Wines this week have slightly high price points
Both have huge production figures (Moet makes over 26 million bottles per year) and are serviceable, but not my favourites.
I have always had a soft spot for the family-owned houses such as Pol Roger, Louis Roederer, and Bollinger but the Champagne for which I have perhaps the warmest place in my heart is Charles Heidsieck, given its part in the courtship of my wife.
This was the Aer Lingus Business-Class Champagne in the 1990s and her job in the aviation industry meant we had a ready supply to consume with the weekend breakfasts I cooked.
In much of the 2000’s however the brand disappeared from consciousness and was rather overlooked by its owners, the Rémy-Cointreau group.
In 2011 it was bought by the family-owned luxury goods group EPI who have significantly revamped the brand, including the packaging.
Under the management of cellar master Cyril Brun the house has in recent releases been making excellent use of their extensive reserve wine collection (built up in part due to lower sales over the previous decade).
Founded in 1851 the house has an envious collection of underground caves (crayères) dating from building work carried out by the Romans in the 1st and 2nd century and deep under the streets of Reims.
These deep caves are accessed by steep steps and keep the wines at optimal conditions. A passageway in Cellar 9 even inspired the shape of the new bottle.
The house style of a Champagne is always set by the non-vintage and this is hard to beat.
Containing 40% reserve wines with an average of ten years aging once the blend is created this spends a further five years aging before release (see below).
All the wines this week are from Liberty wines who import Charles Heidsieck and I hope you can forgive the slightly high price points.
For the diary: Jazz Weekend Spanish Wine Tasting, JJ O’Driscolls, Ballinlough — featuring a selection of fine Spanish wines mainly from North West Spain, Friday, October 28, 1pm-8pm.
Stockists: O’Donovans, NOffLA Independents
The winner of the NOffLA red wine of the year 2017, this will soon be available in independent wine shops throughout the country. Made from100% Monastrell near Valencia this sees a small proportion of new oak which gives a spicy character, but mostly it is ripe juicy plum fruits with blackberry, blueberrys and a light liquorice-tinged finish.
Stockists: O’Donovans, NOffLA Independents
A double win for Liberty as this won best red under €15 at the NOffLA awards. Chile is always a reliable source of decent Cabernet, thanks to their climate and suitability for the grape. This has admirable vanilla influenced red and black fruits with touches of cedar, cigar box and touches of smoke and minty chocolate.
Stockists: O’Donovans, NOffLA Independents
Grillo is a native Sicilian grape variety which is perfectly suited to the dry warm conditions on that Mediterranean island and a grape worth keeping an eye on as a source of lightly fragrant fresh whites. Solid pear and lemon aromas with a bright crisp citrus character and a dried lemon peel tinged finish.
Stockists: World Wide Wines, 1601 Kinsale, Red Nose Wines, www.wineonline.ie, selected Independents
The Allegrini family are six generations growing grapes in the Veneto. This is made from 70% fresh grapes (mainly Corvina) which are vinified after harvest then re-fermented with 30% of dried grapes to give richness and a dried fruit character. Fleshy, voluptuous, ripe, complex and balanced.
Stockists: Bradleys, World Wide Wines, O’Briens Nationwide, Castle Off-Licence, 1601, Corkscrew, Mitchells
Aged for five years, this extra aging creates lovely complexity. A blend of the three classics — Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay with creamy brioche aromas mixed with toasted almonds and a solid lemon and preserved lemon character mixed with dried figs and a creamy fresh finish.
Stockists: O’Briens, 1601 Kinsale, Mitchells, World Wide Wines Waterford
The 2005, an almost perfect vintage, is the current release of Heidsieck and a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Bright golden colour with warm aromas of dried white peaches with tropical fruit touches mixed with toasted bread and a soft and densely textured apple-fresh finish.
