I once heard one of Chile’s most illustrious winemakers, Aurelio Montes, affectionately refer to the pinot noir grape as being like his teenage offspring: full of potential for a great future — but a royal pain to deal with right now.

ALONG with spices such as vanilla, coffee is catnip for humans, a sort of mildly psychoactive cup that cheers.

IF you’ve taken on a ‘new you’ programme to counteract the excesses of the festive season, you deserve every credit.

THE recent public tasting in Cork organised by the Spanish Embassy was, as expected, both a great way to survey what’s on the market in Ireland today, and a thrilling immersion in total sensory pleasure.

BORDEAUX is the classic match for beef, be it steak or stew.

THE Cork hurlers left Páirc Ui Chaoimh last Sunday feeling much better about themselves, enthusiastic about the league encounters ahead. After the reversal against Kilkenny, the onus was on improvement against Galway. They duly delivered, chiselling out a three-point victory to re-ignite hopes of a promising spring.

GARDAÍ believe that €200,000 worth of spirits stolen from a Co Cork warehouse are likely to be sold on the Christmas drinks market.