THE GRAPEFRUIT

Time for a change!

2010-06-29T18:06:00.000+01:00

So this is a sadish day... we are moving on form our home on Blogspot... yes i know, there'll be a number of very sad faces out there! (cyber consoling pat on the back for!) Now I'm not saying that Blogspot did not more than adequately meet our needs over the last year or so- but now its time to take this Blog to a new level! That's why we've moved to.... (whisper) wordpress... I know- prob a little bit cheeky putting this link on this blog- But the people deserve an explanation!!

So from now on you can read all about our musings at http://www.woodberrys.wordpress.com/
Also for all those facebook fanatics out there you can now find us there under thomas woodberry wines.
Anyways- I hope you will all follow us over to our new home at Wordpress! And if not I hope you enjoyed all the blogs we've posted up at this address over the last year!

Last days to enter sweepstakes!!

2010-06-22T14:21:00.000+01:00

First off... apologies to for taking so long to get back to the blogging- been pretty busy these last couple of weeks, what with our New Zealand wine dinner and our new promotion. Anyways this is just a little reminder that there is only a few days left to enter our sweepstakes we're having in store! Basically for anyone who doesn't know we've decided to throw together 2 competitions to coincide with our Woodberrys 5-A-Side promotion. Its pretty easy- there will be 2 draws for whoever guesses which team will win the World cup (whoever wins will get a case of wine!!) and the second one is for whoever guesses the golden boot winner (the winner gets a magnum of prosseco!!) Obviously we can't keep it going right up to the final so we'll have to stop taking in entries after the group stages are over... But hasn't it been an interesting world cup so far? The Brazilians are playing actual football, Maradonna turned out to be a pretty decent manager, the French are all but out and the English aren't good as expected... well somethings never change! So if you think that the English team might actually rally, or that David Villa might start knocking in the goals at any stage now then you've only got a couple more days to get into the store and enter!

Chateauneuf-du-CRAP???

2010-06-09T16:47:00.000+01:00

Well as you can guess from the title this blog takes a good look at the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region in the south of France. Its famous for a couple of reasons- firstly its got a cool name, the popes new house, and a cool name is really what its all about! Just look at the d'Arenberg wines in Australia! However, cool name aside some people question the regions legitimate claim to being among the best wines in the world. It gained a huge amount of popularity when the messiah of wine Robert Parker started singing its praises all those years ago- and since then not only has the region gone from strength to strength but it has also made Robert Parker an honoury member of their village! Well can you blame them???? After all since he started promoting the wines in the states, sales have increased fourfold!! And all they do is make him an honoury member??? I'd make him King!

Anyways- so the wines are sometimes accused of not being worth the price... because they're are a little too rustic and of limited appeal. Now this is where i could go on and on about how the region allows 14 different grape varieties, and has such an array of different soil types that its preposterous to even suggest its got limited appeal! But you know what- that's not what wine is about! Its important to know these things if you're producing wine, and its even interesting if you like wine a lot! But at the end of the day, what makes wine so universally appealing is- ironically- its inconsistency. Each vintage is different, each grape is unique, and most importantly- everyone's palate is absolutely different! So i could tell you all about how i really like the wines form this region, but that's just my opinion! At the end of the day these wines just agree with my palate, not all mind, but definitely i have tried some great wines from around there and i didn't think they were overpriced or of limited appeal! So give them a try- because that's what its all about! For those who stick with the same bottle of wine all the time, that's grand but you shouldn't be afraid to branch out- lifes too short...

And now for something completely different!

2010-06-08T16:36:00.000+01:00

Alright, so for something a little different today I'm going to be focusing on Coffee.... but not just any coffee- THE BEST COFFEE I'VE EVER HAD! Let me put this in context... for years there i never once had breakfast... my morning routine consisted of standing out in the back garden with my boxers on with a cigarette in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. And for 5 or so years that was what i woke up to... But recently- and I mean majorly recently i quit the cigarettes... yes yes, I now walk around in a daze, constantly agitated by how itchy the nicotine patches are, chewing an inordinate amount of gum, and being genuinely amazed at how nice flowers smell.... But what's my point??? Well I knew the real challenge would be those moments i used to enjoy a smoke on my own- like the coffee in the morning... so i abstained from the coffee for a while, simply out of not wanting to ruin my new healthy lifestyle by waving temptation in front of my face.

But yesterday morning i decided to have a coffee- made from my swanky espresso machine! And i realised that if i don't want to smoke, then I'll have to have a coffee that will be so good i won't even have time to think about smoking! Now my choice was Maria Sole (like the build up to the plug?) which we sell in the store! But it was easily the best coffee I've ever had- here's why! It didn't have that big caffeine kick to it, which is nice because then it simply gives you an alert calmness, also it didn't have a big acidic side to it either, which is fantastic because i suffer from chronic indigestion and heart burn, and finally it was full of flavours- and that's what made me think about doing the blog on it, because with wine the thing I've come to love is how different flavours pop up on your palate and you have differentiate between them. Now maybe it was my taste buds coming back to life after years of smoking, maybe the coffee was absolutely amazing- but one thing is for sure, the coffee distracted me form ever even thinking about cigarettes!

So there you have it- a coffee so good, it completely distracted me from ever even thinking about that which I could not live without for so long! Now that my little spiel about my endeavours to quit smoking are over, we'll get back to normal order soon with some bizarrely cleverly titled blog about wine like.... I don't know.... Chateauneuf-du-CRAP???

Talk to ye soon!

Rapberry Lemonade just the thing

2010-06-05T18:57:00.000+01:00

We’ve got two new Pressé varieties; Raspberry Lemonade tastes as gorgeous as it looks. Real raspberries and real lemon juice give this drink a fresh zingy taste. Or perhaps our Organic Orange & Jasmine; a zesty blend of real orange, lime and lemon juices with a hint of fragrant Jasmine would be more to your taste? A perfect to unwind in the garden with at the end of a busy day of sunshine.

Why not give them all a whirl and then let us know what you think…maybe one of our fabulously fruity fresh faces could become a new firm favourite! Or maybe you'll stick with the Old favourites like Organic Elderflower or traditional Organic Lemonade. All Belvoir pressés are currently on offer at two bottles for €5.

Interesting facts about wine!

2010-06-01T16:43:00.000+01:00

Well obviously there are numerous facts about wine... but are any of them really all that intresting??? Indeed the google search of Interesting facts about wine really only brings up mostly just facts... which is for the most point simply stuff that is obvious! So the point of this Blog is to wade through the list of facts, so that we can put the more interesting ones on display! This way the next time you are having a conversation about wine you can actually uses the phrase- "Interesting fact about wine!", Without having to settle for the less riveting "Fact about wine!".

So number one- when a wine is young, the nose is referred to as the aroma, but if the wine is older its generraly called a bouquet!

Number 2- Romans discovered that mixing lead with wine not only helped preserve wine, but also gave it a sweet taste and succulent texture. (Come to think of it when there was lead in the pipes in Galway i did notice sweet and succulent notes!) Poisoning has often been cited as one of the causes of the decline of the Roman Empire! Well i find it interesting... maybe thats becasue is studied classics....

Number 3 (makes number 2 that little bit more interesting... maybe...)-The prohibitionists, or the “drys,” in the early twentieth century fought to remove any mention of wine from school and college texts, including Greek and Roman literature. They also sought to remove medicinal wines from the United States Pharmacopoeia and to prove that Biblical praises of wine were for unfermented grape juice.... riiiiggghhhttt.....

And lastly at number 4 (obviously there are way more than four interesting facts out there about wine, so feel free to leave some in the comments box!)- Oenophobia is an intense fear or hatred of wine... This is useful for any number of reasons, million dollar question on who wants to be a millionaire... etc... but i just find it ridiculous that anyone could have an INTENSE hatred of wine- I get the fear, because that's what a phobia is, an irratioanal fear of something harmless! But to hate wine... intensely?? well thats a new one!

Anyways there's my top 4 interesting facts about wine that should stand you well at the next fancy pancy dinner party you attend! Feel free to add some of your favourites too!

Damn my forgetfulness!

2010-05-24T16:32:00.000+01:00

So I new this date was coming up and i was really excited about it and everything.... then i forget all about it! What am i on about??? well our blogs one year anniversary obviously! Anyways just wanted to say that have enjoyed doing the blog over the last year and hope everyone has ebnjoyed reading it- might get a little wierd at times (like the pinotage post) it might be a little funny hopefully (like the bluffing your way through wine tasting post) but i always hope you find it entertaining! So after a year if there is anything you would like done differently- like maybe not go for so many exclamation points!!!! please let me know!
Also while I've got you ear! June 16th- keep this day free! Thats right- we've finally gotten around to organising some sort of wine tasting event. We'll be focussing on New Zealand wines- which i know will be a hit with everyone. So while we don't have much more info on it than that, we thought we'd let you know cause spaces will be limited! Anyways you can easily book your place now by e mail, phone, or popping into us in the store!
So one alst time- happy 1 year to us, and thank you everyone who has read the blog over the past year... and don't worry, we can only get better at it!

Pinotage!

2010-05-18T14:13:00.005+01:00

Definitely one of the more interesting grape varieties out there- Pinotage! Every now and then its nice to venture into the obscure- in the words of Captain James T Kirk "To Boldly go where no man has gone before!" And while pinotage is hardly where no man (or woman- we'll be a bit more politically correct than that chauvinist Kirk!) has gone before, it would definitely be a very different variety for a lot of people! Its South Africa's signature variety, and as such anyone who has travelled to South Africa will generally fall in love with it. But for those who just try it once of, it can be a bit of a shock to the senses- but we'll get back to that later. First off as always the technically bit of info! Its a blend of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, and is the brain child of one Abraham Izak Perold. Now clearly good old Abraham loved- and i mean loved!- his Pinot Noir, but he was sick and tired of how finicky and difficult the damn grape was to grow right? rumour has it (and by rumour I mean complete fiction that i just came up with to make the story a little more interesting...) he used to lie awake at night ranting like a lunatic sometimes neighbours would hear him screaming at night time in vineyards at the pinot noir grapes as they were growing "why can't you be more like cinsaut???" he would inquire "why?????" until one day by complete chance he was drinking he's Pinot Noir- as he usually would cause he loved it so much- but when he went to top up his glass he accidentally picked up a bottle of cinsaut and poured it in to the same glass. Naturally our hero was scared of his creation- "what have i done?" he cried as he fell to the floor "I've created a monster!!!" he proclaimed as he tore he's hair out! He was clearly fond of a bit of drama... but as he calmed down, he looked upon his Frankenstein with pride- holding it up to the light he uttered one word, one word which solved all the heart ache he had suffered over the years with that damn pinot noir grape, one word which ended an era of heart break and ushered in a new era that would define South African wine forever- one word: Pinotage!

Well now that that digression is over we can go on.... for anyone looking for a more accurate account of the origin of pinotage you can find it here at wikipedia, but to be honest with you i think i prefer my little bit of fiction.... Anyways if there is still anyone reading this we'll get back to Pinotage! Now the actual name comes from a marriage of the words pinot noir obviously, and the name by which cinsaut is more commonly known in South Africa- Hermitage. Now more about that unique taste which can be a bit off putting at first. It typically produces deep varietal reds with smoky bramble and earthy flavours- definitely unique but not all that obscure i hear you say! But its the addition of flavours of caramelised bananas which is where this wine gets interesting... now it sounds like a strange combination, especially when you get the addition of some tropical fruits with it as well- but you're really going to have to trust me, when its done right its a fantastic wine. The complexity the variety offers is 100% unique and as such its no wonder its such a special wine, and no wonder at all that it is the variety that defines not only South African wine, but also South African wine innovation. There will be more on South African wine in the next couple of weeks... but don't worry I'll work on cutting out the obscure bits of fiction!

Break the Rules! Thats what They're there For!!

2010-05-13T13:57:00.001+01:00

What rule? You ask, why the most basic food pairing rule, part of our collective inheritance, White wine with fish, red wine with meat. Part of the fun and enjoyment many of us get from wine is the experimentation side of it. Now I'm not suggesting having a big brooding Aussie Shiraz with a light piece of plaice, but there are thousands of different wines out there and hundreds of different fish, so why not break the rules and add some excitement to your fish dishes! White wines work particularly well because of their high levels of acidity, just think of lemons with fish, again acidity, helps deal with the oily side of fish.

Warning Scientific Bit:

There's plenty of useful wisdom built into this particular rule. For one, it's meant to stop the pairing of lighter-bodied wines with heavy, over-powering foods and vice-versa. It's also born of the idea that the high tannins and low acidity of some red wines make a very poor (and often grossly metallic) match for the oils found in plenty of seafood dishes. The rule even picked up a bit of scientific evidence last year, when a team of Japanese researchers discovered that the high iron content of red wine exacerbates the 'fishy' aftertaste of scallops.

3 Reds For Fish:

Knowing the background to the rule, however, just gives you all the more ammo to break it.

1) Pinot Noir; An elegant, lighter-bodied, with good acidity red that is a great with simple grilled or baked salmon or trout. A personal favourite of mine is baked salmon with a sweet chill sauce and a fruity New World Pinot.

2) Rioja; a good opportunity to consider the wine's region, and then eat like a local (or vice-versa). The next time you try your hand at paella, go straight for a lighter-bodied Rioja crianza level or below would be best.

3) Barbera; with refreshing acidity, complex fruit-and-earth notes, and very soft tannins, Barbera is an excellent match for tuna's rich, meaty flesh. Throw it on the grill alongside well-oiled veggies, just like the Italians do.

The wine lake... actually not as good as it sounds...

2010-05-10T13:49:00.004+01:00

Somebody was telling me (and this really sounds way to good to be true!) that in Laos you can hop on the rubber rings and follow the course of the river where there are bars dotted all along the bank- and whenever you need a top up, or if you spot a bar you like, you can just pull over and get a beer... now i don't know about you, but if this is true I'm thinking Laos could be worth a visit. So when i heard the words Wine Lake.... you can imagine where my mind went first! You can also imagine the disappointment to find out there wasn't a lake you can float around to different bars and top up your wine glass!

So what is this Wine Lake- if its not the greatest holiday destination in the world??? Well essentially it refers to a surplus of wine produced in the European Union every year. They have actually been producing about 1.7..... BILLION!!! bottles of wine more than they sell... So with this excess wine the have this practice called "emergency distillation" whereby they just distill the wine and turn it into industrial alcohol! Now this is far from ideal really- for 2 reasons (at least!) One: it costs the European union 500 Million euros every year to carry out this "Emergency Distillation!"

And Two: It means Grape prices have dropped, and when the profit falls out of anything... there really isn't much incentive for anyone to keep plugging away at it! So is our romantic view of wine growers throughout Europe in decline? We see it here with our own farmers, our fishermen, etc. so really at the end of the day unless something is done this could bring about a change whereby the gap between the rich Chateau's, Bodegas, and Villa's and the poorer Wine producers widens and as such all we are left with is mass produced wine....

So what is being done to drain this Wine Lake- aside from temporary fixes which cost us 500million a year... Well it seems that we have to uproot a lot of the vines throughout Europe- in Bordeaux alone the plan is 17,000 hectares of vines! Chances are this will solve problem number 1, but i don't know what its going to do for problem number 2... But its a situation whereby not everyone can be kept happy!

IBERIAN SUPERSTARS REGION BY REGION PART 2

2010-05-07T12:51:00.011+01:00

What makes Portugal different in regards their styles of wine production, as a Nations shy away in some respects from the popular international varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Whereas Tempranillo is king in Spain, Portuguese wines; red or white, are made from varying blends of local indigenous grapes. The following is a list of some of Portugal's main wine producing regions and includes a list of the most common grapes varieties produced there.

DOURO

Douro region, is located some distance upstream, of the Douro river from Porto, sheltered by mountain ranges from coastal influence. The region has Portugal’s 's highest wine classification as a Denominação de Origen Controlada (DOC). While the region is associated primarily with Port Wine production, the Douro produces just as much table wine as it does Port. Vineyards dedicated to Port production are usually planted on schist while areas with granite-based soils are used for table wine production. A large number of grape varieties are grown in the Douro region, most of them local Portuguese grapes. For a long time, Vineyards of mixed plantation were the norm, and most of the time, the vineyard owners didn't know which grape varieties they were growing. A pioneering effort were made in the 1970s which identified Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, Tinta Cão and Tinta Barroca as the prime dark-skinned grape varieties. This work was important for creating the new wave of top Douro wines and has also led to a greater focus on the grape varieties that go into Port wine. Most top quintas now replant with single-variety vineyards and focus on a limited number of varieties, but older, mixed vineyards will remain in production for many decades to come.

LISBOA

In early 2009, the region was renamed from Estremadura to Lisboa to avoid confusion with the Spanish wine region Extremadura and apparently 'to capitalize on the internationally well-known name of the country's capital'. The region is classified as a Vinho Regional (VR), a designation similar to a French vin de pays. While the Alentejo VR is the largest geographically, the Lisboa region is Portugal's largest producer of wine by volume. The region stretches from Lisbon northwards along the Atlantic coast. The principle grapes of the Lisboa region include the white varieties Antao Vaz, Arinto, Chardonnay, and the reds Cabernet Sauvignon, Graciano, Tinta Amarela and Argonez (Tempranillo).

THE SETÚBAL PENINSULA

Península de Setúbal,is another recently renamed region, untill 2009 it was called Terras do Sado, it is a vinho regional (VR) covering the Setúbal Peninsula and the Sado River region. Within the VR is located the smaller the Setúbal Denominação de Origen Controlada (DOC). The region is almost completely surrounded by the Alentejo VR. Red wines produced under the Península de Setúbal VR must contain a blend of at least 50% of one of or a blend of the following grapes Aragonez, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Touriga Nacional. The remaining 50% can include a multitude of indigenous grape varieties. As with the reds, the white wines of the region must contain at least 50% of one of the following or a blend of Arinto, Chardonnay, or Rouperio. The remaining 50% can include Antao Vaz, Savignon Blanc or Ugni Blanc.

ALENTEJO

Alentejo is portugal’s largest wine producing region, located in the south of the country. The entire region is entitled to use the designation Alentejano VR, while some areas are also classified at the higher Denominação de Origen Controlada (DOC) level under the designation Alentejano DOC. Located in the southern half of Portugal, the Alentejo region covers about a third of the country and is sparsely populated. The region’s other notable wine export is cork, but in recent years the table wine produced in this region have garnered attention. There are eight sub regions of the Alentejo region that are entitled to the Alentejo DOC designation. The names of the sub regions may be indicated on the label together with the name Alentejo, for example as Alentejo-Borba. As in the rest of Portugal the majority of wine produced in Alentejo uses indigenous Portuguese grapes the most important red varities are Agonez, Touriga Nacinonal, Touriga Franca, and the most important white grapes are Arinto, Rouperio and Antao Vaz.

IBERIAN SUPERSTARS REGION BY REGION PART 1

2010-05-05T14:20:00.001+01:00

RIBERA DEL DUERO

Ribera del Duero is a Spanish (DO) located in the country's northern plateau. It is also one of several recognised wine-producing regions to be found along the course of the Duero river others include Toro and Rueda. The Ribera del Duero is located on the extensive, elevated northern plateau of the Iberian Peninsula. As its name suggests, the region follows the course of the Duero river for approximately 115 km.The region is characterised by a largely flat, rocky terrain, Ribera del Duero is dedicated almost entirely to the production of red wine, the vast majority of production is dedicated to Tinto Fino (the local name for Tempranillo), the most popular grape in the northern half of the Spanish peninsula. The Albillo grape is the only white variety grown, white wines being mostly destined for local consumption.

RUEDA

To west of Ribera Del Duero along the Duero River is Rueda DO. It is known primarily for its quality white wines based on the verdejo grape. The climate is continental (long hot summers, cold winters) with a certain Atlantic maritime influences. Temperatures vary widely and can drop below zero in winter (-1°C) and can reach 30°C in summer, which is not as high as similar wine-producing regions in Southern Central Spain. There is a risk of frost, freezing fog, high winds and hailstones in winter/spring. On the other hand there is only a very small possibility of drought. Rueda mainly produces whites from Verdejo, Viura and Sauvignon blanc, and a very small amount of reds.

TORO

The area covered by the Toro DO is to the west along the Duero river from Rueda D.O and Ribera Del Duero. Toro has experienced rapid growth in the last decade with the number of producers almost trebling in number, it is considered the rising star of the Spanish wineworld. The area has an extreme continental climate (long, hot summers, cold winters) with small Atlantic influences. Temperatures vary greatly, ranging from -11°C in winter to 37°C in summer. Rainfall is light, with high chance of drought. Wine produced here is almost exclusively red from the local variety of Tempranillo called Tinta de Toro, almost no other red grapes are grown and the small amount of whites produced, are for local consumption only. Due to the long hours of daylight Toro wines tend to be high in Alcohol and to gain Toro D.O status a wine must be vinified at 15% ABV or less.

New Arrivals!

2010-05-04T15:18:00.000+01:00

So i think this could be the start of something great for our little blog- becasue at the end of the day we get a lot of new wines in pretty regularly into the store. But last wednesday we started our Iberian Superstars promotion! Which has meant that we have now got a lot of new Spanish and Portuguesse wines on offer at the moment! Now we geenrally send out e mails to whoever is on our database detailing what exactly is on offer, but it only recently occured to me (yes i am a bit of a slow learner...) that not everyone is on our database... Well first off shame on you if you aren't, but do not fear becasue this will become a regular little blog segment detailing what is new!
First off they way we work our special offers is easy- you can get 2 for €20, 2 for €25, or 2 for €30! and if that wasn't enough.... we are always have some fine wine that has 20% off it! Also feel free to mix across the offers- we don't mind that! So enough of me rambling on explaining how a special offer works, I'm sure ye are all more than capable to figure it out!
First off- in the 2 For €20 range we've got 3 new ones! A white from Prova Regia, a red from the Douro region, both of which are portuguesse, and finally a red from Navarra.... but something a little different! The white is made from 100% Arinto, and has an exuberant nose of passionfruit and pineapple, the palate is then vibrant and refreshing! The red (Porca de Murca) is made from some of the more traditional grapes to come from Douro region, this wine is pretty good value with a palate full of sweet red cherry and currants. The finish then offers a great sweet black pepperiness which lingers nicely. The Spanish red (Pagos De Araiz) is interesting- 60% Tempranillo, 20%Merlot, and 20& Cabernet Sauvignon... Don't think i've ever tried a blend like this before, but Navarra can be much more mellow than the neighbouring- and much more famous region of- Rioja so this blend of big grapes could actually be pretty nice (I'm actually going to take a bottle home tonight just to see what its like, I'll let ye know in the comment section below tomorrow!)
So on to the 2 for €25's- Quite a few new ones- 5 in total for this section! First up Urbion Crianza- 100% Tempranillo from Rioja, Lovely intense cherry colour with mineral and Roated coffee aromas. The palate is meaty but balanced- a must for anyone who likes Rioja Crianza's! Second- not quite a new one, its actually been in the store about a month already, but thought it could do with a mention- Vina los Valles Crainza 70:30- The 70:30 stands for 70% Tempranillo 30% Graciano, but what will really wine you over is that its organic (no that doesn't mean no sulphites, but it is still nice to know!) Medium Bodied, deep cherry red colour. Subtle aromas of ripe red fruits, with elegant spicy notes of leather. Well balanced maturity and a nice acidity- Well worth a try, cause the Graciano really brings something new to this Crianza! Third- Quinta Dos Aciprestes. Imagine my dissapointment... we've had the reserva of this wine for a while now, and it is fantastic! It really is- it's even manageed to win over some of the most die hard Rioja fans, and that takes some work! So anyways, I finish work on Saturday and take a bottle of this home lookkin forward to it because it's a blend I've never tried before- Touringa Franca, Tinta Barroca and Tempranillo! Should go great with Roast pork... but it was corked... almost ruined my evening! But these things happen and no matter how careful the producer is- but rest assured i will try it and leave the notes in the Comment box.
Forth- one of the 2 new whites in this range. Tempestad Godello. If you like unoaked Chardonnay then this is for you! Fresh minerality on the nose, it has a rich, balanced palate with a touch of creaminess on the lingering finish. And 5th- Dilluvio Albarino (take note of my oh so cleverly titled blog below!) needs a bit to open up, but otherwise a classic Albarino, and very good value.
OK so in the 2 for €30 range we've got 2 new ones! Pegos Claros Garrafeira- A warm enticing nose with a sweet blurt of raspberry, nice figgyness and velvety tannins with blueberry fruit! Definitely something different and well worth a try! And secondly- Herdade Da Farizoa, Alentejo Res, 2006. One of the more interesting blends to come from this region, which gets a lot of sunshine. And that's just what makes this so interesting- Touringa Nacional, Tempranillo, and Syrah.... yes thats right! Wonderful flavours of deep plum, with touches of fig. Blackberry, black fruit gums dominate on the palate, but also get some support form some freshness with firm supporting tannins! Well Worth a Try!
So thats the lot, but we do have around 35 wines from Spain and Portugal on promotion at the moment- so you'll definitely find something you like in there! Anyways look forward to seeing ye soon!

Ladies and Gentlemen Mr Al Barino!

2010-04-29T15:27:00.001+01:00

I know- I should be shot for the amount of cheesy puns in my titles but i swear i can't help it! And yes that's Dean Martin in the photo and not Mr Al Barino ... Anyways as you may (or may not) have guessed this blog is all about Albarino. Now some may say that Verdejo is the king of Spanish whites... and this may still be the case but i just think that Albarino brings something a little different to the table! Don't by any means get me wrong- Verdejo is fantastic, its actually a close relative of Sauvignon Blanc! (and for that reason i would say that for anyone sick of Sauvignon Blanc, like i alluded to in my last blog, then i would strongly suggest trying some Verdejo!) But this blog is not entitled Mr Ver Dejo so we'll get back to the business at hand! So whats so special about Albarino??? Well its not unheard of for people to come in to us looking for something a little different from time to time! Now usually its a different type of style or a slightly different variety from one variety to the next... but the odd time we get someone looking to go the opposite direction all together! As in switch from red wine to white! Now there are certain thing this entails- number 1, they want it full bodied, number 2, they want it relatively dry, and 3 they are pretty open to suggestion. And that's where Albarino strolls in to the equation!
Basically Albarino is a big thick skinned grape grown mostly a long the west coast of Spain and Portugal. Now the reason it thrives here is because of it thick skin- it can withstand a lot of sun, and humidity, and as you can imagine it plumps up into these big juicy white wines. Its actually because of this thick skin that they tend to be very aromatic wines with really rich flavours of peach and apricot. But the Albarino is at its absolute best when matched with seafood! So does this make Albarino the grape of choice for this summer for our red wine drinkers??? I think it might...
One last little side note, we started our promotion today on Spanish and Portuguese wines (we've gone for the title of Iberian Superstars!) and as usual there is a lot of very good wines to be had! So that's why we had a blog on the Spanish and Portuguese variety today, and over the next couple of weeks we'll be having a few more informative little blogs on Spanish and Portuguese wines! Anyways look forward to seeing ye in the shop and talk to ye soon!

Another One Bites the Dust???

2010-04-20T17:46:00.000+01:00

Debated in doing this whole blog in the style of an obituary but figured that would be a bit morbid... and obviously a little bit premature! Wine, like anything else, follows trends... i hate to admit it, but its true. No where is this more true that with our old friend Chardonnay... ah yes Chardonnay! It was the apple of so many eyes there for a while, and now its seems like you have to physically make people try some... but recently I've noticed some people not only picking up 1 or 2 different Chardonnays.... but some have even come in and bought half cases of Chardonnays from different regions.... (if you were one of those people and you were wondering why i was looking so pleasantly surprised then hopefully this will answer some questions for you) At first I simply ignored this anomaly... No No it couldn't be making a little come back! I use to say to myself as i wrapped up the bottles and bagged them.

But then (as i would do most days) i was checking to see if there was any interesting wine news out there (cause sometimes an blogger like myself needs some inspiration!) and all these articles started popping up about New Zealand Sauvignon's.... but not in the way I had come used to! The changes were slight, but definitely there! Instead of critics raving about this new wine from the Marlborough region- they were looking a bit like reviews of the last the last few seasons of Friends; ya they're still kinds funny, but would they not think of doing something new?

And all this started me thinking again about Chardonnay... and how people used to like it.... And before i knew what had happened I couldn't stop thinking about Chardonnay's fall from grace. Basically it was a victim of its own versatility- too readily available, too easy to grow, and much too popular for any dishonest wine producer to not bottle and sell of cheap. All of a sudden the supermarket shelves, the restaurants, and even some wine shops were flush with all this Cheap Chardonnay! Now I'm not saying you have to spend a load on your Chardonnay! Far from it- you can actually get some pretty good ones around the €10-€15 mark, But (and we saw this with the Ernest&Julio Gallo Pinot Noir Scandal) there are some producers out there who simply want a profit, and they don't care how they get it! So all this bad Chardonnay inevitably started putting people off the stuff... but they had to drink something! So why not move to the complete opposite end of the spectrum- BOOM! Sauvignon Blanc!

Don't get me wrong! I'm not saying that Sauvignon Blanc is going to become the new Chardonnay... but all I'm saying is be careful if you don't want to ruin it for yourself! Because there are still a lot of people out there who want to make that quick buck. It may even have started happening... I'm not naming names... cough Cloudy Bay cough cough! but a certain well know New Zealand brand just finished in the bottom few wines at a blind tasting in New Zealand.... Hmmmm! I hate to say it... but maybe 5 years down the line will people be put of Sauvignon completely???

A Horse is a Horse!

2010-04-13T15:09:00.000+01:00

Remember my post on Bluffing your way through wine tasting? Well this follows on from that just a tad. Basically when your palate and other senses are developed a little better you'll occasionally come across the smell of horse hair in your red wine (sometimes transfers over to Chardonnay but usually red wine). Now this is nothing unusual, and won't do you any harm... but it is caused by Brettanomyces (pronounced Bre-tan-no-my-seas this will come in handy later when we talk about the wine tasting). OK so skip ahead at any stage if this gets boring- but essentially its from a strain of yeast called saccharomycetaceae... and basically this strain does particularly well where there is a lot of carbohydrate! Which would explain why it was first discovered way back in 1904 in the Carlsberg Brewery (probably weren't the best beer in the world back then) by a guy who was trying to get to figure out why a load of British ales kept spoiling- the name brettanomyces actually comes from the Latin British Fungus!

Now there is some debate whether or not its the worst thing in the world, because a number of wine producers around the world actually allow a little bit of it in their wine production- and even some Belgian beer producers use brettanomyces as their only yeast! But its a very difficult thing to control- its grand if you're Belgian, making beer, and want to only use this particular yeast... But if you're a wine producer, making wine, and want to give your wine some complexity... then a yeast that makes your wine smell like Horse Hair might not be the best option.

As far as the experts think it most likely gets into vineyards through fruit flies, and makes itself at home in the oak barrel's. But once it gets in its pretty difficult to get out, and it is thought to be a pretty big indication of uncleanliness in the vineyard! Now there are certain things that will help stop the spread of this yeast- cleanliness being number 1, but the addition of.... Sulphur Dioxide! will also help stop it! Yes Yes those poor poor sulphites doing so much to help our enjoyment of wine and they get such a bad wrap for it too!

So next wine tasting you're at- sniff the glass, go through the motions just like we talked about a week ago, and if you smell horse hair (it'll be pretty slight at the start) you announce it to the group- like you'd announce the fact that the dog peed on the carpet (kinda annoyed but you know blaming the dog isn't really the solution)- then if someone questions you, you simply poor out the rest of your wine refill the glass with some water, poor that out, and then sniff it again and that horse hair smell will be much more pronounced!

Sun Again??? Oh its BBQ Time!!!!

2010-04-09T16:34:00.000+01:00

Sweet Sweet Sunshine... Well kinda... chances are if you're reading this then you're not outside enjoying this glorious weather- maybe you're a work, maybe your hungover and the sun is not your friend today, but whatever the reason is... I can see no reason why you wouldn't be getting ready for a BBQ later! I know, I know i already talked about how Rose is the perfect wine for a sunny day- but for a BBQ... well the Rose simply won't cut it! Picture it- a sunny Friday evening sitting out in the garden, full of delicious grilled meat, and your sitting back in your chair listening to the birds with a glass of wine in hand... nothing can possibly beat that!

So hopefully I've got you sold on the idea of the BBQ- but now is where we have to make a decision... what wine will be in your glass?? Its a tricky one- not because its a difficult pairing, in fact the opposite, its because there are so many wines suited to this moment! Now i can't tell you what drink will be appropriate here- Oh No! That's entirely up to you! But what i will do is tell you what my top 3 choices are for this evenings BBQ are. So in reverse order-

In at number 3.... Its Shiraz- Australian definitely, but preferably not Barossa... Way too peppery and big. Instead what I'm looking for is a Clare valley Shiraz, with it mellow fruits and that perfect eucalyptus touch that they always have- definitely perfect for relaxing with.
The silver medal goes to Malbec from Mendoza! It may be a bit too big- but with grilled beef Malbec just takes on new life! No wonder the Argentinians are so fond of it!
And my number one pick! What wine will be in my glass tonight as I sit in my chair with some friends and an excess of meat around me... Its got to be Grenache! Its one of the most planted varieties in the world- usually added to give an extra bit of flavour in certain regions like Rioja, or the Cotes Du Rhone. But on its own it has really rich berry-fruit flavours with some spice, but what makes this the perfect one to relax with is the fact that it tends to not have much acid or tannins in it which makes for a mellow relaxing wine on its own. And on a sunny day like today isn't that what its all about???

One final note- I'm sure all the millions of you avid followers may of noticed this already, but for those of you who haven't... I've started adding some links to other blogs on our "along the vine" section! Now i spent a lot of time going through some of the lesser known blogs online seeing if there was anything good out there (just in case ye're not satisfied with our own one...) and to be honest there's a lot of mediocre ones but there's also one or two pretty decent ones- so feel free to have a look around... just don't forget about us!!

The Italians sure are PRO-secco!

2010-04-06T16:26:00.008+01:00

So the title warrants some explanation if you have no idea how the Italian classification system works. Basically you know how ridiculous and absurd the French system is... well the Italian one is slightly better... kinda. This is actually a great example of how these laws are enforced to protect quality of wine. Now if you say prosecco, generally people think (like champagne) its a region- but their wrong, its actually the grape. Don't worry its a pretty forgivable mistake to make. But that is all about to change. Essentially on 17th of July last year there was a rule passed to ensure that Prosecco was no longer a wine produced form a particular type of grape, but rather the wine of a precise geographical area. Anyways back to the system of classification itself. So there used to be 3 classes- DOCG, DOC, and Vin de Tavola (VDT). So DOCG guaranteed the right grapes from the right region- DOC operates on the same principal, only DOCG wines have to pass a blind taste test first! This brings us to VDT (table wine)- does exactly what it says on the tin, or does it.... Well basically all the fuss about DOCGs and DOCs is great, but it leaves very little room for development of different styles. But this didn't stop the Italians- oh no! They kept experimenting, while conforming to the DOC rules, but they would still produce a lot of wines not made in the traditional method! So what happened was the VDT section became bit of a lucky dip- there were some of the most amazing wines lumped in with some of the worst all because the producer added a touch of a grape that wasn't permitted in the zone! So in fairness, the Powers that be (like good old berlusconi above) stepped up and created a fourth classification- IGT, or indicazione geografica tipica. So this didn't guarantee anything except that the wine was made in a non traditional method. I think this is a pretty good compromise- if anyone has ever tried the Montezovo Ca'Linverno you'll know what I'm talking about!
Anyways back to the Prosecco! So as i was saying above, because Prosecco was the grape and not the region, anyone could just label the bottle with Prosecco and therefore it would just fall under the IGT class. But as with anything that does well... the quality starts to fall, because its being over-produced! So... in order to fix this the name of the grape will no longer be Prosecco- its going to be know by Glera. And the region best known for its Prosecco (Conegliano-Valdobbiadene) now falls under the DOCG label, and all the other little regions around it fall under DOC.

So this will all start to take effect around the end of the year- so for those of you who love your Prosecco this is what you'll be looking out for. The highest end Prosecco will say Conegliano-valdobbiadene DOCG Prosecco Superiore. The next level will say DOC Prosecco. And if it says Prosecco and you don't see the DOC or the DOCG, then its most likely some cheap knock off- note for the IGT it will have to say Glera (the grapes new name).

Bluffing your way through wine tastings!

2010-04-01T15:59:00.004+01:00

So when you first start to drink wine, its really just a case of smiling and nodding along with the other tasters... however, the longer you spend wine tasting- the more uncontrollable the urge is to say something... maybe its to do with the amount of alcohol you've drank, maybe you just have a natural sommelier inside you just bursting to get out! But whatever it is, when you've got a nice wine in your glass it certainly warrants comment!

So your there with some red wine in your glass. You sniff it- and smell something interesting, but you can't quite put your finger on it.... Well how do you let everyone else know you've spotted this without actually saying what it is? Its a tricky one... But the best way I found was to pull a shocked/confused face, look to the person next to you, say in your most convincing tone of voice "there's something on the nose", now this next bit is crucial! You pause like your trying to think really hard what it is (tilting your head and staring off into space with a pensive look on your face usually conveys this pretty well!) Then you sniff again, and again look pensive! Now you may actually put your finger on what that extra little smell is- but don't worry if you don't because this will have bought you enough time for somebody else to intervene and say what they think it is. Now this is then where you swoop in, nod in agreement, and then change what they said slightly! For example your pulling you pensive face, staring off into space, and somebody finally pipes up and says "its got a bit of blackcurrant"- you then lean in nodding and say "yes, like a nice bit of cassis" then lean back in your seat with a smug look on your face! Now if your with people and nobody knows what it is in the wine (best way to spot this is look around and if everyone is staring off into space then its safe to assume nobody knows) then nobody is going to venture a guess- do not panic! this is your moment to shine, because everyone is too afraid to be wrong, they're probably a little impressed at you for spotting that extra little bit in the first place, so you just pipe up and say something vague but succinct enough to make it sound like you know what you're talking about like... "oh this has such classic malbec flavours!" Now this won't make you look like an expert straight away- but what it will do is give you practice in getting the actions down for when you do spot something in the wine that nobody else can put their finger on! Essentially when you're wine tasting your training your palate- so the more you do it the more you'll recognise certain characteristics, like peppery notes in shiraz or vanilla in oaked chardonnay.

So at this stage you've been to a few wine tastings- your palate is developing nicely, and you know what you're smelling in the glass! Well you are about to enjoy a pretty gratifying experience in wine tasting! Now they rarely happen (to me at least...) but when they do it is imperative ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE! that you milk them for everything they're worth. Now this doesn't actually differ all that much from faking like you know what you're talking about- you smell it, look confused, say the line, and stare off into space, but when you go back for your second sniff you pull the glass away from your nose and with a face that looks like you're saying EUREKA (careful not to actually say eureka) you let them all in on what it is- probably something difficult to spot like tobacco, or leather! At this stage now you've come so far- you've earned the respect of all those around you, and confirmed to yourself that these wine tastings are actually working, so it would be a real shame to fall at the last hurtle... So as nonchalantly as possible you sit back with the most intellectually smug face you can muster and let everyone else basque in the glory of you expert palate!

Its no surprise that there are certain recurring smells and tastes with different grape varieties, but through training your palate you can spot not only these but the ones that are unusual- it just takes time that's all. But while your bidding your time, there is absolutely no harm in faking it a little bit! One final point we are slowly but surely getting our act together on organising wine tasting evenings- its just debating on the format of them. We're not sure if we should focus on one grape variety (like cabernet) and try them from all over the world to see how different they can be, or we might just do it region by region... So if ye have any suggestions or any particular preference don't be afraid to let us know- either below as a comment, or telling us in store, or even if it suits you can e mail us at woodberrywines@eircom.net

Anyways look forward to hearing from ye, and hope ye enjoy your next wine tasting where you can stare off into space looking like an expert!

Easter is a coming!!

2010-03-27T12:36:00.004Z

With Easter around the corner it's important to remember that there is more to this Holiday than Bunnies and Eggs (Is it me or are they getting cheaper and cheaper?). Easter in Ireland means the real start of spring daffodils are appearing around the place and the weather is becoming milder and there is the long awaited stretch in the evenings.

And as I said above aside from the bunnies, Easter is a time for another cute animal, Lamb. This time of year lamb starts making its way back to our dinner tables and lamb needs nice reds to accompany it the traditional wines chosen include Chianti, Rioja and Bordeaux, but this year why not try something new some Portuguese Reds, or some of Spain's other wine producing regions like Toro or Ribera Del Duero, or even a nice new World Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet blend. Spring has arrived time for us to shake of those winter blues and try something new.

Rose Wine for the summer days...

2010-03-24T14:58:00.006Z

I think this is officially the 2nd sunny day we've had this year... and you know what that means! Yes its time to finally burn all those warm clothes we wrapped ourselves up in this winter- the coat, the hat, the gloves, and even the scarf... burn them all the summer is officially here! I'm off to boots to load up on the sun screen (lord knows i can't handle the sunburns) and buy a nice new expensive pair of shades, because we all know its worth the investment....

Ahhhh if only that were the case... but to be fair we do get the odd freak day of sunshine, sometimes it even hangs around for a whole day, maybe even two! So this raises the question... what will quench the thirst on these freak sunny days we get? Well as the title of the Blog would suggest Rose Wine (or as the Americans say blush wine). Now there are 3 different ways to make Rose Wine. Number 1 Dilution- Generally pretty frowned upon, and with good cause. Its like ribena when you could have actual juice... Now a few places do practice this method, such as champagne, but generally the reputable producers don't bother. Instead they opt for the second Option- Saignee. This is where Rose wine is produced as a by product of Red Wine Fermentation. This is because the Producer would like to increase the intensity of the tannin levels in his red wine. So he drains off some of the juice (which is pink) and then and this provides the other juice with more intense contact with the remaining grape skins. But this juice that was drained can still be allowed to ferment- and BOOM! ROSE WINE! Now for number 3. Pretty similar to number 2 except its not produced as a by product of the fermentation of red wine. Instead they will leave the grape skins in contact with the grapes for a day or two, then remove them. This gives them some of the colour but virtually no tannins are left.

So there you have the three methods... but to be honest the most important part is the grape variety they have chosen to make into a Rose Wine! For example Pinot Noir Rose will generally have strawberry and cream flavours cabernet franc or cabernet sauvignon will lean more to the rose petals and cherry flavours. Either way I'm sure you'll agree that on a warm sunny day, sitting in your back garden, after you've pulled out all that garden furniture from the shed that you thought you'd get so much use out of, nothing can beat a nice chilled glass of Rose Wine! So the next time its sunny make sure your well stocked up on the stuff- you don't want to waste any of the sunny day doing your shopping- the same goes for having a healthy supply of BBQ coal, and plenty of meat to grill!

Spring Food and Wine Showcase

2010-03-22T15:47:00.005Z

Hosted by The Malt House Restaurant

In Association with Thomas Woodberrys

6 Course Dinner presented with

6 Complimentary Wines chosen by us

Date: Thursday 25^th March

Time: 8pm

Venue: Malt House Restaurant

Price: €40 per ticket

Ticket numbers limited to 40, Available from Woodberrys or Malt House

red wine's benefits to the heart!

2010-03-20T14:06:00.003Z

So i was pottering around the house this morning when something about the croi charity ball came on the radio- basically they were announcing starting recruiting for the New York City marathon. And it got me thinking.... could i do the marathon? Well its only been a couple of hours but I'm giving it serious consideration. Now I consider myself relatively fit- even if i do smoke, eat a lot, and enjoy beer as much as the next person... but even i realize how much of a challenge this would be! So this started me thinking about healthy little habits to get in to... namely quit smoking, eat healthier, and cut down big time on the beer. But red wine is not without its benefits... Now I'm not saying guzzling a bottle of wine a night is the best way to prepare for the New York City Marathon, but there are certain benefits. One major one is a glass of wine will let you unwind every now and then- I think this is probably one of the more important factors when undertaking something like this, cause i can imagine it being pretty easy to start going insane after a couple of months intensive training. So the Glass of wine every now and then will keep you sane, but what are the technical health benefits to Red Wine.

Well people became to take note of red wine as being good for health around the 1980's when two guys- Law and Wald- started to focus on the French Paradox. Basically they noticed that the french had such a fatty diet with all those cheeses and meats- but they had relatively low rate of heart problems in comparison to the rest of the world! So one thing that jumped out at them was the french consumption of Red Wine. The main idea behind this was research carried out in to one of the components of red wine- resveratrol. Essentially all it is is a way for grapes and other plants use to protect themselves against rot. But it has been discovered to increase HDL Cholesterol (which essentially scour the walls of Blood Vessels taking bad Cholesterol with them) and therefore prevent Blood Clotting. So there you have it... planning on running a marathon like I think i might... then maybe a glass or two of red wine, might give me that extra little bit I need!

Sulphites- solving the mystery...

2010-03-19T14:44:00.002Z

A while ago we did a blog on red wine headache- basically where people get headaches from red wine after a sip or two. From what I've read it seems the most common cause of this is the tannins in the wine. But one thing that has never really been explained properly by us was the sulphites in wine. Essentially every wine- even organic wines- have sulphites in them. I know I know, people have been scape-goating sulphites for years and trying to avoid them- but I'm afraid they are naturally occurring in the grapes. Its also not all that uncommon for wine producers to introduce a touch more in order to arrest fermentation, but at the heart of it all sulphur-dioxide helps reduce the threat of oxidization, but also kills bacteria... so you see without sulphites- the wine would turn to vinegar! Now there's one more bombshell to be dropped... but i don't know if you'll like it... White wines (wait for it) generally speaking... contain more sulphites than red wines! I was amazed to discover this too but its a fact! Now here's a link to our blog on red wine headache so hopefully if you suffer from it than you might find the answer there.
Just one quick last point on Organic Wine- yes you've guessed it it contains sulphites too- granted these may be on a much lower scale, but next time you pick up a bottle of organic wine check out the back! Having said that I can't really see any disadvantage to organic wine, by removing chemicals and pesticides they let nature take over so the terroir is free to come through the wine- all I'll say though is there are plenty of wines out there that just haven't bothered labelling themselves as organic- so don't be afraid to step outside of the organic range!

Breaking News! A quick note on our changes!

2010-03-16T16:53:00.003Z

So the problem with anything in life is when it becomes stale... And I don't know about ye, but i thought the old format was getting a bit stale- so i decided to keep ye up to date with the changes We've made! Basically nothing major, a new template background (entitled scribe- I felt this would give our Blog a sense of grandeur! and therefore make the whole experience more rewarding for you guys... I know I know i overdid- but what can I say... I think ye're worth it!) Second little nifty feature for ye to enjoy- Notice above the blogs themselves you'll see changing news captions, well this is linked to google news, with a special view to giving ye the most up to date news on wine! You see how helpful that is? Imagine it- you're at a fancy pancy dinner party and someone says something about this recent scandal with E&J Gallo and the french grape growers... Well how nice would it to not only be able to contribute to the conversation, but also be somewhat of an expert on it?? Well now you can because of our new Newsreel above! And finally- this one is only small, but we have added a little Survey to the left of the screen... purely out of interest, and to give us an idea of what you'd like us to blog about! We're working on getting a website up and running soon- so you'll have to bear with us until that day, but hopefully these nifty updates will keep ye all very happy!

Also a little side note- we'll be closed tomorrow for St Paddys day, so enjoy ye're day and we'll see ye on thursday!

French Vintage Guide!

2010-03-16T14:44:00.003Z

So recently (once we started our French Promotion) we've been talking a lot with our customers about vintage. When it comes to French wines- given the general lack of information on their labels- Vintage is one of the key indicators. Climate is one of the most important factors in wine production- so a good vintage is as good a place to tell how a wine is going to drink as any! But for obvious reasons only people who work in wine are the only ones who have enough time to look up random points about different vintages...
So luckily for you I have decided to do a brief synopsis of recent Vintages throughout the major regions in France! Where else would we start but Bordeaux!

2007: A cool, wet summer made for a difficult year- but was saved by sunny weather in September which gave the grapes time to ripen. Given the sheer size of Bordeaux and the different grape varieties the reds are generally variable, but will mostly be drinking young. However, whites are superb!
2006: Cabernet Grapes struggled to ripen this year- but Merlot did just fine! Stick to the right bank- you won't go wrong!
2005: Across the board there was perfect growing conditions, which makes 2005 one of the best years in Bordeaux... until 2009! A little of topic, but early reports from 2009 vintage in Bordeaux suggest a great great year- for anyone looking to buy en primeur, now would be a good time!

So there you have Bordeaux, but what about Burgundy?

2007: Tricky growing conditions during the summer were saved by a good September. Slightly better than Bordeaux this year- but its because of the Pinot Noir Grape. These wines will be good for medium term.
2006: no complaints about this year- wines will tend to be fruity and forward! Monthelie reds are great value from this year!
2005: Again another great year in France- look out for Cotes De Nuits reds!

The Rhone!

2007: Brilliant brilliant- especially in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Northeren Rhone had a slightly more difficult time with it, but there are still some great wines to be had from this region!
2006: Produced rich balanced wines with generous fruit. Some age-Worthy reds from the Northern Rhone.
2005: Perfect year with conditions enabling rich, balanced wines to be produced in the North!

I know that's only 3 regions, but you get the general idea of how different wines can be form year to year. On a side note 2009 appears (in much the same way as 2005 did) to be a fantastic year across the board. We'll find out if it lives up to the hype in a couple of months- but for anyone looking to Buy en Primeur should expect to pay a pretty price...

Bacon and Cabbage with Wine!

2010-03-12T10:41:00.006Z

So its St Paddy's Day soon, and nothing says Ireland more than Bacon and Cabbage. But what wine would go best with this? Well the classic flavours are saltiness.... and cabbage... sooo you need something slightly sweet (to counter-act the saltiness), but also dry and crisp (so it can cut through the fatty nature of the meat). Also a third variable is the mash potatoes- lets be fair you can't have bacon and cabbage without mash potatoes! Its not so much the taste of the spuds, but rather its the texture. Mash potatoes have an awful way of drowning out the taste of wine- just because they are so big and heavy with that creamy texture. So creamy textures, Saltiness, and cabbage to do battle with when pairing a wine with this meal. Well lets think about this logically! Slightly sweet, Dry, Crisp, and big enough to cut through Mash Potatoes.... This is almost impossible! Most signs point towards a riesling, but i don't think they have the ability to compete with the spuds, and also they tend to be a little too sweet for what we're looking for. Pinot Grigio- too dry. Sauvignon- not sweet enough. Pinot Gris- not big enough.... Well there is one option left... But ye're not going to like it- Chardonnay... Un-oaked Chardonnay! Or as you may know it Chablis! Yes its perfect- without all those oaky characteristics, Chablis can be a crisp, big wine, with a touch of minerality that will go well with the cabbage!

Now for the difficult one... the red wine! Well the same principals apply- only instead of fighting the saltiness with sweetness, i may opt for spicy or peppery notes to bounce of the saltiness. What you do not want is anything too tannic, and what you want is something with ripe fruits. So pepper notes point us towards Shiraz or a Cotes Du Rhone... and these wines don't tend to be overly tannic. But i think something a little more medium bodied would suit better. So Grenache or Primitivo are our only options left!

As with any dish it depends on personal preferences- and given that this is a particularly difficult one to pair with, then it would be no surprise that i got it completely wrong! So if you've got any suggestions as to what works with your bacon and cabbage then feel free to comment below! Have a good Patrick's day!

The Communions are Coming!

2010-03-10T15:47:00.003Z

First off- the sun is incredible- spring is truly here and everyone seems to be waking up from that daze that people slip into over January and February! But what does march bring to us- well for those of you with kids, it probably means First communion.... which to its credit is always a great excuse for a party! So you've got to buy your kids their new clothes, send out the invitations, and arrange some sort of a gathering... well we're sorry to tell you we can't help much with the new clothes, or the invitations... but by way of gatherings, well then we can certainly help there. Now there are always one or two things to take into consideration when buying wine for a big party- and this stays true for weddings, birthdays, etc.

Number 1: Buy enough for everyone- you don't want to be the person who ran out of Pinot Grigio after the first hour and then have to go on a wine or beer run.

Number 2: Enough glasses at the ready- Wine out of a beer glass just doesn't seem right. You can rent the glasses from us if you need- just a 20 euro deposit is all we ask!

Number 3: Keep everyone happy, buy cutting down on their options- Good quality wines at affordable prices are not impossible to come by (just ask in store we have a function list of wines that are great and affordable). So if you find a general red and white- like tempranillo or merlot, and sauvignon or pinot grigio- at a good price then stick to one of each! You cut down on the variety in front of them, then they have little to compare it against, and that way you won't end up with everyone drinking all the Tempranillo and leaving you with all the Merlot, or Vice Versa!

Number 4: Stick with what you like- not everyone is an expert people just know what type of wines work for them- sample a few different wines yourself, and trust that what you like will be a crowd pleaser! We can guide you towards areas you might like and whats been popular at functions before- every palate is different, but all that means is people will appreciate a good the wine differently to you! But as Long as its being appreciated then your party is sure to be a success!

At the heart of its the kids day- and wine is important, but what could spell disaster for the day is to have kids hyped up on too much caffeine. Top Tip for the day- try our Belvoir Fruit Presses- they kids will like them, and anyone who isn't drinking alcohol will love the flavour! Ask in store about them! Anyways as I'm sure ye all know we have a load of different wines on offer at the moment from France, with some truly great deals to be had- so if you feel like putting a french spin on a communion, or any other party you'll be having, then feel free to come in and ask- or e mail us at Woodberrywines@eircom.net

Monthelie: Where the Hell is that?

2010-03-09T11:56:00.012Z

We all know Burgundy produces fabulous wines named after nearby villages, two of the more famous ones are; Volnay, the village that many consider the Côte de Beaune's most reliable source of red wines and Meursault a village that excels in the production of great whites! But 'who ever heard of Monthelie?' was a question i was asked over the weekend when describing a bottle of wine.

To explain where Montheile is, its worth noting that Burgundy like else where in France is terroir obsessed in fact they may be even more obsessed about land here than 'The Bull' was about his field! Anyway in Burgundy a mere few metres can determine whether your wine is grand cru classe or not, which means the wines can either be highly sought after but those from the vines next to them sit by waiting for a home for their day to come.

Why is this relative to Montelie?

Well this tiny village lies midway between its two more famous neighbours, mentioned above and has a fraction of their notoriety, because it's dismissed as being a little too far south for Pinot Noir and a little too far north for Chardonnay.

But it's a name worth getting to know, as its red wines - which make up this lion's share of its production - are widely regarded as offering fine value, relatively affordable if perhaps just a bit less elegant than Volnay, but at half the price!!! Burgundy like everywhere else produces great wines from standard Borgogne Class wines right up to the Grand Cru Class Vineyards and Villages, its worth checking out the different styles to see which ones you like!

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquestion

2010-03-08T18:38:00.016Z

Just when you thought we'd gone all francophile, with our french promotion up pops some truely great spanish gems, just like Monthy Phythons Spanish inquestion. Two of these great wines are from the Rioja Alta region, where the grapes are grown at high altitude and as a result the wines from this area tend to be more lighter on the palate, and possess greater Finesse than those from the other Regions in Rioja. The other is a fabulous organic crianza made from 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano, one that will brighten up our ever longer evenings this spring.

Vino Los Valles Organic 70+30 Crianza 2005 €13.95

A combination of 70% Tempranillo and 30% Graciano. The grapes are hand-picked from vineyards with an average age of over 25 years. Cherry red colour with violet hues around the rim. Subtle notes of ripe red fruits, with elegant spicy nuances, reminding of leather. Powerful in the mouth, rounded, a balanced aged bouquet, good acidity, smooth, creamy and meaty. The finish is long, noble, with hints of spice and is well-balanced.

La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva 2003 €19.95

Bright cherry red, with a medium robe and light pinkish highlights in the glass. Intense, very fresh aroma, with hints of wild strawberries and sweet raspberries, perfectly assembled with balsamic hints of cinnamon, roasting, coconut and vanilla. Round and well-bodied to the palate, slightly acid and therefore lively. Smooth, silky tannins, thanks to perfectly ripened grapes and ageing in the cask. Good, slightly acid and fresh after-taste.

La Rioja Alta Vina Ardanza Reserva 2000 €29.95

Medium-high cherry red robe, with orange tinted tones on the edge of the glass, clear and brilliant. Intense and complex to the nose. Wild berry aromas predominate, blended with hints of coconut, cinnamon, tobacco and leather. Full-bodied and well structured to the palate, with silky and enveloping tannins. Long after-taste acquired from its lengthy time in bottle, where its elegant bouquet gains in intensity. This wine continues to evolve without losing its traditional qualities

The Four Personalities of France- Part3: Bordeaux

2010-03-03T15:30:00.001Z

Bordeaux- probably the most recognizable name in the wine world today! And it has been for so many years! but is this reputation based on anything or is it just all a question of hype? Well lets have a look at the region itself- actually not as easy as it sounds, because it has a lot going on, it actually produces more wine then all of Australia... First thing you should know is the Grape varieties. The permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec- with me so far? Now because the region is kinda divided by a river- the Gironde- The Wine makers in Bordeaux have come to the conclusion that certain grapes do better on one side than the other... So now we have left bank and right bank wines. The left bank focus their wine making prowess on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot and Cabernet Franc playing second fiddle. The right bank swaps it around a Little with both Merlot and Cabernet Frank being the Principal grapes and Cabernet Sauvignon playing second fiddle this time! Petit Verdot and Malbec are merely considered flavouring on both sides of the river.

But whats the point of all these varieties? Well its kinda for insurance. All those varieties flower and ripen at different times and if a couple of bad days in June prevents the Cabernet Suavignon from ripening fully then its good to have something to give it that extra little bit. That's why most Vineyards will plant most, if not all, of these varieties.

So it should come as no surprise that not all Bordeaux wine is the greatest wine in the world- and if it does then I'm sorry to be the one who broke the news to you... But having said that they do produce some pretty good wine- the problem, however, is how to spot the really good wine. Well the French recognized this problem too. And in response, what they decided to do was have a classification system divided into First Growths, Second Growths, and so on, and so on.... Brilliant, it made perfect sense- just one tiny problem! It was introduced in 1855... and I don't think its too out of line to say one or two things have changed SIGNIFICANTLY in the last decade and a half! They really need to fix this system up- I mean all credit to them for coming up with a classification system in the first place- but are they serious? they can't honestly expect one vineyard to ALWAYS be better than another one, just because it was back in 1855, can they? Now in fairness to the French the First growths they picked are all pretty good- located on the best soils in the best possible regions... But come on! In recent years we have seen the emergence of the microchateau, some of these wines will fetch even more than a First Growth Medoc. Now because Bordeaux is so confusing and annoying, like the rest of France, I'll be doing a region by region blog series on France over the coming weeks (partly because France really is a minefield, but also because our French sale starts today!) But until then we'll have to give ye something to go by- and hence the whole personality thing! Now because Bordeaux has Left Bank Vs Right Bank we'll have to pick to pretty similar personalities... Its obvious really- Its Batman and Superman!

The left bank with its Cabernet Sauvignon generally combines both the fruitiness of cassis with the firmness of tannins- its basically an Iron fist in a Velvet Glove- Clearly the Superman of the two! Sheer brute strength with out any of the gadgets or stealth... but still gets the job done pretty well. The right bank, with all that merlot and Cabernet Franc, then tends to be rounder and less tannic. Focusing more on Cherries and raspberries instead of cassis- So how is the Right Bank like Batman? Well just like Batman has Robin, Merlot has Cabernet Franc. Also he is a much more stealthier, sophisticated superhero than superman- but still able to bust heads when he needs to! Both left and Right bank wines will tend to require food with them when they are younger- but both will reward after a couple of years ageing!

For the Chocolate and Wine Lovers!

2010-03-02T15:22:00.004Z

Recently we did a blog on Chateau La Gatte's new business venture, chocolates mixed with wine! Well they are incredible- and If you don't believe me, well then come into us and mention this blog and we'll be more than happy to share a taster with you! So whats the point if you already did a blog on them? Well when i strolled into work today i read a review of them online (be getting to taht in a while) but it got me thinking about what would be the best wine to pair with chocolate....

But now to the review of Chateau La Gatte's Chocolates! Well the basics of them is they are made using 72% cocoa Fair Trade and Rainforest Alliance Belgium Chocolate, with a red wine filling made from Chateau La Gatte's Bordeaux Wine- 80% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon! There the Facts but what caught my eye was the reviews final Paragraph:

"I really can't speak too highly of these chocolates. If you're looking for an adult, but fruity chocolate experience, I've not tasted any better this year. They're also perfect for these dark nights to snuggle up on the sofa and work along them. In Summer I'm sure they'd also be great to munch in the garden watching the sun go down."

Is that not the best review ever? And whats even better is Michael Affatato left a comment saying thank you... Now thats classy, and just shows the spirit these Chocolates, and indeed the wines of Chateau La Gatte, are made in!

But back to what makes wine and chocolate a good pairing. Well ususally you just have one variable when pairing food with wine- and thats the wine. But now we've got 2 variables- because there are several different types of chocolate.... It actually isn't as bad as it sounds- we'll just divide them up into white chocolate, milk chocolate, and dark chcocolate!

White Chocolate:

Well white chocolate is pretty sweet, and very creamy! So something sweet and dry would be a good match- like cherry! But if you wanted to take this another direction, you could go with something big and full bodied- like a zinfandel with its rich red fruits, and tannins- what would actually happen is the Creaminess of the white chocolate would round out the tannins and smooth out the wine! Its actually a really great combination!

Milk Chocolate:

Alright so Milk Chocolate- firmly inbetween the other two extremes, yet in no way to be concidered anything but delicious in comparisson to them. Its got to be something medium bodied, yet with its own exuberance that can match the Milk Chocolate! Well then its Pinot Noir!

Dark Chocolate:

Oh well a big Chocolate needs a big wine- simple! The wine should even have a touch of Chocolate itself- Now the true test of who's been following my Blogs... Well if you have then you'll know all about how good the Eternum Viti is from the Toro region in Spain! And for a dark chocolate you're not going to go too far wrong with Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Shiraz, basically all the big guns!

The Four Personalities of France- Part 2: Cotes Du Rhone

2010-02-27T14:32:00.006Z

The Cotes Du Rhone- not to be confused with the South African Wine, The Goats do Roam! The primary grapes used in Cotes Du Rhone (if you remember my uber blog on Australia) are Syrah, Carignan, Mouvoudre, and several other grape varieties. Interesting fact about the Cotes Du Rhone- back in the 18th century or so the king from that region insisted that wines from that region be labelled CDR in order to guarantee that those wines were from that region and therefore of high quality... and that's were the French Appellation Controllee system originated from! Wines from this region are generally quite full-bodied, but with silky smooth tannins- which makes them very drinkable! Hmmm a mix of brawn and smoothness.... its got to be James Bond! And its Sean Connery bond- not Roger Moore, or Pierce Brosnan, and definitely not Daniel Craig! Not that I have any problems with the other Bonds- its just Sean Connery was the man!

Now I'm not Suggesting James Bond drank anything but vodka martini's... but if he was to drink something else- when then it would have to be a Cotes Du Rhone, and not just any CDR but the big dog of all the CDR... that's right- he'd be drinking the Chateaeu Neuf Du Pape... neither shakin nor stirred!It translates as the Popes new house- comes from when there was popes ruling in Avignon... Out of all the regions in France Chateau Neuf Du Pape is probably one of the more interesting. They allow roughly 18 grape varieties to be put into wine- and there is no regulations about which grape varieties belong in a particular blend. Red varieties allowed are Cinsaut, Counoise, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Piquepoul Noir, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse (Brun Argenté). White and pink varieties are Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanche, Clairette Rose, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Picardan, Piquepoul Blanc, Piquepoul Gris, and Roussanne. But there is only one vineyard that grows all of these grapes and utilizes them regularly- Chateau De Beaucastel. So how exactly are they like Sean Connery/James Bond? Well when they're young they are generally tough and tannic... but as they age they smooth out- but keep their spicy edge!

The Four Personalities of France- Part 1: Burgundy

2010-02-26T14:21:00.008Z

At this stage I'm sure everyones sick of hearing about it, but when you talk about French wine... you're not really left with much option but to mention it. I am of course talking about the all important terroir! Now for me terroir is a bit like personality- Everyone's is different! So what personality would Burgundy have? Well Burgundy is a tricky one... because you've not only got some truly great Pinot Noir's, but you also have a brilliant white-Chablis! So one person isn't goin to cut this with regards to Burgundy- for this we need a Hollywood Couple... but who could it be? What couple could represent the smooth, self-indulgent personality of the Pinot Noir Grape, and also the voluptuous nature of Chablis???

Thinking...
Thinking...
Thinking.....

Ive got it!!!!

Yes he may be old, and she may be not a particularly good actor- but that does not mean they don't fit the bill perfectly when thinking about Burgundy. Michael Douglas in Wall Street- and intense, feisty, pitbull, wraped up in his comfortable Millionaire lifestyle... A bit like Pinot Noir which is difficult to cultivate and grow, but when its battled its way to the top, its the Pinot's elgeance and Finnesse which shines through! And as for the Chardonnay... I mean Chablis... (for anyone who doesn't know, and all those people who think they don't like Chardonnay but love Chablis... they're actually the same thing!) She may not be a good actress, and she may be way too hot for Michael Douglas- but its the fact that her and Michael Douglas are polar opposites that makes them the perfect choice for this! Think about it- the nice refined Pinot Noir reds, counter-balnced by the Big voluptuos Chablis!

Now a bit of general info on Burgundy- Reds use mostly Pinot Noir, but Fleurie, and Brouilly use Gamay which is a very very light Grape. So light in fact that it can even be chilled for about 20 minutes! The reds are like the anti-Bordeaux! The Pinot Noir is very expressive and full of flavour- but nowhere near as full-bodies as Bordeauxs! Now the whites are Chardonnay... sorry to break it to you... but they are! Now their one saving grace is the fact that about 99% of Whites from Chablis are unoaked! Which explains why they do not have that butteryness or vanilla notes that so often get associated with Chardonnay! So for future reference its not the Chardonnay ye hate- its the Oak!

An Introduction to Australian Wine: Part 2

2010-02-24T18:27:00.014Z

BLOG 100!!! Now, after part 1, I think is the perfect time to look at the different regions within Australia. Now depending on what you’re looking for, Australia has a region for it. For example I want a really big peppery Shiraz, well then I go to the Barrossa Valley, maybe I want a much more refined ripe fruit Shiraz… well then I simply leave Barrossa and head over to the Clare Valley or Maclaren Vale! I know it doesn’t really make much sense- if I’m honest I don’t really have a full grasp on it yet either. All I know is that different grapes need different elements… but at the heart of it all- they all require a long time to ripen, that way they are more infused with flavour. Which makes sense- think about it, if something grows too quickly its going to miss out on a lot of stuff. So its down to the Wine maker to pick a region that will help grapes ripen slowly but surely. One of the best ways to do this to have a diurnal climate… basically meaning warm days and cool night. I know it’s a bit confusing, but trust me I’ve been reading a lot about it, and essentially that’s one of the main keys to growing grapes. Also soil matters- but that’s a whole can of worms that really doesn’t need to be opened at this point… So below we get a tiny bit technical… I know, I know, but it really was unavoidable- there’s only so long I can waffle on, before I have to give ye some useful information- but what I said in Part1 remains true, I’ll try and keep it as easy as possible!

Clare valley:

The Clare valley is unique to Australia with its cool nights and hot summer days, which ensures the fruit ripens slower and more evenly than elsewhere (seeeee diurnal climate… told you!). The Clare Valley is unique for its abundance of eucalyptus trees, which fill red wines- such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz- with a touch of mint. I know- relax, for some reason the word mint terrifies people when it comes to Clare Valley Cabernets… But trust me when they’re done correctly Clare Valley wines stamp their authority as some of the most special wines in the world- even with the mint! Honestly try some of them- a good example of top quality Clare Valley wine is the O’Leary-Walker Cabernet Sauvignon!

McLaren Vale:

Comprised of many different “terroirs”, the McLaren Vale offers an array of different wines- each giving distinction to the wines produced in this area. McLaren Vale Shiraz displays pronounced berry and spice characters with some dark chocolate and liquorice, while Shiraz from cooler sub-regions exhibits defined ripe raspberry characters. McLaren Vale Shiraz is renowned for its great softness and rolling palate.

Southern Flinders:

Located north of the Clare Valley, Southern Flinders receives a large amount of Sunshine. However, this sunshine is tempered by virtue of the fact that the region is elevated which serves to keep it cool, and therefore the grapes ripen earlier than in the neighbouring Clare Valley. Southern Flinders is capable of creating great reds in Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon- however, like other regions in Australia its best known for its Shiraz’s.

Coonawarra:

Coonawarra is synonymous with classy Cabernet Sauvignon, full of plum and blackcurrant fruit. So much so, that successes with other grape varieties is overlooked. The limestone geology also suits Chardonnay and Riesling, but with Cabernets like these there is little need to look too far afield.

Barossa:

The Barossa Valley is best known for its Shiraz. Australia's, and some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines still live on in the Barossa from low yielding dry grown bush vines that produce highly concentrated, lush, complex, rich, intense, and full-bodied wines. Softened by some oak and resplendent with juicy berry fruit, dark bitter chocolate and slight minty characteristics, Barossa Shiraz is renowned throughout the world as one of the best. Barossan Shiraz’s may have been on the map for a while but now they are also turning their hand the white variety- Viognier.

Eden Valley:

The Eden Valley wine region includes the High Eden sub-region and is known for its rockier, more acidic soil than the neighboring Barossa Valley. The area has a higher elevation, and thus has a colder, wetter climate. The Eden Valley is home to the Hill of Grace vineyard with its 130+ year old Shiraz vines that are behind the world renowned Henschke Hill of Grace wine. The Eden Valley has also gained international attention for its limestone noted Rieslings.

Margaret River:

The climate of Margaret River is more strongly maritime-influenced than any other major Australian region. The low diurnal and seasonal temperature range means an unusually even accumulation of warmth. Basically the climate is similar to that of Bordeaux in a dry vintage. Interesting fact about Margaret River… the region produces just three percent of total Australian grape production, but it produces over 20 percent of Australia's premium wine market. The principal grape varieties are fairly evenly split between red and white; Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Merlot.

Victoria:

As diverse as they come. With over 600 wineries, Victoria has more wine producers than any other Australian wine-producing state but ranks third in overall wine production due to the lack of mass bulk wine-production. The style of wine ranges from full body red wine to dry white’s.

Adelaide Hills:

Boasting a much cooler climate than other prominent Australian regions, Adelaide Hills is the perfect Region for Sauvignon Blanc, Cool Crisp Chadonnay, and also Pinot Noir. The cool days and nights suit the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also its clay soil retains enough water to prevent either from becoming overly Jammy. Now I Know I talked a lot about Shiraz- even told you it was in my top 5, but I think Pinot Noir would have to be my favourite red! I love the subtlty of it and how a good one will always surprise you, and that’s exactly what the O’Leary-Walker wine does. Its Silky Smooth with a slight touch of Spice on the palate! Also for all those People who hate Chardonnay… try their Adleaide hills Chardonnay. The biggest problem with Chardonnay is how oaked it is- but the oak can be brilliant… if its done right! Now O’Leary-Walker wines are not ones to do things by half measures- AT ALL! This Chardonnay will get you lookin differently at the grape!

Phew! Congratulations to those who read all that, and for those who just skipped to this part well at least now you know where to find the info you’re looking for! Ok so one wine producer we have to talk about is O’Leary- Walker. Its two guys- David O’Leary and Nick Walker. Why do we have to talk about them? Because they produce ridiculously good wines- seriously any style you are looking for they’ve got a wine for you! But also because they did just win a load of awards… they put the win in wine... (pause for laughter). What they won was a 5 star rating from james Halliday- a well respected wine critic in Australia... now this score is only possible for a winery that regularly produces outstanding wines of quality and typicity. Which is why we’ve got a load of their wines on special offer at the moment- so if you are looking to develop a love of wine, or if you’re looking to increase your love with wine, then Australia is one of the First steps to take in accomplishing this! Now our promotion on these O'Leary Walker wines will be ending this saturday... I know I know, but all good things come to an end... Below i will be putting some info on each of the wines, so have a read and also if anyone feels like joining our e mail list(we send one out every week with a list of whats on special offer) simp

An Introduction to Australian Wine- Part1

2010-02-24T17:57:00.007Z

Maybe its coincidence, it could even be something far beyond anyone's understanding but the way it has worked out... our 99th and 100th blogs are going to be the longest yet! Don't say we don't spoil ye. Now... From the get go- DO NOT FEAR!! This will be kept as easy as possible, wine can be a surprisingly easy thing to come to terms with- once you know where to start! For me it was starting working here- I’m sure all of our regular customers will remember the terrified look in my eyes every time someone came, I was like a deer caught in the headlights petrified in case they asked me something which I would have no clue how to answer. Now I’m not saying I’m an expert at this stage, so so so so far from it, but the easiest way I found was to just pick a country, try some wines from the different regions (it doesn’t matter if you have a developed palate or not), and see what I liked myself. After all at the end of the day when you know what you like you can take it from there. So for the sake of these AWESOME blogs we’ll be focussing on Australia- and why wouldn’t we? With a history of amazing movies like Crocodile Dundee, and incredible facts like In 1954 Bob Hawke made it into the Guinness Record Book for sculling 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds. Bob Hawke went on to become the Prime Minister of Australia. How could you not love this country?

Australia is brilliant, so many different regions, so many different types of wine, and so many winemakers (one in particular, O’Leary-Walker, who we will be talking about a lot!) who are willing to try out new techniques. It really does encompass a lot of styles, and the Australians do not shy away from taking on the old world at their own game. The main grape variety in Australia is Shiraz, sometimes you will see it written as Syrah, but they are essentially the same thing. Now one little argument which I think should be laid to rest, at this stage, is the origins of the word Shiraz… Yes I know there is a place in Iran called Shiraz too and therefore the grape has to come from there! I’m afraid that’s all just a coincidence, a pretty freaky one I might add- what the hell are the chances? But, yes from what I’ve read there is no evidence at all that that’s where it comes from. It’s more likely that the main reason behind the differences between the two words is down to good old English mispronunciation… Don’t believe me? Well look at the word whiskey…. Came from the Irish Fuisce Beatha (one of a few Irish words to enter the English language…). So it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Syrah was mispronounced Shiraz- Long story short Syrah and Shiraz are the same thing!

Now Shiraz is a great grape- easily in my top 5! And what makes it so good? I hear you call… Well as I talked about at a great length above, the grape is popular in France, particularly the Cotes Du Rhone, where it goes by the name Syrah. It is one of the more important ingredients when making a top notch Châteneuf-du-Pape. So Syrah/Shiraz was takin from france in 1832 by James Busby- clearly a fan of wine but much more known for all the stuff he did for New Zealand… maybe they should have called him James BUSY…. Cause of the wine… and the stuff with New Zealand… anyyywayyssss…. Aren’t we all glad that he did bring it with him, because around the 1970’s the Australians were getting pretty thirsty (like our little squirrel friend here!)- and more than anything else they wanted a nice big full-bodied red, that would quench this insatiable thirst. So of course they turned to Shiraz. It took off in a big way; all those vines that had been left lying around sine Busby’s time were now producing some of the greatest wines the Australian’s had ever tasted. But this wasn’t enough! They looked back to the old world, at what France were doing and they started creating some classic Côtes-du-Rhône blends. The possibilities were limitless now- Shiraz and Viognier were a triumph together, Grenache-Shiraz-Mourvèdre (GSM) Brilliant! Yes the Shiraz Grape really won the affections of the Australians, but the key to it being so popular in Australia was not its dependability…. On the contrary it was how different it would be between the regions. The Australians had this brilliant Full bodied Grape- but whats more they had variety like no other country could have in the world! Shiraz produces wines with a wide range of flavour notes, depending on the climate and soils where it is grown, as well as other viticultural practices chosen. Aroma characters can range from violets to berries (usually dark as opposed to red), chocolate, espresso and black pepper. No one aroma can be called "typical" but generally blackberry and pepper are the most pronounced. But at the heart of all this success the Austrlians had, not just with Shiraz but with other grape varieties too, there was one defining atttribute which set them apart from the old world- basically it was the lack of rules and regulations. Most if not all the old world regions have a fixed set of rules which determines what grapes are to be grown and where- France with their AOC, Spain with its DOC, Italy with their DOCG’S, and while these do ensure a certain level of quality… they confine producers to an old way of wine making. But in Australia those rules don’t exist- it’s a playground for winemakers. Look at the O’Leary-Walker Shiraz. They take 70% of their Shiraz grapes from the Clare valley, and the other 30% from the McLaren vale- and because of this blend you get a shiraz which is truly unique to not only to O’Leary-Walker wines, but also Australia! Now in the next Blog we will be going a little more in depth with regards Regions (it'll be better than it sounds trust me!) which are really important for anyone looking to further their knowledge of wine!

Que? Reserva? Que?

2010-02-24T10:54:00.007Z

In Yesterdays post I mention very breifly the subject of the word Reserve or Reserva on wine labels. Now the assumption we all make when we see this word and the accompaning price increase is that the quality of the wine must have increased and in many cases it will have however there are no rules governing the labeling of Reserve and Reserva wines, with one notable exception Spain. The Spanish are particularly ruthless in their labeling of wines as reserva and gran reserva, with a long established system. I know not what you thinking when you see Manuel in Fawlty Towers, yet its true. The Spanish system varies slightly from region to region but the basics remain the same.

Joven sees absolutely no oak at all. Joven means young and the style of the wine is fresh and fruity.
Crianza must be aged for a minimum of one year in oak barrel and at least one year in bottle before release
Reserva must be aged a minimum of three years in barrel and bottle with at least one which must be in oak;
Gran Reserva has to be aged for a minimum of five years, a minimum of two years in oak followed by the remaining years in bottle before release.

The Spanish are so serious about this system that even if the producer doesn't display the level of aging of the bottle ( a very rare and unlikely occurrence), that the authories will, next time you have a Rioja or Ribera del Duero wine look at the back of the bottle for the Government Seal, a hologram which tells you the region from which the wine came and the aging, they are even colour coded. And we think the Germans are crazy about rules, well maybe their labels are so complicated you need a code book to crack them.

Old Enough to Drink: Old Vines

2010-02-23T11:23:00.005Z

Many bottles of wine particulary from Australia and France have the short phrase 'Old vines' or 'vieilles vignes' on the label, this is to let us know that the vines from which the wine has been produced are consider of an Old age, the problem is, that in general, there are no real rules about how old vines must be to be called Old Vines. This is similar to the problem with calling a wine reserve, which with the exception of Spain, also does not have any real guidelines. But why bother with adding this information is it just another line to bamboozle wine drinkers or is their an actual reason for it. Well yes their is a belief that becuase older vines yeild less fruit the flavours and expressions of terrior will be greater. But the question of how old is old no rears itself again.

If most people had to guess as to where the oldest vines are, we would naturally say france however we'd be wrong, most of French and indeed other European vines where destroyed by that most devious of bugs Phylloxera (if what they did wasn't bad enough, their name is hard enough to pronounce with out feeling like you made it up, "fill-oxer-a"). Any way back to the old vines some of the recognised oldest vines still used in production are in the Barossa Valley in Australia, and there would be more if during the 80s the Aussies hadn't ripped them up to plant fruit!

Now the Aussies appreciate their Old Vines and in the The Barossa they have established their own classification based on vine age. A specific name applies to the vines based on their age:

Old vine: 35 years or older
Survivor vine: 70 years or older
Centurion vine: 100 years or older
Ancestor vine: 125 years or older

So next time you open a bottle with Old vines on the label consider the fact that those vines maybe older than you!!

Terroir V.S Regionality

2010-02-22T18:10:00.007Z

It seems only fitting to follow up the last post on terroir, with an fine example of Australian Terroir, because it's not just the French, much as they would have you think so, that have terroir. In Australia they jsut tend to call it regionality. Both idea accept that wineproduced in differnet climates within one country can show differnt aromas and flavours, the Aussies however are slightly more generous when it comes to letting you know whats in the bottle, and where the wine is from.

The Clare Valley is Australia's premier riesling producing region, although it is only the third most planted the region after Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Riesling loves diurnal temperature changes, ie, warm days and cool nights, the Clare Valley is perfectly suited to this. Clare valley riesling is approachable when young but still delicous when ten or twelve years old, a real gem when one considers many whites fade after a year. Another great example of Regionality from Clare is Cabernet Sauvignon, oddly the most planted red in the area, Clare Valley Cabernet has a has a wonderful mint and euculyptus edge which is indicative of all Clare Valley reds. O'Leary Walker do both a Clare Valley Riesling from the sub-region of Watervale and a straight up cabernet from Clare, both of which demonstrate these terroir expressions in full.

Terroir...rific?

2010-02-19T12:37:00.006Z

Yes Yes this Blog will be focusing on that brilliant little word the French coined- Terroir! Even just saying aloud fills me with a sense of knowing exactly what I'm talking about! If you ever want to impress someone, try saying it about the wine you're drinking, ie- oh my you can really taste the terroir from this wine OR mmmm this wine is really infused with its terroir, but this is the most important part- you have to say it in your most pompous french accent, otherwise whats the point? There's a very strong chance they won't know what you're talking about, but should they ask won't you be glad you read this Blog! So the word itself was coined in an attempt to account for the subtle differences between the varying regions, within France. Basically the french see the wine they produce as an expression of the area- they aren't just making Pinot Noir, they're making a wine with a grape that best exudes the sense of Burgundy. And because of this that's why French wines don't put the grape on the bottle- because as far as they're concerned its not about the grape, its all about the region! Its because of this idea that the region is whats important, and not necessarily the grape, that the french Apellation Controle system came about- a unique region will have a unique wine that cannot be replicated! So at this point it would only be natural to assume that french view the wine making process as entirely up to nature... wrong, in fact the wine maker can do certain things which will bring out or suppress the terroir. For example things like flood irrigation, or excessive oak aging would kill the terroir, whereas pruning so that they get low yields or using old vines are all things that would enhance the terroir in the wine. Basically land has always been viewed as something that had to be works in order to get the best results from it- the idea behind a terroir is that it has to be worked WITH in order to get the best unique product from it!

Hurtle V Champagne

2010-02-17T15:23:00.006Z

So in honour of O'Leary-Walker wines wining a load of awards we've decided to put them on promotion! Now i know a lot of you will have tried most, if not all, of the O'Leary Walker wines- but one which may have eluded you is the Hurtle. The Hurtle is a Sparkling Wine made in the Classic Champagne way- so I thought it fitting to do up a blog on Champagne!

First bit of interesting information about Champagne- it became popular because of its association with the anointment of French Kings, so it then became associated with Luxury and Power. All this coincided with the emergence of a middle class, which had a bit of money to spend and wanted to show this fact off- So they bought a lot of the Sparkling Stuff! So that's your History lesson for today... but its important when you realise that Champagne's price tag comes pretty much from the word Champagne... Now I don't know about you but if i have any money nowadays I'm not spending it on fancy pancy status symbols like Champagne... but every now and then the fancy pancy Pop of a Sparkling wine is needed- which brings us on nicely to the Hurtle! Its called the Hurtle because Nick Walker's Grandfather Hurtle Walker was revered as one of the best producers of Sparkling Wine- ergo its only fitting that this Sparkling Wine be named after him!

So I know you are all dying to know what is the traditional Champagne method... well basically after the first fermentation takes place- its bottled and a bit of yeast is added to so a second fermentation happens. This is where the Bubbles come from. Apparently it takes 1 and a half years for all the flavours to come through in the Champagne. So what they just put it in the bottle, leave it for a year and a half, slap a huge price tag on it... easy! WRONG! One man is actually responsible for turning the bottles a fraction each day so the yeast doesn't settle... so a lot of Love goes into that Sparkling Stuff!

Ohhhhhh'Leary-walker!

2010-02-16T12:09:00.007Z

Every now and then certain things happen which allows us to be pretty smug on this Blog- like the Eternum Viti from Toro winning best value under €15! Or as is the case here the wines of O'Leary-Walker winning a bucket load of awards! If you don't believe us just take a stroll by the shop we've got all the articles up in the window- don't believe the articles then try some of the wines and see what all the fuss is about! They Started their Winery in 2001 with a simple Philosophy-source the best grapes from the best Vineyards and therefore make the best wines....

Best Grapes+Best Vineyards=Best Wines!

Ya I can see how that works so well for them... So for anyone who follows the Blog (all the millions of ye...) Ye will know that James Halliday gave them 5 stars out of 5 stars- pretty good once you realise the requirements to get such an award (here's the link to our own blog on this...). So they couldn't simply be an overnight success by taking the best fruit, from the best regions, to make the best wine. On the contrary both worked at several different vineyards in Australia producing great wines until they got bored of their success- and decided instead to start producing for themselves... They are essentially living the dream- doing what they love to do, and doing it better than everyone else. So you see we're not the only ones who get to be smug over their success- they can be pretty smug about it too!

Appelation Sensation: Combining Chocolate and Wine

2010-02-09T17:54:00.006Z

Now their are many of us out there who enjoy a nice glass of red wine and chocolate, it is one of the top food wine combinations. If you haven't tried it then- my god- get out there and get some nice chocolate, the darker the better and a nice full bodied red. Two great wines to try with dark chocolate are the Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot and Spain's own Eternum Viti from Toro, and both could be worth a go this weekend when trying to impress your Valentine. But the king of this combination is undoubtedly Recioto della Valpolicella from Italy, one word describes the combination of dark chocolate with Recioto, Divine.

But a husband and wife wine making team based in Bordeaux, France have taken the wine chocolate combination a step further, and created Appelation Sensations. Which brings us wine-filled chocolates. Appellation Sensations does two variations on this theme. Their all-natural dark chocolates (shown here) are 72 percent cacao and filled with red Bordeaux estate wine. The perfect gift this Valentines maybe??

Sparkling Rose!

2010-02-09T13:03:00.003Z

Christmas is well and truly over, the ice has melted and now spring is so close to being upon us- but we've got one last thing to celebrate.... Valentines Day! So if your Christmas gift to that special someone wasn't quite up to par this year then this is your chance to redeem yourself! Now nothing says Romance quite like a Sparkling wine, and Nothing says Valentines day like the colour pink....

Sparkling Wine+Colour Pink= Sparkling Rose

BINGO! Problem solved just crack a bottle of Sparkling Rose and your sure to impress... provided you don't hit them with cork when it opens.... or else a Valentines in casualty would not be easily forgiven... So here's how to open the perfect bottle of Sparkling Wine- remove the wire mesh around the top (carefully though its not unusual for the cork to fly off once the wire is gone...). Tilt the Bottle away from everyone holding it with one hand around the fat part of the bottle, and the other on the cork. Now while holding the cork twist the bottle with the hand around the fat part- resist the urge to yank the cork out!!! Now if you successfully do this then You will be well on your way to having a great Valentines- as opposed to shaking the bottle like a formula 1 driver, and letting the cork fly off to hit your loved one right between the eyes... Unless you want to get dumped this Valentines- then go right ahead!

Climate and Wine

2010-02-08T17:05:00.004Z

So having finished a couple of Blogs on some of the major regions in Australia and New Zealand one thing is obvious.... Climate is one of the most important factors when it comes to Grape Growing. But what are the factors that dictate what grapes do well and where? Well if you google climate and wine most of the results relate to climate change and how it will affect grape growing... claims of Germany becoming the major region for nice reds, Burgundy will start growing syrah, and the best Sparkling wines come from surrey in South England not Champagne... may someday become true, but as long as wine is being produced somewhere then we'll be OK! By the looks of it scientists actually think Wine regions will be pushed more to the Polls, so we could see appelation Norway controlle someday.So with all these wine producers being forced to look further afield what are the key elements they will be looking for in their new wine regions? Well temperature is the most important climatic element- obviously- so our wine producers will be looking for a nice sunny destination! Grapes need roughly 1,400 hours of sunlight throughout the year to ripen properly, and fill them with natural sugars. Now the longer the grapes take to ripen the better because then they are full of flavour. So they've got the sunshine, and the grapes are growing well but they need to be slowed down... What else do our wine growers need to ensure high quality wine? Fog! Fog will moderate the temperatures in the Vineyard- it will cool the warm days, and warm up those cold nights and mornings. And that's why places located close to the ocean or on high altitudes are so good for our much loved grapes. One more major thing to consider is Rainfall- too much of this and it will dilute the sugars in the grapes, and kill of the flavour... but because soil types are also very important (maybe soil types will be my next blog....) they can help out if a region is getting too much or too little rain- like Nelson in New Zealand, doesn't get a whole of rain, but they clay soil retains water so it kinda balances things out! But essentially Vines need no less than 22 annual inches of rain for them to survive. So lets have a look- 1,400 hours of sunlight, some fog, and rain (but not too much...) Well that really rules Ireland out of ever being a major wine producing region... Even if this Climate change thing takes off!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Hawkes Bay

2010-02-05T14:18:00.001Z

Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokai
whenuakitanatahu.... In Maori it means "The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one." And why is this important? well (this is one for the pub quizes....) it is the longest place name in the english language! And it is located in Hawkes Bay- the north island just got a lot cooler! But more importantly back to the wine- Hawkes Bay is not like the other regions we have focussed on- basically Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. Hawkes Bay accounts for more than 80% of New Zealands plantings of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah grapes. Hawkes Bay's succes in these big red wines is in part to its diversity of soil types and climates.
Hawkes bay not only enjoys being able to boast the longest place name in the english language, it also boasts long sunshine hours, low precipitation, and a long ripening season. Now for a fickle grape like Pinot Noir this would be horrible.... but for late ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon or Riesling this is perfect. In fact its 100% different to the other regions I've talked about so far. But all this serves to highlight is that during our 20% off sale on New Zealand wines today and tomorrow- You're going to find something you like!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Nelson

2010-02-04T14:03:00.005Z

I know I know another south island wine region but trust me, just like the others this one doesn't disappoint. It lies just to the west of Marlborough... and therefore has a pretty similar climate... except because the mountains lie to the east of the region they have a bit more shelter from the rain than marlborough does Which is great if you live there, but all this means is that the soil used for planting grapes- in particular Pinot Noir- need to be mostly Clay type. Basically the advantage to clay- especially in a climate that doesn't get much rain- is it retains water much better than other types of soil. And this is perfect for grapes like pinot noir which need to remain ripe and moist otherwise they shrivel up, which gives them a real jammy taste. Which just goes to show how temperamental a grape pinot noir is- but when you get a good one its 100% worth it!

Now, in store anyways, one of our favourite producers from Nelson is Greenhouogh. The great thing about Greenhough wineries is their dedication to producing the best possible wines- now not as extreme as muddy water in waipara, but still pretty dedicated! Just like the other regions I could talk endlessly about the Sauvignon that comes from here- but to be honest it only differs slightly from Marlborough. But what nelson is also great for (especially Greenhough) is richly textured and buttery Chardonnay, and also dense and quite spicy Pinot Noir's.

Region by Region- New Zealand: Waipara

2010-02-03T12:34:00.006Z

Alright so first off the important stuff! We have decided that for New Zealand day we will be giving 20% of all New Zealand wines for Friday the 5th and Saturday the 6th of February! So you can load up on all the Marlborough Sauvignon, or Waipara Pinot Noirs you want- in fact it would be a good idea to do this! But back to the Business at hand today- Waipara! Waipara is located south of Marlborough but still has the cool coastal climate like Marlborough. However, unlike Marlborough their main focus is on the Pinot Noir Grape- which is actually my favourite Grape! As a region they're very young- just 20 years old... Which is brilliant when you see the style of wines they are producing. The wines from this region posses a deceptive lightness when you view them in the glass- almost like a rose! But on the palate they come to life with some of the richest red fruit flavours. They are absolutely incredible wines- and well worth a try for any Pinot Lover!
So what else has Waipara got to offer- for the people who don't like Pinot Noir all that much. Well Marlbrough may be the benchmark when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc but that doesn't stop Waipara from trying their hand at it... One vineyard that is doing well is Muddy Water (actually the literal translation of the maori Waipara not to be confused with the america blues artist muddy waters...). The first grapes from this vineyard were planted in 1993 and first bottle came out in 1997, so in 4 short years they accomplished what generations have tried to. Whats their secret? Well simply they're producing wines of quality not simply for profit... they are so dedicated to achieving the highest possible standard that the year before last the chief wine maker Belinda Gould didn't feel like the grapes were up to scratch so rather than have a bad vintage which would tarnish the name of their vineyard the opted to scrap the lot! Costing them a lot of money, but to produce a great wine you have to be able to stand behind every vintage! We carry a lot of wines from Muddy Water and i could talk about them all endlessly but with 20% off them this weekend I'm sure it would be much more fun to try them yourself!

Region by Region- New Zealand: Marlborough

2010-02-02T14:30:00.003Z

So after months of hard work- finally my Blog gets its first comment! I got to say I'm pretty happy about that... Whether you agree with me or not I welcome all comments- otherwise what would be the point of the Blog? But enough about that- in preparation for New Zealand day we'll be covering the major wine regions in New Zealand! Today- Marlborough! It has the reputation for the best Sauvignon Blanc in the World and yet all you get is people looking for the one type of wine from there... Cloudy Bay... Now I'm not saying its a bad wine- but come on! Its the best region in the world for Sauvignon Blanc.... there's much better value wines to get from there! Anyways Whats the Secret to their success? Well nothing really- they started plantings there in 1970's which is incredible when you think about it. In just 40 years they've built up that kind of reputation. But as i was saying- the key to their success is the Climate- it suits the Sauvignon Grapes so perfectly. Protected to the west by mountains, Marlborough is one of the Sunniest, driest places in New Zealand, but still has a cool climate which leads to a long intense ripening period, which leaves the Grapes Bursting with Flavour. That's all that really needs to be said about this region- there's no secret to why Marlborough produces such great wines! It just does! But, there are a few different sub regions within Marlborough- So don't just stick with one particular brand... cough cough cloudy bay cough... experiment! Ye Won't regret it!

Corked Wine

2010-02-01T12:07:00.004Z

We've all been there- at a restaurant ordering a bottle of wine acting like we know what we're on about, and then the waiter comes out with the bottle, pours you a bit, and you have to act like you know exactly what you're doing... How are you supposed to know if the wine is corked or not? I asked someone this when I was 18- the response was simply "oh you'll know!" Clearly not supplying me with enough information to answer any part of my question- but enough of a statement for me to never really think about it again... not until i did get a bottle that was corked... The tell tale sign is it smells like mould, or wet dog- basically it smells exactly like something you don't want to be drinking!

So this inevitably leads us to the age old (well maybe not all that age old... actually its a pretty recent debate...) debate.... Corks Vs Screw caps! Alright lets start by listing the advantages of Corks

they look cooler than screw caps
they make a better sound when you open them
opening a bottle of wine with a cork give it a sense of ceremony

So there you have it the advantages of Corks... of course no matter how sound the Advantages sound- they don't really excuse the disadvantages do they? well there is only one real disadvantage- corked wine.

Now I'm not saying Screw Caps are great- apparently at a experiment carried out in Chateau Haut-Brion in 1970 they found that the corks worked perfectly for the first 10 years- but after that the threads wore a little thin and a tiny amount of Oxygen got in. So they are far from ideal yet. But whats most important is they're not far off. So what you loose some of that ceremony when opening a bottle. The Wine is there to be enjoyed- not to be celebrated.

Region by Region- Australia: Coonawarra

2010-01-29T15:26:00.000Z

So its been a while since our last blog... Apologies, Apologies... just been pretty busy! But we have finally arrived at my favourite region in Australia- Coonawarra (favourite not just because its got a cool name). Why is it my favourite? i hear you call! Well simply put Cabernets from this region are Incredible. The region's climate is Similar to Bordeaux in its climate.... but so too is Margaret River... so whats the big deal about Coonawarra? (This photo on the left will make more sense in a bit)

So its got the right Climate... what else could it be that adds to this already brilliant region? Well its their soil, other wise known as terra rossa- meaning red soil. Now i was about to go into a huge amount of detail about why this soil is so important to its terroir... But essentially all you need to know is that this top layer of soil is free draining but thin, and so the next layer has to be broken up for the roots to... well... take root in... and what all this means is Coonawarra grapes are filled with an intensity rarely found elsewhere! Forget the left bank in Bordeaux- Cabernets from Coonawarra are taking over.

SPRING SALE ENDS THIS SATURDAY

2010-01-28T16:35:00.011Z

OUR SPRING SALE ENDS THIS SATURDAY, THERE ARRE A FEW GREAT WINES LEFT BUT STOCK NUMBERS ARE LIMITED ONES TO WATCH OUT FOR ARE:

REDS:

NICHOLAS POTEL VOLNAY, FRANCE WAS €36.95 20% OFF NOW €29.19

CHATEAU DE PIERREAUX BROUILLY, FRANCE WAS €17.95 20% OFF NOW €14.36

QUINTA DE PERIDIGAO DAO, PORTUGAL WAS €21.95 25% OFF NOW €16.46

WAIPARA SPRINGS PINOT NOIR, NEW ZEALAND WAS €17.95 20% OFF NOW €14.36

WHITES

SUVIA SOAVE CLASSICO, ITLAY WAS €16.95 20% OFF NOW €13.56

CAVE DE GENOUILLY COTE CHALLONAIS WAS €16.95 25% OFF NOW €12.71

MADFISH UNWOODED CHARDONNAY WAS €16.95 20% OFF NOW €13.56

GREENHOUGH 'HOPE VINEYARD' CHARDDONAY WAS €21.95 30% OFF NOW €15.36

Region by Region- Australia: Margaret River

2010-01-20T14:31:00.001Z

Next stop on our intrepid journey through the different wine regions in Australia is.... Margaret River! Interesting fact about Margaret River- it is only about 40 years ago since the first vines were planted there.... A fact that gets even more shocking when you learn that Wine produced in Margaret River only accounts for about 3% of Australia's over all wine... But it accounts for about 20% of its Premium Wine- so it seems they're doing something right!
The region itself is strongly influenced by the coast- more so than any other Australian wine producing region, and is similar to a Mediterranean climate. The soil is predominantly gravely or gritty sandy loam which overall is ideal. Basically in a dry year- Margaret River wines are pretty similar to Bordeaux. So technical bit over with- which accounts for most of their success in the wine making business. But whats that thing that makes Margaret River unique? Well its their youth as a wine producing region. It is after all roughly 40 years old... So progressive techniques are encouraged here- its not stagnated by a dependency on the past. Instead its youth as a region gives it the freedom to innovate and Produce new and exciting wines!

JANUARY SALE

2010-01-16T10:42:00.004Z

Check out our January Sale with upto 30% of Selected Wines. Quanties are limited. If you wood like a copy of our sale list, just drop us a quick email to woodberrywines@eircom.net

Region by Region: Australia- Clare Valley!

2010-01-12T11:22:00.005Z

So as ye know by this stage we're slowly but surely making our way through the different wine regions in Australia in order for Australia day! yesterday was Barossa, today its the Clare Valley. Now just like Barossa the Clare Valleys altitude suits the Riesling grape perfectly- but breaking with most Australian regions the predominant red grape to come from here is Cabernet Sauvignon not Shiraz. More on that in a bit- but now for the technical stuff!

The climate is moderately continental, with cool to cold nights and warm to hot summer days. The higher altitude, compared to other wine regions in South Australia, ensures cool nights even during the heat of summer allowing the fruit to ripen more evenly and slowly. Rainfall is predominantly in winter - spring (June - September) with an annual average of around 630 mm. Summers are dry and make irrigation desirable but also ensure a minimum of fungal diseases (if you remember the Barossa doesn't bother with irrigation....). Varied soil types throughout the valleys are another feature, ranging from red to brown grey over basement rock.
All sounds pretty straight forward- but whats in the terroir?? What sets the Clare Valley apart?? What lets people know that this wine encompasses the personality of the place?? Well if you remember i was saying the main grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon (in the reds anyways). This is important because the Clare Valley has an abundance of eucalyptus around it. And for some reason (not too sure on the sciencey bit of all this...) the Cabernet grape soaks this up, and clare valley reds are given this slight, but really nice, minty eucalyptusy edge. So there you have it again- you can read all the facts about the wine you want, but it always comes down to the personality of the wine- and how that personality gels with your own! Try some Clare Valley Cabernets- i gurantee they'll be among the most interesting wines you'll ever try!

Region by Region- Australia: Barossa

2010-01-11T14:00:00.007Z

So in anticipation of Australia day we will be staring a Blog series on Australian wine regions- yes yes i know its New World, and most people prefer Old World... but for those of you who have never dared to experience the delights of Australia then we are planning something small for the big day itself! We'll keep you posted on that over the next couple of weeks.

But now its back to the business at hand, and we've got some business at hand! Australia isn't necessarily the biggest producer of wine in the world- I've heard Bordeaux actually produces more wine than all of Australia... But after all its Quality not Quantity! Now i'm not claiming that the Quality in Australia is better than Bordeaux- but what i am saying is you shouldn't ignore Australia just because its New World. In fact Barossa boasts some of the oldest vineyards in the world- so stick that in your pipe. But what is it that makes Barossa so unique? Well the area itself is divided up into 2 sub-regions one is the warm and dry valley which is ideal for Shiraz. The other is 250 meters above sea-level and is cool with more rain which suits riesling down to the ground. They're the basic facts- but that doesn't answer the question. The answer lies in the terroir (a word i hated when i first started writing these blogs- but now i get it... its not just the french being pretensious and wanting to lump all the different characteristics of wine into one word- its about the personality of the wine! A bottle of wine should have a beggining middle and an end- no overly complicated plot twists, but no satic characters in it either!) So whats the Barossan terroir like? well from what i gather (from reading about it, but also listening to Louisa Rose- a prominent wine maker in Barossa) its all about nature mixed with science. The older vines are grown without irrigation- which leaves them entirely at the mercy of nature- and that can be a major gamble, but when both elements work in harmony you get truly unique wines! Wines which have that begging, middle, and end!

New Years Resolutions.

2010-01-06T10:48:00.006Z

Happy New Year To All.

Hopefully you all got over the festive season with out a hiccup and enjoyed a couple of bottles of wine in the process. We are hoping to get a little feed back from our readers on what wines they tried and liked.

This is the time of year we all set about making our News Resolutions, quiting smoking, taking up running in the morning, all those good intentions. But in discussing it with some of the customers who have been in to us since the New Year one of the most common resolutions in regard to wine has been to expriment, not only with different regions and countires but even grape types and colour. If you want to try something different what is stopping you like it, love it or loathe it every wine you try brings you futher into the great adventure that is the fruit of the vine. So if your one for resolutions, you could try the usual suspects, but i heartly recommend taking up something that will feel like a reward for doing all the others!

12 Blogs of Christmas- Christmas Decorations- What to do with those old Corks!

2009-12-20T16:30:00.003Z

So now that screw caps seem to be slowly but surely taking over from wine corks there may be little point in putting this blog up- but for those of you plagued by the abundance of old wine corks in your house this one is for you! Turn those old corks into Christmas decorations. All you need is

- Wine corks
- Thin ribbon
- Tassles
- Decorative beads (with large holes)
- Long darning needle
- Scissors
- Drill
- Glue
Instructions:
1. Carefully drill a hole through the center of the cork lengthwise using a small bit drill.
2. Slide one or more decorative beads over the loop of the tassle.
3. Cut approximately 1 foot of ribbon and slip one end into the tassle loop (above the beads) then bring ends of ribbon together.
4. Thread the ribbon (now attached to the tassle) through the darning needle and bring up through the center of the cork then pull till the beads and tassle are in contact with the cork.
5. Slip one or more decorative beads over the ribbon then knot the ribbon several inches up leaving a loop to hang from Christmas tree branch.
6. Cut excess ribbon above the knot and use Fray Check (available at Joann.com) to prevent ribbon from fraying. You may also carefully use a lighter or match to slightly singe the ends of the ribbon to prevent fraying.
7. Glue the beads to the top and bottom of the cork to ensure they remain centered and in place.

So there you have it- hopefully you have enough time to get making them!

12 Blogs of Christmas- Nothing says Christmas quite like port!

2009-12-20T15:24:00.004Z

“Christmas time, mistletoe and wine” I’m pretty sure Cliff Richard would have said port if it had rhymed. Maybe Christmas court, mistletoe and port…. Doesn’t quite work, does it??? Ah well back to the drawing board! Interesting fact about Cliff Richard- his calendar actually outsells David Beckhams every year (bizarre! but to be fair with photos like this how could he not... sorry if i just put you off calenders all together...). But enough about Cliff- we’re here to talk about Port and instead of boring you with all the details about Ports production, I’ve decided that what would be really useful is some drink recipes which use port- it’ll be a nice little festive surprise to your guests over the Christmas!

Our first one is Mulled Claret Cocktail- pretty easy but looks like it will hit the spot this Christmas. All you need is 5oz red wine (any will do… so long as its good wine!), 1oz Port, ¾ oz Brandy, pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, couple of cloves and lemon rind! Just heat them all up in a pot, serve in a mug and relax in front of the fire!

The next one is Rudolphs Red Nose- its pretty easy! Just use 1 part vodka, 1 part cranberry juice, 2 parts lemonade, and 2 parts Port! Mix well with ice and pour into glass- it will go down pretty well right after that big Christmas Dinner!!

Now Port is great but one recurring problem people seem to find with it is its high alcohol content. But there is a alternative- Montezovo Recioto! It’s a method whereby they dry out the grapes for a long time, which condenses the flavour and gives it that sweetness like a Port but without the Alcohol content! It would work pretty well in both these cocktails too- so feel free to experiment and don’t hesitate to put up some of your own ones in the comment box! Enjoy your Port/Recoito this Christmas- hopefull it will go a long way to warming you up!

12 Blogs of Christmas- White Wines for the Christmas Dinner!

2009-12-20T15:19:00.002Z

Now you know what red I’ll be drinking this year- and also for the record the thanksgiving dinner went so well that I’m taking over the cooking of the Christmas dinner this year. But I digress and in my last blog I felt White wine would earn another Blog all together. Why??? Because its time to address a problem in the wine world- Why has Chardonnay gotten such a bad wrap in recent years? The answer is simple (this is obviously just my opinion…)- Chardonnay was TOO good. It fell victim to its own high standards and as a result became over produced, and therefore the quality of grapes being used fell- and so here we find ourselves, in a world were people who like chardonnay do so in secret… tentatively asking us in store for a bottle of Chardonnay like it’s a crime. But do not fear if you love Chardonnay there is nothing wrong with you- you are merely one of the few who has been lucky enough to drink good Chardonnay. Now there are plenty of good Chardonnay to try in store so next time you’re in, be brave and ask us for a good bottle of Chardonnay we won’t guide you wrong and on Christmas day you’ll be pleasantly surprised. This Christmas I’ll be bringing home a bottle of William Cole Chardonnay for my family to enjoy!

Butttttt having said all that- there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a Sauvignon Blanc. Especially a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. And if that Sauviognon Blanc at your dinner table this year happened to be the Wild South Reserve then I don’t think you will have gotten things too wrong.

12 Blogs of Christmas- Red wines for the Christmas Turkey!

2009-12-19T10:14:00.003Z

You'll have to forgive us for taking our time in getting a new blog up- we've been pretty busy this year... But rest assured we are well on our way to getting our Blogs up in time for Christmas!

So it is time to start thinking about what to do for the Christmas dinner this year. Now you’ll read plenty of articles this year about recipes to try out and what wine to use-but few people will have had a practice run quite as recently as me. This year for the sake of celebration I decided to have a thanksgiving dinner- just to see if I could pull it off. Well I was pleasantly surprised (and so were my guests) when nobody ended up in hospital with food poisoning. But what was even more surprising was how easy the whole thing was… Now I had a little help, but the main thing is to get the Turkey right- if you get that then nobody will even notice the other stuff! So I hear you calling out “what was that wonderful recipe you used that saved so many people the hassle of having to go to the emergency room with food poisoning????” The answer lye’s on Jamie Oliver’s website (Here’s the link). The only tricky bit is getting the stuffing in between the skin and the actual meat- but if you watch Bear Grylls then you’ll know not to use you fingers or else you may rip the skin- instead you should make a half fist and use you knuckles! Trust me it’s a disgusting feeling but it is 100% worth it when you sit down to eat it! (obviously goes without saying- wash your hands before doing this…)

So that’s the Turkey covered! And anything else you want on your plate is up to you! But in your wine glass we can help you there as well! Now at my little thanksgiving dinner I was the only one drinking red- which worked out pretty well for me! I tried 2 wines, both excellent- but one out shown the other. The 2 wines I had were Pinot Noirs- it is the best grape to go with Roast Turkey. The First was the O’leary- Walker Pinot Noir. Excellent wine and is available in store for €17.95, but is on special offer at 2 for €30. Well worth a try and really good value…. But its only downfall was that the second wine eclipsed it on the day. The wine in question is The Bill Pinot Noir- cannot emphasise how much I loved this wine- it worked with the Turkey so well and the fact that nobody else was drinking red made it all the better! The Bill is usually €19.95 but until the end of December it has 20% off, making it €15.96!

12 Blogs of Christmas- wines for mum and wines for dad!

2009-12-14T12:34:00.006Z

We're edging ever closer to the big day now and i don't know about you but its definatly starting to feel a lot like Christmas! So i Hope you all have your Christmas Presents bought and are realxing for the big day. If you aren't one of the lucky few, however, who have gotten everything ready then don't fear there's still plenty of time- but you should probably start getting things ready soon...

So here we are to the rescue- to provide you with a whole host of ideas to get you through the next few days. Now we all know that everyone enjoys a glass of wine at Christmas- but we also know that nobody enjoys a glass of wine at Christmas more than a mum or dad, especially at the end of a long day. But this year we have a few more things to take into consideration- such as value for money, and also how freekin cold it is!! So for reds- i think they will have to be big and full-bodied. Malbec- the perfect grape for the winter thats in it. And lucky for ye we have a special offer of

2 bottles of Argento Malbec for €20.

Concentrated aromas of plums and black cherries. 8 months in oak has created rich fruit flavours which are rounded which are rounded by perfectly soft, supple tannins! Just the right wine to have after a long day running around town buying all sorts!

Now if its a white you're looking for then New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are the way to go-and if its value you're looking for then the Wingspan cannot be beaten! Special offer from now until the end of december at 2 for €20- try and it and i gurantee you'll love it!

12 Blogs of Christmas- Some Thing for The Driver

2009-12-14T11:34:00.004Z

Dazzle your taste buds with this spicy festive treat. This scrumptiously fruity cocktail is perfect for the designated drivers at your party, though if you want to spice things up and appeal to everyone then why not add a drop of rum or your favourite winter warmer!

15ml Belvoir’s Winter Berries Cordial
35ml Pomegranate Juice
35ml Cranberry Juice
5ml Fresh Lime
All Spice

Pour all ingredients into a high-ball with cubed ice and garnish with mixed berries

12 Blogs of Christmas- What wines to leave out for Santa!!

2009-12-07T12:00:00.010Z

So in a couple of weeks the big man is goin to be puttin on the big red suit and gearin up the reindeer for their big journey around the globe. But the question is what to leave out for the big man when he comes to drop off his presents. But first of all we would like to point out that if Santa was drivin the sleigh (which he's not, the reindeer are...) it would have to be a non- alcholoic drink- for obvious reasons! But luckily enough he is going to be chauffeured around the place by his reindeer, so the big man can enjoy a glass or two on his big night (its not all about work you see)- a line of thought even Jackie Healy-Rae could get behind.... wait a minute... big red face... slightly overgrown around the waist... you don't think??? could he be??? Well you have to admit the similarities are striking....

Ok so Jackie Healy-Rae... I mean... Santa Claus Comes down your chimney- He's already been all over the world, he's tired, and he's probly very cold... so what could you leave out for him to cheer him up!! Well for these cold wet winter months, there's only one thing for it!! A nice big full bodied red wine! Now you can't get much more full bodied than a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Tempranillo. For Cabernets the obvious place to start is Bordeaux and we have multiple options when it comes Bordeaux wines. But for something slightly different try Cabernets from the coonawarra region in Australia. Coonawarra is synonymous with classy Cabernets, full of plum and blackcurrant fruit. So much so that sucess with other grape varieties in this region has been overlooked in recent years. The limestone geology also suits Chardonnays and Rieslings, but with Cabernets like these there is little need to look to far afield! We have 2 Cabernets from this region in store:

Reschke "vitulus" Caberent Sauvignon- €19.95

Vitulus is the Latin for Bull-calf. This wine posseses fragrances of violet and mint, with concentrated black fruits and blueberry flavours. Supple yet firmly fleshed, tender oak and great tannins- just right to put a smile on Santa's face this Christmas!

Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon- €17.95

Casis and red berries mingle with a strong background of cherry oak, ground coffee, dark chocolate and mint. He may even stay for a second glas of this one!

So there you have the perfect wines to warm up Santa- or anyone else- on these cold wet winter months!! Hope Ye're aren't gettin too stressed out yet!! Merry Christmas!

TOP 50 WINES

2009-12-02T16:02:00.002Z

WE HAVE RECENTLY RELEASED OUR TOP 50 WINES FOR CHRISTMAS. THESE GREAT WINES WILL BE ON OFFER FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER. WE WILL ALSO HAVE A SMALL SELCETION OF WINES WITH 20% OFF THE SHELF PRICE SO KEEP FOLLOWING THE BLOG TO CHECK OUT WHAT SURPRISES WE HAVE IN STORE.

THOMAS WOODBERRYS OPEN SUNDAYS

2009-11-30T21:46:00.002Z

FROM NOW UNTIL CHRISTMAS WE WILL BE OPENING SUNDAYS FROM 2PM TO 6PM POP IN AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOME OF OUR FABULOUS OFFERS.

12 Blogs of Christmas- Mulled Wine!

2009-11-30T11:57:00.005Z

So here we are... its Christmas time and for your enjoyment we have decided to do 12 blogs of christmas this year. Because after all Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without wine! So over the coming weeks we will be bringing you a host of different things to do with wine and Christmas. It will vary from the practical- such as mulled wine, and what wine to serve best with Christmas dinner- to the not so practical- like how to make christmas decorations out of unwanted wine corks. So before we dive right into this season where we all strive relentlessly to make it the perfect time of year, we would like to wish ye all a Merry Christmas- and good luck!

So our first in our little series of Blogs will be on mulled wine. Mulled wine started as a way of making wine that had gone bad drinkable again by adding spices and honey. But its much better if you use wine that hasn't gone bad- having said that if feel free to use bad wine, but I think your guests this Christmas might prefer good wine! The main ingredients used are Cinnamon, Cloves, and Nutmegs (which we all sell in store in handy little packets for €4.45). But you cam also add 2 clementines, peel of lemon and lime, and 250g caster sugar. (I'm stealing Jamie Olivers recipie for this so here's the link). But the most important aspect of Mulled Wine is the.... Wine!! Now a lot of people say it doesn't matter what one you pick- but others disagree. I don't see why you wouldn't pick a wine you like. Me personally I think i would go forn the Canidido Primitivo because it alreeady has that bit of spicyness to it anyways, or maybe the Yalumba Bush-Vine Grenache! But like anything else to do with wine its down to personal preference- just don't pick a white!!

12 Blogs of Christmas- Sweet Wine, How is it made?

2009-11-28T18:51:00.010Z

What a wonderful Christmas image Grapes covered in Snow, during the production of Ice Wine a variety of Sweet wine. Sweet wine or Desert wine as it is sometimes called is a type of wine produced in small amounts. There is no definate defination for sweet wine as many would consider wines such as sherry and Fortified Ports and Madeiras sweet wines yet they are general catergorised by themshelves. the first thing you will notice about sweet wines is they normal come in distinct bottles and are usually 375ml (half bottle) or 500ml in size. This is becuase it is customary to serve less sweet wine than you would normal wine.

How is Sweet wine made?

Makers of dessert wines want to produce a wine containing high levels of both sugar and alcohol, yet the alcohol is made from sugar. There are many ways to increase sugar levels in the final wine:

grow grapes so that they naturally have sugar to spare for both sweetness and alcohol.

add sugar, either:

before fermentation as sugar or honey (Chaptalization)
after fermentation as unfermented must (Süssreserve).

add alcohol (typically brandy) having not fermented all the natural sugar in the grape juice - this is called fortification or 'mutage'.
remove water to concentrate the sugar:

In warm climates, by air drying the grapes to make raisin wine
In frosty climates, by freezing out some of the water to make ice wine
In damp temperate climates, by using a fungal infection, Botrytis cinerea, to desiccate the grapes with noble rot.

In the coming weeks I will discuss some of the various Sweet wines we have on offer including a Special fellow from Italy and a Sugar Daddy from New Zealand.

MYSTERY WINES @ CHRISTMAS WINE FAIR

2009-11-26T14:47:00.006Z

On Sunday at our Christmas wine fair we showed three mystery wines. The wines one white and two red were available for tasting by anyone who wished to try them and guess as to their origin or grape varities. We had some pretty wild guesses and some that weren't to far from the mark, but no-one to my knowledge successfully idetified any of the three wines. The wines were as follows.

The White:

Paul Blanck Pinot Gris 2006, Alsalce, France

This wonderful Pinot Gris, surprised many allot of people. Many believed this wine was a new world white. Musky aromas of citrus peel and pine resin, plus a whiff of brown spices. Supple, ripe and off-dry, with good concentration and palate presence but with only moderate definition and grip. Nicely round in the mouth but a tad diffuse. Finishes with decent length, though, and a slightly tannic impression, making this wine feel bigger on the palate than it is.

The Reds:

Bogle Petite Sirah 2006, Clarksburg, California

This wine was one of the stars of the day. Thirty-one years after it was first produced by the Bogle family in 1978, Petite Sirah is today considered Bogle’s “heritage” varietal. Ripe summer blackberries and plums overwhelm both the nose and palate of this wine. Its trademark inky, jammy qualities are a barrage of black fruit and spice, adding layer upon layer of complexity. Notes of supple leather and toasty oak envelop the flavors through the finish, giving way to wisps of caramel and vanilla. The firm tannins make this a wine that can develop for years to come, but you won’t want to wait that long to enjoy it!

Heartland Dolcetto-Lagrein 2006, Langhorne Creek, Australia

This was a hit with many and is certainly a wine nobody was expecting. This adventurous blend of two Italian grape varieties - Dolcetto and Lagrein - earned winemaker Ben Glaetzer a major trophy at the 2006 Sydney International Wine Competition for his 2005 vintage. The 2006 is an opaque purple colour with hints of brick red. On the nose there are lifted aromas of mulberry, cassis with a hint of currants. Nuances of dried straw and eucalyptus add freshness and density. In the mouth, flavours of cracked pepper, cedar, cherries and wood smoke. The palate is rich, balanced by firm savoury tannin.

CHRISTMAS WINE FAIR 2009

2009-11-26T14:27:00.011Z

Over the weekend we held our Christmas wine fair in the G-Hotel, we had over 100 wines on display and 3 mystery wines more on them later. Despite the terrible weather over the weekend we had a great turn out. We had some fantastic feed back regarding the wines on display here is a selection of my top five wines.

1) Ten Minutes By Tractor 10X Chardonnay €24.95

A rich luscious Chardonnay from Australia's up and coming Mornington Peninsula. Fairly lean and focused stone fruit, lemon and peach, the feel is fresh and infused with appealing chalky minerality, fresh lemon acids, and delectable creamy French oak that compliments the delicacy of the fruit. Lovely honeyed vanilla nuances on a long lingering finish.

2) Bogle Pinot Noir 2006 €19.95

The cool confines of the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County provide a near perfect climate for the development of delicate Pinot Noir aromatics and flavors.Soft suggestions of violets and rose petals couple with notes of wild cherries and cola. Subtle cocoa and toasty oak notes closely follow the lasting fruit flavors, creating an earthy finish of both structure and finesse.

3) Hazana Rioja Reserva Especial 2003 €24.95

Made From hand selected grapes this wine is then aged for 36 months in New French oak casks. This wine recently was recently awarded 2nd place of all Spanish wines available in Ireland over €15 in a tasting run by the Spanish Embassy. The wine itself is developing beautifully at present and displays dark fruits, tobacco, smoke on the nose. The wine is smooth yet powerful on the palate. This wine will continue to evolve over the next 10 years.

4) Monte Zovo Ca'Linverno 2003 €17.95

An extraordinary wine born from the inspiration of Diego Cottini, chief wine maker at Monte Zovo. The grapes are selected and left on the vines to fully mature until the first signs of winter when the morning mists hang over the normally sunny Veronese hills. This method allows the grapes to be not just fully ripened but also slightly dried. They are then harvested and left in plateaux to dry for a further 20-25 days in well aired storage rooms. These conditions help to create a wine with rich, full body, rare smoothness and charming aromas.

5) Domaine des Valanges Macon-Fuisse €16.95

This wine was one of the top whites on show on Sunday, almost everyone who tried loved it, proof once again that good chardonnay will win over even the most hardened of doubters. This wine is 100% un-oaked chardonnay, it has a wonderful backbone of crisp acidity and great lemon and citrus notes on the palate. A wonderful refreshing wine.

Rioja- Still the King of Spanish reds??

2009-11-18T15:20:00.013Z

Rioja Wines have never been more popular than now. But by the same token... Spain has never been so popular. It seems every second person who comes into the store goes straight for the Spanish section. But why wouldn't they?? They are, after all, producing some of the best full-bodied reds in the world at the moment. But what is so special about Rioja?? Cause i don't know about you... but i never heard of the place until i started drinking wine... And it seems that there are some reds from Toro, or Ribera del Duera that could easily challenge for the crown. Well like other wine producing regions in Spain, their grape of choice is- Tempranillo. Now Tempranillo may go by other names like Tinta Fino in Ribera Del Duero, or Tinta de Toro in the Toro region- but at their heart they're all still Tempranillo! So the same grape... the same country... what's the point? Well like anything with wine- it comes down to the little things. And region affects the Grapes in so so so many ways.

So lets look at the contenders to the crown before we go any further.

Eternum Viti- Toro- €14.95

First of we have the Eternum Viti from the Toro region in Spain. Toro follows the flow of Duera river (which turns into the duoro river in portugal, which is home to some incredile portuguesse red wines) and is located right beside a great white wine region (what few of them there are in Spain) called Rueda. But here in the Toro region the grapes are realtively early ripening and are known for being thich skinned and potent- which means they are noted for their colour, strength, and jammy flavours.

Neo Sentido- Ribera del Duero €19.95 (but currently 20%off - €15.96)

Located to the east of the Toro region, but still on the Duero river, Ribera del Duero is well accustomed to the Tempranillo grape. It accounts for 95% of their overall grape production. So when it comes down to it... they know what they're at! You can expect wine from this region to be bold, yet structured, with a good body, and powerful fruit flavours that intermingle perfectly with oak.

Hazana Reserva- Rioja- €17.95

So defending the honour Rioja i have picked the Hazana Reserva. I could have picked the Hazana Reserva especial which recently won 2nd place in the food & Wine magazine's list of top wines over €15. But this usually retails around €24.95 and i figured we may as well keep everything fair, so i went for a Rioja in the same price bracket as the other 2. Rioja is divided into 3 sub-regions, and Rioja is different from the other 2 regions because it allows the inclusion of other grapes into its wines. BUUUTTT this Rioja is 100%Tempranillo. Rioja reds are characterised by being very balanced in their alcohol content, by having a body and structure offset perfectly by a gentle and elegant flavour, and by being generally fruity in nature when young and more velvety when aged.

Now i'm not going to tell you which wine i think should be seen as the real King of Spanish reds... instead i'm going to leave it to you! Becasue as some of you may know and others not, this Sunday we are having our Christmas Wine fair in the G- Hotel! We'll have over a 100 different wines from all over the world for you to try, and all the money will be going to a good cause! So what I'm suggesting is these 3 wines will be there at it- and are defiantly worth a try!! but more importantly it will be up to ye to decide which one id the king of Spanish reds! Hope to see ye there!

Altar Wine

2009-11-13T16:09:00.005Z

We all remember being draged to mass as children every sunday!! And no matter what excuse you would try and come up with every week it didn't work- you were still going to end up sitting on that bench for half an hour (usually much much longer) before you were free to play for the rest of the day!! We all knew every part of the mass when we were younger- and not out of any religious reason, but instead there were certain things the priest did which served as road marks for how long was left! For instance once the priest entered- we all knew what was coming next!! An hour (maybe less... probably not though...) or so of our lives that we couldn't escape! Then came the handshakes- and the aim of the game was to get as many as you possibly could!! Which was followed by the collection plate which entailed seeing what was the biggest amount put in! And then we came to the bit with the bells- which we later found out to be known as the Eucarist! And always the priest would take a big gulp of Christs blood from a gold cup... wait- what? Why was he drinking Christ's blood from a cup? Obviously as the years past I finally realised that it was wine... ahhhhh that explainds the genorous gulp!!

But what was so special about this wine that gave it such a huge part in our sunday ritual?? Well first off there are certain rules when it comes to Altar wine, but at the same time its not Gospel... (at this point I feel I should warn ye... I've spent most of the day trying to get information about what grapes they use... but I failed so if anyone knows please feel free to share this with me in the comments!!) But what I did find out is that it can be white or red, (in fact white is slightly preffered because it doesn't make quite as big a mess if spilt on the priests robes) but the grape must be pure!!! And as such it should be grown by somebody who wishes to keep the grape "pure"... now believe it or not I've spent hours reading the rules about the grapes that go into Altar Wine, and all "pure" seems to mean to me anyways, is that it is organic (again I might be wrong... but feel free to call me on it!!)

Christmas Wine Fair

2009-11-11T13:04:00.004Z

We are returning to the

g Hotel, Wellpark

Sunday 22^nd November , 2pm – 7pm

There will be over 100 wines for tasting, along with various hamper & gift ideas.

We have decided to reduce the Entrance fee this year to €10 in light of the economic conditions. You can book your tickets via email, phone or in store alternatively tickets will be available at the door on the day.

Give it a go part 8- Gruner-Veltliner

2009-11-09T13:19:00.009Z

First off! Its been far too long since we've done one of these give it a go blogs... but i feel one grape variety that has certainly warrented a blog is Gruner-Veltliner (you couldn't imagine how hard its goin to be to avoid making the joke "its gru-vee" is going to be in this blog!!!) But this grape variety has come to the forefront in the past year or so! The grape itself is Austrian! And accounts for roughly 36% of Austria's wine production, and they are pretty proud of this fact!! As with any wine the standard is dependant on the region! The best examples can be found in the lower Austrian regions of Kamptal, Kremstal, and lastly but not leastly for true lovers of gruner-veltliner- Wachau! As you can see from the photo above, the steep terraced vineyards, and warm climate provide the perfect "terroir" for fantastic dry white wines!! Infact the Wines from this region are given such a pleasing minerality that they would give even the best Chablis a run for their money!

Like a certain somebody from Austria (Arnold Schwarzenegger...) Gruner-Veltliner has gone through somewhat of a transformation in recent years!! Going from an action movie star to the Govenor of California wasn't easy for good old Arnie!! But neither is changing your image from one of a mass produced table wine, to one that is quickly being concidered one of the worlds best whites!! And thats just whats happening!! The Austrians are very proud of their grape- and it shows in the great wines they are producing today!! If you love rieslings, gewurtztraminers, sauvignon blancs, and Chablis'- then you should definatly give this one a go!!

Domane Wachau- Gruner-Veltliner 2007 €14.95

An almost clear light straw yellow in colour. Yellow apple and pear fruit on the nose with faint nuances of lentils, asparagus, and tobacco. Grapefruit and white pepper spice intermingle perfectly on the light-mediem bodied frame- which is given extra life by its great accidity!!

Back with a Bang Antonutti Novello 2009

2009-11-09T12:35:00.004Z

It's back an already it looks like being as big a hit this year as it was last year. Antonutti's 2009 Novello, the first glimpse of how the 2009 vintage was in Italy. Vino Novello is traditionally released on the 6th of November, and we received delivery of our shipment of this great wine on that day. Vino Novello is the first pressing of this years vintage, similiar in idea to Beaujoulais Noveau, as such it is very fresh and fruity red wine. It works wonderously well when chilled, this is a wine well worth a try on these dark cold and wet winter nights, it will remind you of lovely summers evenings.

Antonutti's vino Novello comes from the Fruili Region in North Eastern Italy, the wine itself is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot grown in Antonutti's own vineyards. The bouquet of this wine is fresh with intense cherry notes complimented by ripe raspberry and strawberry nuances. on the palate it has a soft smooth mouth feel with repeated cherry and strawberry notes.

Regular Price €12.95 but you can buy two bottles for €20 at present.

Eternum Viti- Now officially the best value!!!

2009-11-06T11:55:00.007Z

Eternum Viti- €14-95
Now we are not ones to say "we told you so"... but to be fair... we've been telling ye for ages about how good this wine is!! But now its finally got the recognition it deserves!! And i know it got a score of 90 points of the messiah of wine Robert Parker- but now the wine makers of Eternum Viti have something new to put on their cv!! It has just been announced that it is the best wine for under €15 available in Ireland by Ireland's Food & Wine magazine!! The wine is 100% Tempranillo and is grown in the Toro region in spain. Toro only received a official DO status in 1987- but is certainly asserting itself as one of spains best wine regions and is best known for its bold red wines! In fact the Toro wines are so robust and strong that apparently Christopher Columbas loaded up the pinta half full with toro wines becasue they had the body and structure to last long journeys! Now i'm not suggesting you load up a ship with Eternum Viti and head of to try and discover a new country, but it is a great wine! And whats truly amazing about this wine is that it still has a lot more to give!! If you drink this now you will need to give it some time to breathe, becasue it is big and powerful- but also becasue it is still realtively young!! So young in fact that it should keep drinking very well until 2020! I've tried this wine twice, and both times i couldn't have been more pleasantly suprised! And it is definatly one to enjoy over the coming years!!

Two Great New Arrivals

2009-11-02T11:51:00.008Z

The week end saw the arrival of two new wines, another great Spanish Ribera Del Deuro, this region is fast out pacing Rioja in demand in the Shop and our range has expanded to include everythingh from a fresh youn fruity Joven to the Fabulous Neo Sentido. The other arrival has travelled a little further to get here it is a magnificent Napa Valley Cabernet Blend from California. If your a fan of Bordeaux wines or just enjoy a great Cabernet this wonderful wines should be added to your Christmas wish list.

Contado De Haza, Ribera Del Duero, Spain, 2006

Beautiful intense ruby red colour. fragarences of currants and red roses invite with subtle notes of spice, cocoa and nuances of toasted bread. The palate is full and fruity with black fruit flavours abound. Good smooth tannins.

Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Califonria 2005

Robert Parker Jr. ' The elegant 2005 Cab. Sauv. Napa (87% Cab Sauv., and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cab. Franc) reaveals notions of lead pencil shavings intermixed with black cherries, black currants, toast and damp earth. it is a mid-weight flavourful red with good acidity as well as a moderately long finish.'

INFORMAL TASTING FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER

2009-10-29T12:20:00.007Z

Informal Tasting in store this Friday 30^th of October with Louisa Rose, Chief Wine maker at Yalumba

Thomas Woodberrys is delighted to welcome Louisa Rose, Chief winemaker with Yalumba. Louisa will be stopping off in the shop tomorrow night, Friday 30th of October for an informal tasting at 7.30 pm. All are welcome for what is sure to be an interesting and informative evening with one of Australia's top wine makers.

In 1992 while studying winemaking at Rosewood, Louisa worked a vintage in the Yalumba Cellars in the Barossa Valley, as part of her study. She returned to Yalumba the following year, this time as assistant wine maker having graduated from Roseworthy as Dux of her class. Seventeen years and that many vintages later, Louisa has being involved with almost facet of winemaking and cellar management at Yalumba. She quietly stepped into the position of Chief winemaker at the end of 2006, as chief winemaker she is responsible for all the wines of Yalumba. But Louisa still retains hands on responsibility in areas where her work is probably best known: Yalumba’s Viognier wines (a grape where she is considered one of the worlds top experts) and those produced in the Pewsey Vale vineyard in Eden Valley.

Her work has not gone unnoticed outside of Yalumba, having been awarded Barossa Winemaker of the Year Award in 1999. In October 2008 Louisa was named as the ‘Winemaker of The Year’ by the prestigious Gourmet Traveller WINE Magazine – a case of third time lucky following two previous nominations in 2000 and 2005. This award proudly sits alongside Louisa’s 2004 acknowledgement by International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) as winner of the 2004 Women in Wine Award. She started as an Australian Wine Show Judge in 1997; Louisa is now heavily involved in judging at Australian and International Wine Shows including first female Chair of Judges at the Perth Royal Wine Show.

Sherry: More than Grannies and Trifle.

2009-10-28T15:08:00.004Z

How many of us assume it tastes like grannys favourite 'Harvey's Bristol Cream' and would leave us turning our face like grandma above. But there is more to Sherry than we think it's not only a drink for grannies, or indeed for adding to that delicous home made deserts like sherry trifle.

Sherry is as sophisticated and as complex as all other wines. And like other wines the it is in the making that decides the type of Sherry we get, thats right sherry can be divided into diffrent styles, such as Fino, Oloroso, and Manzanilla.

In the manufacture of sherries, the slightly porous oak barrels are deliberately filled only about five-sixths full with the young wine, leaving "the space of two fists" empty to allow the flor yeast to take form and the bung is not completely sealed. The flor favours cooler climates and higher humidity, so the sherries produced in the coastal Sanlúcar de Barrameda and El Puerto de Santa María have a thicker cap of flor than those produced inland in Jerez. The yeast gives the resulting sherry its distinctive fresh taste, with residual flavors of fresh bread. Depending on the development of the wine, it may be aged entirely under the veil of flor to produce a Fino or Manzanilla sherry, or it may be fortified to limit the growth of flor and undergo oxidative aging to produce an Oloroso Sherry.

Sensitive, Hypersensitive, or Tolerant... which are you?

2009-10-23T16:24:00.011+01:00

Its no secret- we all like the taste of different things!! But it appears its not just down to personal preferences... its down to the amount of taste buds we have! Now there are several tests you can do to see whether you fall into the Sensitive, Hypersensitive, or Tolerant catergory! But the easier option is to take this quiz! Can you imagine it? A world where knowledge of "terroir", ampelography, or even varietal is needed! There's definatly no disputing that things would be a lot easier in this world- but is it really that simple?

The division into hypersensitive, sensitive, and tolerant goes like this! Hypersensitive people (otherwise known as supertasters!!) have the most tastebuds, and therefore experience a whole host of things at once! Which is isn't as good as you might think... instead they have a heightened sensitivity to bitterness and other bold flavours! In fact super- tasters will generally not like cucumber because it actually has a bitter taste thats only detectable to hypersensitive people! So if you find cucumber bitter then chances are you'd like wines with finnesse and balance such as pinot noirs or german wines or alsace rieslings!

The next in line is the sensitive taster! I myself fall into this category according to the online quiz! And i have to say that its not a million miles wrong when you look at the wines they suggest! In the whites there's Chardonnays and Viogniers! Which I love! And in the reds there's Shiraz, Rhone style blends, and Zinfandels!! All spot on!! And last but not least then we come to the tolerant tasters! the people with the fewest tastebuds! But all this means is they need bigger bolder flavours!! The type that doesn't even care for whites all that much! And who loves their Bordeaux's, Barolo's, and their Rioja's. BUUUUUTTTT!!! I also like my Bordeauxs, Barolo's and my Rioja's.... and i also like my lighter Pinot Noirs and Rieslings! Its true I love an Australian Shiraz more often than not- but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a Wine for what it is in a given moment! Take the quiz definatly cause it is interesting- but never let it deter you from trying something different- because you could miss out on something great!

Anybody for Chardonnay

2009-10-20T13:59:00.008+01:00

The fabulous queen (not the band above) of grapes has had a though time of late what with that upstart Pinot Grigio stealing the spotlight and the love of the people. But not one to be dissuaded she is making her come back this time as a sophisticated Italian, if it is good enough for the pretender then it is certainly good enough for the Queen. Many of you will be familiar with Antonutti's fabulous Pinot Grigio currently on 2 for €25 but what many of you will not be familiar with is Antonutti's 'Vis Terrae' Chardonnay, one of the surprise wines of the festival with many customers coming back saying the had forgotten that chardonnay wasn't all buttery oak. Over the years the vast oceans of cheap chardonnay served up to us has led many to believe that all chardonnay is acidic and intensley buttery not true, this wonderful grape can adapt to many different styles from crisp Chablis to buttery Aussie Chardonnays to pineapple and melon flavours found in unoaked new world Chardonnay. Now is the time to look up an old friend she may not be the most popular at present but she is still the queen. If you don't believe me then try one of the following.

Antonutti 'Vis Terrae' Chardonnay 2007, Italy €16.95 now 2 bottles for €30

Brilliant golden yellow colour, the nose has aromas of fruit pulp with tropical fruit notes and a hint of minerality. The palate is full and rounded with tropical fruits and the finish is long and lingering showing well intergrate oak.

Domaine de Valanges Macon Fuisse 2007, France €16.95

Aromas of lemons and citrus fruit with a hint of hazelnut. Rich smooth mouthfeel with apple and lemon flavours. The finish is lively with well balanced with good acidity and length.

O'Leary Walker Chardonnay 2006, Australia €17.95

Single vineyard wine with a golden colour and aromas of nectarine, white peach and grape fruit. The palate is fine yet powerful with great intenseity and length with peach and hazelnut notes. The finish is clean and well balanced.

Cabernet gets by with a Little Help from Its Friends

2009-10-18T14:45:00.006+01:00

As John, Paul, George and Ringo put we 'get by with a little help from our friends' and in the case of Cabernet Sauvignon this statement is very true. Very few wines travel as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, planted in virtually every major wine-producing region on earth, it is a grape that is easily adapted to a wide variety of growing conditions.

France’s Bordeaux region is considered the birthplace of Cabernet Sauvignon, but it is also the birthplace of blending with its friends Merlot, Malbec and others, to improve Cabernet based wines. The ease and acceptance of blending Cabernet Sauvignon, generally other Bordeaux varieties just mentioned, but frequently with something more typical of the host vineyard, is one reason for Cabernet worldwide plantings.

While many classic blends, include Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvinon is adapt at making easy friends with Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and Shiraz. Some examples of these fantastic friendships are the following.

IL Poggione 'San Leopoldo' 2004, Itlay

This is a wonderful blend of old and new friends, 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc. The wine is an intense garnet colour with concentrated aromas of blackberry and jammy fruit and hints of coffee and vanilla. Soft Elegant tannins on the finish.

Rothschild 'Escudo Rojo' 2004, Chile

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Syrah and the long lost Carmenere. The nose is full of smoke, spice and blackfruit. On the palate the same smoky meaty flavours come through with plush tannnins and a medium finish.

More To Sicilly then The Mafia

2009-10-16T13:25:00.008+01:00

I know what you're thinkin (but only if you've been following our blogs over the last couple of week- and you better have been!!) another photo of Don Corleone??? Well i'm sorry but he has to be included- especially when you talk about Sicillian wine! La Casa Nostra, or more lovingly known as "the mob", emerged in Sicily in the late 19th century! And as everyone knows a good mobster needs a good drink- and what could be better than after a long day planning armed robberies and illegal gambling games, than to sit down to a nice glass of Nero d'Avola. Nero d'Avola is the most important red wine grape in Sicily and is suprisingly similar to a new world shiraz! It posses that punchy peppery fist that is wraped in a velvet glove of sweet tannins! A balance between brute physical force and pure class! It is no wonder then to find Cusamano have blended some Nero D'Avola with Syrah (see Shiraz Vs Syrah).

This blend of Nero d'Avola (70%) and Syrah (30%) combines the best known Sicilian indigenous red with the refinement of an international varietal, and a judicious amount of oak. The end result is an unforgettable combination of: a floral perfume, thick red and black fruit, medium to full-bodied structure, and a well integrated oak finish. And now for the important bit, the name of the wine is Cusamao Benuara. Benuara is the name of a local red wildflower, which can be seen on the label.

Organic Wine What Are They All About.

2009-10-12T12:17:00.007+01:00

Organic wine at its most basic level, is made from grapes that have been grown without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides.

But when a label says "organic," it means the wine has met certain standards that are set by a government agency. Different nations have their own certification criteria, so what's organic in one country may not be in another. Another complication is that many wineries that are technically organic still choose not to be certified. There are many reasons for this, for instance I have heard of wineries that are almost wholelly organic, but decided against getting completely certified as it would prevent them from use of fertilizers and other products which maybe required in a particularlly challenging vintage. Others do not want the added costs and bureaucracy of registering. Others may disagree with their government's standards. It can also be a marketing decision. Whatever the case, try asking a member of staff about these nearly but not quite organic wines.

Sulfites

Organic wines are not sulfite-free.

Let me repeat because many people have used sulfites as a bugbear to blame for many things to do with wine, mainly the RWH (see earlier post). The use of added sulfites is debated heavily within the organic winemaking community. Many vintners favor their use, in extremely small quantities, to help stabilize wines, while others frown on them completely. Also it must be noted that most wines, even wines without added sulfites contain sulfites.