Wine with Leslie: Discover Eastern Europe's winemaking tradition
Pic: iStock
Everyone in Ireland knows at least a few people from Eastern Europe, possibly several, but we are only starting to become aware of their wine and food culture.
But please keep your mind open and your eyes peeled, as Eastern European wines are now making noticeable inroads into Ireland.Â
Brilliant initiatives like the Polish Wine Festival (on April 6th this year) have helped, and the embassies are doing their best, but us wine lovers need to do our part too and actually buy the wines.
Over the coming months I plan to mention wines from Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Poland, but this week it is Slovenia and Czechia.Â
There are not many Czech wines here yet, but Moravia in Southern Czechia has a long and storied tradition of winemaking and on a visit last year I found delicious fruity Blaufrankisch and Zweigelts (as good as many from Austria) and solid Rieslings, Furmints and Laski whites. I recommend a good Czech Pinot Noir below to ease you in gently.
Slovenia has a similarly long wine tradition and a larger presence in Irish wine shops and restaurants, helped in part by the adventure Liam and Sinead Cabot began in 2007 when they bought two hectares there and planted a vineyard. Their plot is in Eastern Slovenia and near the village of Kog in the Stajerska region and they have Furmint, Laski and Blaufrankisch — their wines sell out every year.
I recommend two of their Roka wines below and if you are curious what it is like to become a winemaker, Liam and Sinead will be taking part in a ‘Wine Weekend’ in the gorgeous No. 1 Pery Square in Limerick City from Friday 22nd-Sunday 24th March next. Their story is a fascinating one and the wines are excellent.
Laski (once called Laski Rizling) is much maligned but in the right hands can be excellent offering creamy fruits, pinot-gris-like textures and spice, and good balance. A long slow ferment gives this ripe pear aromas with ginger, lemon and herbal touches, a soft texture and balanced finish.
Creamy dark cherry aromas, juicy and ripe with an abundance of soft dark fruits - blackberry compote, cooked blueberries and crunchy tannins on the mid-palate and a balanced finish. I had this with game in Knockranny in February and it matched brilliantly, but it will also work with duck or lamb.
An excellent Organic/Biodynamic family owned producer, I tasted their range and liked everything especially the elegant clean fizz, supple ‘Ruby’ blend and this fine Pinot. This is bright, weighty and juicy with violet and red berry scents and a pleasing fleshy quality on the palate. Well worth its price.
This is brand new from Roe & Co and will soon be widely available. ‘Solera’ refers to the whiskey being aged in a Solera system similar to Sherry. There are four criadera (layers) - first fill and refill Bourbon, four types of sherry cask, chestnut and ‘Alligator Char’ US Oak.
Praline, brown sugar and toasted oak aromas with a touch of tropical fruits— caramel on the palate with bright fruity notes followed by spice and pepper, lingering nuts and toffee touches.
