Wine: Miro Munda Sipon, Slovenia — €14.99
However, it’s also true that a skilled sommelier like Nick Faujour in Knockranny House in Westport or Sandra Biret-Crowley in Hayfield Manor can bring out the best in both wine and food and take a meal to a new level.
A couple of weeks ago, Claire O’Sullivan of this parish wrote about a visit to Knockranny that coincided with my own (available online). Rather than repeat Claire’s praise, let me just give one example of why I like this hotel. All the coffee for Knockranny is sourced from Westport’s Beans West, which created three roasts for the hotel — one for the breakfast menu, one for the bar, and one for after dinner; such attention to detail is rare in hotels in Ireland.
As well as a creative and unusual wine list, you will also find some very interesting high-end wines such as Chateau Margaux, Henschke Hill of Grace 1990, and Sassicaia.
Some interesting food and wine pairings are detailed below but I need to praise the fragrance-intense Moric Blaufrankish from Austria that accompanied rabbit with carrot, anise, and apple; and the light spicy Italian-Tirol Kellerei Kaltern Gewurztraminer served with Turbot, truffles, and lobster bisque.
The next gourmet evenings are on May 24 and June 14, from €139pp including a night’s accommodation and breakfast. Dinner-only options also available. www.knockrannyhousehotel.ie
* Hayfield Manor’s wine club and sommelier Sandra Biret-Crowley is building an interesting wine list. At a dinner in February, I tasted some well-chosen food matched with Penfolds wines including Penfolds Tawny with Chocolate Marquis and a fine Bin 128 Shiraz with our cheese course.
Hayfield Manor’s next wine evening is hosted by Billecart-Salmon Champagne on April 24. Booking has also opened for its September 18 event. For more, email events@hayfieldmanor.ie
Market 57 Westport, On The Grapevine Dalkey, 64 Wines Glasthule, www.cabotandco.com
Seamus Commons served scallops with confit chicken wings and celeriac with this delicious and exotic wine from Slovenia made from the local Sipon grape. The wine had grapefruit and floral aromas with mineral citrus flavours that cut through the fat of the chicken and lifted and enhanced the sweet scallop.
Bradleys, JJ O’Driscolls Ballinlough, Salmons Galway, Corkscrew, O’Briens
Poor old Australian Chardonnay is rather neglected these days but this fragrant and supple wine worked very well with West Cork scallops, compressed green apple and celeriac at Hayfield Manor’s February Wine Society meal.
Perry Square Limerick, Poppyseed Clarinbridge, Market 57 Westport, Mortons Galway, www.cabotandco.com
Knockranny chef Seamus Commons served us halibut and shrimps with a citrus dressing to counter the exotic complex aromas and flavours of tropical fruit and salty pears in this wine. Gruner Veltliner is another neglected food wine and also goes well with simple pasta dishes or anything that needs a little lift.
Vintry Rathgar, Redmonds Ranelagh, 64 Wines Glasthule
Crozes Hermitage is 100% Syrah and significantly less expensive than its more famous neighbours on the hills of Hermitage and Cote Rotie. The round black fruits and spicy Syrah flavours worked well with the mutton, root veg and Kellys black pudding. Both wine and food had a similar weight and mouth-feel which is why they worked together.
Bradleys, JJ O’Driscolls Ballinlough, Salmons Galway, Corkscrew, O’Briens
This wine was first introduced by Penfolds in 1976. Slow cooked melt-in-the-mouth rump of lamb with dauphinoise potatoes and wild mushrooms suited the blackcurrants and spice and sweet earthy flavours of this wine.
Perry Square Limerick, Poppyseed Clarinbridge, Market 57 Westport, Mortons Galway
For many of us at the meal in Knockranny this was our favourite course and match as it was served with beetroot, St. Tola goats cheese and hazelnuts. The sweet beetroot matched the sweet red fruit in the wine and the acidity lifted the flavour of the goat cheese and the hazelnuts matched the earthy qualities.
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