Wine
In advance of that though, can I make one special plea for a largely overlooked range of wine styles which, for relatively little outlay, can add a delightful extra dimension to your dinner table during the Christmas feasting — or indeed at any time of year?
Sweet wines are produced in quite a wide variety of ways — from interrupting fermentation by the addition of spirit, through to more arcane techniques including freezing and even, most wondrously of all, encouraging a vine disease, Botrytis, which desiccates the grape. With so many production methods, the end product wines are certainly not all the same. But there is a lot of convergence — the sugar obviously, often accompanied by a viscous density but always, crucially, offset by acidity.
Like many great wine styles, dessert wine has been done a great disservice by what you could call reputation inflation. The Sauternes region of France (and especially Chateau d’ Yquem) has been talked up for generations. But, in general, Sauternes belongs to that special category of wines that are good but too dear. Try out many of the terrific, more affordable styles out there (including one affordable Sauternes) and I think you'll see what I mean.
- And if you want further inspiration, next month, Ely bar & brasserie at Dublin’s IFSC is providing a rare tasting of fortified and dessert wines. Presented by winemaker Chris Pfeiffer, the focus is on Australian wines — but of course the principles and grapes behind theirs are broadly the same as dessert and fortified wines from here in Europe. It takes place from 7pm on December 7, and tickets are €20. To book, contact Michelle Lawlor at wineclub@elywinebar.com or call 01-678 7867.
For more on this and other forthcoming wine tasting events see my blog at blakecreedon.wordpress.com.
O’Donovan’s €10.99
Along with Brown Brothers' Orange Muscat and Flora, this has to be one of the best value sweeties you will find. Semi-dessicated by being left hang on the vine long past ripeness, it’s plump and peachy but shot through with electric acidity.
M&S, €7.29
The moscatel / muscat family of grapes is almost as diverse as all wine grapes, and this traditional Spanish style is from the lighter end of the spectrum. Not really a dessert wine in the full sense of the word, but its delicious ripe peach and honey and low alcohol (10%) make it a delightful fresh after-dinner sipper.
M&S, €8.49
There’s a whole spectrum of sweet wine styles from Roussillon, on the mediterranean end of the French Spanish border. Here’s but one of them: a big broad buttery spicy vin doux naturel aged in oak.
Peter Lehmann Botrytis Semillon Barossa (375ml)
Independent off-licences, €11 to €12
Emulating Sauternes, this terrific affordable sweetie builds up its gorgeous complex succulence due to deliberate infection with the ‘noble rot’ vine disease — the best value bottle today. Stockists include Next Door, Kilkee & Kilrush; O’Donovan’s, Cork; Beer Garden, Turner’s Cross; The 1601, Kinsale.
Independent wine shops at around €20
The exception that proves the rule — an eminently affordable Sauternes delivering all that delicious succulent concentrated semillon. And do note that unlike most of its peers, that price is for the full bottle.
O’Donovan’s, €12.99
Along with Sauternes, the world’s most influential dessert wine tradition is that of intense sweet wines made in Germany and in this instance Austria. Here, though, instead of riesling, it's primarily chardonnay grapes are left hang on the vines until super-ripe to deliver an intensely citrussy tangy sweet wine.
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