Media Coverage 2008 / 2009

From an article by John Wilson - Say Sláinte

Sásta 2006, Douro, 13%, €14.95
The label may be amusing, but the wine should be taken a bit more seriously. Rich but supple, with very nicely spiced dark fruits and a harmonious finish. I would try this alongside pork and chicken dishes. This is very keenly priced given the quality. Sásta, as béarla, means satisfied, pleased or contented. I don’t think you will be disappointed. Available in half-bottles, magnums and other large formats, as well as bottles.

From an article by John Wilson - All White on the Night

Cortello Vinho Branco, Vinho regional Estremadura, Portugal 2007, 12%, €10.50

Another Portuguese white, this one a bit lighter, medium-bodied, with bananas in custard, and some canned peaches thrown in for good measure. Good on its own or with mussels.

From an article by John Wilson

A strong contender for best inexpensive white wine of the year, Domaine de Pellehaut featured a few weeks ago. It is one of the all-time great value wines, full of delicious green fruits and crisp acidity. However, it was just pipped by the Cuvée Orelie, another long-term favourite of mine.

Cuvée Orelie 2007, Vin de Pays des Coteaux de L'Ardèche, 12.5%, €9.95
An unusual blend of Sauvignon and Chardonnay that makes you wonder why more producers don't try it, the Sauvignon provides aroma and zip, the Chardonnay fruit and body. Together they form a delicious, lightly fruity wine that is perfect for any midweek fish dinner or for parties too.

Monzinger Frülingsplätzchen Riesling Spätlese Trocken 2007, Nahe, Emrich Schönleber, 12.5%, €29.95
A quick lesson in decoding German wines: Monzingen is the town, Frülingsplätzchen the vineyard, Riesling the grape, Spätlese means late-gathered, Trocken means dry. Nahe is the region, and Emrich Schönleber is the producer. The wine is absolutely stunning. First tasted on a trip to Germany, and later in Dublin, this will improve with yet another year or two in bottle, but will be difficult to resist right now. Big powerful rich wine with perfectly defined crisp pear and apple fruits, and a wonderful dry finish.

Niepoort Colheita Port 1998, 20%, €34.95

Most tawny Port is a blend of several vintages. A Colheita is a single vintage tawny Port thqat has been aged in cask for many years. The resulting wine has more developed nutty flavours than a vintage Port, and does not require decanting. This example has delicious soft easy sweet plums, grilled nuts and caramel. You could try it very lightly chilled with Christmas pud, but it goes very well with other desserts too, as well as hard cheeses such as Cheddar and Manchego.

Schloss Gobelsberg Gruner Veitliner Steinberg 2006 Langenlois, Austria, 12.5%, €19.95
Try saying that after a few glasses! The wine is lightly spritzy, with a rich, but light palate of canteloup melon and ginger. Delicious, different, and certain to please everyone, from teh Sauvignon drinker to the wine anorak.

Tomás Clancy's 2008 Wine Awards

Best Wine Importer of the Year
Ben Mason & Michael Anderson head one of the most elegant and effective wine operations in the Republic. Their shop is a warm, wooden box stuffed with well priced vinous treats. The shop and their import wine list reflect both their business savvy and their enthusiast devotion. It should be a point of pilgrimage for every wine lover and retailers hoping to reach the knowledgeable enthusiast wine market.

Best Fine Wine Merchants outside Dublin
#2 Wicklow Wine Company, Wicklow

Welcome to the club - Younger producers in the Douro Valley are shaking off port's fusty old-man image and making great table wines, too, writes John Wilson

TEN YEARS AGO the Douro Valley meant Port - for centuries one of the world's greatest wines had been made from grapes grown on terraces carved into the solid slate soil on the vertiginous slopes climbing up from the river Douro. This is one of the world's great wine regions, almost untouched by tourism, with a stunning raw beauty. In summer, it can be baking hot, often reaching 40 degrees or even more, perfect for producing very ripe grapes with thick skins. Read more...

Bottles of the week
Niepoort Vertente, Douro 2005, 13.5%, €20.95
One of the most thoughtful and intelligent producers around, Dirk Niepoort has been to the forefront of the efforts to make table wines in the Douro. He also makes very good Port, Tawny-style in particular. I love his table wines; they are subtle, complex wines that make you think.

Made mainly from grapes grown on north-facing, cooler vineyards, these are light-years away from the baked style you might expect from such a hot climate. The Redoma is one of my all-time favourites, but at around €35 a bottle, it needs a special occasion. The next level down, Vertente, is excellent too, an elegant wine with firm red fruits, a refreshing mineral streak, and a long dry finish. It goes perfectly with most red meats. I had mine with lightly spiced pork chops.

Around €12
Sá de Baixo 2006, 13.5%, €11.45
Beautifully made winter warmer with a touch of class. Ripe rounded dark fruits with a trace of spice, and a smooth finish. A great all-rounder to cheer up any red or white meats.

Bottles of the Week

Mouchao Dom Rafael Alentejo 2005, Portugal , 15%, €14.50
This is the second wine of one of the top estates in the Alentejo, the heartland of Portugal, and producer of many high-octane reds. No Grenache here, but a lovely big soft earthy wine with brooding ripe fruits. A bit of a beast, but it will handle any substantial dish. Test it out with a traditional Sunday roast.

Bottles of the Week

Emrich Schönleber Monzinger Riesling Kabinett 2007, Nahe, 9%, €21.85

Riesling Kabinett was the height of sophistication in the early 1980s. Sadly, cheap wines, a scandal and changing tastes did damage to the popularity of the German wine, and it is only now starting to recover. A Kabinett is a light off-dry wine that makes the most wonderful aperitif - delicate but full of subtle fruit. This particular example, from the brilliant 2007 vintage, is a sensational blend of honey, lemon zest and minerals - super, perfectly balanced wine. I would serve it before the meal at a very posh dinner party.

Georg Breuer GB Sauvage Riesling Trocken 2007

The Breuer wines hold a top note like a diva and this has perfectly pitched tropical fruit and minerality. Go even higher with its Terra Montosa, Berg Roseneck or Nonnenberg lables.

Grüner Veitliner, Kamptal, Austria 2007 12.5% €12.95

From one of the smarter addresses in Austria, a wonderful fresh, clean wine with elegant, slightly gingery green apple fruits. A great aperitif, good with seafood, and a real star with lightly spicy chicken and fish. Domäene Gobelsburg

One for my barbie - from an article by John Wilson

These wines will stand up to the biggest flavours your barbecue can churn out

Dom Rafael Mouchão 2005, Alentejo 15%, €14.50
Lovely big swarthy wine with dried cranberries, chocolate and an earthy touch. Pair with steaks, lamb kebabs or anything beefy.
From www.wicklowwineco.ie