Wine with Leslie: Don't be a wine snob, this week's bottles are fun and flavourful

Evolving from foolish snobbery

Fri, 09 May, 2025 - 02:00

Don't you hate wine snobs? By snob I mean someone that turns their nose up at a wine because it doesn’t fit their narrow view of what a wine should taste like, or when and how it should be served. I hate them mostly because I suspect I used to be one.

Writing this column has forced me to relax about wine and to open my mind. I hated natural wine at first because all I could see were ‘faults’ such as volatile acidity (vinegar aromas) or brett (barnyard aromas). I wasn’t willing to admit that many a posh Italian wine has VA and many an aged Bordeaux reeks of brett.

Last weekend, I had food writers over to dinner, always a daunting prospect as these folk can’t help but analyse whatever you put in front of them. I fretted all day about the red wine to serve with the lamb raan (slow roasted lamb marinated in yogurt and light spices) but thankfully my friend Sian Conway solved the problem with the litre bottle of Nat’Cool! she brought (see below). I immediately knew it would work better than any of the aged Bordeaux or Rhône wines I had expected to open. It was juicy, fruity and could be served cool; it was a perfect match.

Nat’Cool is under one label but made by different producers with the same non-interventionist philosophy — rule No 1: No rules, No 2: Respect the first rule. Within reason, this is a philosophy for life as well as wine drinking. Wine should be fun and flavourful, especially in summertime, hence this week’s suggestions.

PS: I mentioned last week that rosé season had begun and I was not wrong as O’Briens, SuperValu, and most other multiples have May rosé offers. O’Briens have 25% off all rosé and SuperValu have nearly 20 rosés on shelves this month.

Maurice Bonnamy Brut Rosé, Crémant de Loire, France, €15

One of many rosés on offer in SuperValu, also watch for Santa Rita Rosé at €9, Bendel Rosé at €10 plus all the celeb rosés such as GN, SJP and Kylie.

This is a straightforward traditional method rosé made from Cabernet Franc with raspberry and citrus aromas and a crisp dry cherry skin-tinged palate.

Also suited to spritzes, French 75 cocktails and Kir Royale.

SuperValu

Giol Organic Verduzzo, Marca Trevigiana IGP, Italy, €16-17

This is what I mean by fun: lime and ripe kiwi aromas, juicy, fruity and zingy and a dry lemony finish and a noticeable spritz.

From a small family-run organic producer in the Treviso hills in NW Italy from a rare native Italian grape that is only really found in this region. Perfect lunch wine.

Urru Bandon; Bubble Brothers; Harringtons Ardgroom; Quay Co-Op; Wunderkaffee Farran; Taste Castletownbere; Vintry

Niepoort Nat’Cool Tinto, Terras do Dão, 1 litre, €30

Niepoort’s NatCool range is non-interventionist, natural and organic and best served cool – the label says: ‘Drink Me!’.

At 12% abv this is juicy and ripe with cherry and floral aromas and a bright fruity palate – the perfect summer red.

There is also a blue label Nat’Cool from Bairrada, which is similarly tasty.

1601; Bradleys; Lilith; GreenMan; DrinkStore; Deveneys; Barnhill

Spirit of the week: Tullamore D.E.W. Honey Liqueur, 35% ABV, 70cl, €30

A blend of Bohemian honey, Tullamore malt, pot-still and grain whiskey, this has honey, vanilla and spice aromas, a smooth sweet palate, lingering caramel and pepper. Perfect for summer cocktails.