Weekend wine with Blake Creedon

The selection of six wines I have for you from O’Brien’s has turned out by accident to be quite symmetrical: four new world whites — two chardonnays, two sauvignon blancs — and two powerful, fragrant reds from Europe.

It’s a shame to have to leave out some of the other highly characterful wines that were on show among the 50 in O’Brien’s recent media tasting. I’ll return to some of the bigger themes that emerged at the event at a later date — including rosés if it look likely that summer is going to start. But for now can I nudge you towards some excellent value wines...

In my view a wine has to be pretty special to merit €17, and three of the Astrolabe range certainly do — maybe four if only the discreet charms of the understated pinot gris wasn’t overshadowed by comparison with two striking sauv blancs and a riesling.