Oh What A Wonderful Morgon At La Bonne Tonne

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne

The "Androgynous" Wines of Beaujolais.

Robert Joseph, whose French Wine was a bible for many of us, wrote in the 1999 edition: “There is something deliciously androgynous about Beaujolais that somehow sets it between red and white, with the colour of the former and the easy drinkability of the latter. The region’s unique ménage à trois of the Gamay grape (a variety that never performs as well elsewhere), granite soil, and the macération carbonique process,…. combines to produce wines with vibrant fruit and almost no perceptible tannin.”

Think he’d have been well pleased with Domaine de la Bonne Tonne, who farm a small area of Beaujolais. The Grillet family have been winemakers for 7 generations in Morgon and their vines are of an average age of 65 years. 1.10 ha is grown in Beaujolais appellation including 50 ares in Gamay and 60 ares in Chardonnay. The wines of the area possess a lot of finesse and a wonderfully expressive fruit.

Here is how the Grillets sum it up: “This is the challenge we have embarked on. To come to live off our profession by producing a small quantity of grapes for a great quality of wine and to make finally express itself this soil so rich which does not require less. The 'black gamay with white juice', the only grape variety authorized for red wines in Beaujolais, can thus translate all its complexity of aromas.”

Did you know that the Gamay grape is an exile? In 1395, it was outlawed by Royal decree as being “a very bad and disloyal plant”. Sixty years later another edict was issued against it. And so it was pushed out of Burgundy and south into neighbouring Beaujolais where it has thrived on the granite based soils. Wonder what those royals, Philippe the Bold and Philippe the Good, would make of these beautiful authentic wines from Bonne Tonne.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC)  “Grands-Cras” 2017, 14%, €25.75 Mary Pawle  

Colour is mid-ruby with the tears reluctant to disappear. Inviting aromas of freshly crushed strawberry and blackberry, floral notes also. All lead to an expected big kiss of concentrated sensation on the palate. A perfectly harmonious experience though, thanks to the acidity and those silky tannins. Loveable all the way to a very satisfactory finish indeed. Very Highly Recommended.

Wine Enthusiast gave this 93 points saying: “The Grillet family's organically grown wine shows delicious, pure flavors of jammy blackberries cut with acidity. It comes from old vines in one of Morgon's cru vineyards, giving both concentration and a mineral structure.”  

Grands Cras is one of the three climats in which the the Grillet family operate in Morgon, the others being Cote de Py and Charmes. Les Grands Cras is at the foothills of Cote de Py.  Charmes is a granite area in the west part of the cru Morgon.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Les Charmes” 2017, 14%, €27.00

Again mid-ruby is the colour. Rich jammy aromas of dark berries. And again we get those pure and delicious flavours of the fruit, plus the usual fresh acidity, smooth and velvety all the way to the excellent finish, a harmonious trip from initial attack to the finalé. 

Made from 100% Gamay grapes from vines with an average age of 65 years, it is vinified naturally with natural yeast and no added sulphur in the wine making. This wine, like all the Bonne Tonne bottles, is made with authenticity and aplomb, and little else. No herbicides, no pesticides here. No filtration and a minimal dose of SO2 is added to the bottling to avoid any degradation of the wine during transport.

Domaine de la Bonne Tonne Morgon (AOC) “Cote du Py” 2015, 14%, €28.75 Mary Pawle  

Colour: Mid ruby, tears slow to go. Intense and rich and inviting dark berry aromas, fresh and complex. And that all follows through to the immediately loveable palate, rich and rounded, seamless harmony all the way through to a long intense finish. Very Highly Recommended.

The Morgon "Côte du Py", is the most famous climate of the vineyard. There are ten crus in the Beaujolais region and Morgon, as you probably know, is one of them. With the typical acidity, these wines can match a range of foods. One suggestion that I fancy is Moroccan Lamb Tagine with apricot.

World famous for its exceptional soil resulting from ancient volcanic activity, the soil of the Py hill is composed of decomposing volcanic elements, with the presence of iron oxide and manganese. The blue rock is friable, and so the locals have been known to claim that the best Morgon are made on this land of  terre pourrie (rotten rock)! 

And more good news from Mary Pawle...

Mary Pawle will soon have this gem (due by end of the month); she already has the Energies on her list. I'll be ordering! The review above is from November's Decanter.

GOLDIE AIMS TO MAKE A SPLASH IN CORK'S CULINARY SCENE

GOLDIE AIMS TO MAKE A SPLASH IN CORK'S CULINARY SCENE

- Cork city’s burgeoning culinary reputation has been boosted with the opening of a new restaurant on the bustling Oliver Plunkett Street -

Goldie is a small restaurant aiming to have a big impact on Cork's dining scene, serving the freshest and most exciting fish dishes in the city. It is the result of an exciting collaboration between Aishling Moore (25), former head chef of Elbow Lane, and Stephen Kehoe, (39) executive chef of the Market Lane Group (pictured right). 

Goldie sources its fish from the day boats that operate out of Ballycotton in East Cork and the English Market. The restaurant takes the ‘whole catch’ from these boats (so they take whatever is caught on the day, regardless
of the quantity and species) ensuring a daily changing menu featuring the freshest produce available.

The name of the restaurant is a nod to the much loved ‘Goldie’ fish-shaped weathervane that sits on top of the famous Shandon Bells at the ancient St Anne’s church in Shandon, just north of the city centre.   The weathervane symbolises the historical importance of fishing to Cork.

Moore and Kehoe show excellent form.  Under their stewardship, Elbow Lane regularly appears in the top 100 list of the best eateries in Ireland and they were arguably at the vanguard of open fire cooking in Ireland.  With Goldie, the pair have spread their wings and created a mostly fish menu that will delight and surprise.  Dishes include the likes of ‘Pan-fried Ray with fennel and langoustine butter sauce’ and ‘Salt fish brandade with dillisk cracker and Churchfield tomatoes’.

The interior of the restaurant is contemporary chic and the atmosphere is intimate and relaxed.  The duo has kept price points extremely accessible; snacks start from €2, small plates from €7.50 and large plates from €18

As well as taking the whole catch, Goldie operates a ‘gill to tail approach’, using as much of the fish as possible.  Some of the most notable dishes are fish spines served with house togarashi, made with hops from Elbow Lane’s brewery and Pollock collar Teryaki.  The ultimate aim is to utilise as much of the fish as possible, with an emphasis on serving parts that are usually discarded.

Elbow Lane’s beers feature on the drink’s menu alongside a small, but carefully chosen wine list. Says Moore "While it has been extremely hard work opening my own restaurant, it has also been so enjoyable and is absolutely a career highlight for me.  To be doing so with Stephen as a business partner, who has been such a huge influence on my cooking, is a dream come true”

 Opening times are Wednesday – Sunday from 5 pm until late.  For further information please visit www.goldie.ie.

Press release

Taste of the Week. Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey

Grace O’Malley Blended Irish Whiskey

Pirate queen Grace O’Malley has had a recent Irish whiskey named after her, quite a few in fact, all finished by a company set up by Stephen Cope (deeply proud of his West of Ireland heritage) and his partners Stefan Hansen and Hendrick Melle.

They have tied down a large supply of stock from the John Teeling-owned Great Northern Distillery and Paul Caris, cellar master and blender at French company Alteroak, has been recruited to oversee maturation and finishing of the spirits.

“We’re not a distiller and we are not trying to be. That isn’t what we are about. Our whiskey comes from Great Northern and we’re very proud of that as we see them as specialist at what they do,” said Mr Cope, quoted in the Irish Times. The company, Inis Tine Uisce, are head-quartered, appropriately enough, in Westport, where they reportedly intend to open a maturation warehouse in a year or two.

Their whiskey is being sold in three different ranges, beginning with the introductory Grace O'Malley Crew. Move up then to the Navigator Range and next to the Captain’s Range (their finest bottles).

I recently tasted a sample (provided) of their 3-year old Blended Irish Whiskey. The blend, a special blend, combines multiple batches of whiskey of varying age statements from three to ten years old, including, unusually for Ireland, a high content of double-distilled malt.  Each batch of whiskey is aged in different barrel types including French Oak, American Oak, Bourbon and Rum Casks.  These casks are hand selected and matched to each whiskey’s characteristics for maturing and finishing. 

So what’s it like? Colour in the glass is not quite as dark as it appears in the squat bottle. Nose is quite intense, quite spicy. On the palate it is light and fruity, spicy too (not as prominent as you might expect from the aromas). Nice harmony between all the various elements (and there are a lot of them), all the way towards a very pleasant finish indeed, smooth and fruity with a slight sweetness.

A World Of Wine Coming To Cork Next Month. O'Briens Wine Festival

A World Of Wine Coming To Cork Next Month.

O'Briens Wine Festival 

The Lingenfelder brothers from Germany

They’re coming from many corners of the world, from California, Chile, Argentina, from South Africa, from New Zealand and Australia, all coming to Cork on Thursday November 7th. People will be there too from the Old World, all heading to the O’Briens Wine Festival at the Clayton Hotel in Lapps Quay, Cork. And watch out too for Kate and Denis from the local Kinsale Mead Company - they’ll certainly have something for those on your Christmas present list (including yourself!).

Wine Masterclasses are an additional feature this year. There will be three of them on the night, including one by Jose Maria Fraile of Tandem. This winery in Spain’s Navarra is one of my favourites. 

I see also that the Lingenfelder brothers, the double act of Georg and Karl, will be in attendance. Not too sure whether both will be doing the masterclass or just one but one way or the other you’ll have a laugh along with some very interesting wines to taste. 

The third masterclass will be given by Maison Schröder & Schÿler (they’ll have three reps at the festival) and they have some terrific Bordeaux wines under their wing, including Châteaux Kirwan (classified Grand Cru Classé in 1855); should be interesting!

Kangarilla's Charlie O'Brien (centre) pictured a few years back with his parents Helen and Kevin.

The Delicato Vineyards are one of the leading family producers in the US and produce under a variety of labels including Gnarly Head that you will see in Ireland. They’ll have Jonas Hillergen in attendance.

What’s going on in Chile these days? Check it out with Javier Letamendi from Viña Leyda (DO Leyda Valley). You won’t have to trek over the Andes to check out the wine scene in Argentina as Bodegas Norton from Mendoza will also be in Cork.

We recently highly recommended the Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch (South Africa) 2018, relatively new to O’Briens, and this excellent South African producer will have Louw Strydom on hand to tell you all about it and their other wines.

A beauty!

Looking forward to meeting Charlie O’Brien of Kangarilla Road in Australia’s McLaren. Hope he’s got some of the Devil’s Whiskers with him! New Zealand wines are always welcome here as are the country’s producers. Sacred Hill’s man at the Clayton will be Ben Stuart.

There’ll be bubbles of course, perhaps to begin the evening. Check the champagne by Champagne Beaumont des Crayères. Gilles Francois will have it at the perfect temperature.

And would you like to finish with a drop of Port? Ah, go on! The person to see is Lorna Rouse of Taylor's & Fonseca.

Tickets are selling fast for this outstanding event (199 wines, 45 winemakers). Check at your local O’Brien’s or order online here. Cheers, Cork!

It’s Blasket Lamb Time at Market Lane Group.

It’s Blasket Lamb Time at Market Lane Group.

Uan Blasta at ORSO, Castle Cafe and Elbow Lane

Lamb Shank

It’s that time of year again. The Market Lane’s precious quota of delicious Blasket Lamb has arrived in Cork and the chefs at ORSO, Elbow Lane, Castle Café and the parent restaurant itself are trying to outdo each other with tasty expressions. Every bit of the lamb will be used and there’ll be quite a variety of offerings to choose from.

Diners can look forward to dishes such as ‘Spicy Lamb Sausage, grated tomato, red onion, parsley pine nuts, mint, and sumac served with flatbread, ‘Slow Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma with tahini, green peppercorn and pickled squash, ‘Braised lamb breast with black garlic mash, wild mushroom and Tawny cider jus’, and ‘Loin of lamb with pancetta and potato terrine, aubergine puree, winter vegetables and a lamb jus’.

When I got the call to try out the dishes at Elbow Lane, there was no hesitation. We got in early on Friday evening last and enjoyed two fabulous courses from their famous grill and some of their own superb beers as well.

Lamb Cutlet

Not too many restaurants use kidneys nowadays, maybe the customers are reluctant. But we had no hesitation when our fantastic server detailed this starter dish for us: Blasket Lamb Kidneys, with Quince, Rhubarb and Kombucha glaze and sautéed Chard.

Kidneys with Chard

Quite a hat trick on the plate. The glaze was unreal, the green Chard provided an extra texture (and flavour of course) and the interaction with the kidneys rounded the potentially robust and rustic dish into a very sophisticated mouthful indeed. Quite a few mouthfuls actually!

The sauce in the next dish, a preserved lemon and marjoram beurre blanc, was another standout. You could have either Lamb Leg (no bone) or Lamb Chops. Both had the same sauce and also a crunchily delicious caper roast cauliflower. 

So one of us  had the Chops, the other the Leg, and there was a bit of swapping going on. If it had been a contest, I think I’d have given the chops, with their amazing fat enhanced flavour (or was it the Angel Lane stout factor), the edge. Must admit I know little about the grill here but it sure delivers fantastic flavours.

Elbow Lane Smokehouse and Brewery, as you may know, is not the biggest, but the crew here make the very best of it, whether it’s the chef is his very confined quarter or the front of house people explaining the various dishes, helped diners make their own choices, in the narrow dimly-lit space,  and it all runs very smoothly indeed. Quite an enjoyable customer experience and highly recommended, especially for couples and foursomes.

Just a bit of background on the Blasket Lamb….

The habitat on the islands is what makes this product so special. The animals mostly graze on the small island of Beginish, a natural bird sanctuary, which makes the soil incredibly fertile.  There, the animals graze at leisure in a marshy meadow full of heather, grasslands and wild herbs.  They have even been known to nibble on the seaweed which washes up on the natural beaches that provide access to the island.  The grass is salty from sea spray and this gives the lamb its highly valued flavour.

Donnacha (farmer) and Jerry (butcher) inspect the sheep as they arrive on the mainland.

As the animals are free to roam uninterrupted, there is no forced ‘fattening’.  This means that the lamb is leaner, ‘creating a near-perfect fat to meat ratio’ says award-winning Dingle Butcher, Jerry Kennedy.  “Fortunately, there is no liver fluke on the islands, so the lamb is not treated for anything other than worms.” 

Conrad Howard, head of the Market Lane Group, who has been supporting Blasket Island lamb for many years now says “We are delighted as a group to highlight this very special produce.  The impeccable provenance of this lamb is reflected in its superb quality and flavour. We are also very proud to be the only restaurants to serve it to our customers. Our chefs begin creating their dishes in August in the anticipation and hope that the lamb will arrive.”

Amuse Bouche

It was essentially a debriefing on the killing and there were high fives all around. It didn’t matter to Thompson and his associates that a young girl had heard the shots being fired and ran out to find her father lying in a pool of blood. The fact that Thompson brought his associates out just a few hours after a man’s life had been taken shows just how callous he really was. They enjoyed a good meal, drinks and posed for photographs. It was simply a party to celebrate a murder.

from Fat Freddie by Stephen Breen (2019). Very Highly Recommended (but not for the faint-hearted)

Catherine Fulvio joins judges at 2019 CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards

media release

A Question of Taste:

Catherine Fulvio among team of expert judges as the 2019 CÁIS Irish Cheese Awards welcome over 200 entries from 50 Irish farmhouse cheese producers

The biennial Irish Cheese Awards has once again become the talk of the town among the Irish food lovers’ community. With less than one month to go until the prestigious ceremony, it was finally time for the group of expert judges to come together this week (Wednesday 9^th October) to select a worthy list of winners and decide upon the best in class for 2019.

Now in its eighth year, the Irish Cheese Awards is organised by CÁIS (Association of Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers) in association with sponsors Ornua, Pallas Foods and Bord Bia, the latter of whom has supported the initiative since its inception. It is the only competition dedicated entirely to Irish cheese. The event highlights the talents present in this country in the field of cheesemaking, with entries open to both artisan and large-scale cheese producers within the 32 counties on the island of Ireland. The comprehensive judging process took place at Bord Bia’s Dublin headquarters, where famed TV chef Catherine Fulvio was joined by 13 of her fellow judges, including Ross Lewis, Head Chef and co-owner of Chapter One restaurant in Dublin; John McKenna, Editor of McKennas’ Guides; Aoife Carrigy, food, wine and travel writer; Enda Howley of Ornua; and Russell James Alford and Patrick Hanlon of GastroGays.

Following this all-important judging phase, 18 Irish cheeses have now been selected as Gold winners in their relevant categories, with the results to be announced and winners commended during the Irish Cheese Awards ceremony and gala dinner, which will take place on Thursday 7^th November at The Metropole Hotel in Cork.    

The exclusive event will be attended by judges, competing cheesemakers and members of the public eager to be the first to catch a glimpse of this year’s award winners, while enjoying a gourmet 5-course dining experience in the process. The bespoke menu will showcase a selection of 2017’s winning cheeses, with a range of dishes carefully curated by The Metropole’s Head Chef Stuart Dardis, who has garnered rave reviews from avid food lovers since taking over at the helm of the famous Cork hotel. MC for the evening will be journalist and broadcaster Helen Carroll from RTÉ’s Ear to the Ground.

For the first time in almost 10 years, CÁIS has appealed to the general public to share their valued views, inviting cheese lovers to cast their vote for their favourite Irish farmhouse cheese. Nominations will be accepted until Monday 21^st October and members of the public can cast their vote by visiting www.irishcheese.ie/publicvote. The winner of this exciting new category will be presented with their award during the black-tie event next month. A further two new categories have also been brought to the table for 2019, namely ‘Best New Cheesemaker’ (entrants must have entered the market since 2016) and ‘Best Raw Milk Cheese’.

With 20 categories overall, including this year’s addition of the public vote, judges were put through their paces as they endeavored to select the best on the block. Each cheese entered was judged and assessed under three key criteria: flavour and aroma, body and texture and overall appearance of cheese, while packaging and branding was also taken into consideration within the ‘Retailer’ and ‘New Cheesemaker’ categories. While undoubtedly an enjoyable job, the judging process was also a thorough, in-depth exercise, with each judge working hard to ensure the efforts of the country’s finest cheesemakers were accurately highlighted and commended.

Speaking as the competition officially got underway on Wednesday, expert cheese grader and judge Enda Howley of event sponsor Ornua, said: “At Ornua, we work collaboratively with Ireland’s cheesemakers to select and grade the finest cheddar to export all around the world. Ireland’s reputation as a quality food producer is greatly enhanced by our cheddar-making expertise coupled with the quality milk from grass-fed cows, our farmers’ produce. I am honoured to join the esteemed judges for this year’s Irish Cheese Awards, which demonstrates the incredible talent among our cheesemakers in Ireland.”

Also commenting as the 2019 judging process came to an end, chef and judge Ross Lewis said: “Ireland is currently experiencing a wonderful food movement and Farmhouse Cheeses have a strong position within this movement. The Irish Cheese Awards are not only celebrating these cheeses but showcasing the high standard of the Irish cheese sector, especially artisan cheese but also larger cheese companies. I am delighted to be part of the judging panel for the 2019 awards and it was a tough task to choose the best, as most of the cheeses we tasted today deserve recognition. At Chapter One, we have championed Irish produce since the beginning and are delighted to see how Irish food is now recognised beyond our shores.”

Originally formed in 1983, CÁIS has spent more than three decades educating its members in everything from the art of cheesemaking to business development and hygiene. Their promotion of cheese competitions has been a key factor in pushing Irish producers to showcase their work and as a result, increase brand awareness and knowledge and appreciation of local, artisan produce both nationally and internationally. Similarly, the Irish Cheese Awards recognises and highlights the talents present in this country in the field of cheesemaking, offering a prestigious platform to homegrown brands and promoting them among Irish consumers, encouraging shoppers to choose locally made produce.

Tickets for the 2019 Irish Cheese Awards cost €69 per person and can be purchased on Eventbrite or through the website, www.irishcheese.ie/irish-cheese-awards. For more information on CÁIS and the Irish Cheese Awards 2019, visit www.irishcheese.ie. For social media updates, follow CAISIreland on Facebook and @caisireland on Twitter or follow the conversation using #IrishCheeseAwards

Taste of the Week. Longueville House Irish Apple Brandy

Taste of the Week

Longueville House Irish Apple Brandy

The Longueville House Irish Apple Brandy, our Taste of the Week, is quite a while in the making. In Autumn, the apples, all from their own estate, are crushed and pressed within hours of harvesting. Four months of fermentation produces a cider and that is double distilled on site in copper pot stills. A four year maturation follows in French oak. Then it is bottled and sold.

No need for a mixer. “No mixer needed,” says Rupert Atkinson of Longueville Beverages.“It is very smooth, no burning and good for digestion, best after a good meal. If it feels a little cool, just warm it in the palm of the hand.” 

I can agree with all of that as I paid a lot of attention to my most recent encounter with this marvellous spirit. Certainly there is a hint of orchard in both aroma and flavour but there is more too, some spice included, all before a lingering and pleasing finish. No rush here, just sit back and savour each little sip!

There are 25 acres of apples and the orchard is close to 25 years old. No pesticides are used. One way they counter the aphids, a tiny bug that can do enormous damage, is to encourage the hoverfly by planting the likes of Fennel, Angelica and Yarrow. These attract the hoverfly, a natural enemy of the aphid.

The brandy comes from apples grown in the orchards of Longueville. The apples used are cider apples namely, Michelin (Normandy) and Dabinett (Somerset), grown in their orchards in the beautiful Blackwater Valley.

Harvest time at Longueville 

Hospitality Alive and Well at The Wicklow Heather

Hospitality Alive and Well

 at The Wicklow Heather

At first glance, the inside of the Wicklow Heather, looks like something from a previous century: paintings in gilded frames, old posters for food and drink on the walls, even on the rafters along with copper pots and black bastibles. But then you meet the modern multi-national crew and you realise this place is full of chatty people all determined in the politest friendliest way to make sure you have a memorable meal in this roadside pub in Laragh in the beautiful heart of the county.

Babaganoush starter

And that was exactly what happened during our evening meal. Irish produce well cooked in a variety of styles - everything from Irish stew to Babaganoush - and served with a smile. Quality and yes, quantity too, on the plate. And since there is a full bar here, they have all kinds of drinks. I usually look for the local and enjoyed Glendalough Whiskey (a tasting trio) and an IPA from Wicklow Wolf.

And at the end there was a surprise. “Would you like a drink? On the house.” Yes of course, and we gladly accepted the Bailey’s. Cheers to the Heather and all that sail in her.

We were back for breakfast - they have B&B rooms about 100 metres away. And here that generosity was present again, firstly in a glass, a large glass, of freshly squeezed orange juice. Then a gentleman who had just finished his breakfast met two friends as he was about to exit. So he told the waitress he’d sit and talk with the friends for a while and she made sure he had a cup of tea or coffee while he chatted.

Seafood Salad: a massive plate of warmed grilled fish, smoked salmon Gravlax with avocado and King Prawn with Marie Rose sauce and more!

After breakfast, we had a chance to take a look at the three adjoining dining rooms here (not possible the evening before as the place was packed). The biggest is the amazing Irish Writer’s Room with books and memorabilia displayed on the walls including a first edition first issue of Gulliver’s Travels (the oldest book here, printed in 1726)! Plenty more from the likes of Joyce, Yeats, Keane, Heaney and more! Indeed they also have a first edition, first issue of Ulysses by James Joyce. And if you’d like a drink while you take in the books, then their famous Irish Whiskey Bar is in the corner of this room.

Local venison (above) and beef feature on the menu.

The Heather’s B&B units are excellent. You have your own “house” in a small terrace. Basically, ours was one rather large room, neatly divided into a sitting area with sofa and TV; a corner with sink, fridge, kettle and espresso machine; and two sleeping section (one double, one single). And, we also had a spacious bathroom with toilet, sink, plus separate bath and shower. Very comfortable all round. Everything well maintained and in good working order (lights, heating, TV, Wifi). If you’re heading to Wicklow then the Wicklow Heather is Very Highly Recommended. We paid ninety euro for the B&B on October 1st.

Custard tart

This, our second day in Wicklow, saw the heavy rain still around as we left Powerscourt Hotel. But rain or no rain, we were determined to see the Powerscourt Waterfall (video below). Paid the entry fee and reached the car park. That is a few hundred yards away from the falls, so we walked in. It was absolutely spectacular - no doubt the flow was enhanced by the recent rains - and well worth the walk and the soaking. Luckily, I was able to use the toilet block to change my pants.

Sitting area in the B&B

On these kind of trips, you should always put some place on your list as a rainy day option and we had earmarked Sea Life on the promenade in Bray. The wind was wild - whipping the waves that crashed onto the shore - as we walked the few hundred yards from the car park, lucky that the rain was taking a break. 

It is not the biggest aquarium you’ll come across but has much of interest. No guide as such but there is a friendly pro-active person going around who’ll give you all the information you need and will also round up visitors at feeding times. They have all kinds of fish here from the tiny guppy to rays and sharks. You’ll also see a softback turtle.

The rain was back when we returned to the car but this time the Wicklow Heather and its warm welcome was just about 30 minutes away and after that the day just got better and better. The sun was even shining as we checked out the following morning and we had fine views as we drove through the Wicklow Gap heading for the motorway back to the south.

The sheep lane on the Wicklow Gap

Also on this trip:

Powerscourt Hotel

Powerscourt Distillery visit

Wet and Windy. But Enjoyable Stay at Powerscourt Hotel

Powerscourt Visit 2019

Wet and Windy. But Enjoyable Stay at Powerscourt Hotel

Lobby at the Powerscourt Hotel

It was a wet and windy Monday when we made our most recent visit to Powerscourt. The estate, there is also a waterfall nearby, is just an hour or so from Dublin and now, with the improved motorways, it is just two and a half from Cork. Use M8, M7, M50, M11 (to Wexford) and that will leave you with just a few miles of country road to reach your destination.

Weather was so much better when we last visited in 2015

The rain followed us up from Cork and it was pelting down when we pulled in to the hotel on the grounds, hoping to have a quick lunchtime snack in the bar. But McGill’s Pub was closed until 4.00pm so we headed up to the house and the Avoca Cafe whose high-ceilinged dining rooms look out over the grounds. Not much to be seen that Monday, I’m afraid, but a tasty soup with a warming piquancy set  us up for the afternoon.

Night view of the fountains in the pool from the balcony

We did a little food shopping in the adjoining Avoca shop. Lots of local produce on sale, including Skellig Chocolates, and also plenty of fudge under the Avoca label but this was unmistakably Mella’s fudge from West Cork. No shortage of non-Irish produce too and surprised to see they had apple rings from China when Con Traas mades a superb delicious apple ring down in Cahir.

We had an appointment to tour the newly built Powerscourt Distillery just a few hundred yards away. With the weather still bad, we drove over (rather than walked) and parked outside the door. The tour is excellent and highly recommended and you may read about our experience here. Didn’t realise they had a café there also.

Back then to the Powerscourt Hotel to check in. Entry to the gardens is free to hotel guests but no possibility at all of exercising that option as the rains continued to pour down. Our room here was fabulous and indeed the hotel itself is magnificent, the lobby particularly impressive.

Super starter of Gin Cured Goatsbridge Trout, Pickled Apple, Green Gazpacho, Avocado, Tapioca

We had been hoping to dine at Sika, the main restaurant, but this is currently subject to occasional closure due to renovations. However we did enjoy the Sika cooking in the Sugar Loaf Lounge instead. Both restaurants have views out towards the Sugar Loaf mountain but, such was the extent of the rain, that famous landmark wasn’t visible at all.

Goat cheese, smoked beetroot purée,
Heirloom cherry tomato, cucumber gel
Basil Oil, Balsamic pearls

Dinner was excellent, quite a lot of choices here, and service, as you might expect, was also top notch. 

After dinner, we headed to McGill’s Pub in the hotel. This Irish pub is an excellent venue. The bar itself is “made for elbows”. The seating is not at all plush but good enough to enjoy your pick from a fine selection of whiskeys, beers and stouts. They also offer "a tasty menu of wholesome, traditional dishes, prepared and served with imagination and style".

And, even on a wet Tuesday, it was busy with food and drink, as indeed was the hotel itself. There was a great buzz in the bar and a football game on the screens. Not exactly what you’d expect in a five star but very enjoyable indeed with a very friendly and efficient service. 

I usually look for local beers and noted a string of Wicklow taps. Unfortunately none were active so I settled for a pint of Smithwick’s Red Ale. Not bad at all but not quite as good as the large bottle (568 mls) of Smithwick Red that I enjoyed a few months back in Lonergan’s Pub in Ballymacarbry (west Waterford).

Next morning, we were served breakfast in the Sika, after a very warm welcome indeed, No shortage of choice here at all and the hot buffet was just brilliant. The food looked very inviting and all was at the proper temperature and, back at the table, proved very tasty indeed, a proper Irish breakfast, just what was needed for another wet day ahead. More on that and the fantastic Wicklow Heather in the next post.

More about the gardens (from a previous visit) here

Also on this trip: Powerscourt Distillery
The Wicklow Heather

FANCY A WINE GOOSE CHASE AT ST. PETER’S CORK?

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FANCY A WINE GOOSE CHASE AT ST. PETER’S CORK?

St Peter’s Cork is hosting a fun, interactive wine tasting and storytelling event with Irish wine expert Susan Boyle on Friday October 25^th to celebrate the venue’s new wine license.

Susan Boyle’s one-woman theatrical performance will fuse interactive wine tasting with storytelling in the stunning historic setting of St. Peter’s Cork and is an ideal way to kick off the October bank holiday weekend.  

During this engaging, entertaining and informative show, Susan will take you on a trip through Ireland’s 2,000-year history with wine and introduce you to the tenacious people who transformed our wine world and didn’t let coming from a grape-free land stop them. 

Beginning at 7pm, the audience will taste, explore and immerse themselves in wines and brandy with an Irish connection. It promises to be a very different theatre experience with an abundance of Irish hospitality and wit. 

Audience members will have the opportunity to put their senses to use and will leave with a new insight to a drink that has been part of Ireland’s history for much longer than we might think.

Tickets for 'A Wine Goose Chase', priced at €30.00 per person, are available from www.eventbrite.com  (https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/a-wine-goose-chase-with-susan-boyle-tickets-74262223309)

My Picks from O'Brien's October Promotion

My Picks from O'Brien's October Promotion

O'Briens October promotion is now in full swing, with reductions on dozens of wines from around the world ranging from 8 to 40 per cent until 28th October. Watch out too for their upcoming Italian Sale (16th to 28th October). My three top picks include a couple of loveable Italians.

Vola Volé Trebbiano D’Abruzzo (DOP) 2017, 12.5%, €13.95 (17.95)

There’s a bee dancing on the label here, letting other bees know the orientation of a food source. I’ll do a little dance too and let you know about a very lovely wine indeed. The wine in the bottle is influenced by the bees also, with the fermentation yeasts carefully selected from the pollen the bees collect in the wildlife parks surrounding the vineyards.

Very light straw colour, clean and bright. Aromas are of light intensity, more floral than fruity. Lightly apple flavoured (more citrusy if it warms up a bit in the glass) with a noticeable acidity, it is light and crisp and easy to drink. Light seafood dishes are a suggested match. Perhaps with a Goatsbridge trout salad.

This wine comes from Cantina Orsogna in the mountainous Abruzzo region of eastern Italy. This cooperative specialises in crafting organic and sustainable wines from local grape varieties. The Vola Volé range of wines are dedicated to the protection of bees by protecting their habitat from pesticides and herbicides and is certified by Biodiversity Friend.

Trebbiano is known as Ugni Blanc in France, grown mainly for the Cognac and Armagnac distilleries.  According to Wine-Searcher, its high acidity acts as a natural antiseptic, keeping the grapes and wines free from bacterial spoilage, a natural substitute for sulphur, handy as sulphur is not compatible with brandy making.

Cortese “Nostru” Nerello Mascalese Terre Siciliane (IGP) 2017, 13%, 12.95 (14.95)

This is another Italian bottle with an eye-catching design. The agave grows widely in Sicily and the relatively new owners here took inspiration for the Nerello Mascalese design from the plant as a symbol of the Sicilian landscape. Indeed, the designs on all the Nostru range are based on symbols of local culture and life, as expressed in authentic Sicilian Majolica ceramics. 

Likewise, the wine is made “in the most traditional and natural way to reflect the true character of the estate’s terroir and its grape varieties” Their methods include fermentation in terracotta. And their ambition is to rediscover precious varieties from Sicily’s past including this “Nerello Mascalese grape, the prince of native red grape varieties of Mount Etna.”. 

Eye-catching label aside, this fresh and light wine has a ruby robe, towards the dark side. Red berries and a hint of spice in the complex aromas. It is fresh and lively, again that spice and fruit, elegant with silky smooth tannins, harmony throughout right to a very satisfying finish. Another excellent Italian.

Emiliana “Indigo” Viognier Gran Reserva, Valle Casablanca (DO) Chile, 2018, 14.5%, €11.95 (16.95)

Emiliana are the largest producers of estate grown organic wines in the world and this organic Viognier comes from their Casablanca Valley vineyards.

Thirty-five per cent of it is aged in French oak for 5 months. I remember drinking Viognier first years ago down in the Languedoc area during family holidays. I was probably buying the cheap stuff from the bottom shelf and didn’t particularly like the sweetish flavours of the liquid. At the time, I was never sure either about the pronunciation (vee·o·nyei - hear it here). But you need have no worries about this beauty.

Light straw colour with hints of green, very bright and clean looking in the glass. Aromas are complex, exotic fruits (mango, pineapple, etc) with blossom notes as well. Palate too is intense, lush fruit and a touch of honey but also well balanced through to a long and pleasant finish.

Other tips!

Louis Jadot Fleurie

Jadot make wines in Burgundy and also in neighbouring Beaujolais. Fleurie is one of the ten crus in the latter region and straightaway you notice its bright light red colour. It is one hundred per cent Gamay. Red fruits, acidity, some tannins, well balanced. A lovely drop as we might say around here.

Astrolabe Pinot Noir

The province of Marlborough has long been recognised as ideal for the growing of Pinot Noir and here winemaker Simon Waghorn takes full advantage of the local advantages: leafy vineyards, ripe fruit and cool climate growing. 

Aromas are cheerful, ripe fruits (cherry and berry). Full bodied, flavours of plum and brambly fruits, well balanced, the oak (11 months of it) harmoniously integrated, supple and silky in a long and totally satisfying finish.

Tons de Duorum

From Portugal’s Duoro comes the gorgeous Tons de Duorum Red. No shortage of ripe fruit flavours on the elegant palate, refreshing with a little spice there too, fine tannins and a lovely soft finish.

Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment

The grapes are grown high up in circles around the top of the craters on Santorini, one of the Greek islands. Sometimes wines from hot climates lack acidity, but that is not the case here. Try it with shellfish, also smoked fish. Well worth a try!

La Côte Blanche de Sophie Bertin Sancerre

This is a star from the Loire. Not that you’d know it from the pale straw colour. The magic starts with the aromas, intense, white fruit and floral notes, minerality and more, full of promise. And that promise is handsomely delivered on the palate.

Tacchetto Bardolino Classico 2014, 12.5%

This has a very light red colour and indeed is nice and light in many respects, including the fragrant fruity aromas. It is fresh and fruity too on the palate, a little spice too, good acidity and quite a long finish, a beautiful light, smooth easy-drinking wine, good either with or without food.