Wine with Leslie: Trust the experts — they'll seldom steer you wrong
Pic: iStock
Expertise has taken a bit of a bashing in recent years but we will always need people we can trust, from our family doctor to our butcher.
Given my age, I have also acquired a tailor, a watchmaker and a shoemaker, and I have dozens of wine merchants whose advice I value; this week many of them won awards.
Congratulations to McHughs on the Malahide Road for winning National Off-Licence of the Year, their second win in three years.
It’s a fine shop with a brilliant selection of beers as well as wines and spirits.
They began as a grocery shop in 1962 before becoming a full off-licence in 1995.
A year later they opened a second shop on Kilbarrack Road and that shop won Beer Specialist of the Year, a double win for the McHugh family.
O'Donovan's Midleton also won double with Munster Off-Licence of the Year as well as the Spirits Specialist award.
The Wine Centre Kilkenny won Leinster, Molloys Clonsilla won the Dublin award and Dicey’s Ballyshannon won Ulster/Connacht.
Jus de Vine Portmarnock won Wine Specialist of the year yet again, no surprise given their varied and comprehensive selection which includes an extensive range of vintage Bordeaux as well as wines from virtually every region on the planet.
Suggestions this week have Valentine’s Day in mind, but will work just as well this weekend.
I’ve not mentioned Gosset Champagne before, an excellent old Champagne house whose wines I’ve always rated.
Ruinart is considered the first dedicated Champagne house (1729) but was founded 140 years earlier in 1584; they just figured out fizz a little later.
I suggest a Soave because of its connection with the romantic city of Verona, and a Beaujolais because that region’s wines never fail to seduce.
From the hillsides of Verona, with Lake Garda in the distance.
If Romeo and Juliet were drinking white wine in Verona it was probably organic Garganega as found here.
Floral, tropical fruits and lemon scents, stone fruit flavours leading to a crisp tangy finish with layers in between.
I’ve always seen Beaujolais as a romantic wine, partly because of the Saint-Amour Cru (the Perrachon Saint-Amour is €22 from Bubble Bros), but also for the lithe luscious cherry fruits to be found in Fleurie and the other 10 villages.
This is velvety and supple with summer fruit flavours, violet scents and soft blackberry fruits on the finish.
Gosset are the oldest producer in Champagne, their NV is ripe and supple and their rosé is soft and fragrant with ripe raspberry fruits.
But this was my favourite in a recent tasting; a low dosage (under 5g/ltr), this is taut and complex with a fine persistent mousse, floral, pear aromas, peach flavours and fine balance.
This was released late last year as part of Dingle’s seasonal range — ‘Lá an Dreoilín’ (‘Wren’s Day’) is December 26 of course.
Matured in Bourbon casks and then finished in Muscatel barrels, this has aromas of ginger and honey, a creamy smooth palate with toffee, caramel and spice touches.
