Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango, and more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #7

Bubble Brothers Ready To Tango 

Once upon a time, we tasted some samples from Finca Agostino in Mendoza, Argentina, and knew immediately these were wines we shouldn't miss out on. 

Our first consignment arrived in Cork last week, and we're excited to bring five new wines to Ireland.

Four of them are Malbecs, representing four tiers of quality and complexity. What we liked at the original tasting was that there was no suggestion of compromise with even the least expensive of the four, the Uma Malbec. More details here.

White Hag Brews Up

 Hagstravaganza 2020

For one year only, we're going all cyber for our annual festival - you'll be able to order your beer in advance and join us online on the day to enjoy it!

Learn more about our plans and which guest breweries we've lined up so far by heading over to the event page here. 

SARAH JESSICA PARKER ADDS A NEW ROSÉ WINE

This premium rosé – Invivo X, Sarah Jessica Parker Rosé – comes from the South of France and has been crafted in partnership with Sarah Jessica Parker, the founders of Invivo and a family winery in Provence. The new Invivo X, SJP Rosé will have a suggested retail price of €18.00. Currently available from www.WinesOfTheWorld.ie and will be available in other stores throughout summer.

IT'S WHISKEY TIME! at Blacks of Kinsale

Looking back over the past 6 months and all the curve balls that have been thrown our way it's very hard to explain the immense feeling of satisfaction, joy, relief, in fact a whole mixture of emotions as we filled the 1st Founders Club Cask. The ball is now well and truly rolling and momentum is picking up with every day and every still run we complete. More here on the Founders Club (still open for membership!)

Wines Direct Make The Case For Father's Day
This case is full of blockbuster reds to accompany Dad-like activities such as BBQing a big dry-aged steak or dusting off his collection of vinyl. He will enjoy everything from Malbec to Bordeaux and a few new surprises that he may not yet know he likes. Check it out here

Justin Keay: how Franciacorta is facing up to a post-Covid-19 future 

Franciacorta has seen exports grow in recent years to the point 20% is now being exported to key markets including the US and UK. As the region starts to recover from the devastating effects of Covid-19, Justin Keay talks to key players Bellavista, Ca del Bosco and Ferghettina, along with Consorzio President Silvano Brescianini about where the region goes from here...Read More

Class in Glass from Navarra's Tandem Winery

Class  in  Glass  from  Navarra's  Tandem  Winery

Latin is a theme at the Navarra based Tandem winery. Tandem itself is Latin for “finally” (and nothing to do with cycling in this case) while the names of the individual wines are in Latin (or derived from it): Casual, Inmacula, Ars In Vitro, Ars Nova, Macula, Ars Memoria, and Inmune.

Tandem was founded in 2003 by Alicia Eyaralar, José María Fraile and a small group of wine-loving relatives and friends. The vineyard is quite close to Pamplona and on the northern edge of the Navarra wine region. 



Speaking in Cork in 2018, Jose Maria said: “We like freshness and elegance and luckily we’re in the coolest part of the appellation. It is super green where we are, a big contrast with the desert in the south. The Atlantic influence, the cool summer nights, and picking late in the season is good for the grapes and we get that natural acidity.”

Ars in Vitro Navarra (DO) 2016, 14%, €14.95.

The Ars in Vitro (art in glass) is an unfiltered, unoaked red wine with fruit and fragrance and a silky palate. “How wine for me should taste,” remarked Tandem’s Jose Maria Frail, speaking in Cork’s 12 Tables. 

With Jose Maria (left) in Cork 2019

This has been raised in concrete. “Nowadays, concrete is accepted, the epoxy lining has made the difference, more complexity, more tannins, more colour, finesse and elegance.” 

It is a blend of Tempranillo and Merlot. And yes, that acidity is there too, making it a versatile wine at the table. Enjoy, as I did recently,  this complex red, its long lasting red and dark fruit flavours. Fresh, enjoyable, pleasant and ideal for any occasion.

O’Briens say:  “..classy red from a boutique, quality obsessed producer in Navarra…  expresses the pure cool climate Yerri Valley Tempranillo and Merlot fruit without the use of oak".

Ars Nova Navarra (DO) 2014, 14%, €17.45

Dark ruby is the colour here. Joes Maria, as you would expect, had this spot-on at 12 Tables, summing up the blend of Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as fresh, fruity and long. “More complex, more spice and great with lamb.” Great too with duck as I found out later.

This rich and complex red has been aged a minimum 24 months in concrete vats plus 9 months in 300-litre French oak barrels. Open, decant and let it breathe for half an hour before enjoying with a roast leg of lamb (or duck!).

The Latin Ars Nova translates to new art and indeed Ars Nova was a musical movement in the 14th Century which brought about the advent of volume in music. And Tandem thought this very applicable to their philosophy of this wine which also has their trademark acidity. 

Importers O’Brien are also very happy with this one: “One of the finest reds we have seen from Navarra; only a producer performing at the very highest level is capable of making such a wine - a masterpiece in innovation and testament to the passion of this boutique winery.” 

Music to Jose Maria’s ears and to those of Tandem’s customers. Play on, maestro!

Australia 2020 Vintage. Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers.

Australia 2020 Vintage. Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers

Virginia

"Not a great vintage for accountants but a beautiful one for winemakers."

That’s how veteran winemaker Virginia Willcock described the 2020 vintage at Vasse Felix where she has been part of close to 30 vintages; Virginia is, since 2006, Chief Winemaker at Margaret River’s founding wine estate. 

Monday’s webinar, organised by Wine Australia and moderated by Sarah Ahmed (The Wine Detective), also featured Louisa Rose (Chief Winemaker at 170 year old winery Yalumba in South Australia’s Barossa Valley) and Sarah Crowe (Winemaker and General Manager at Yarra Yering, one of the oldest vineyards in Victoria’s Yarra Valley).

Virginia was talking about the low yield and that was much the same account from across the vast country (Vasse Felix is about 4,000km from Canberra). Low yields yes but beautiful wines to come!

“Margaret River is a very different place”, she enthused. “Very interesting, dynamic, diverse. A unique piece of land formed millions of years ago and great surfing is one result!” The ocean, at three sides of the narrow strip of land, is a massive influence on the vines and the wines. “We have a Mediterranean  climate, cool wet winters, warm dry summers. The maritime influence is of huge significance, our ‘air conditioner’ cools the grapes and gives beautiful extra ripening time. It’s a beautiful cape, so many different areas, different characteristics. We do feel like an island here.”

Harvest 2020. Social distancing in a  Yalumba vineyard in Tasmania

And they certainly felt like it during the 2020 vintage when Covid19 arrived. “We were isolated and there was no vintage party. Our vintage casuals departed early, mainly to catch the last of the flights home. All our own hospitality had been closed down due to the virus and so the staff there helped out in the later stages of the vintage and it was great, some terrific bonding.”

Bush fires not too far away from Yalumba

Conditions over the seasons were pretty good in the area but Virginia points to the springs of 2018 and 2019  (very cool, with some hail) as having been major factors in the low yield for 2020. “Bunch numbers were down and those that survived had low weight. We didn’t get any dramatic vintage conditions. The vines were very healthy, a beautiful vintage.”

“Overall, very happy. Some beautiful whites and great reds with tannins and concentration, a phenomenal vintage for us. Chardonnay is magnificent. Sauvignon Blanc incredible. Cabernet brilliant and Shiraz great also.”

Louisa, who joined Yalumba (Barossa Valley) in 1992 and became Chief Winemaker in 2006, described her 2020 experience in the famed vineyard as “a rollercoaster of a vintage”. “Temperatures in October to December were all over the place. On November 18th, frost saw the overnight temperature drop to below zero. Two days later, as the vines were flowering, we had a 42 degree day!”

Louisa

“And then the bush fires were not too far away. We were lucky here with the wind direction, kept the flames and the smoke away. Still it was a pretty horrific time.”

Luckily, the vines got a break a few weeks before the harvest. The weather got cool and stayed cool and that “refreshed” the vines. After a good ripening period, the harvest started. As expected, the yield was low, as much as 50% down in some cases. Still, like Margaret River, the quality is promising with excellent acidity a factor.

Sarah Crowe told us that Yarra Yering, in the Yarra Valley, is about an hour’s drive from Melbourne. “We are warmer than Burgundy, cooler than Bordeaux. The mountains and the Southern Ocean are major influences.”

Sarah Crowe

And it was much the same conclusion that she reported: “It was a year like none before and, I hope, like none that comes after. Quantities are lower, down by 30%, but we have lovely beautiful wines to come from this harvest, even if it was hard work. Picking was at the end of March with rainfall well above average and temperatures below average. The gumboots got a lot of use!”

The fires didn’t get close here though Covid19 did have an impact. “But we were classed as an essential business on the production side and so we were able to harvest and are pleasantly surprised at the result.”

Now, it’s over to the salespeople.  And the accountants, of course.

James Whelan Butchers launch exclusive Father’s Day Collection

press release

James Whelan Butchers launch exclusive Father’s Day Collection 

While it may be a Father’s Day with a difference, the team at James Whelan Butchers has introduced a special Father’s Day Collection, available exclusively online, through their popular Local Delivery Service, to share the gift of good food with loved ones this year.

The Father’s Day Collection has been curated to offer inspiration to those who may not be able to spend time with their Dad in person this year, to send a special package of James Whelan Butchers finest cuts of meat, directly to their front door on Father’s Day. 

Pat Whelan, CEO of James Whelan Butchers states, “Whether they have been cocooning, working on the front line, working from home, helping with schoolwork or getting to those jobs around the house - whatever they have been up to dads deserve a very special Father’s Day this year.

It will be very different to what we have all been used to - especially if we can’t celebrate with them in person - so this year, we wanted to create something with a difference, to thank all of the hard working dads and to show how much we care.”

The James Whelan Butchers Father’s Day Collection includes a selection of signature Himalayan salt-aged beef and steaks that are hand prepared and come beautifully wrapped in traditional wax paper, including:

• Salt Aged Rib-Eye Beef
• Salt Aged Striploin Steaks 
• Salt Aged Côte de Boeuf

This outstanding beef is featured on many Michelin-starred menus and is like no other taste experience - it has to be tasted to be understood. The beef is aged in Himalyan Salt Chamber which concentrates the flavour of the meat, seals the natural juices and produces a totally unique, sweet, flavoursome beef. 

The Father’s Day Collection costs €65 including delivery and is available to order online through their Local Delivery Service for customers within 15km of one of 10 shops. Please place orders before June 19th to ensure delivery on Father’s Day. 

Also available for the Dad who loves to barbeque, there is a special James Whelan Butchers BBQ Collection that is also available through the Local Delivery Service and this too can be delivered right to your father’s door on Father’s Day.

For fathers living outside the 15km radius of the shops and who would love the gift of great food, there is the James Whelan Butchers Beef Bond, that entitles the holder to a share in one of James Whelan Butchers’ acclaimed Hereford, Angus or Wagyu Cattle. On maturity, your father is guaranteed a superb selection of delicious cuts of prime Tipperary Beef.

For further information on all Father’s Day gift ideas visit  jameswhelanbutchers.com.  

Thinking of visiting Dublin as it opens up? 36 Hours in the Capital. A Hotel with Pawsonality! On Spuds and Stroganoff. Wine & Whiskey.

Thinking of visiting Dublin as it opens up?
36 Hours in the Capital. A Hotel with Pawsonality!

On Spuds and Stroganoff. Wine & Whiskey.

Oscar Wilde, on his own little mont

It is just after lunchtime when we arrive at Heuston Station on a short visit to Dublin (in March last). First we have to get rid of the suitcase and so we hop on the Luas and then walk over to the Mont Hotel to check in. 

The first person, well not a person, we see is Monty the resident dog, a very calm and sociable French Bulldog. This is a dog friendly hotel and four of the 96 rooms are set up for you and your four-legged friend. The bad news is that they don’t allow big dogs!

The Mont Hotel

Monty

The 2019 hotel, part of the O’Callaghan group (they two other hotels in close proximity, the Davenport and the Alex), is quite central: Merrion Square Park (2 minutes), The National Gallery of Ireland (5); Grafton Street (10). Our room wasn’t the biggest but was well equipped and very comfortable. 

The bar has quite a bit of craft beer in bottle, a corner for dining, and three big screens if you want to catch the football. They also have an Italian themed menu in the restaurant (where you also have your breakfast - no Full Irish though as the buffet doesn’t have any pudding, black or white).

Braised Lamb Boxty Dumplings

After sampling some of the wines at the Liberty Portfolio tasting,  later that afternoon, we headed out to Temple Bar for dinner. Our choice was the Boxty House. Just as well we had a reservation as it was very busy on a Monday night. 

It is all about the humble spud here and only here will you find the original and authentic Boxty wrap.They serve the 3 types of Boxty found in the border counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh.

My main course, a very flavoursome one indeed, was the Braised Lamb Boxty Dumplings. Delicious tender spiced lamb, marinated with chilli, soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic and ginger, sautéed with Boxty Dumplings and served with cooling Tzatziki Sauce.

Portions are large enough here as we found out with our other mains: the Corned Beef Boxty (tender slow-cooked Corned Beef with Sautéed Cabbage and Kale in a parsley sauce in a Boxty Pancake). Terrific flavour on the plate as well.

Lunch at the Kemp Sisters IMMA

Believe it or not, they also do Boxty Crisps and you can taste those with the Mushroom and Chickpea Pate served with a sweet onion chutney and those crisps. 

The Boxty Crostini Trio starter gives you a great idea of what you are in for. Here, they serve three pieces of Toasted Boxty Loaf with different toppings: Irish Brie and Red Onion, Smoked Salmon and Chive Sour Cream and St Tola Goats Cheese with Tomato Sauce. I enjoyed that very much indeed.

And don’t miss out on their own Jack Smyth beers, brewed locally. You can try all four on a tasting tray for a tenner. I choose a pint of the IPA, all the beers are on draught, and enjoyed it very much with the dinner. Excellent friendly service here.

James McKenna's 'Ferdia at the Ford'

Following a visit to Kilmainham Gaol  on the following morning, we headed back to the Kemp Sisters café in the Irish Museum of Modern Art. The sisters are well-known for their colourful flavoursome dishes and we enjoyed a couple here in the large basement restaurant. 

My pick was a pepper, onion and brie Quiche with two salads, one apple and beetroot, the other couscous based and that boosted the energy levels for the short walk to the nearby Roe Distillery. And a shot or two of whiskey powered the longer walk back to College Green and then on to The Mont and Monty.

Something different that night with a visit to Olesya’s Wine Bar and Bistro in Exchequer Street. Some 400 wines on the list here so quite a bit of reading. Many are available by the glass with a  choice of sizes, the smaller at 100ml, the large 190ml. So we tried and enjoyed a few.

The wines come from all over the world and, with Olesya originally from Russia, there are a few Russian dishes on the menu. Naturally enough, I picked a couple! A couple of excellent ones, I might add.

Solyanka Soup

Stroganoff

One was the delicious Solyanka Soup. This rich soup came in a large bowl with a variety of very finely shredded smoked meats, ham, and sausages, also olives, a slice of lemon and a dollop of creme fraiche. And a generous amount of delicious bread, nicely heated. Great stuff on a cold and windy night on the streets of Dublin. Eating and drinking in it!

I must admit I didn’t realise that Stroganoff is a dish of Russian origin but here they insist it is. In any event, their Classic Beef Stroganoff version is superb. Back to the Sin Bin, the bar at The Mont, for a bottle of Porterhouse Pale Ale.

The following day, we strolled up to the adjacent park to see Oscar Wilde, before heading off to Heuston to catch the mid-morning train to Cork.

For the latest on the Mont Hotel's reopening, please click here .

Also on this trip:

Kilmainham Gaol

Hands On Fun during Roe and Co Whiskey Tour

Some Previous Dublin visits

• Little Museum of Dublin https://www.corkbilly.com/2019/01/the-little-museum-of-dublin.html
• Summer Days in Dublin https://www.corkbilly.com/2015/07/summer-days-in-dublin-capital-food-and.html
• Silk Road Café and the Chester Beatty https://www.corkbilly.com/2019/01/eastern-flavours-and-culture-at-silk.html
• Pearse Lyons Distillery https://www.corkbilly.com/2019/01/pearse-lyons-whiskey-lifts-liberties.html
• 44 Hours in Dublin including Wax Museum, National Museum of Archaeology, https://www.corkbilly.com/2014/03/44-hours-in-dublin.html

5 STAR MEMORIES START HERE – LYRATH ESTATE KILKENNY

Press release

5 STAR MEMORIES START HERE – LYRATH ESTATE KILKENNY

-ESCAPE TO KILKENNY FOR YOUR SUMMER STAYCATION-

The five-star Lyrath Estate in Kilkenny has been busy gearing up for the return of its guests and customers and has created lots of great ‘staycation’ offers for families, couples and friends who want to reconnect.  Located just five minutes from the heart of Kilkenny city, and set on over 170 acres of mature parkland, the estate enjoys a peaceful, rural setting yet is in easy reach of the famous medieval city with its many shops, historic castle and cultural attractions. 

Many of the 139 spacious bedrooms have views across the mature parkland with its ancient oak trees, leafy glades, hidden walking trails and glistening lakes.  If you are looking for a spacious retreat Lyrath Estate has many bedrooms with large outdoor terraces or balconies which provide guests with a connection with the outdoors.  Robust Covid- 19 precautions have been put in place for the safety and comfort of the guests and staff including all of the HSE recommendations regarding hygiene and social distancing with many activities and dining options now being made available for guests to enjoy outdoors if they so wish.

The expansive estate is now offering guests a myriad of outdoor activities to enjoy in its new ‘staycation’ packages including archery, fishing, and learning how to fly your own bird of prey.  There are also skincare talks, yoga classes, whiskey tastings, cocktail making classes and cooking with the chef in the outdoor, covered BBQ pavilion.  Other facilities at the luxury resort include a swimming pool and gym, the award-winning Oasis Spa, several restaurants, and bars and even a private cinema.  The Lyrath Estate Staycation Package is available as a 2,3- or 5-night package and includes bed and breakfast, lunch, tea and cake and dinner each evening (from €400 per adult sharing).

If you have been home schooling and stuck at home with bored children, then look no further than the Lyrath Estate Summer Family Break.  This summer make some five-star memories with your children without having to lift a finger yourself! Children will love the swimming pool, games room, fairy trail, complimentary bicycles, playground, zip wire and the mini football pitch.  If it is a wet day the hotel’s 22-seater private cinema can be booked out for a private family cinema viewing. The Lyrath Estate Summer Family Break costs €210 per adult sharing and includes two nights bed and breakfast and dinner on one evening for the adults.  Interconnecting rooms are available, while the cost for children, sharing with their parents aged between 4-12 is charged at just €25 per night.

Lyrath Estate is home to lots of wildlife including foxes, bats, badgers, rabbits, hares, and many native birds of prey. The latest additions to the estate are two baby twin owls, ‘Diesel’ and ‘Turbo’ who are very much at home in the quiet countryside setting and who make regular appearances with the Lyrath resident falconry expert.  The lake and its waterfalls are picture perfect and are a favourite picnic spot for families, just ask chef to prepare your favourite sandwiches and head out and explore the estate on foot or grab a bike and spin around.

If you are looking for a romantic break away and an opportunity to reconnect with your loved one, you could choose the ‘Your Summer Story Package’ (€210 per adult sharing). It includes two nights bed and breakfast, dinner on one evening and cream tea on an afternoon of your choice. 

There are several dining outlets on the estate including The Yew Restaurant which serves Mediterranean and classical cuisine with a modern twist, The Grill and Bar and Tupper’s Bar, a traditional pub.  The Atrium serves delicious afternoon tea each day while The Conservatory is a beautiful light filled space which serves lunch and food throughout the day. Al fresco dining is offered on the terrace, overlooking Lady Charlotte’s Garden, the formal garden once beloved of a previous resident of Lyrath, Lady Charlotte Isabel Wheeler-Cuffe.  Lady Charlotte was an amateur botanical artist, plant collector and avid gardener and spent many years collecting plants and flowers from all over the world. Her botanical collection still blooms at Lyrath today.  Guests may also enjoy private dining on their own balconies and terraces with other outdoor dining options including the BBQ Pavilion beside the Walled Garden and the pretty picnic spots by the lakes.

The original Manor House at Lyrath Estate is considered to be the most important surviving country house designed by John McCurdy.   It was reconstructed by Sir Charles Wheeler- Cuffe in the 17^th century to appease his prospective father in law, Lord Stuart de Decies who felt that it was not grand enough for his daughter, Pauline and would not permit her to marry Wheeler Cuffe until the house was deemed impressive enough.  The original house has since been sympathetically restored to its former glory and all the rooms preserve their original wallpaper. The house is also home to a most impressive collection of contemporary Irish art.  Old world charm sits in perfect harmony with the contemporary new wing and the link with the old and new is both stylish and tasteful. 

Attention to detail is also key throughout the estate, from five-star service, indulgent pampering treats, exciting on-site outdoor pursuits and activities to sumptuous food and wine. Outside, ancient trees stretch their arms overhead, bathing the private, secret nature trails in shades of leafy green.  Guests are encouraged to explore and to scan the verdant pathways for signs of wildlife, a feather, a little paw print or a tell-tale trail in the grass that says, ‘the fox was here’…

Hard to believe it then that despite all the nature that surrounds this stunning five-star hotel it is just 1.2 kms from the centre of Kilkenny city. The Marble City itself is rich in cultural spots and if you have not been there for a while it is time to explore again.  From medieval buildings, a romantic castle, to beer tasting at the Smithwick’s Experience (home of Ireland’s oldest beer) Kilkenny has plenty to offer for a curious family or couple.  To book your great five-star Kilkenny Escape now log on to www.lyrath.com or call   (056) 7760088.

Amuse Bouche

“Can you pass the okra, please?” I ask.

My mother passes the okra.

“So," she pivots, seeing as her previous topic baited no one, “Ayoola said there is a cute doctor at your work.”

I drop the bowl of okra and it spills on the table - it is green and filmy, quickly seeping into the floral tablecloth.

“Korede!”

I dab at it with a cloth but I can barely hear her - my thoughts are eating my brain.

from My Sister The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite (2018). Highly Recommended.

Photo via Pixabay