Two Highly Recommended Reds From The Dordogne And The Lot

Bergerac

 Two Highly Recommended Reds 

From The Dordogne And The Lot

Château du Cèdre Héritage Malbec, Cahors (AOC) 2016, 13.5%,  €16.35

64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

Gorgeous fruity aromatics welcome you to this mid to dark ruby wine from the south of France.  It has been produced biodynamically by Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe of Château Du Cèdre  who, according to importers Le Caveau, ”form one of the most passionate, hard-working and skilled team of winegrowers we have ever come across”. 

And that accolade seems well deserved when you taste this superb wine, the concentrated fruit flavours delivered in a silky smooth vinous package that excites the taste buds as it pleasurably passes on its way to an equally delightful finalé. 

Very impressive indeed. There is nothing extreme here, all’s restrained, the tannins are close to smooth, and harmony reigns. They have a winning formula but rather than going on auto-pilot after years of doing it, they pay attention to the details of each vintage. Most of the wine is tank aged, with 20% barrel aged (2 year old barrels) for 16 to 18 months and that has been nicely judged in this case. It is 95% Malbec with 5% Merlot added. Very Highly Recommended.

Numerous passages are made in the vineyard to ensure the perfect health, quality and ripeness of the grapes, and all the work is carried by hand as, since 1992, no chemicals have been used. The search for quality is pushed so far that almost each vine receives a special attention.

It is ideal at the table and food recommendations include grilled vegetables, a creamy polenta with simmered meat, matured cheese or with a moist, rich, nut roast with baked vegetables and roast potatoes.

Tour Des Gendres Bergerac Rouge (AOP) Merlot - Malbec 2016, 14%

64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

This bright ruby is a blend of Malbec and Merlot. Aromas are very inviting indeed, red and dark fruit in there. On the palate it is fresh and juicy with a lovely lively acidity, a touch of sweet spice, smooth tannins and a good long finish as well. Another well made harmonious wine from Luc de Conti and Highly Recommended.

Le Caveau tell is that M. de Conti is a wonderful character and one of the finest wine-makers of his generation, he feels passionately for his wines, his 54-ha vineyard and his Bergerac region. Viticulture is biodynamic, the soil is nourished with seaweed and silica treatments to encourage microbial activity.

Passion yes, but patience also seems to be one of Luc’s qualities: “the more we learn how to tolerate the threats of the nature, by adapting ourselves to it and not the opposite, the more the biodiversity will naturally balance things out, the more the soil will give us, meaning our wines will be more authentic.…”

Wine has been made in Bergerac for thousands of years yet its wines often play second fiddle to neighbouring Bordeaux which, during the Hundred Years War, hindered the export of its rival's wines. I’ve been in the Dordogne area a few times and have always been happy to have a Bergerac red or white in my hand and wouldn’t feel at all put out if offered a Monbazillac instead of a Sauternes (with perhaps one exception!)

A Quart of Ale±. #2 Featuring Blacks Brewery, Yellowbelly, Trouble Brewing and Wicklow Wolf

A Quart of Ale± #2
Featuring Blacks Brewery, Yellowbelly, Trouble Brewing and Wicklow Wolf

Number Two in a new series on beer. I'll be doing the best I can to cover a broad range but, if I'm missing out on your brewery, just let me know. While the focus will be mainly on Irish craft beers (and ciders), I'll also dip into the best of imports. Today's selection roams over the range, with beers from Blacks of Kinsale, Yellow Belly of Wexford, Trouble Brewing Dublin and from the Wicklow Wolf brewery.

Blacks “Ace of Haze” DDH Cryo New England IPA, 4.2%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

We came to this one, our lips still wet from drinking a bottle of Blacks KPA during a meal at the excellent Cornstore in the heart of Cork City. I have to say straight up that we agreed that this New Englander is a lovely beer, very drinkable, but also agreed that the KPA is our favourite of the two.

Okay. KPA stands for Kinsale Pale Ale, so a pale ale. But what’s a New England IPA? Blacks say: Characterised by juicy, citrus and floral flavours and a smoother less piney taste than some other IPAs you might be familiar with, New England IPA is a style that became popular in Vermont USA in the 2010s. Hazy in appearance with a soft mouthfeel, NEIPA's are brewed without adding hops to the boil and with the use of specific yeast strains to achieve the desired result. Often described as a more fruit forward IPA with lower perceived bitterness but massively hop forward with flavours and aromas derived from the use of dry hopping techniques.

This NEIPA (hardly an abbreviation!) is a hazy yellow. It weighs in at 4.2% (as against 5 for the KPA) so it certainly a session contender. No shortage of hops in the mix but it’s the fruit, citrus and exotic, that makes its mark rather than any bitterness (which is there, in the background). Very drinkable though and sure to gather up lots of fans. By the way, Blacks have at least one other Haze edition.

They say: This banging beer was brewed with passion and an absurd amount of cryogenically frozen Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe hops not forgetting a touch of inspiration from some rock classics that are commonly heard on the brewery floor on brew days. The malt bill of Barley, Oats and Wheat gives plenty of body and character but we have kept the ABV on the lower end for IPA's so you can enjoy more than 1 or 2 in a sitting.

Yellowbelly “Citra Pale Ale” American Pale Ale, 4.8%, 440ml can, Bradleys Cork

Hazy yellow is the colour here, a white head (size and length depends a lot on how you pour, probably best if on draught). You’ll probably de-juice that Citra Hops are used here. Head Brewer Declan Nixon has also employed German and Belgian malts. I think he’s judged this to a “T” and has come up with a really well-balanced beer.

A hint of pine in the aromas and this smooth drinking beer has citrus flavours, is very pleasant on the palate and, with all that, plus the help of a modest enough alcohol count of 4.8%, has that second glass appeal for sure.

Let us hear what the Wexford crew have to say for themselves: Our Citra Pale Ale is brewed with the finest German & Belgian malts, fermented with a super clean American ale yeast and dry hopped to the gills with Citra. The resulting beer should be enjoyed as fresh as possible to appreciate the grapefruit and pine aroma and super clean finish.

They regard it as a flagship beer. Citra Pale Ale can be enjoyed year-round on draught or in can from your favourite bars, restaurants and off-licences. It was voted Best Beer in Ireland 2019 – Beoir Awards

Trouble Brewing “Dark Arts” Porter, 4.4%, 500ml bottle, Bradleys Cork

Pours black as you’d expect and you can get quite a head (coffee coloured) if the pour is more rapid than usual. Chocolate, caramel and coffee among the aromas. And they also feature in the flavours, balanced by a freshness, almost like acidity in wine. Indeed this lighter bodied black reminds me of those well made light dry red wines that have become very popular in recent years. A very decent porter even if I still retain a preference for stouts.

Trouble Brewing are very happy with the early success of this one, and why not. Their Facebook: Dark Arts is the second beer we ever brewed here in Trouble and has stood the test of time to become one of Ireland's outstanding porters. 

I’m regularly amazed as to how often brewers get things right from the get-go. Howling Gale by Eight Degrees, Black’s KPA are early examples and Trouble say they never touched the Dark Arts recipe since the initial production. Eight Degrees also started with a porter but that has been sidelined and replaced with their Knockmealdown Stout. Perhaps there’s a message there. 

Wicklow Wolf Mammoth IPA, 6.2%, 440ml can, O'Briens Wines

Colour of this West Coast IPA is close to amber with a nice fluffy head that sinks quite slowly. It gets its name because a mammoth amount of Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Eureka! have been used to pump up the fruit. And the hops take the lead in the aromas as well. Very much floral and citrus in the palate as you’d expect but no shortage of malt either (Pale ,Cara Ruby the varieties used). Rather a muscular beer (compared, say, to Trouble Brewing’s Ambush) but the muscle’s not out of control and the Mammoth will find a welcome in any good beer circle.

Taste of the Week. Crossogue’s English Market Apricot Jam

Taste of the Week

Crossogue’s English Market Apricot Jam

“Creativity runs in the family.” That’s what you read on the Crossogue website. But I think there’s a fair bit of magic there too in that Tipperary kitchen.

Take their English Market Apricot Jam, for instance. You look at the ingredients and they are more or less the same as any other pot: sugar, apricots (41%), natural pectin, and citric acid. So how does this product turn out so spectacularly, so deliciously different from the norm. 

Spreading goodness, they say on top of the jar. Sprinkling magic, methinks. In the event, the result is superb and is our Taste of the Week. For a little more magic, try it on one (or two!) of those amazing Jerusalem Bagels by Cork’s Bread & Roses.

This English Market Apricot Jam is available from Roughty Foodie in the market, along with quite a few more offerings from the Molloy family in Crossogue.

Crossogue Preserves 

Ballycahill

Thurles

Co. Tipperary

The Ciù Ciù Casella! More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #12

More on beers, wines and spirits in Cheers #12 

Wines direct offer you 

The Ciù Ciù Casella!

Ciù Ciù and Wines Direct have had a close relationship for over ten years. Ciù Ciù's wines have donned the tables of many significant milestone gatherings and family weddings. In celebration, we have put together something very memorable to honour our lasting partnership. You will be delighted to hear that this exceptional offer includes three wines exclusive just to the Ciù Ciù case and three wines that have proved to be permanent staff and customer favourites. Read more here.

****COMPETITION TIME**** At Blacks Brewery. To celebrate summer, Blacks Brewery (@blacksbrewery ) have teamed up with

@bradleys_offlic

to offer you the chance to win a case of KPA cans a funky btl opener and 2 tasting glasses. TO WIN just go to @blacksbrewery on Twitter to like, retweet and comment with how many cans are in the window display in the photo below.

Fresh Beer from the White Hag

Fresh out of the tank this week and first time ever on the store is The Fleadh, Red IPA and also the Róc Helles lager - you can order here, and it will ship tomorrow morning! More info here

ROSÉ FROM AUSTRIA

Rosé wine is winning friends and becoming increasingly popular, thanks to its freshness, fragrantly spicy aromas and appealing colour. It has long since shed the reputation of being “neither fish nor flesh”. Austria offers a wide range of rosé a light, pink-coloured wine made from black grapes; some are particularly delicate, while others can be racy or powerful – a few of them even with protected designation of origin! Read more here.

Kinsale Spirit Launch New Whiskey

Kinsale Spirit have launched their first whiskey; details here

Design Pop design & food festival returns August 28-30

Design Pop design & food festival returns August 28-30

SAVE THE DATE: DESIGN POP

AUGUST 28-30, 2020

Cork City

Locations: Thompson House, Elizabeth Fort, Emmett Place and Blackrock Castle

Cork’s new food and design festival returns for its second year, resilient, it adapts and adheres to the covid-19 restrictions 

3 design teams X 3 food producers = 3 pop-up pavilions

PLUS a pop-up Irish Design Shop, exhibitions, and talks from special guests

Following its hugely successful debut in Cork in Spring 2019, Design POP, Cork’s new forward-thinking design and food festival is gearing up to return from August 28^th-30^th, 2020.

Speaking about re-launching the 2020 edition, Festival Director Amy McKeogh, a Qualified Architect with a Master’s Degree from University College Cork, says: "I am really delighted that Design POP will happen this year. After months of careful deliberations, it was really important that we found a way to make it happen, even in our strange new reality amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The intention of Design POP has always been to celebrate the incredible talent in Architecture, Design, and Food/Drink producers in Ireland. It is more important than ever to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and the power of Local. This year's theme for the festival is Resilience, this theme will be explored through the pavilions, talks, and conversations, happening over the weekend.

Design POP's overall festival structure has been rearranged to ensure that all social distancing requirements are met, without sacrificing any of the amazing events, experiences, and interactions shared. This year's festival intends to bring Creativity, fun, and connection into Cork City, but from a safe distance."

For the amended 2020 edition, Design POP will bring together three top Irish design teams to create three pop-up installation structures, which will go on display in various outdoor locations across Cork city. Each designer is paired with a Cork-based food or drink producer to create a bespoke space which the public are invited to explore and interact with.

The new pairings for the 2020 festival are:

1. Ciarán Meade and Mark Cronin from Bobo’s Cafe team up with  computational designer Mark Horgan to create a pavilion at Elizabeth Fort.

2. The Crawford Gallery Café join forces with a collective of young Architects and Designers for a pavilion at Emmett place.

3. Blackrock Castle and Observatory team up with Cork Architectural School for a pavilion at Blackrock Castle.

The festival also boasts an impressive programme of talks, panel discussions, workshops and exhibitions, which will take place at the festival HQ, Thompson House, MacCurtain Street, allowing architects, creatives, food stylists, producers, designers, and artists, to discuss and showcase their work processes. Special guests will be revealed soon!

Thompson House will also be home to a pop-up Irish Design Shop for the duration of the festival. Showcasing some of Ireland’s best handcrafted textiles, prints, artworks and much more. 

The weekend is truly a celebration of innovation, creativity and Cork. Save the date: August 28-30^th, 2020. www.designpop.ie

Watch highlights from the 2019 event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3NhdIPHmRY

Design Pop is generously supported by Cork City Council and the Cork Local Enterprise Office.

https://www.designpop.ie/

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To Øl City - A Brewer's Paradise

To Øl City - A Brewer's Paradise

A pilsner worth waiting for.

To Øl started life in 2005 when founders Tore Gynther and Tobias Emil Jensen “pirated” their high school kitchen facilities during closing hours and began turning it into a brewing lab.

It wasn’t until 2010 when they released their first commercial beer. They quickly gained attention and were named in the Top 100 breweries in the world in 2012 and in 2014 To Øl was awarded the world’s 9th best brewery. For a decade they operated as gypsy brewers, brewing their beers in other breweries with spare capacity, but they have now set up their own brewery in Zealand, Denmark, called To Øl City.

Like to take the brewery tour? Just click here. And, if you're a brewer, you may well get a chance to use the facilities. After all, Tore and Tobias were gypsy brewers themselves. 

Pronunciation "rough" guide for To Øl: An bhfuil tú ullamh? 

To Øl 45 Days Organic Pilsner 4.7%, 44cl can, Bradley's Cork

Showers of bubbles race up through the pale gold (slight haze) of this pilsner. And what a pilsner. Superbly fresh and clean as promised, well-flavoured too and absolutely refreshing. The slower the fermentation, the better a pilsner tastes, they say, and the proof is on any palate lucky enough to be washed in this beauty. Not sure I’ve tasted anything better in this style. Crisp, complex and golden - do watch out for it!

Lager is always the slow-coach in the brewery but this one, the fourth product in their new Core Range, is an authentic German Pilsner, lagered for 45 days at -1 degree Celsius. It is also organic and the malts used are Organic Chit, Organic Golden Light and Organic Pilsner.

To Øl City Session IPA 4.5%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

This Danish Indian Pale Ale is a “New England style thirst quencher for the hop-heads” in disguise. It has a pale gold colour and is cloudy; white head vanishes quickly. Aromas are mild, slight citrus and floral notes in there. On the palate it is crisp, with juicy exotic fruit, before a quite dry and refreshing finish. Named after the new brewhouse To Øl City (Tool city, I think!), this is certainly easy-drinking and one (or two) for a session, in the city or elsewhere.

They say: “In the land of Denmark and small town of Svinninge, To Øl City is our new home. The vision is to brew the best beers in the world, and build a craft beverage hub of diverse and talented producers….the industrial rhythm of progress pulsating beneath our feet - as all the creative minds get together over the kettle once again to brew up something special.”

The hops are Mosaic while the hops line-up is Carahell, Flaked Oats, Golden Promise, Pilsner and Wheat.  A terrific combination and well worth looking out for.

To Øl City “House of Pale” Pale Ale 5.5%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

A step up in alcohol for the Pale Ale but the colour and the head is much the same as the Session. A little more hop in the aromas. More flavour and less crisp but as they say themselves come here to “get your full-bodied juicy fix”.  That smoothness shows a lot of malt but the hops is not shy either and that juicy stuff is a treat. Put this on your short list for sure.

They say: House Of Pale is one of the recipes we’ve taken from our beloved mad laboratory (brewpub!) in Copenhagen, BRUS. It’s seen many changes and tweaks over this year, experimenting with hop doses and overall ‘crispiness’ - and now we’re pretty sure we’ve got exactly what we’ve been looking for. 

Hops in the ale are Mosaic and Simcoe while the long line of malts consist of Chit Malt, Flaked Oats, Golden Naked Oats, Melanoidin, and Pilsner.

To Øl Whirl Domination IPA 6.2%, 44cl can, O'Briens Wine

To Øl are going for world domination with this IPA, the first to be brewed in their shiny new brewhouse. Colour is a lemon/yellow, with a thin white head that has more staying power than you’d expect. Aromas are hoppy and citrusy and there’s more of the same on the smooth palate. 

The word “extreme” is used as regards the amount of hops used in it yet the hops, while certainly evident, are moderately intense. Just to be clear, the hops come through, no mistaking the Simcoe, with its exotic citric fruitiness. Overall the IPA is quite exquisite, a very enjoyable drink indeed, right the way through to a lip-smacking finish. 

So much so that you can see how To Øl hope to make this one of their core beers. “We pushed the hops to the limit, packing in as much aroma as possible to this fresh beauty. Thus begins a new era of our hoppy world domination - drink it, and embrace the future.” The hops, by the way, are added not early on but at the “whirlpool” phase, hence the name.

CORK FAMILIES ASKED TO JOIN SEARCH FOR IRELAND’S BEST BANANA BREAD RECIPE

CORK FAMILIES ASKED TO JOIN SEARCH FOR IRELAND’S BEST BANANA BREAD RECIPE  

 

Donal Skehan's happy with this one!

With home baking one of the most popular activities enjoyed by families in recent times – and banana bread one of the most sought-after recipes – it is not surprising that a call would go out inviting mums, dads and children throughout Cork and beyond to join in a search to find Ireland’s best banana bread recipe.

Behind it is Ireland’s well-known television chef, Donal Skehan whose programmes are a favourite amongst viewers and wannabe cooks. Backed by Fyffes, the purpose is to discover some of the hidden ingredients and secrets that make baking banana bread so popular.

Reward will go to the overall winner and best junior baker with recognition for originality in a number of other areas. Entries open from July 20th - 27th with results to be announced on July 31st. Details online at www.fyffes.com/news/article/fyffes-great-banana-bread-bake-off #FyffesGBBBO

Press release

press release

NEW IRISH WHISKEY ‘RED EARL’ LAUNCHED

The first in Kinsale Spirit Company’s ‘Battle of Kinsale’ series of Whiskeys

The men behind the Earl: Colin Ross, Tom O’Riordan, and Ernest Cantillon 

Following the fight for freedom from the Crown at The Battle of Kinsale, 1601, seeking aid from allies in Spain, Red Hugh O’Donnell, Earl of Tyrconnell, was murdered by an Anglo-Irish double agent and buried near Rioja. Red Earl Irish Whiskey, a tribute to his story, is first aged in bourbon, then sherry, and finally matured in Rioja casks. Triple-casking delivers roundness of flavour, lengthy finish, and an exceptional aroma.

Red Earl displays vibrant fruity notes on both the nose and palate. Aroma wise, expect subtle hints of cherry, strawberry, rose petal, and citrus, layered on top of marzipan, almond and oak notes. The taste delivers satisfying blends of caramel, vanilla and toasted almonds, complimented by delightful notes of cinnamon and clove, typical of spicy riojas.

This impeccable premium Irish whiskey has a medium-bodied mouthfeel that ends in a long, warm, and moreish finish. It’s distinctive in that it is one of the first Irish whiskeys to use Rioja casks in the maturing process, which gives the liquid a wonderful colour, reminiscent of a fine Rose wine, and its unique taste profile.

Vivacious and passionate, Red Earl is to be enjoyed and savoured with good Irish “craic”, on its own, or with ice, or perhaps as part of a spritzer.

Red Earl premium Irish Whiskey is launched by Cork’s Kinsale Spirit Company - co-founded by Ernest Cantillon, Colin Ross, and Tom O’Riordan - all current or ex-publicans who have spent their lifetimes serving drink and building extensive experience in the hospitality and beverage sectors.

Other drinks in their portfolio include the popular small batch, premium Kinsale Gin. Red Earl is the first of the company’s ‘Battle of Kinsale’ series of whiskeys. The company is currently building a new distillery in Kinsale, Co. Cork, due to open in 2021, so we can expect much more to come from this Cork company.

Speaking about his new venture, publican and entrepreneur Ernest Cantillon says: “We were nervous about launching a new product during such an uncertain period, but to be honest it has hit the ground running. Local support has been phenomenal, and we have our first export order, several thousand bottles, heading to China next week.”

Red Earl Whiskey is available to purchase at Bradleys, North Main Street, Cork, 1601 in Kinsale, Co. Cork, irishmalts.com, erinhampers.com, and via their own website www.kinsalespirit.com, with new outlets being added each day.