Flor De Viseu Branco Selection 2011 Dao, Portugal

Country / Region : Dao, Portugal

Year : 2011

Grape Variety : Encruzado & Cercial

Style : Crisp, Zesty White

ABV : 13 %

Drink By : 2014

The Winemakers

The gifted winemaker, Sonia Martins located her winery in the heart of the Dao region in north central Portugal. Sites were specially selected with the preferred granitic soil that gives the wine its distinctive character. The altitude of the vineyards helps to retain freshness in the wines. This wine seeks to meet those who want to experience a glass of all the flavours that the Dao Region can provide. The flower on the label symbolizes the thistle flower found locally. With Flor de Viseu Selection 2009 Sonia wanted to re-discover the tradition of the great wines of the Region of Dão.

The Wine

Intense lemon green colour. Green apple and citrus aromas follow through on the palate along with lovely minerality. Good freshness, well balanced and persistent.

Temperature : Serve at 10oC.

Great combination white meat, fish, seafood, salad and as an aperitif.

The amazing Jancis Robinson at the Ballymaloe Litfest

Myself, Regina O Mahony, Jancis Robinson MW, Beverley Mathews

Ballymaloe’s main man of wine, Colm McCan had asked me to give a hand at the Jancis Robinson ‘Wine Grapes’ event and I jumped at the chance. Jancis Robinson. What a speaker. Incredible. Really amazing. She talked us through some wonderful wines and lots of great wine stories. Incredible knowledge, witty and completely engaging. An amazing talk and tasting.

The inspiring variety of wines included

• Haridimos Hatzidakis Assyrtiko Santorini 2012
• Rafael Palacios As Sortes Godello Valdeorras 2011
• Chateau du Cedre Cuvee G. C. Cahors 2007
• Ridge Geyserville, Sonoma County 2008
• Equipo Navazos La Bota de Palo Cortado, No 34
• Barbeito Malvasia 2001 Cask 727
• Clos Uroulat Jurancon 2011

The Grainstore in Ballymaloe was packed with over 100 tasters who were all treated to a very special evening. We learned so much about some of the 1368 grapes varieties that she writes about in her incredible new book “Wine Grapes”

Without doubt, the talk and tasting is one of my great wine memories

Many thanks to Jancis Robinson and Ballymaloe for such a special event

An amazing weekend of Wine and Food Writers at Ballymaloe Litfest

What a weekend

On Sunday I headed down to Ballymaloe to take part in their incredible weekend of food and wine events. It was a who’s who of the food and wine world so I was really honoured to be asked to give a talk on the Wines of the Douro in the Big Shed, part of the Fringe Events.

The place was packed with food and wine lovers and the setup in Ballymaloe was amazing. The Big Shed was a hive of activity and looked really incredible.

A lovely crowd gathered around and I talked about still wines and ports for an hour or so. We tasted some lovely wines too.

• Quinta Do Judeu Red 2010
• Quinta Do Judeu White 2010
• Niepoort The Senior Tawny Port
• Niepoort Colheita 1999 Tawny Port
• Dows Vintage Port 1985

People really got involved and it was great fun and hopefully people learned something new also.

From there I went on the other side of the table so to speak and attended a riesling tasting by John McDonnell of Wine Australia. Some fantastic rieslings from Australia, Alsace and Germany. Fantastic stuff.

Susan Boyle (no, not the singer) did a little excerpt from her show A Wine Goose Chase Really enjoyable and I am looking forward to seeing the whole show when Susan returns to Cork later in the year.

From there, it was on to the Jancis Robinson Wine Grapes event – but more on that tomorrow !

Talk and Tasting of the Douro’s finest at Ballymaloe’s Fringe ‘Big Shed’ Festival

Delighted to be asked to give a a talk and tasting at Ballymaloe’s Litfest. The whole event promises to be amazing and I’m really looking forward to attending the Jancis Robinson talk and tasting.

So what about my Douro talk and tasting . . . . .

Well it will take place in “The Big Shed” and will be about the Douro Valley – Still & Fortified

Its a short informal tasting on Sunday 5th May, 3.00pm.

I’ll be tasting the following

• Quinta Do Judeu Branco 2010
• Quinta Do Judeu Tinto 2008
• Niepoort Tawny Port
• Niepoort Colheita 1999
• Dows Vintage Port 1985

So come along and say hello. The Fringe event and the other events for Litfest promise to be wonderful

Full details on the Litfest are available here

Full details of all the Fringe events are available by clicking on the  Big-Shed-Flyer

Talk and Tasting of the Douro’s finest in Ballymaloe’s Fringe ‘Big Shed’

Delighted to be asked to give a a talk and tasting at Ballymaloe’s Litfest. The whole event promises to be amazing and I’m really looking forward to attending the Jancis Robinson talk and tasting.

So what about my Douro talk and tasting . . . . .

Well it will take place in “The Big Shed” and will be about the Douro Valley – Still & Fortified

Its a short informal tasting on Sunday 5th May, 3.00pm.

I’ll be tasting the following

• Quinta Do Judeu Branco 2010
• Quinta Do Judeu Tinto 2008
• Niepoort Tawny Port
• Niepoort Colheita 1999
• Dows Vintage Port 1985

So come along and say hello. The Fringe event and the other events for Litfest promise to be wonderful

Full details on the Litfest are available here

Full details of all the Fringe events are available by clicking on the  Big-Shed-Flyer

Wine events at the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine, 3rd – 6th May 2013.

Colm from Ballymaloe sent me on the following details about the wine events at the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine, 3^rd – 6^th May 2013.

Wine events at the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine, 3^rd – 6^th May 2013.

The inaugural Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine, 3rd – 6th May 2013 including well known wine & drinks writers Jancis Robinson MW, Mary Dowey, Tom Doorley, John Wilson, to name but some of the 40 national and international speakers attending. 

We look forward to hopefully welcoming you to the Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine.

With best wishes

Colm

 

 

The line-up, so far, of wine events include:

 

Saturday 4th May, 11.30am

RIAS BAIXAS AND ALBARINO’ with John Wilson, wine writer, The Irish Times, and Juan Gil de Araujo González de Careaga,  President of the D.O. Rias Baixas, Galicia,and owner of Bodegas Palacio de Fefinanes, in Ballymaloe House

followed by ‘SHELLFISH AND ALBARINO LUNCH’ at 1.30pm €50

 

Saturday 4^th May,2.30pm – 4.00pm

‘WINE AND WORDS’ with John Wilson and Tom Doorley,

talk and wine tasting (in The Carrigaun Room, at the Grain Store) €25

 

Saturday 4^th May,4.00pm & Sunday 5^th May, 4.00pm

GER BUCKLEY, MASTER COOPER of MIDLETON DISTILLERY

Presentation and demonstration on everything to do barrels and the ancient craft of cooperage (in The Big Shed)

 

Saturday 4^th May,  4.30pm – 6.00pm

‘GOING NATURAL – NEW TRENDS’

with Mary Dowey and Pascal Rossignol,

talk and wine tasting (in The Carrigaun Room, at the Grain Store) €25

 

Saturday 4^th May,  6.30pm – 8.00pm

A ‘QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS’ SPECIAL ON FOOD, AND WINE

A debate on food, and wine, issues with an expert panel, chaired by John Bowman,

(in the main part of the Grain Store) €25

 

Sunday 5th May (to take place late morning on Sunday; exact time tbc)

‘A SPECIAL CORNER OF ITALY – FRIULI’  with Pierpaolo Rapuzzi

A wine tasting of  indigeneous grape varieties from this corner of north-east Italy,

with Pierpaolo Rapuzzi of Ronchi di Cialla, awarded for rescuing local grape varieties.

 

Sunday 5^th May, 2.30pm – 4.00pm

‘SPICE MIXES – WINES TO SUIT SPICY ASIAN DISHES’

talk and tasting with Mary Dowey (in The Carrigaun Room, at the Grain Store) €20

 

Sunday 5^th May, 6.30pm – 8.00pm

‘WINE GRAPES’ WITH JANCIS ROBINSON MW

 talk and tasting, with Jancis Robinson MW (in the main part of The Grain Store) €50

 

More information please see www.litfest.ie

To book tickets, or to request a brochure, please telephone

Literary Festival box office 021 4645777  E-mail: info@litfest.ie

Lagrimas De Maria Reserva 2007 Rioja, Spain

Country / Region : Rioja, Spain

Year : 2007

Grape Variety : 100% Tempranillo

Style : Warm, Spicy Red

ABV : 14.5 %

Drink By : 2020

The Winemakers

Bodegas Patrocinio was founded in 1985. Rioja wines are protected by the oldest Designation of Origin in Spain, and are awarded the highest category -Calificada- making Rioja the first designation in Spain to be so honoured.

The winery create unique and terroir wines with the vineyards which are property of the families tinvolved hrough many generations. Uruñuela, is located in the heart of La Rioja Alta, an area that is suitable for growing quality grapes thanks to its favorable microclimatic conditions and  soils.

De María is a collection of single variety wines using the most traditional grape found in La Rioja, the Tempranillo. This wine is made using the traditional Rioja vinification method. The winery have focused all their work on the figure of their expert winemaker, María. All the writings in the labels our María’s own.

The Wine

A bright ruby red colour. Outstanding for it elegant wood and spicy aromas and dark fruits. It has great structure and an extraordinary finish typical of a high quality traditional Rioja Reserva.

100% Tempranillo, aged in American oak barrel for 18 months and rounded in the bottle for 15 months more.

Goes well with traditional dishes like Stews, Roast Meats, Game and Grilled meats