Leslie Williams: Planning ahead for your Christmas wines
Every supermarket and wine shop in the country will have special offers for Christmas and not everything tastes as good as it sounds. It is wise to test run some of these offers this month before the panic begins to make sure they suit your palate. If you are super organised there are lots of online shops that will deliver to your door but also remember that a large number of off-licences deliver in their local area, as long as you are willing to buy a case or more. Some importers sell direct to the public and there are two in particular worth a mention given how often I feature their wines — www.lecaveau.ie and www.winesdirect.ie. There are three well known Cork based importers to try: www.curiouswines.ie, www.bubblebrothers.ie and www.karwigwines.ie and I also recommend www.wineonline.ie.
You may have noticed the website www.siyps.ie appearing in my stockists lists recently and this is the new kid on the block. SIYPS.ie is run by former and current sommeliers with an emphasis on small organic and biodynamic wines from specialist importers including Grape Circus (Sheridans, Piglet Wine Bar), Vinostito, Wine Mason and former Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Sommelier Charles Derain’s Nomad Wines. Anyone that attended the recent SPIT wine tasting will know the wines and there are some additional Champagnes sourced through LVMH. The selection is large and fairly comprehensive and focused on European wines from France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria and Germany. The hope is that shoppers will engage with the site and ask the sommeliers (including Julie Dupouy) for advice and suggestions.
