Wine with Leslie: Digging up wines from Southern France - rugby country
This week, Leslie Williams takes a punt on wine from rugby country
Ireland’s victory over France in the Six Nations Rugby had me digging out wines from Southern France where Rugby is strongest. I soon found myself reminiscing about trips to Lyon and the Southern Rhône and the taste of Pâte en Croûte in a Lyon Bouchon, and those wondrous veal sweetbreads I ate near Tain l’Hermitage in 2004.
Lyon is a true gastronomic city with excellent affordable restaurants and the city where the Saône joins the Rhône to create the fast flowing river that moulded the hill of Hermitage and the hills that grow Syrah and Viognier for Côte Rôtie, Cornas and Condrieu.
The river softens as it flows towards Avignon - here Syrah plays second fiddle (or perhaps Viola) to Grenache. Old vine Cinsault and Carignan have a role to play, and Mourvèdre grows in importance each year thanks to its ability to withstand our warming climate
France play Scotland tomorrow so I’m suggesting Rhône wine with your Sunday dinner. Don’t dismiss Grenache Blanc blends if you want white, but my recommendations below are mainly Southern reds plus a northern Viognier. I include a couple of Whelehan’s Wines, two from organic importer Mary Pawle, and one from Irish owned Les Deux Cols.
All the Deux Cols range are recommended - I mentioned their entry-level ‘O Font’ (€18) at Christmas which is from a low lying vineyard with fertile soils so is pleasingly fruit-driven. O Font is almost sold out so snap it up if you spot it. Don’t be afraid to check out their concentrated elegant top wine “Les Deux Cols” which retails around €30, cheaper than many a disappointing Châteauneuf-du-Pape
St. Patrick’s Day will be upon us soon and you need to be prepared so I have two patriotic cocktail suggestions for you. Midleton Distillery this week launched Powers Rye Whiskey (see Spirit of the Week below), so I am suggesting a Cork Sazerac.
Rinse a chilled old-fashioned glass with some Rebel City Absinthe (or Ricard at a push), add a dash of sugar syrup, 50ml Powers Rye Whiskey, 2-3 dashes of Beara Bitters and garnish with lemon peel. You could also make a Munster Manhattan using 50ml Powers Rye, 25ml Valentia Vermouth and a dash of Beara Bitters - decorate with maraschino cherries.
From an organic-biodynamic estate north-west of Châteauneuf-du-Pape - watch also for their négocient project under the “Julie et Nicolai ‘Éléfantaisy’” label. This is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah with violet and ripe berry aromas, bright and juicy with supple dark cherry and blackcurrant fruits and fine concentration and warmth.
Exclusive to Whelehan’s Wines this is reduced by €2 this month. A blend of 30% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 23% Mourvèdre plus Marselan and Carignan. Dark ruby red colour with a purple centre, ripe red and black fruit aromas with floral, spice and chocolate touches. Fuity and juicy with mouth-filling berry fruits and good length.
One non-Rhône wine this week, but from just over the border in Languedoc-Roussillon and from the classic Rhône grape blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. This is reduced from €18 and has good concentration and ripeness with bramble, cassis aromas, herbal garrigue tinged dark fruits, black olives and good balance and length.
- €22-23.00
From organic grapes with wild yeast fermention in cement tanks - a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. This is lighter and fresher than their Deux Cols flagship wine with cherry fruits and a touch of garrigue - lithe and elegant with a streak of mineral freshness.
2020 - €20.00
A jump up from the Beauchêne Grand Reserve above with more lusciousness and concentration. Whelehans had a run on this wine recently but more was due in last week. A blend of 60% Grenache 25% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, this has ripe dark plums, spice and prune notes and is juicy and fruit driven with concentration and length.
From vineyards within sight of the hill of Condrieu where Viognier reaches its apogee from a solid organic producer (watch for their Crozes Hermitage). This has white peach and floral aromas, a weighty textured palate with pleasing shards of lemon zest poking through the stone fruit flavours and a clean tangy finish.
Launched on February 20th last, this is a first as there has never before been a fully Irish Rye whiskey. The Cooney Furlong Farm in Co. Wexford were commissioned by Midleton to grow the rye - pleasingly their farm is just a short distance from Edermine House, the ancestral home of the Powers family.
Aged in American virgin oak plus first and refill American oak casks. Aromas of orange and caramel with spice and grassy-earthy notes familiar to anyone who has been rugby tackled! Sweet and floral on the attack followed immediately by vanilla, honey, pepper and cloves. The long finish brings notes of mint, chilli-honey and white pepper. A fine addition to the Powers range.
