Wine Blog

Why we love Sauvignon Blanc

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 14:46:06 GMT

Is Ireland's insatiable demand for Sauvignon Blanc set to continue?

This is a question I am frequently asked and the answer is absolutely - there appears to be no letting up in the grá for the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

It's intense green fruit character and mouth-watering freshness has certainly captured the hearts and imagination of many.

So much so that almost every wine producing region in the world is planting this grape variety with gusto at the expense of some of the more interesting local grape varieties.

Marlborough has even taken over in US

It's interesting to note that Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has moved into poll position in the United States piping the local leader of the pack Kendall Jackson.

In Ireland the wines of New Zealand are one of very few countries showing very strong growth March 2008 versus 2009 +24% in volume whilst maintaining the highest average price point of all the wine producing countries at €11.05, an incredible achievement for the Kiwis.

I have to declare my hand by stating that I too am a bit of a fan of this variety and am particularly drawn to the minerally expressions of this grape that emanate from the Loire Valley in particular the appellations of Sancerre & Pouilly-Fumé - the 2008 vintage is simply delicious!

Taste of Dublin - A must for your diary!

Taste of Dublin (June 11th - 14th) is now on and just in case you haven't been caught up in its launch fanfare do check it out - it's always a bit of fun with a good balance between the commercial and the enthusiasts.

The costs of entry are down this year, which should contribute to the sense of enjoyment – at last a plus for this recession.

For the diehard wine enthusiast ...

Vin Expo is the ultimate trade show for the wine professional being the biggest wine event held in Bordeaux every two years - it runs from the 21st to the 25th June and is trade only - at this event there are miles and miles of exhibitors plying their offerings.

If you are not a badge carrying wine professional in Ireland with our typical two degrees of separation I am sure there will be somebody you will know who you can get to pre-register and chaperone you at this event. Be warned accommodation during this period reaches stratospheric levels so do your research if you plan to make the pilgrimage.

What to drink this weekend?

If you want to be charmed by two simply brilliant wines from Victoria in Australia, I cannot recommend highly enough the T Series wines from Taltarni.

The T Series white (Sauvignon/Semillon) 2008 is crisp, intense and has layers of citrus fruit flavours, is round on the palate and simply perfect for outdoor enjoyment. 0'Briens 2 for €20.

The T Series Shiraz 2006 has wonderful depth of pure black fruit, is velvety on the palate and finishes with a wonderful freshness and like it's white partner is a match made in heaven for barbequed foods. O'Briens 2 for €20

If you want to try something completely new or if you want to catch out one of your pals on a blind wine tasting try Domaine Duffour 2008 from the Côtes de Gascogne O'Briens €9.99 - made from the local grape varieties of this region the Colombard, Ugni Blanc and the Gros Manseng - wine masquerades almost perfectly as a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc at a significantly lower price with an alcohol level of only 11.5% making it less treacherous than some of it's New World relations.

The Bordeaux en Primeur campaign is coming to an end

Fri, 22 May 2009 15:59:16 GMT

Hi all,

Bordeaux en Primeur campaign 2008 has really gained momentum.

The last couple of weeks have been fascinating if you like Bordeaux and like to bag a bargain. Following on from the tips dished out in the En Primeur blog a couple of weeks ago you might be interested to know the vintage continues to be re rated upwards in line with my predictions with many of the 2nd release prices have come out and at markerdly higher prices.

Why have some of the en primeur prices moved up so markedly with Château Lafite doubling?

The reason being that the famed Mr Parker has eulogised on this vintage and issued some very high ratings. So if you are thinking of laying down a cellar do do a bit of research into this vintage. I have managed to bag a few cases for myself and although the wine won't be delivered until mid 2011 it's nice to have something to look forward to.Note, see this more as an opportunity to build up an exciting wine collection rather than make money as it is very hard to re sell wine.

A hot date for your diary - Friday 29th May

Geoff Schrappel owner of Bethany wines will be in Dublin this coming Friday and will be conducting a free tasting of his highly rated wines at the O'Briens superstore in Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford. Geoff is known as the Baron of the Barossa Valley in South Australia and is famed for his great Shirazes,

If you are interested just e-mail cora-jane@obrienswines to reserve your place.

Interested in becoming wine savvy without spending a fortune?

O'Briens has launched a series of wine courses - charging €39.99 for a 4 week course to include course material and the tasting of 6 wines during each class. This could be the perfect opportunity to develop your wine lingo, have a bit of fun and make some new friends. Most other courses around town seem to weigh in at €150+

If you are interested just e-mail cora-jane@obrienswines to reserve your place.

A great red wine for this weekend if you haven't headed over to Scotland!

Just did the San Felice il Grigio Chianti Classico Riserva 2005 (€17.99 - O'Briens) on TV3 this morning - it's simply brilliant Sangiovese. This wine was rated 'Outstanding' by the Wine Spectator - and was awarded a gold at the Sommelier ratings in London two months ago. Drinking wonderfully now it will cellar for a further 5 years. Excellente!

Are rosé wines an excuse for a wine?

Wed, 06 May 2009 16:57:20 GMT

Hello everyone,

It's been a while, but it's been busy coming up to the summer season.

Thanks for your questions over the last few weeks, I've answered some of them on the posts below - so check the posts beneath my last blog if you're interested in learning why New Zealand brands like Oyster Bay sauvignon blanc are so cheap now, or why ideas like putting Coca-Cola into your wine are not advisable.

This week I wanted to address a new subject - the merits of rose.

Everyday I am solicited by at least one winemaker from around the world who has heard rosé sales are flying in Ireland – it’s simply not true!

Whatever about what is going on in England or France the rosé bug has not caught on here yet.

Yes, it is true to say that there are a number of what are termed ‘blush wines’ that are selling at staggering levels led by Blossom Hill White Zinfandel and Gallo White Zinfandel.

These are very much in the fruity, friendly camp with high residual sugar that can give them an instant appeal but would not be my dessert island choice.

Dry rosés on the other hand can be quite a revelation.

Dry rosés are made in a similar way to dry white wines the only difference is that rosés are made from black grapes and on crushing the grapes the white juice of the grapes is left sit on the black skins for up to 10 hours and during this period some of the colour leeches out and the wine becomes rosé, simple!

Rosés should be approached as though a white wine, be served chilled and be enjoyed with white meats, pasta, salads etc.

Don't ignore rose - it's can be delicious on a sunny day

Do I recommend dry rosés? Absolutely! They are particularly ideal if the sun is beating down and you don’t want the hassle of serving a red and a white wine at a party.

Which producers do I favour?

I am a big fan of the rosés from the Loire Valley and Provence and the producers that immediately that spring to mind are Henri Bourgeois, Langlois-Chateau, Château Vignelaure, Domaine de Nizas……. but really there are hundreds of options knocking around Ireland and it is a great idea to have a few bottles tucked away in the fridge for that odd break in the clouds.

What Rosé vintage should you select ?

Like with all white wines with rosés seek out the youngest, freshest vintage.This means you should be opting for the 2008 vintage and at oldest 2007.

Ireland.com links

Going out ideas
Find a restaurant
What's on TV: interactive guide for RTE, Sky and NTL