Wine: Henri de Richemer Marselan, Cotes de Thau, France; €12.99-€13.99
Paddy had one of the best palates in the business and his Wines Direct company based in Mullingar is always worth a stop if you are passing through the Midlands and all wine enthusiasts should sign up for their email newsletter — www.winesdirect.ie.
Wines Direct have not featured in this column much but I plan to make up for that in the coming months as they really do have a fine selection of wines, particularly from France and Italy. I’ll feature some of their wines next week.
This week however it is back to wine sales. Not to be outdone by Lidl and Dunnes the O’Briens Off-Licence group have a wine sale on this month featuring some genuine bargains across their range.
Also this week I am featuring two wines from Cork-based River Wines who have a small but very carefully chosen selection of wines on their list.
Small importers like Michael are most under threat from the current Government’s punitive excise taxes and it is not too late to give Michael Noonan a call to let him know how much the Irish public values people like Michael and Maurice O’Mahony of Wine Alliance for example.
These guys seek out unusual wines that no supermarket would ever be likely to stock, wines that go best with food — the only way to really drink responsibly — and whose profits remain in Ireland and are not siphoned off to their parent company in another country.
Wine Appreciation Courses are now enrolling so ask at your local off-licence or night school.
Cork: The Cork Wine School Autumn courses begin later this month with one-day (September 20), nine-week and 15-week WSET accredited courses. Tel: 021-4296060.
Dublin: Rathmines VEC Wine Appreciation Evening Course, starts September 15 for 10 weeks, taught by myself. Cost: €125. for further information go to www.rathminescollege.ie Tel: 01-4975334
Bradleys, No 21 Coburg Street, Deveneys Dundrum, Drinkstore D7
Marselan is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache and has increased in popularity due to its low yields and relative disease resistance. This is a classic Marselan — medium bodied, juicy and fruity, and eminently drinkable with some nice lingering flavours of ripe plums.
O’Briens, Douglas Court and Nationwide
Adelaide Hills is one of the cooler Australian wine regions and produces some of the best Aussie Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. There are very few wines costing under €9 worth buying but I think this is one of them — fine fragrant peachy viognier fruit with some crisp fresh acidity.
O’Briens, Douglas Court and Nationwide
Another bargain and a genuine half-price offer. These three grapes are a bit of a magical combination in the right hands (they are the basis of most Chateauneuf-du-Pape for example) and the Barossa and McLaren Vale produce some of the best versions. Earthy ripe fruit and fine lingering richness you won’t find at this price elsewhere.
Bradleys, No 21 Off-Licences, Cork
The Yecla DO is in the Altiplano region of Eastern Spain near the DO’s of Jumilla and Alicante. Monastrell is the grape here which is probably better known as Mourvèdre an important component of Southern Rhone wines. This is a gentle giant of a wine — packed with grippy fruit and soft, slightly spicy, lingering red and dark fruit flavours.
O’Briens Douglas Court and Nationwide
We think of Australia as a newcomer but it is important to remember that it has the oldest living vines and the oldest soils in the world — eg, the Cambrian soil in Heathcote in Victoria is 500m years old and definitely adds to this wine’s complexity. Intense ripe blackberry flavours and some richness but also a lightness of touch rare in Aussie Shiraz.
O’Briens Douglas Court and Nationwide
Costers del Segre is a Catalan region near the Pyrenees where Garnacha is often the star (although you will find Tempranillo and other grapes). This is a blend of Tempranillo, Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon and has softened nicely thanks to some bottle age giving fine light juicy flavours and lingering red fruit.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
