"Jerk marinade ‘comote’ (€16), aka sweet potato, was also rather diminutive but this time we didn’t mind as it was outstanding — the dish of the evening for me."

"My very first taste of wine was a Christmas dinner sip of my dad’s sweet German wine (possibly ‘RM’ Liebfraumilch) in the late 1970s.  I would hate it now, but back then I thought it tasted sweet and magical, a window into the grown-up world..."

"Crément de Loire sparklers are everywhere and are fantastic value, dry and sweet rosé are too."

"These days expect vibrant dry great value riesling, and earthy red fruited Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) that rivals village Burgundy but at half the price."

"As independents nationwide will stock all the winning wines, the prices are lower than usual, giving the independent trade a chance to compete (a little) with the supermarkets."

"You don’t need me to tell you about Rioja, Cava and Ribera del Duero, I am guessing, and least of all about Albariño, given how much we consume in Ireland (we are still no. 3 in the world in volume sales)."

"Burgundy is the ideal of course, but who can afford them these days, not me. I’ll be looking to Beaujolais, to Baden and the Pfalz for my Pinot Noirs with maybe the odd New Zealander or Chilean."

With the 'Bloquons Tout' (block everything) protest movement manifest all over the nation (in wine regions as well as the cities), I thought I would give France a tiny dig-out and feature their wines this week.

"The Irish have a huge affinity with Spain and I’m no different, I love the value to be found in its restaurants and the diversity of wine styles. Yes — diversity!"

These wine suggestions are all from Central and Southern Europe