links and find out more.

We search the net, via Twitter and Facebook, each Thursday evening and early Friday morning, for the latest from the Cork restaurant and bar scene. If you don't have either of the above, reach us at cork.billy@gmail.com. Deadline 9.00am Friday.

WINES: HOME and AWAY

Bergerac: How good is your nose?

HOME & AWAY

Let’s start with being away – away on hols, that is. In the Dordogne, next door to Bordeaux. Bergerac is right up against the Bordeaux vineyards and in the old quarter, there is a House of Wines. Maison de Vins is right on the quays where in former times, the barrels of wine were loaded on river boats for transport to Bordeaux and beyond.

That quay now is a parking lot but was full when we arrived. Still, we easily found a place on the riverbank nearby and made our visit. It is in an old religious building, the Cloitre des Recollets and, if you enter from the back, you will be in the old courtyard. A long panel tells the story of wine through the ages in French and English.

At the end of the visit, we came to the shop. There is a huge stock, all of the area’s AOCs and many of the producers represented. Already pretty well off in some of the AOCs, I concentrated on Montravel and went to choose a few bottles.

One was Terre Bleue white 2008 which was only polished off this week here in Cork. Colour is an inviting light gold and it has a citrusy nose. On the plate it is floral (modestly European style), crisp and clean with excellent length on the finish. Sauvignon dominated, the blend won a Gold Medal in Paris in 2009 and I’m happy to agree with the experts. Forget the price but I think it cost about five euro.

Now, we go even further away. Unfortunately not us, but to the source of our next wine. This is the Xanadu next of Kin Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2009 from the Margaret River area of Australia, another lovely white. Colour is pale straw. Citrus notes on the nose and on the palate where you notice the grapefruit. It is a refreshing lively taste and crisp with good length on the finish. Bought this 12.5% bottle some time back from Bubble Brothers and I think the cost was in the €12-14 bracket.

A much newer arrival on the local scene is the Rojo Mojo Tempranillo 2009, imported by Wine Alliance and available in places such as Bradley’s in North Main Street and in 1601 in Kinsale. This 13% newcomer is fast becoming the new house wine in this abode though personally I also enjoy the same label’s Shiraz.

The deep red Tempranillo has a red/black fruity nose. On the palate, it is plums and berries. It is full-bodied, smooth and well balanced with very satisfactory length at the end. Well worth the €8.99.

THREE REDS and a DASH OF KIRSCH

Who drank all the Kirsch?

FOUR COUNTRIES

         THREE REDS and a DASH OF KIRSCH

Won a case of wines recently during a Sicilian tasting in Fenns Quay.

Tried the Baglio Curatolo Syrah 2007 recently and enjoyed it.  It is deep red with berries on the nose. On the palate, I got berries again and mild spice. It is fruity and supple and long on the finish. Excellent European style Syrah and worth looking out for.

The range is distributed here by Liberty Wines.

Had some of Dunnes Stores French Duck last night (with plum sauce, and fresh spinach from the garden) and picked a French wine from Bordeaux to go with it. It was Chateau Arnauton Fronsac 2001 which had a few silver medals hanging from it.

Again, its colour was quite rich, the nose fruity and slightly spicy. On the palate, it was sharply dry, balanced with fruity and hints of vanilla. Overall, it was quite a well balanced mouthful but with no great length on the finish. Bought that at a Leclerc in the Dordogne for €4.90. While it was okay, it won't feature on future lists.

The other wine on the night came from Chile’s Aconcagua Valley and was much more impressive. It was the In Situ Reserva Merlot 2005. The colour was dark red and the nose was unfamiliar; I had to look at the back label to see that it was cedar. In the mouth, it had a good feel, the acidity balanced with the fruit (mainly cherry, I thought) and, of course, the usual merlot spice. On the whole, this velvety medium bodied wine went down well, much better than the Bordeaux and, besides, it had good length on the finish.

Bought this from Curious Wines and the cost, a few months back, was €11.99.

Just to go back to the meal, the international influence continued into the dessert which came from Italy via Aldi: Amarena Cherries in syrup. The syrup was a bit sweet so that had to be balanced. Just happened to have an artisan made Swiss Kirsch (1998) at hand and that, or at least a spoon or two of it, did the job to perfection.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

Clontarf Bridge reflected

A bumper Weekend Catch, fresh from the Net.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

Restaurant & Bar Scene in Cork

via Twitter & Facebook

Kristin Jensen Subject: October Irish Foodies Cookalong - autumn fruit- Hi all, just a reminder that the next Irish Foodies Cookalong is happening this Friday, 1 October. The theme is autumn fruit and it can be either sweet or savoury. David Llewellyn from Llewellyn's Irish Orchard Produce will be the judge this time and is donating a bottle of his cider, apple juice and balsamic vinegar to the winner!

Kinsale Gourmet Fest this month: http://corkfood.blogspot.com/2010/09/press-release-from-kinsale-gourmet.html

Food Safety Authority of Ireland Latest Food Alert: All batches of a smoked salmon recalled due to the possible presence of listeria monocytogenes. Click here for more info: http://bit.ly/cb4Z7K

Wine Alliance Interested in what we have been up to for the last few weeks ? Check out our blog post http://wp.me/sUmLk-progress

Nash 19 Did you ever meet a cheese maker?????????????? If not then today Friday is your chance. Jane from Ardsallagh Goats Cheese Products will be in the shop from 11am.

No.5 Fenns Quay Restaurant Bubble and Squeak potato cake with coolee cheese, black pudding, hollandaise sauce and a fried quails egg.

foodforlivingie Food for Living - Check out my blog today with a great warm Autumn salad and some interesting facts about courgettes on www.foodforliving.ie

SAVEURMAG - This is the issue everyone's talking about. 25 Greatest Meals Ever: Essays from Dean Koontz, @GaelGreene, and others.http://bit.ly/anBE9O

Food Safety Authority of Ireland If you're selling pre-packaged sandwiches, you must keep them in a fridge at 5 degrees celcius or lower. Sandwiches stored at the wrong temperature can lead to food poisoning. Click here for the results of a survey we carried out on pre-packaged sandwiches:http://www.fsai.ie/29092010.html

Mas De Vigneron Rouge 2009 Country / Region : Pays De Vaucluse, France Year : 2009 Grape Variety : Grenache Noir (70%), Syrah (30%) Style : Soft, Fruity, Spicy Red ABV : 13% Drink By : 2014 RRP : €8.99 The Winemakers Pays de Vaucluse is the local wine of the southern Rhone valley – the vineyards surrounding the appellations of villages such as Gigondas, Cairanne and Séguret produce Pays de Vaucluse....

smallsips Small Sips founder of sourgrapes.ie & wine columnist for national newspaper, The Sunday Tribune. Evil genius behind wineireland.com, an aggregator of Irish wine blogs

Bealcheese Beal Organic Cheese If interested in cheese-making , have a look at this. As part of a work experience/voluntary program for kids in... http://fb.me/G5Lqkdr4

The Bulman Kinsale Thanks to everyone who came to the Bulman to celebrate Arthurs Day. Great time had by all ........especially Pearse!! Another great night on Saturday last with the launch of Luke Lee Exhibition, which you can drop in to see in the restaurant at any time....all welcome. Music this weekend....Saturday 10 p.m. Chunky Funky......seriously..

CuriousWines Curious Wines October specials now on website (just a wee bit early). Château Bauduc fans fill your tights :) http://bit.ly/d5w2zc

mariannegusto It's Cicchetti time @cafegusto. A Colin special: tapanade pitta with Serrano & rocket http://twitpic.com/2te4r9 http://twitpic.com/2te4rx

BarrysTeaTweets Get entering tweeters,only 4 days left to win yourself a dreamy trip to Isle of Aaron with @visitscotland http://yfrog.com/ht6c4kj

tomdoorley That Pflalz Riesling from Lidl is being reduced to €3.49 which is beyond belief. NIce and dry, crisp, fresh. #tomwines

TheRossHotel The Ross, Killarney Cant wait for the Dingle Food and Wine Festival this weekend..

ElectricCork Electric In 2 wks, we open into the deepest recession since the depression, any suggestions on inspirational DVD's we should be watching over the wkd

No.5 Fenns Quay Restaurant we like to support local food producers if you are aware of any new or established producers pass us on their information and try out their products !!

Wagamama Ireland to celebrate our last tasty tuesday sushi night in cork we are offering a sushi dinner for 5! simply answer the following question: in what country is sushi from? winner will be randomly selected and notified on monday evening...best of luck! x

We search the net, via Twitter and Facebook, each Thursday evening and early Friday morning, for the latest from the Cork restaurant and bar scene. If you don't have either of the above, reach us at cork.billy@gmail.com. Deadline 9.00am Friday.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MARKETS

MARKET MISSION

So handy having a place such as the English Market  (or any decent market) on your doorstep. Visited there yesterday with a short shopping list.

The essential item was sardines and got seven plump fillets (c. €3.50) at O’Connell’s. Then over to ABC for a loaf of Focaccia bread and picked up the last piece of the puzzle, a little box of juicy Cherry Tomatoes (€1.29), at Superfruit.

Back at the ranch, step one saw the tomatoes being roasted; step two saw the sardines (you could also use mackerel) being grilled and then the bread went under the grill. Olive oil was used at almost all stages and the result was a beautiful toasted lunch.

That lunch was planned;  today’s wasn’t. But it was even easier. Was back to ABC for my favourite Country Baguette (€2.50), though the main object was fish for dinner from Ballycotton Seafood and I cleaned them out of pollock.

The remainder of the cherry tomatoes were pressed into use. Cut them up and added them to the baguette along with some Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese (Herb and Garlic), shredded some basil off the windowsill and combined the lot in a tasty open sandwich.

I'M A SPECIALS KIND OF GUY

Clontarf Bridge, Cork

WATCH OUT FOR THE SPECIAL ONES

I am a specials kind of guy.

I always check the specials when I arrive in a restaurant; experience has taught me that it is a worthwhile practice.

Take the last week or so as an example. Let’s start with my visit to Fenns Quay, who have daily specials. Last weekend, I thoroughly enjoyed their Duck Confit and also the Tarte aux Pruneaux, both added to the regular choice because it coincided with the French Food Festival.

A few days later, at the Liberty Grill, I also hit the jackpot with their Chorizo and cheese, one of their In Season specials. They had run out of the Manchego (a Spanish sheeps cheese) but the substitute, Monterey Jack (an American cows cheese), was well up to the mark and the tasty toasted starter was well priced at under a fiver.

By the way, I also enjoyed the dessert here, though the Blueberry pie may not have been a special. Made as they do it in the southern states of the US and served with hot custard it was a fine finish to the meal. Something different.

The Liberty also does monthly wine specials and the current offer comes from Provence, from the Vaucluse in particular. It is Cotes de Ventoux, named after that bare hot mountain that regularly features in the Tour de France. Produced by Domaine des Anges  , both the red and white are excellent value and you may buy by the glass, the carafe (50cl) and the bottle. 

By the way the Irish connections re strong at this winery and the tricolours of both France and Ireland fly side by side and the wines are imported here by Red Nose Wines and Karwig Wines , among others.

WINE ALLIANCE TASTING

Guest blogger Brian Clayton runs the rule over the new wines from Wine Alliance....

wine alliance tasting at fenns quay

September 26th, 2010

I was invited to a preview of some of the range from Wine Alliance this week, in Fenns Quay restaurant.
I’ve heard a bit about them, and I know Maurice from his days atKarwig Wines.
I’d already read about a couple of the wines on Paul Kiernan’s blog, so I was really looking forward to it.

We tasted 8 wines from their range, 2 Spanish, 2 French and 4 Portuguese. All were priced below the €10 euro mark and came in a mix of old school and funky labels.

• Pegoes Branco 2009 Portugal
• Stella Blanco 2009 Portugal
• Mas De Vigneron Blanc 2009 France
• Pegoes Tinto 2009 Portugal
• Mas De Vigneron Rouge 2009 France
• Stella Rosso 2008 Portugal
• Rojo Mojo Tempranillo 2009 Spain
• Rojo Mojo Shiraz 2009 Spain

They were all very nice, with the Stella Rosso being my favourite on the night. You wouldn’t go wrong with any of them though.
I’m delighted to see plenty of Portuguese wines on offer. I’ve never even heard of most of the grapes in these wines, but lately I’ve been hearing more positive things about wine from Portugal, so I was very happy to try them. The main characteristic of all the wines from the tasting was smoothness.
There was a range of tastes, but all the wines were accessible and smooth, “easy to drink” was mentioned several times on the night.
Maurice is a great MC for a tasting. He really knows the wines, and the interest and belief that he has in them shines through.
You can follow Wine Alliance and Maurice on Twitter. Have a chat to the lads, they’re very friendly and
maybe you can wangle an invite for yourself!
as usual, my tasting notes (click to enlarge). enjoy!

Wine Alliance tasting note 1

Wine Alliance tasting note 2     Brian's musings on wine and other aspects of Cork life may be found at http://brianclayton.ie/

EAT CORK GRAND PARADE MARKET

Don't believe these ladies ran the marathon!

EAT CORK GRAND PARADE MARKET

Had a quick walk through the Eat Cork Grand Parade Market this afternoon. Quick is the word as there were hardly twenty stalls there and only a fraction of those were local producers. Hard to blame the producers though as they are out at markets every day of the week, where they can be supported locally, and they deserve their day for rest.

The two crepe stands though and similar hot food stands were doing okay, as people coming back from the mini-marathon availed of the chance to restore energy levels.  Bought myself some Turkish delight and that was about it. 

Ended up then in TKMaxx where I spent a few minutes shopping and much more than a few minutes queuing. Bought a cook book on the cheap and a few utensils. By the way, if you are on the lookout for amaretto biscuits – I’m told they are hard to get – then TK has loads of them on their food stand.

• Did you hear the news from Skibbereen that that lovely restaurant Over the Moon closed its doors last night. Shame to see the lights go down on such a class eatery.