Today we are going to feature an Irish produced Sparkling Cider with a great story to tell, followed by a brand new wine brand on the Irish market with a global story.
Esterre Sparkling Prestige Cider, €16.99
Stockists: New to market but can be found in many Independent Off Licences
A few months ago my nephew’s girlfriend turned 21, and as she only drinks cider I wanted to get her a premium sparkling bottle as a present. I did find one from France, but if only I’d known about Stonewall Cider I’d’ve been able to find the perfect present right here at home.
Stonewell Cider was founded in Co Cork in 2010 by Daniel Emerson. They produce a really interesting range of craft ciders, including gluten free, low calorie and low alcohol options. In five years they have won a slew of awards both in Ireland and the UK including a Blas na hEireann Bronze Award in 2013 and a Great Taste Gold Star award in 2013 for their Medium Dry and Dry Ciders.
They have now launched a premium range called Esterre on the market. This cider is made from a single varietal apple called Elster which is grown in Cappoquinn Estates by David Keane and also at the Apple Farm by Con Traas. They use a particular wine yeast which accentuates the flavour profile as it ferments and after fermentation the cider is settled and aged for a short period.
The name chosen also has an interesting back story; it is named in honour of Daniel’s late mother, Sally Ann d’Esterre, a native of Timoleague in Co Cork and quite a character by the sounds of it. The d’Esterre family were French Huguenots who came to Ireland in the early 17th century via Holland, having fled persecution in France.
So consider this a call to action to Ireland’s licences, Esterre Irish sparkling cider is ideal for celebrations and should be on your radar. Get on to Classic Drinks in Cork and place your order... pronto!
2014 Tussock Jumper Pinot Noir, €12.99
Stockists: Spar, Eurospar & Mace, nationwide
A fantastic new range of wines, exclusive to BWG and the Spar/Mace group has just been launched on the Irish market. The range includes wines from New Zealand, France, Argentina, Germany, Australia, and many other countries.
Tussock Jumper Pinot Noir is readily available nationwide [TussockJumperWines]
The group is made up of some of the biggest multi-national companies including Evans & Tate from Australia and Chamarre from France. I worked for Chamarre about 10 years ago when OVS, their parent company, launched the wines on the market. They were easy-drinking French wines with a strong brand identification and they were successful here before the crash.
Fast forward to 2015 and the new range is called Tussock Jumper and it’s very clever. The wines are all easy drinking and are strictly related to a country of origin, in that they represent the best known wine style from that country. The range consists of 17 varietal wines from 10 different countries and each wine is sourced from a very good producer.
The branding is clever in that it involves an animal wearing a jumper… specifically a Tussock Jumper. Each country has its own animal; for example, the Pinot Noir from France features a wild boar. The Kiwi wine goes with the other animal associated with New Zealand, the sheep, on a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc which is 100 percent Savvy from Marlborough in the northeast of the South Island. The Aussie wine, a Shiraz from South East Australia, features a koala and the Argentine Malbec features a cow. You get the drift.
The full range of Tussock Jumper wines and animals [TussockJumperWines]
This is a very clever range and adds a sense of fun to selling wine. Hats off to the Spar group for adding these to their range.
The one we tasted is 100 percent Pinot Noir grown in the South of France. It has 12.5 percent ABV and was a Gold Medal winner at the 2013 Best Value Vin de France awards.
Wine Events
- Ireland’s top selling Chilean wine producer, Santa Rita, is for the first time to bring a show garden to Bloom, Ireland’s largest gardening, food and family event in Phoenix Park, which started yesterday and runs till June 1st.
- The 2015 Campo Viejo Tapas trail gets underway in Dublin from June 3rd – 28th. www.campoviejotapastrail.ie
For details of these and many more wine events go to the wine diary www.jeansmullen.com.
