Wine with Leslie: Welcome to the new wine cellar on MacCurtain Street in Cork
Newly opened: MacCurtain Wine Cellar on Cork's MacCurtain Street
I have a small bit of good news to offer to wine buffs and occasional drinkers; people looking for gifts for others or treats for themselves; and supporters of local businesses: Cork has a new wine shop.
Before I get to that though, Aldi has some interesting new wines in store and quality for such low prices is better than expected. Besides the wines selected here, you could also try their Picpoule de Pinet at €8.99 and two wines from Vinho Verde in Northern Portugal — an Alvarinho and an Arinto (€10 and €9).
Wine selections this week includes wines from the new Aldi range plus three wines from MacCurtain Wine Cellar which opened this week and which is run by Cork native Trudy Ahern and her Chicago-born husband Sean Gargano, both of whom I know from the restaurant industry. Anyone who ate in the excellent Etto in recent years will remember Trudy’s warm welcome and Sean’s enthusiasm and wine knowledge will also be remembered by anyone that encountered him at the likes of San Lorenzo and the Winding Stair.
MacCurtain Street is the perfect location it seems to me. There is already have a fair bit of choice in the city with the likes of Bradleys and l’Atitude 51 — the latter I mention because it will soon be possible to have a glass of wine in MacCurtain Wine Cellar with perhaps a bit of cheese and prosciutto. This street already has so many reasons to visit: from peering in the window at Stokes Clocks to picking up a 1&1 from The Fish Wife to cocktails in Cask to being abused by Reggie in The Everyman (until April 16!). And who doesn’t take a sneaky look in Cash Connectors every time they pass, where you literally never know what you will find — let’s hope the return of two-way traffic will also calm the atmosphere a little too.
Seán and Trudy have sourced their wines from a range of importers that could all do with more distribution in Munster including Grape Circus, Vinos Tito, Nomad Wines, Winemason, Liberty, La Rousse, Wines Direct Le Caveau, Veraison, Brian's Wines and SIYPS (SommelierInYourPocket.com). The focus is on sustainable wineries with a solid nod towards organic and natural wines as well as fine classical producers such as Tondonia from Rioja and Thomas Pico from Chablis. Expect to see their shop mentioned fairly often on this page.
Stockist: Aldi
This is surprisingly good for the price and must be the cheapest bottle of wine in the country now that we have minimum pricing (its low abv brings the price lower than would be average). Lemon essence aromas with pear and lime, a touch of residual sugar but lively and zingy on the finish with lingering green apple flavours.
The fruity lively Blütengarten Pinot Noir from the same producer (€7.49) is also recommended.
Stockist: Aldi
Béziers is one of the larger towns in the Languedoc in the Hérault Dept. and this wine is from around the town (formerly called Coteaux du Libron). Floral berry fruit aromas, soft and juicy on the palate with ripe red fruits and some lime acidity on the finish.
I also liked the Blütengarten Pinot Noir and the Etna Organic Rosé which displays some chalky freshness.
Stockist: Aldi
Nice to see an inexpensive Zweigelt on offer, this is a decent example of the grape with some typicity - bright purple hue, soft cherry fruit aromas, hints of clove and spice and some cherry skin bitterness on the finish - best served cool. I also considered featuring the Specially Selected Ribera del Duero (€9) and the Specially Selected Douro (€10) — both have pleasing weight and concentration for the price with chewy dark fruits.
Stockists: MacCurtin Wine Cellar, Vintry Rathgar, Station to Station Wine stationtostationwine.ie
Cirò doesn’t feature here often as there are only a few on the market. Wines from this Calabrian DOC are generally charming (if occasionally a little rustic).
Made from the local Gaglioppo grapes, in this instance 100% organic, this has lots of crunchy red fruits with spice hints and some pleasing darker fruits on the finish. I also love the retro label.
Stockist: MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Green Man Wines Terenure, Whelehan’s Wines D18, World Wide Wines Waterford, Baggot St. Wines
One of a few wines in MacCurtain Wine Cellar from the excellent Vinostito — an importer Cork deserves to see more from as their range is outstanding.
This is a nice intro to Ribera at an affordable price with lots of purity and freshness, blackberry, dark plum and cherry fruits, juicy soft fruits on the mid-palate and a crisp peppery finish.
Stockists: MacCurtain Wine Cellar, 64 Wines, Sweeneys, Green Man, Pinto, Nudewineco.ie, Wineonline.ie, Stationtostationwine.ie
From the slightly cooler Rioja Alavesa sub-region with old vines grown at around 450m this is from one of the new wave of Rioja producers that focus on purity and terroir rather than on oak and long ageing.
A touch of carbonic maceration in the ferment gives this a bright juicy freshness with lots of strawberry and blackberry fruits — crisp and refreshing and at its best served a little cooler.
Stockists: Barrys Mallow, selected O’Briens, Kelly & Co, J&C Kenny, Celtic Whiskey Shop, roeandcowhiskey.com
Roe & Co Whiskey has teamed up with the ever-excellent Killahora Apple Farm to produce two interesting new drinks.
Also watch out for Killahora Pom’O — an aperitif made with apple juice blended with apple brandy and aged in Whiskey casks (€26). Those casks were then used to finish off this Roe & Co. whiskey.
Stocks are limited with just 1,900 bottles released. Aromas of sweet apple pie and cream, with vanilla caramel in the background. Fruity and soft on the palate with textured dried apple and sultanas hitting first followed by ginger and light spice notes and lingering flavours of honey and clove.
