Tuesday night's Food & Wine Night at McSwiggans proved a great success, with the mix of good food and good wine helped along in no small way by the wonderful input of the man who makes the wines, Bob Berton, of Eden Valley, Australia. There was a great atmosphere on the night - check out some photos on our Facebook page (see the link at the bottom of this email). Keep an eye out over the next few days for details of the next food & wine nights in Series 3. We think they will be really interesting - one will require a blindfold!
There is a tendency right now among wine retailers to cut back on the range of wines available because of the R-word. But we prefer to take a different path, by hunting down additional interesting new wines that offer good quality and good value to add to our range. Our last batch of new wines were from the New World, so here are a few of our most recent additions from the Old World:
RED
Mont Tauch Fitou AC France, 2007 - I've enjoyed this wine for a long time and have finally tracked it down in Ireland. Lovely fruit and spice. €12.45 in a mixed case of 12.
Chateau Boucaret Lirac AC France, 006 - The star of our Staff Christmas Party. Beats Chateauneuf du Papes costing twice as much. €15.45
Nau Frères Les Blottieres Bourgueil AC France, 2007 - Really good Loire Cabernet Franc. Wonderful summer wine. €12.95
La Chevallerie St Nicolas de Bourgueil AC France, 2008 - John Wilson's Wine of the Week in the Irish Times on 24th April. €12.95
Buissonnier Bourgogne Pinot Noir France, 2008 - Classic, easy Burgundy Pinot Noir at a classic, easy €14.45
WHITE
Cuvee Orelie Ardèche IGP France, 2009 - Beloved of Irish wine writers! A blend of the zip of Sauvignon Blanc and the fruit of Chardonnay. Classic party wine. €8.75
Domaine des Corbillieres Touraine France, 2009 - 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, home of Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé, only cheaper. €12.45
Burgerspital Wurzburg Pfaffenberg Silvaner Germany, 2007 (€15.95) and Burgerspital Wurzburg Stein Harfe Riesling 2008 (€19.95) ‘Some of the most wonderfully fresh, light white wines I have ever tasted...a wonderful, razor-sharp purity of fruit' John Wilson, The Irish Times, Jan 2010. Unusually shaped bottles, great wines. Hard to get.
Johann Strauss Kremstal Grüner Veltliner 2008 - We are very excited about these new ‘Gruvees'! Austria's secret wine weapon. Delicate fruit, white pepper and zesty acidity. What a summer wine, particularly with food. €12.45, which is an amazing price for a good GV.
Johann Strauss Kremstal Grüner Veltliner 2009 - Just shows how GV varies from vintage to vintage. Stunning wine with a wide range of tropical fruits as well as the citrus and spice of the previous vintage. A wonderfully complex white wine. €13.75
ROSÉ
Portaille Cabernet d'Anjou 2009 - less sweet than Rosé d'Aujou. Real accompaniment to summer. €10.95
NON-ALCOHOLIC
Miguel Torres Natureo Free 2009 - the first non-alcoholic wine we've tried and liked! A super white from Torres which just got a rave review in Decanter! €6.95
Plus, we've got a few of our old friends back after a bit of an absence;
Mansenoble Reserve 2007 - from one of Corbieres icon wine vineyards. €16.95
Apolline St Emilion Grand Cru 2004 - great value Grand Cru at €19.95
Finally, this is the last week of our May Sale which has proven a huge success - in particular the Argentinian wines, the Pinot Grigios and other Italian wines have been big, big hits. Deals still available until this Sunday.
Have a great weekend, and fear not, it looks like the good weather is on its way back round the middle of next week.......