With Christmas fast approaching (only 33 sleeps to go!) the wine trade is gearing up for its busiest time of year. Many of the Supermarkets have great offers at the moment especially for premium wines that will make a great Christmas gifts for someone you know who loves a good bottle of wine. This year, the selection has never been better.
Our first wine comes from England and was a winner of the NOFFLA Gold Star Awards 2014-2015.
600 wines were submitted to the Gold Star Award adjudication panel by the key importers of wines in Ireland to be tasted blind and assessed by a panel of NOffLA (National Off Licence Association) judges and independent wine writers. Points were awarded on the basis of appearance, smell, taste and value for money criteria and from 500, fifteen winning wines were selected as the best wines, across a number of price categories.
Each of the winning wines will be sold during the pre-Christmas period in NOffLA member outlets, of which there are more than 315 independent off licences nationwide. The chosen wines are recognisable by distinctive Award symbols on each bottle. NOffLA members will promote the Gold Star Awards 2014-2015 Collection as ideal Christmas gifts, in a variety of special gift packs.
GOLD STAR WINNER – SPARKLING WINE UNDER €60
Hattingley Valley Classic Cuvee 2011 Hampshire England
Stockist: Independent Off Licences, Nationwide – see www.noffla.ie for a list of outlets
English wine I hear you say? Well yes actually, the soil is exactly the same as that in the Vallee de la Marne where the Champagne grapes are grown. Think white cliffs of Dover and you get the idea. They use the same grapes and the climate is broadly similar. Sometimes it is hard to tell a good quality English Sparkling Wine in a blind tasting, so yes, this is really worth having a look at.
My introduction to English wine took place in March 1998 on a trip to Cork. While staying at the Arbutus Lodge in Cork City, I met the American couple Stuart and Sandy Moss, who were in Ireland to promote their sparkling wine from Sussex, called Nytimber. That was an epiphany of sorts, a memorable tasting and I’m guessing the best possible introduction one could have to English sparkling wine.
Today the English and Welsh wine industry is made up of approximately 128 wineries and 432 vineyards. The lion’s share of wineries are to be found on England’s South Coast; In terms of regionality the South East has 145 sites; the Central South , 96 and the South West, 122. There are vineyards all over England including East Anglia (66), the Midlands (91), the of North England (18) as well as Scotland (4) and the Channel Islands (5). There are 22 Welsh vineyards but they have recently formed their own association and are now treated as a separate region though they are still part of the United Kingdom Vineyard Association (UKVA), the representative body of the English and Welsh wine industry. Total annual production of English and Welsh wine stands at 3.5 to 4 million bottles annually (in a bumper year, of which 2014 is considered to be one of their best ever!).
Established in 2011 this 11 hectare vineyard is south facing and planted with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. Aromas of red berries and brioche with a zest crisp palate balance by lively acidity and fine mousse.
2011 Royal Saint Emilion €16.50
Stockist: Dunnes Stores, Nationwide
All the supermarkets this year have a range of Christmas premium wines on their shelves in the run up to Christmas. Dunnes have a selection of premium wines from France, Italy, and Spain on offer on their shelves from December 2nd to January 12th. This is additional to their core selection. All the other supermarkets have similar offerings, Lidl, Aldi, SuperValu and all will be highlighting them in the media in the run up to the big day.
I visited St Emilion earlier this year, this small medieval town is renowned as much for its beautiful buildings and scenery as for its wine. The town has wonderful steep, narrow, cobbled streets, and a huge Romanesque church with the iconic 13th-century Tour du Roy tower. Here the Merlot grape is king and in most of the wine blends produced on this side of the Gironde river, Merlot dominates.
This wine has won many prizes including a Silver Medal at the 2013 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for its 2009 vintage.
This wine is 80% Merlot with 20% made from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and the wine is then aged in French oak barriques. It is a classic St Emilion wine.
Younger St Emilion wines which tends to have a lot of fruit dominating, can be great served with fish or poultry and that includes turkey!. Plum fruit dominates with a hint of spice and chocolate. This will also work well with game. This wine has lovely spicy aromas of cloves and mocha and a lovely medium tannin and acidity when tasted, with the plum fruit/clove character showing through on the palate.
A versatile all rounder you can pretty well serve this with any style of food during the Christmas festivities, equally it would also work well as a great stocking filler for the wine enthusiast in your life.
Gift Ideas – New Zealand Wine Fair – January 2015: Here is another great idea for a Christmas gift for anyone who loves wines. Come and taste over 200 New Zealand wines in January 2015 and meet the people who make them. The New Zealand Wine Fair is a great way to start your new wine year. The event takes place in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Golden Lane, Dublin 8 on Thursday 22nd January, 2014 from 18:30 – 20:30.Tickets are priced at €15.00 each (over 18's only) or €13.50 each if you buy 10 tickets. To purchase your ticket please use the link below
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-ultimate-new-zealand-wine-tasting-dublin-2015-tickets-12252494541
27 wineries will take part including: Ata Rangi; Ara Wines; Brancott Estate; Cloudy Bay; Delta Wine Co; Felton Road; Gardo & Morris; Greywacke; Hunters Wines; Kim Crawford; Lani Wines; Lawsons Dry Hills; Matua Wines; Nautilius Estate; Oyster Bay; Perigrene; Seifried Estate; Saint Claire; Te Pa Family Vineyards; Tiki Wines; Tin Pot Hut; The Paddler; Tohu; Villa Maria; Wild Earth ; Wither Hills and Yealands Family Wines
More information at the Wine Diary www.jeansmullen.com
