Bertrand's Orange Gold Shines Among Impressive New Wines at O'Briens.

Bertrand's Orange Gold Shines

 Among Impressive New Wines at O'Briens.

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Gérard Bertrand Orange Gold, Occitaine Vin du France 2020, 13%, €21.95

Orange Gold pays tribute to the first orange wines of Georgia 4500 years ago. Gérard Bertrand wants to create a new profile of orange wines, very fresh. Gérard Bertrand’s take on Orange wine is an innovative blend of seven white grape varieties:Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne, Mauzac, Muscat and Clairette. The name and attractive bottle are an homage to the power of the sun and the magnificent sunsets over the South of France. 

Very Highly Recommended and straight on to my short list for wine of the year.

Orange gold will also serve to precisely describe the colour of this wine in its special bottle. Aromas are intense, full of sweet blossom and yes that freshness. The palate is complex, peach and apricot flavours, sweet notes but with tremendous harmony, its supple texture envelops the taste buds, its smooth tannins kiss the lips and there’s a lingering finish with a slight bitterness that begs for more. Another glass please and more food. 

So what food for this remarkable wine? They say: Endowed with a beautiful freshness, light tannins and subtle acidity, Orange Gold goes well with many dishes. It is a wine of character, the perfect companion for aperitifs with friends and cheese platters to share. This remarkable and luminous wine also goes very well with spicy food, especially Indian dishes or Asian recipes. Orange Gold can be drunk at 12°C to appreciate all its freshness and minerality. Its aromatic complexity and the richness of its palate will develop in the glass at 14°C.

Bertrand, a former rugby international, doesn’t do things by half measures - he is reported to have tasted over 70 orange wines from around the world as part of his research! His aims apparently were not to replicate the ancient Georgian methods but to come up with his own “fresh” version. No amphora here. Instead oak and stainless steel have been used as he mixed the ancient methods of the Georgians with the new ones of the South of France where he is a major player.

A few details:

The white grapes are vinified and fermented in whole bunches, like red wines. This maceration with the stalks and skins brings a remarkable orange colour with golden reflections and a very singular “tannicity”. It is an exceptional blend of seven grape varieties, all essentially Mediterranean: Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc and Viognier add volume and Marsanne, Mauzac and Muscat enrich the aromatic complexity of the wine.

Emiliana Novas Riesling Gran Reserva, Bío-Bío Valley Chile 2019

RRP €16.95 (reduced to €11.95 from 19th July to 1st September 2021)

Colour is a clear golden yellow. Apple, pear and lime feature in the rather complex aromatics (along with a whiff of diesel). The palate is packed with flavour, even a touch of sweetness but the zesty acidity helps keep it all in balance right through to the persistent finish. Highly Recommended.

O’Briens say: Emiliana's Novas Riesling Gran Reserva is produced from organically farmed grapes grown in the Bío Bío Valley, one of the most southern wine regions in the world located 500km south of the Chilean capital Santiago. This off-dry style, with its fresh acidity, makes this Riesling a perfect match for Asian cuisine. Try also with Oysters and shellfish, white meats and smoked salmon.

It is produced from organically farmed grapes, and is certified Organic and Vegan. Grapes are handpicked then placed in a pneumatic press to obtain the different musts, which were kept separate. Once ferment was complete, the wine was left in contact with its fine lees in stainless steel tanks for 5 months, with periodic stirring (batonnage) before being fined and bottled.

Emiliana is the world’s largest organic winery and have made eight commitments for the future:

1. Healing the Earth through Organic and Biodynamic actions
2. Generating new research into optimising and promoting Organic Viticulture
3. Conserving Biodiversity in the vineyards
4. Reducing Carbon Footprint
5. Reducing Energy Consumption
6. Reducing Water Consumption
7. Minimising the environmental impact of Supplies
8. Minimising the Generation of Waste and increasing Recycling

Emiliana Novas Syrah-Mourvèdre Gran Reserva, Cachapoal Valley Chile 2017, 14%

RRP €16.95 (reduced to €12.95 until 1st September 2021)

The fruit for Novas Gran Reserva Syrah-Mourvèdre comes from vineyards located in the

Cachapoal valley, 85km south of Santiago. The valley is well sheltered from the cooling

influences of the Pacific Ocean and enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate ideal for

ripening these grape varieties.

Ruby is the colour of this Chilean blend, certified organic and vegan. Aromas are rich, packed with notes of cherries and plums. And the flavours (plums, blueberries) on the palate are not shy at all, no shortage of acidity either to balance. It is juicy and full-bodied with a hint of sweet spice plus silky tannins in a lengthy and satisfactory finish. Highly Recommended.

Food pairings recommended by the makers are: roasted red meats, or beef stew with oregano and carrots. Also combines well with Parmesan cheese and toasted bread with olive oil. And I’ve also seen hamburgers heartily recommended.

Lots of care taken with the vinification. The new wine remains on its skins at 22º–24ºC for 4–5 days. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in oak barrels, where the wine is aged for 9 months, during which time stabilisation takes place naturally, without additional treatments. The wine is filtered with a 1-micron (absolute) cartridge filter just prior to bottling.

Revino Postcards From Italy Pinot Grigio Rosé Delle Venezie (DOC) 12.5% 

RRP €15.95 (reduced to €11.96 until September)

This delicately flavoured organic Pinot Grigio Rosé from the Veneto has a light rose colour with hints of grey in there. The aromas, immediately attractive, are of peach and apricot. It is the zesty acidity that makes the quick impression on the palate balancing the fruit flavours of this 100% Pinot Grigio. Chilled this down during a sunny day (during the recent heatwave) and think we got the best from it. Very pleasant, refreshing and Highly Recommended.

Lynne Coyle: Combining two of the summer’s most popular wine styles, Pinot Grigio and rosé, this wine comes from a family winemaking project, headed by Roberto Pasqua of our Musella winepartners in the Veneto. The label is a fond representation of retro Italian posters; stylish, elegant and eye catching.

* See also earlier short post on two of the other new wines (including an excellent Novas Viognier) here.

Taste of the Week. St Tola Goats Greek Style Cheese

Taste of the Week

St Tola Goats Greek Style Cheese

To give it its full title our Taste of the Week is St Tola Gold with Newgrange Chili and Garlic Rapeseed oil. They also add peppers and dried thyme. This delicious new product is, like all their cheeses, produced from the pasteurised milk of their renowned herd of goats looked after on their Inagh farm in County Clare.

I spotted it on the extensive cheese offering from On The Pig's Back as detailed on the Neighbourfood site and got it in last week's delivery. So what would I do with it? Just thought of checking their website and they had a few answers: Great as a pizza topping, in salad or just straight from the jar!

As it turned out, pizza was on the menu. We made up the dough from the regular Gozney recipe and the first addition was the outstanding pizza sauce from the West Cork Food Company. Some Kalamata olives and semi sun-dried tomatoes were then added before the chunks of the St Tola were generously scattered around.

A few minutes later, we were tucking into a couple of superb pizzas, our Taste of the Week playing a starring role. We haven't made that many yet on the Gozney but, as novices, we were extremely happy with this one, with its combination of outstanding flavours, and the recipe will be repeated!

As it happened, there was still some left in theSt Tol jar and that went down well with a salad on the following day.

St Tola Irish Goat Cheese

TRIGON FIRST HOTEL GROUP IN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND TO ADOPT JAM CARDS

FIRST HOTEL GROUP IN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND TO ADOPT JAM CARDS

From l to r: Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director, Trigon Hotels; Kathleen Linehan,

Strategic Director of HR at Trigon Hotels; Maeve Monaghan, CEO NOW Group

and Minister Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State with responsibility for Disability. Pic: Brian Lougheed

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Trigon Hotels hopes to make everyday interactions a little easier for customers with hidden disabilities. The Cork based company is the first hotel group in the Republic of Ireland to become Just A Minute (JAM) Card friendly.  

The small plastic card allows people with a learning difficulty, autism, hidden disability or communication barrier to tell others they need ‘Just A Minute’ discreetly and easily. The JAM Card is also available as an app on your smartphone. It was developed by Belfast based social enterprise Now Group and is used by 75,000 people across the UK and the island of Ireland. 

Team members at Trigon Hotels are being trained to identify and support customers and fellow team members carrying JAM Cards. Trigon Hotels operates The Metropole Hotel Cork, The Cork International Hotel and the Cork Airport Hotel. Across the three hotels there are 334 guest rooms in Cork. 

Kathleen Linehan, Strategic Director of HR at Trigon Hotels said: “We want our hotels to be friendly, welcoming and accessible to all and we are excited to collaborate with Now Group on the Just A Minute Cards. People with memory problems or difficulty with communication are often reluctant or unable to tell others about their condition. JAM Card allows this to happen in a simple, effective non-verbal manner. We hope that it will take the stress away from customers and team members, and make their experience with us even more enjoyable.” 

Minister Anne Rabbitte, Minister of State with responsibility for Disability launched the initiative at Trigon Hotels. She said: “I’m delighted to be part of the launch of the JAM Card at Trigon Hotels in Cork. This is such a positive initiative and ensures the Hotels are even more accessible. To me, a business being JAM Card friendly indicates that its staff and wider business has accessibility at its core and does what it needs to to support its customers. This ensures people have the time they need and don’t feel under pressure, and I would hope other businesses will follow suit.” 

Maeve Monaghan, Chief Executive of NOW Group said: “We are so pleased that Trigon Hotels has partnered with us to become JAM Card friendly and recognise the value of investing in training their staff to provide great customer service for people with both visible and hidden disabilities. It may be ‘Just A Minute’ but that extra time and understanding can really support and comfort those with communications barriers, helping to give them equal access to the services they need.” 

press release

Beer of The Year 2021. The candidates, so far!

Beer of The Year 2021

The candidates, so far!

July: Yellow Belly “Red Noir” Dark Red Ale

June: O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro

May: Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale

April: Heaney New England IPA

March: Whiplash “Melodie Noir” Baltic Porter

February: Eight Degrees “The Pilgrim’s Path” Lager

January: Lineman “Vesper" Pale Ale

July final

Hazy IPA: Blacks Ace of Haze Battle of the Tropics DDH Hazy IPA 5.5%

Lager: Boundary Very Serious Situation Pils 4.8%, Mescan “Seven Virtues” Lager 4.9%,

Red Ale: Yellow Belly “Red Noir” Dark Red Ale 4.5%

Pale Ale: Rascals with Hopfully “Siamese Dream” Pale Ale 4.5%

Sour: Otterbank Brewing “Mates Rates” Tart Session IPA 4.9%

IPA:  Blacks Wild Atlantic West Coast IPA 4.5

Session: Blacks Ace of Haze DDH Cryo Hazy Session IPA 4.2%

Overall: Yellow Belly “Red Noir” Dark Red Ale

Previously...

June

Stout: O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro

Session: Brú Lager; Brú Cheep Flirt IPA

Pale Ale: Lineman Electric Avenue #2 Extra; Wicklow Brewery Hopknut; 9 White Deer “Stag Ban”; West Kerry “Blue Rose”; Whiplash Midnight Dipper;

Red Ale: Western Herd Atlantic

IPA: Brú IPA; O’Hara’s Hop Adventure Strata

Golden Ale: Sullivan’s Irish Gold

Non Alcoholic: Stonewell 0% Cider

Blond: Mescan Westport Blonde

Overall: O’Hara’s Irish Stout Nitro

May Favourites

White/wheat/wit: Heaney Irish White Ale

Rye Ale: Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale

Lager: Western Herd "Loop Head" Pilsner 

Red Ale: Brú

Amber Ale: Kinnegar Devil’s Backbone 

IPA: O’Hara’s 51st State IPA

Session: Rising Sons “5th Horseman” session IPA 

Overall: Dungarvan “Mahon Falls” Rye Pale Ale

April Favourites

Sour: Wide Street “Peach Berliner” Sour or Wheat?

Brown Ale: Whiplash “The Ocean Wide” 

NEIPA: Heaney New England

Session: Blacks The Session IPA 3.5%

German style IPA: Rascals Wunderbar IPA

IPA: O’Hara’s Tropical IPA,

Stout: O’Hara’s Irish Stout,

Overall: Heaney New England

March Favourites

Lager: Wide Street “Mill Pils”

Session: Eight Degrees Bohemian Pilsner Lager

Red Ale: O’Hara’s Irish Red Traditional Ale, 4.3%

Baltic Porter: Whiplash Melodie Noir Baltic Porter

Overall: Whiplash Melodie Noir Baltic Porter

February Favourites

Lager: Eight Degrees “The Pilgrim’s Path”

Pale Ale: Blacks Kinsale KPA

Session: Rascals “Fruitropolis” Pale Ale, 4.3%

Overall: Eight Degrees “The Pilgrim’s Path”

January Favourites 

Pale Ale - Lineman Vesper

IPA - Hopfully Graciosa

Session: Whiplash Northern Light

Lager: Kinnegar Brewers at Play Rye Lager

Porter: Elbow Lane “Liberty”

Overall: Lineman Vesper

No lists kept for 2020 but the “winners” were

Stout: Brehon Brewhouse “Ulster Black” Oatmeal Stout 5.0%

Belgian Tripel: Eight Degrees Devil's Ladder Belgian Tripel 11.5%

Golden Ale: West Kerry Brewery “Béal Bán” Golden Ale, 5.0%

Imperial Stout: Lough Gill Dark Majik Imperial Oatmeal Coffee Cream Stout 11.0%

Pale Ale: Trouble Brewing Ambush Juicy Pale Ale, 5.0%

Session: Whiplash Rollover Session IPA 3.8%

Lager: White Gypsy Munich Lager, 5.8%

American IPA: Kinnegar “Crossroads” American Style IPA 6.2%

Saison: Third Circle “Unsocial Creatures”  Dry Hopped Saison 4.4%

White/Wheat: Mescan “Westport White” 5%

Cider: Highbank “Proper Irish Cider” 2016 6%

Sour: Yellow Belly Castaway Passionfruit Sour 4.2%

Red: The White Hag “The Fleadh” 6.8%

Hybrid: Hope Underdog Hoppy Lager 4.8%

Non Alcoholic: Highbank’s “Drivers” Cider

Overall: Eight Degrees Devil's Ladder Belgian Tripel 11.5%

Peckish? Parched? Arthur Mayne's got you covered, outdoors for now.

Peckish? Parched? Arthur Mayne's got you covered, outdoors for now.

Once upon a time, customers used to troop into the Pembroke Street chemist in search of a cure for bellyaches and headaches and all the aches of a previous century. The current crew of customers are seeking an outdoor place to wine and dine as the venue is now a wine bar cum restaurant, part of the ever expanding collection of Cork Heritage Pubs being “curated” by the indefatigable Benny McCabe.

While they have some outdoor seating on both Pembroke Street and Phoenix Street, the main batch is between Mayne’s itself and Crane Lane (another McCabe house). It is narrow, fairly well enclosed and pretty well protected with high sides and above you’ll have a blue (hopefully) sky. Cork Heritage Pubs have decided not to operate indoors until all the staff are vaccinated.

Pork Belly

We met some of the staff when we called for an evening meal during the week and a lovely bunch they are, efficient and helpful, know their drinks and food and they helped make our visit a very pleasant one indeed.

And another bonus of calling to Heritage pubs is that you’ll get to enjoy craft beer as they have their own brewery over on the Coal Quay. I’m always happy to quaff a can or a glass from the Rising Sons and we enjoyed both the Changeling Pale Ale (best ale in the world up to 5% in 2018) and the Sunbeam Lager during our meal.

Croquettes

Mousse 

They have quite a range of choice on the food menu as well and it all looks fairly priced. And they serve breakfast (from 10.00am), lunch (up to 3.00pm) and evening meal (up to 10.00pm) here everyday plus brunch (10.00am to 3.00pm) on Saturday and Sunday.

We started our evening meal by sharing a helping of mussels served in a bowl of broth and served with a Rustic Baguette (8.95). The mussels were excellent. The baguette didn’t look much on arrival but then I found out it was warm and semi-sliced I tucked it and it certainly proved a generous and tasty add-on to the mussels.

There is no division between starters and mains here as such, so you can pick and choose as you wish. There are quite a few obvious small plates such as Chicken Liver and Brandy Pâté Served with Toasted Crostinis & Quince Jelly and Hummus Served with a Rustic Baguette. And there’s a handy side or two such as Rustic Potatoes €6.95 (Twice Cooked Potatoes with a Spicy Aioli Topping & Bravas Seasoning). You might feel like sharing - there’s a cheese board, a meat board, and a combination of the two.

For my mains, I picked the Surf & Turf Slow Roasted Pork Belly & Grilled Scallops with Black Pudding Crumble, Asparagus & Apple Cider Sauce (€13.95). This was definitely mains, packed onto an oblong plate. Great sauce, lovely spicy black pudding and a very enjoyable piece of belly, crispy on top. On the other hand, the Coxinha (9.50) didn’t quite do it for us. The Pepper Salsa was about the best part of these Pulled Chicken Croquettes (filled with a cheese-y chicken).

Finished off with a couple of well made desserts, each generously sized, at six euro apiece. The Dark Chocolate and Cherry Tart was the “heavy” one, tasty and filling. The Passionfruit Mousse with Biscotti was the lighter one of the pair. Happy out after all that as we strolled out the back door onto Phoenix Street - you enter via Pembroke Street!

A Quart of Ale± #62. On the craft journey with a mixed session: IPA, Wheat Beer, Saison and Berliner Weisse

A Quart of Ale± #62

On the craft journey with a mixed session: IPA, Wheat Beer,  Saison and Berliner Weisse

Blacks Coast to a double

Blacks Wild Atlantic West Coast IPA 4.5%, 330 can

Colour is a pale orange, hazy of course, with a soft white head (dip a finger in and taste the citrus-y hops).  Aromas too proclaim the hops, a big hitting quarter of Citra, Cascade, Mosaic and El Dorado. And the hop muscle is again evident on the palate. But you’ll soon note the balance here between the various elements as we end up with a superb crisp beer, quite a thirst quencher as well.

Another little can with a big and pleasant bang from the crew at Blacks! And the beer title is also pretty much bang on the money. So there you are, both coasts covered by two small cans.

Blacks Ace of Haze DDH Cryo Hazy Session IPA 4.2%, 330 can

Hazy, of course, a foggy gold, soft white head. Citrusy in the aromas. And that citrus, along with the hops of course, shows up as well on the palate, lots of long lasting flavour, lots of good stuff in a little can.

Blacks always aim to produce “beers with passion, personality and lots of hops” and hit the bull’s eye here with this hazy juicy and sessional New England style, brewed with extensive whirlpool hops and double dry hopped with Idaho 7, Citra, Simcoe and Mosaic cryo hops. Food pairings suggested are: Eggs Benedict, Asparagus Risotto.

The Blacks are Sam and Maudeline.  Not too many guys get a home-brew starter kit as a Valentine's Day present. But that’s exactly what Clonakilty girl Maudeline presented to Sam some years back. And the Farm Lane brewery was founded in 2013. 

Not too sure Maudeline expected that Sam would soon start borrowing kit from the kitchen. The hair-drier has been used to heat surfaces so that labels can be applied  and a food mixer has also been pressed into brewery use. Blacks now have a distillery on the premises, turning out their own gin and Ireland’s first rum and have also laid down their whiskey. Watch this space - as always.

Rising Sons Mayhem Hoppy Wheat Beer 5.2%, 440 can Bradleys

A hazy pale gold is the colour of this Cork City beer, no shortage of carbonation, a soft white head. Bananas feature most in the aromas, clove not so much. The palate, where you get a mix of citrus and banana, is immediately refreshing.

The label describes it as a hoppy wheat beer and that seems accurate enough. The Facebook post, announcing the canning of Mayhem, differs a bit, calling it “our most requested seasonal” and “a hoppy saison”. In any event, it is a refreshing well-made beer. Enjoy. 

Geek Bits

Malts: Lager, Wheat, Munich.

Hops: El Dorado, Hallertau Blanc

By the way, all their beers (apart from Midaza ) are available to take away in 32oz cans - you heard right - nearly a litre of beer! And they fill the growlers directly from the bar so that you can enjoy it as fresh as can be.

Wide Street House Saison 5.5%, 440ml can Bradleys

A hazy light gold is the colour of this saison from Wide Street in County Meath. It had been “elected’ to their core range, the punters obviously liking the mild banana aromas and flavours, and a touch of peppery spice;  the bitterness factor is mid-range.

They say this is a  “classic representation of the Belgian Saison style” and is “Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae var diastaticus saison strain”. The hop Saaz also plays a key role in all of this. The malt is Vienna which is well suited for relatively pale coloured beers. Typical application is to enhance the colour and aroma of light beers.

By now,  the soft white head has almost entirely disappeared and I’ve still to make up my mind. As a beer, it; it is not bad at all, quite interesting. Not your usual saison. Think I may have to do a direct head to head with a Dupont.

Info on the label: Unfiltered, unpasteurised and can conditioned, containing yeast sediment.

Brú Blurry Furry Berliner Weisse 3.8%, 440ml can Bradleys

Colour here is a close to orange, a slight haze and a light fluffy head that soon vanishes, bubbles galore though.

They say: A modern interpretation of the classic Berliner Weisse style, Blurry Furry is a tart wheat beer with an injection of sweet fruit flavour. Delightfully sour and intensely refreshing, it’s both fruity and tart, making it a perfect choice for the hot days. Showcasing a stunning and meaningful illustration of a sloth, we are inviting you to slow down and enjoy this easy-drinking beer.. 

Aromas show the sweet side but you meet the tart side with the very first sip. Not the tartest intro ever, mind you.  It is clean, crisp and refreshing and a decent drink these summer days

Healthy doses of Passion Fruit, Orange and Guava, listed in the ingredients, contribute to the sweet side of this Berliner Weisse and you get the mild spiciness from the weizen yeast. 

Blurry Furry is part of their Urban Jungle range that celebrates the brewery’s adventurous side. “Find your spirit animal with Urban Jungle.”

Taste of the Week. West Cork Food Company Pizza Sauce.

Taste of the Week.

West Cork Food Company Pizza Sauce.

Did a bit of a supermarket blitz on a recent morning, on the hunt for semi-sundried tomatoes but not a packet nor a jar to be had in the local SuperValu or Aldi. But what I did spot (in Aldi) was this jar of West Cork Food Company Pizza Sauce and that turned out to be a winner later that evening. No bother in nominating this as Taste of the Week.

We used it on a pizza made on the Gozney, using the Gozney dough recipe, adding this sauce, some of Johnny Lynch's Macroom Mozzarella, olives (Kalamata from Olives West Cork via Neighbourfood), a few dabs of the Ballyhoura Mushrooms Garlic Scapes Pesto along with (instead of the sundried version) some tomatoes to which we had added oregano and a few drops of Balsamic vinegar. One of best yet and that sauce was key!

They say: At the West Cork Food Company we believe that what makes our food unique is the people and land the produce it. Our classic pizza sauce is made of tomatoes with a pinch of herbs and a hint of onion, that's it! Enjoy on your favourite pizza or add to pasta to create an authentic Italian Neapolitan dish.

Can't find any internet presence for West Cork Food Company, aside from one post (a blank map of West Cork on Instagram).

The address on the jar is:

Unit 15 Údarás Industrial Estate

Ballymakeera, Macroom, Co. Cork.

Fota House, Gardens and Arboretum. Photos Friday 23rd July 2021

Fota House, Gardens and Arboretum

Photos Friday 23rd July 2021

Dahlia

 

The East Wing! Fota House

Ye Olde Pump

Lily pond, lots of this green sludge too

Figs

East Wing

Bakestone serving in the shade at front of house