And in the background is the booming foodie movement in Galway, with the city and county being recognised nationally as a centre of excellence for food and food ingredients. Brilliant restaurants and food producers are sprouting up everywhere and thriving in the difficult times we live in. It is a truly exciting time to be in the thick of it!
With this in mind, next on the list is a slow wine tasting with Slow Food Galway on Tuesday week, 21st February. Slow Food is an international movement founded in Italy in 1986. Initially launched as a reaction to fast food, the movement sees as its goals, the promotion of sustainable foods, the preservation and promotion of local agriculture, foods and cuisines and the slowing down of the trend towards globalised, mass-market food production.
Ironically, it is now a global movement itself with over 100,000 members in 150 countries and we are lucky to have a great ‘convivium' (chapter) in Galway. Check them out at http://www.slowfoodgalway.com/.
The night begins at 8pm at Cases Wine Warehouse and will involve a tasting of wines that fit in with the slow food ethos and an explanation of how they do so. The night is free to Slow Food members and costs €8 for non-members . Members are asked to bring a small appetiser to accompany wine. Tickets may be purchased from Cases Wine Warehouse at the number below or from Slow Food at 087-9312333 (Kate) or 086-6484147 (Deirdre).
Separately, we have some cracking deals running right now with half an eye on those romantic Valentine's dinners over the next week or so. Here are a few of them:
Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot Noir NV, Adelaide Hills, Australia- lovely salmon colour with an outstanding creamy texture, strawberry and cherry flavours. €10 off! Reduced to €15.95 from a sampler bottle price of €25.95
Domaine Landrat-Guyollot ‘La Rambarde' Pouilly-Fumé AC France 2009 - classy, fresh fine white wine. Reduced to €13.95 from €18.95.
La Clochette Sancerre AC, France 2010 - Crisp and elegant with fresh gooseberry fruit. A steal at the regular price. Reduced to €13.95 from €16.95
Fairhall Cliffs Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand 2010 - Great minerality balanced by full, ripe fruit. Reduced to €9.25 from €11.95
Big Top Zinfandel, California 2010 - opened a bottle at our wine class last night. Outstanding fruit, powerful steak wine! Reduced to €9.85, from €12.95
Malis Cotes du Roussillon AC, France 2010 - Lovely strawberry/blackcurrant notes, peppery finish. Reduced to €7.95 from €9.95
Kind regards,
Peter