Raise Your Hat to Syrah! Praise Too The Shiraz.

Raise Your Hat to Syrah!

Praise Too The Shiraz.

Syrah is one the best known grapes in the world. The origins of this dark-skinned red have been widely debated but, according to Wine-Searcher.com, its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhone Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is overwhelmingly (but not exclusively) known as Shiraz, and is regarded as the country's national grape.

There is a wee chapel dedicated to St Christopher on the top of Hermitage in the Rhone. But was it St Patrick who started Syrah’s rise to world fame? In Grapes and Wine (published 2015), the story that the Irish saint planted the first wines on the famous cnoc as he made his way to the island monastery of Lérins is raised.

Another famous visitor to the area was Alexandre Dumas. “In 1834, Alexandre Dumas travelled to the South of France along with his friend Jadin, arriving one evening at Tain-l’Hermitage. ‘On entering the hotel, I took Jadin over to the window and invited him to raise his hat to the hill that towered over the town. This Jadin did, and when I told him that these were the slopes of the Hermitage, he took it upon himself to raise his hat a second time.’ “  The above quote is from About Our Wines (a Cotes du Rhone booklet).

Wayne Thomas Shiraz 2004 (McLaren Vale), 14.5%, €26.80 Karwig Wines

Twelve years old but still displaying a great depth of colour, dark with only a slight lightening at the rim; legs slow to slide down. Aromas of berries and spice. Superb rich fruit and spice on the palate too, oak is well integrated and a long finish. Robust and balanced or, as his son said, Big and ballsy! This is more or less perfect and Very Highly Recommended.

Get on down to Karwig’s, or just go online, while they still have some of it. Sadly, Wayne Thomas died in 2007 and though his son is a winemaker he operates not in the McLaren but in the Hunter Valley.

Wayne “Thommo” Thomas was quite a character and you may read a tribute to him here.

 

Clairmont Classique rouge Crozes-Hermitage 2008, 13%, €22.50 Karwig Wines

This one hundred per cent Syrah (from vines over 30 years old) has a purple colour, slightly less so towards the rim; legs slow to clear. Red fruits are prominent in the aromas. Again, good fruit, some spice too on the palate, smooth with fine tannins, excellent balance and long finalé. Somewhat more restrained than the Thomas and also Very Highly Recommended.

The producers indicate that this red Crozes-Hermitage will pair well with grilled lamb, cold meat or roast turkey. Aged, it will be a great match to any kind of stew.                                        

Much larger than the prestigious Hermitage appellation which it surrounds, Crozes-Hermitage is also much more prolific.

  

Morambro Creek Shiraz 2008 (Padthaway, Australia), 14.5%, €23.40 Karwig Wines

The Bryson family “employ sustainable environmentally friendly viticulture” and “meticulous traditional winemaking”. It all adds up to gems like this!

It is purple in colour, a little less so at the rim, legs slow to clear. Ripe fruits and more in the aromas, blackcurrant for sure. Expansive on the palate, full of fruit and spice, yet great harmony there too, soft and balanced with a hint of sweetness, the wood is well integrated and you have a long and pleasant finish. Another excellent Shiraz and Very Highly Recommended.

The Old Imperial Hotel Youghal. Dining in the Coachouse Bistro

The Old Imperial Hotel Youghal

Dining in the Coachouse Bistro

Beef

Heading to the seaside for the day? A walk on the boardwalk in Youghal is one way of working up an appetite and a call to the Coachouse Bistro in the Old Imperial Hotel, now under new ownership, is one way of satisfying it.

I started a recent meal there with a gorgeous chowder. The Coachouse Seafood Chowder consists of salmon, cod, hake, smoked haddock, Albarino cream, brunoise of vegetables. There were a few prawns in mine as well and that cream is a delicious delight, all for €7.95.

CL meanwhile, was staying quite, enjoying her well presented Chicken Liver Pate, with date jam and toasted sourdough croûte (6.95). Other choices included a Bread and Dips Share Plate; Homemade Soup of the Day; Classic Caesar Salad; Mushrooms on Toast; and Crispy Chicken Wings (in various styles and portions).

Drive under arch to car-park

On to the mains then and something that little bit different for CL: A large Mexican Chicken Salad (with mango chutney), pommes noisettes and salad (14.95). The spices were mild, the potatoes delicious, the salad well-dressed. Large, but all went down well. Lots of choice too for mains and do check the specials board - the staff will probably tell you. By the way, the same menu is available in the bar.

I hit the jackpot with my mains: Twelve Hour braised Featherblade of Beef in Brownstone Ale served with turnip, creamy mash, and a delicious pan jus (16.95). Think that Brownstone should be Roundstone, at least that’s what was printed on my pint glass (4.20, 2.30 for the half). They have the beer on draught on the bar. It also says Triple Hop but you'd hardly notice any hops at all in this pleasantly mild drink. In any case, the feather-blade was fantastic as was the jus.

Starters

Enjoyed the meal and the service, some very friendly folk at work here. They tried their best to get us to move to dessert but we were pretty full at the point and had to reluctantly withdraw, resisting the charms of  the Warm Homemade Apple Pie vanilla ice cream and chantilly cream; Selection of Baldwin's Ice creams, Tuille Basket; Chocolate Fudge Cake, warm chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream; Peanut-butter and Salted Caramel Cheesecake chantilly cream, mango coulis; Raspberry Frangipane Bakewell Tart traditional custard; Jamaican Mess, crushed meringue, banana, butterscotch sauce, custard, cream, vanilla ice cream; and the Cheese Board, selection of Irish farmhouse cheeses, date jam, crackers, fruit.

Mexican

They have a dedicated kids menu and have recently introduced this offer: Kids now eat free, Monday - Thursday, 4pm - 6pm! One free kid's meal with every adult main purchased.

The Old Imperial is one of the best kept buildings in Youghal, one of  oldest too; as well as the bistro and its very popular Coachouse Bar, it is a 18 room family friendly boutique hotel. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, coffee and drinks.

Old Imperial Hotel

27 North Main Street

Youghal

Co. Cork.

Tel: (024) 92435

Email: info@theoldimperialhotel.com

Web: http://www.theoldimperialhotel.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoldimperialhotel/timeline

Twitter: @ImperialYoughal

Taste of the Week. St Tola Ash Log

Taste of the Week

St Tola Ash Log

It is fresh and creamy and looks quite attractive in its ash coating. I’m talking about St Tola Ash Log, a premium goat's milk cheese and our Taste of the Week. The normal St Tola Log is also delicious but the Ash has that little bit more!

In their own words: “We have a peaty soil near the Atlantic. The St Tola Log cheese is quite natural, a little fruity, hints of the peat and undertones of salt. The St Tola Ash is made in the same way but in smaller log and is rolled in a food grade charcoal to produce the Ash rim. The Ash makes it stand out on the cheeseboard and keeps it fresh.”

And not just fresh. The Ash also enhances the creaminess according to the recent Guide to Cheese by Sheridans: “When ash is used on the rind, it attracts a more even spread of yeast and the cheese can become quite creamy under the skin.” So now you know. Well worth a try.

For more on St Tola, check their website here http://www.st-tola.ie. I got mine in Iago in Princes Street in Cork but it is widely available.

Limerick’s Locke Bar. Food And Music Down By The River

Limerick’s Locke Bar

Lively, By The River

Crab claws

Limerick’s Locke Bar is so well located, just by the water on George's Quay. We were there a few weeks back and obviously the timber seats and tables on the river-banks were not in use. But you could easily imagine them full in summer with a string of boats tied up at the pontoon below. The bar, a large one, is also situated conveniently close to attractions such as the Hunt Museum and King John's Castle. And, in addition, it is well known for its food and music, not to mention the buzz.

That buzz hit us full on as we walked in the doors early on a Thursday evening. We were trying to get our bearings when a server spotted us and sorted us out. Soon we were seated in the small square restaurant, alongside the bar and facing part of the long counter.

She showed us the specials on the wall and soon we were ordering, sipping a deliciously zesty Deakin Estate Artisan's Blend Sauvignon Blanc Semillon (5.75 a glass) as we did so. My starter was the very enjoyable Dingle Bay Crab Claws with Chardonnay cream and Garlic Bread (10.50). I got through that pretty quickly while CL took a bit longer as she enjoyed her mussels from Castletownbere, served a la Mariniere (9.00).

Chicken (and Chardonnay)

We were tempted by the Pork and Salmon specials on the board but in the end settled for two off the regular menu. I was delighted with my the Supreme of Irish chicken with asparagus spears, gratin potatoes, bacon and mushroom cream (14.50). Excellent chicken with a rich and creamy sauce.The Tempura Fried Scampi (16.50) was not of quite the same standard, the tempura that bit much for the delicate fish.

We could also have had dishes such as the Beef and Locke Stout Casserole, Fish and Chips, Fish Pie and Burger. It is generally fairly typical well-priced well-cooked pub grub. Dessert was also an option but, after a good lunch at Sage earlier and a good feed here, we gave it a skip.

They serve their own stout and a very good selection of Irish craft beers including a few from Nine White Deer in West Cork. You often notice just one craft cider in Irish pubs but there were at least three here: Dan Kelly's, Craigie’s, and Longueville House. They specialise in whiskey too.

Benches on the bank

Locke's Bar is situated on the original site of one of Limerick's oldest pubs - they've been drinking here since 1724. It was cosy the other night, with the fires burning nicely. But it would be great to see it in its summer glory and maybe try that casserole with a pint of their own stout on the bench outside.

Whatever time you come, you'll get the buzz and the music. There is a session every night of the week and everyone is welcome. Will have to call back.

*In the Gents at the Locke Bar, they have a metal shield along the base of the pissoir to prevent you spraying your own shoes! I christened that the Parapee (based on the French parapluie!).

The Locke Bar

3 George’s Quay

Limerick

061-413733

Email: enquiries@lockebar.com

Web: www.lockebar.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLockeBar/timeline

Twitter: @TheLockeBar

Two Days in Limerick City
Holiday break in County Limerick
Lunch at Hook & Ladder
Buzz at the Coqbull
Sage Cafe

Amuse Bouche

One day, having gone to Lugo to make a speech, he caused an incident in a restaurant on a día sin postre (a day without pudding), one of various austerity measures adopted in the Nationalist zone.

Being a Gallego, he was singing the praises of Gallego cuisine and asked the waiter to bring him queso de tetilla (a soft, mild cheese in the form of a woman’s breast).  Wrongly suspecting a test, the waiter reminded him it was a día sin postre. ‘Do you know who I am?’ thundered the glorioso mutilado. ‘Yes, Your Excellency, General Millan Astray.’ When the waiter hesitated, the general lost control of himself and began to hit the unfortunate man about the head.

From ¡Comrades! By Paul Preston (1999)

Sparkling Intro to Le Caveau Tasting

Sparkling Intro to Le Caveau Tasting

Sparkling Sugrue

Limerickman Dermot Sugrue was in sparkling form in Cork’s L’Atitude 51 yesterday. And why not? Didn't he have his superb Wiston Estate wines all lined up on the first table of the Le Caveau Trade and Press Tasting.

These English sparkling wines are on a par with the top offerings of Champagne. Indeed, the Wiston Estate Blanc de Blanc NV commands a higher price per glass (and per bottle) than a very well known champagne in the Chiltern Firehouse, an exclusive London restaurant. “It is a great restaurant”, said Dermot. “An old fire station, architecturally impressive, and it's great to in there and poured by the glass!”

This NV, all Chardonnay, has a broad appeal, “a social wine”. It is mainly 2011 but contains twenty per cent of 2010 reserve, which plays a key role in this amazing wine. The grapes come from three different vineyards, all West Sussex, all chalk. The Wiston Estate vintage wines are from single vineyards.

Mark of Cockagee.

Next up was the “accidental rosé” of 2011. It was the warmest summer for 140 years. “The wine made itself”, said Dermot. ”But what pleases me is the way it has sustained itself since. The 33% of Chardonnay is now growing in influence.”  It is a magnificent drink and you are very highly recommended to get your hands on a bottle or two.

And it seems there is more good news to come on the rosé front. There was a great vintage in 2014 and the results to date “are extremely encouraging”.

This pleasant sparkling interlude was finished with a tasting of the Sugrue Pierre 2010, a family effort with even Noodle the dog getting his cartoon on the label. It is made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, matured in old barrels (50%) and stainless steel. Two and a half years on lees, disgorged in 2014 and then two years in the bottle. It is superb, fantastic body and finish. And Dermot put much of it down to the time in bottle, reckoning that many underestimate the importance of time spent under cork.

Stephane of Chateau Turcaud

I had been doing some “homework” in preparation for this tasting and one of the most pleasant parts was the bottle of Cockagee cider I treated myself to. Read all about it here.

At the moment, Cockagee producer Mark Jenkinson has just the one product but he’s working on some new ones. “I have some on lees since 2012 and will be disgorging this year on the way to making a full champagne cider. It will be a few months yet but is tasting very well at the moment.” And he is also working on an ice-cider!

Great to meet up then with Stephane Le May of Chateau Turcaud in Bordeaux. I was in his village two years ago but didn't know about his superb wines then. Now I do and now too I have an invitation to call next time I’m Entre-deux-Mers! His Cuvée Majeure (named after the local abbey) is outstanding and one of the finds of my “homework”. “It is wonderful”, agreed Stephane.”A wonderful freshness. It was a good summer and then we had a great September and that helped a lot.”  Turcaud exports about 50% of production, most of it to the East Coast of the US.

Orange alert!

Menade’s Nosso Verdejo natural 2014 was another of the highlights of my “homework” and I renewed acquaintance with this beautiful wine thanks to Eleonora Infuso who was at L'Atitude. “It is only our second vintage of this wine. It has been a  very big success for us and it is what we want to do.”  

She had another pleasant surprise for me: their V3 2012. Some of grapes for this come from their 30 ha of pre-phylloxera vines (over 140 years old!). It is fermented in 500 litre French oak for between 8 and 10 months and then aged 1 to 3 years in bottle. Rich and full and with a very crisp acidity, this is another gem from one of the leading estates in Rueda.

Stayed with the whites when I met Chris Forbes of Taylor’s Port. I do like my Taylor’s Chip Dry White Port and Chris had just the recipe for me. “To make a refreshing and original summer drink, mix one part of Chip Dry white Port with two parts of chilled Tonic water in a tall glass, adding a sprig of mint or a twist of lemon.” Obrigado. Cheers.

With Eleonora of Menade

Sage Limerick. Popular. Inside & Out!

Sage Limerick

Popular. Inside & Out!

 Did you know that Dublin has a dog cafe now? It’s called Pupp. It came to mind on a recent visit to Sage Café in Limerick city centre recently. It wasn't the warmest of days but there were a few hardy souls sitting outside under their green awning, a very popular spot in summertime, I’m told. I presume some were smokers but there were a pair of customers there with a well-behaved dog.

This café is a busy spot. We got in early for lunch, And just as well. It was soon full - it takes about forty inside - and there were quite a few people coming too to take away some of the delicious food, including fresh salads and in-house baked items. The very friendly staff were soon stretched.

 It pays to take a good look at the menu here as I almost missed my main course choice: Fish plate with steamed salmon and prawns. What salads would you like with that? I hesitated. Maybe something of each? Okay, I said. It was delicious, a great variety on my plate and kept me quiet for a while.

I had been looking at the Duck salad with orange, fennel, pickled carrots, and toasted sunflower seeds and that eventually was what CL got. Another plate packed with different colours, flavours and textures, really good.

They have a great choice of sandwiches and cold plates. Hot stuff too including the likes of Courgette and basil tagliatelle, smoked bacon lardons, and parmesan shavings; also a Braised Beef in red wine sauce with sauté mushrooms balsamic onions, smoked bacon lardons and creamed potatoes; or maybe you'd prefer a Spiced lamb burger in a brioche bun, fennel slaw and homemade chunky chips.

A wee bit of a delay then before we managed to get our dessert and our excellent coffees. Indeed, they have  a good range of tea and coffee and Fair Trade where possible. You may have breakfast and lunch here with mainly Irish produce. Jams, breads, cakes, scones, and desserts are made on the premises and are very popular of the busy take-out is anything to go by.

Overall, a lovely food destination in the heart of Limerick and Highly Recommended.

See also:
Two Days in Limerick City
Holiday break in County Limerick
Lunch at Hook & Ladder
Buzz at the Coqbull
Limerick's Locke Bar

Sage Café

Address: 67/68 Catherine Street, Limerick

Phone: 061 409458

email : info@thesagecafe.com

website: www.thesagecafe.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSageCafe/?fref=ts

Twitter: @thesagecafe

Taste of the Week. Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider

Taste of the Week

Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider

This is one of the best ciders I have ever tasted and is our Taste of the Week.

Made in County Meath by Mark Jenkinson, it has a rich amber colour, micro-bubbles constantly rising in the glass. The aromas are impressive too, redolent of the orchard. And on the palate there is a very pleasing concentration of real flavour and then a lovely dry finish.

Mark makes it in small batches in the heart of the Boyne Valley from 100% fresh pressed Irish apples. Each 1000 litre batch is unique and may vary slightly.

Keeving is not the easiest to explain as “it is more intuitive than an exact science”. But Mark gives a good run-down here. Crucially, it preserves the “lovely apple aromas and the rich flavours of the fruit and results in a robust yet smooth cider, complex and full-bodied with a bittersweet twist and a long dry finish.”

Briefly, Keeving means it is not filtered, not pasteurised, and not sweetened. The fruit sugars are naturally retained as are the intense apple flavours and aromas from the original must.

Hope that doesn’t sound too complicated. To put it simply, the result is a terrific drink with an ABV of 5% and is very highly recommended. Well worth a try. I got mine, a 75cl bottle, in Bradley’s for €9.95. See also Le Caveau who distribute it.

The Cono Sur Chef Challenge 2016. Race to Paris is on!

The Cono Sur Chef Challenge 2016

 Chefs across Ireland invited to submit an original recipe for a chance to win a first class gourmet trip to Paris

Starting Monday 11th April, Cono Sur and Pallas Foods are inviting all chefs in the Republic of Ireland to submit an original recipe that complements the prestigious 20 Barrels wines from Cono Sur.

Chefs are invited to simply upload their recipes with photos to
www.ConoSurChefChallenge.com to be in with a chance to win a first class trip for two to Paris for a gourmet weekend away.

Entries close on Friday 6th May.

Five semi-finalists will then be chosen for a “cook-off” on Wednesday 1st June at the Pallas Foods, Foods Solution Centre in Dublin, where a select panel of judges will choose the top three chefs to go through to the exciting finale held on Monday 13th June.

Then, judges at the final will be assisted by Cono Sur General Manager and Chief Winemaker Adolfo Hurtado, who will have the last word on which recipe is the best match for his beloved 20 Barrels range.

For more information visit www.ConoSurChefChallenge.com.

About the 20 Barrels Range

In 1996 Cono Sur decided to tackle the challenge of making their first ultra premium wine; the chosen variety was Pinot Noir and for its inaugural production they set apart 20 barrels of the best fruit the '96 vintage had provided.

This exquisite range’s name was coined after those 20 initial barrels. Pinot Noir was soon followed by other varieties, with Sauvignon Blanc joining the range in 2005.

Since then the wines have won numerous prestigious awards, such as:

Cono Sur 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc

• Gold, Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2014
• 90 points and #4 in Decanter's Top 50 2015
• 95 Points, Descorchados 2015 + Best from Casablanca
• 95 Points, Descorchados 2016 + Among the Best White Wines + Among the Best Wines from Casablanca
• 90 Points, Wine Advocate 2014
• Gold, Japan Wine Challenge 2014

press release

Cono Sur 20 Barrels Pinot Noir

• 91 Points, JamesSuckling.com 2015
• 91 Points, Descorchados 2015
• 91 Points, Wine Advocate 2014
• Double Gold, Sakura 2015
• Silver, Japan Wine Challenge 2014

The Cono Sur 20 Barrels Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir retail at €24.99 and are available from premium independent off-licences nationwide.