Summer finally arrived, to celebrate this, today on Movies & Booze we are going to sample a few wines that are perfect for summer drinking. Our first wine is a Prosecco lookalike from Australia, brand new to the Irish market and perfect for summer parties. Our red wine, was made to go with BBQ food.
Lets us start with an Aussie sparkler which I can highly recommend to the growing number of bubbly wine fans, and then we’ll try a New Zealand red produced by a company that was recently voted the fourth “Most Admired Wine Brand” in the world!!
McGuigan Frizzante €14.99
Stockists: SuperValu, Nationwide - launch offer €9.99
Percival ‘Perc’ Alfred McGuigan who passed away last year at the age of 100 was the pioneer winemaker who set up Wyndham Estate. He later inspired his sons Neil and Brian to create McGuigan Wines. Today, McGuigan Wines sells 2.4 million cases worldwide and Neil McGuigan who heads up the company has been voted World’s Best White Wine Maker a record three times by the IWSC.
McGuigan have just lauched a brand new style of sparkling wine the McGuigan Frizzante. Recognising that globally the sparkling market has moved from a treat to an everyday drink, the McGuigan family have produced a low alcohol sparkling wine, made from the Semillon grape to meet growing consumer demand for sparkling wine.
The joke at the recent launch of this brand new wine style in London in May 2015 was “Prosecco is SO 90s” However, the reason for launching these brand new Prosecco style sparkling wines on the Irish market is due to the expected Prosecco shortage. The 2014 Prosecco vintage in Italy was very poor and in some places was down by 50% which means rising prices and a shortage of available wine. Never one to miss an opportunity both the Spanish and Australians producers are looking to fill the gap by offering their own Prosecco style of sparkling wine.
The McGuigan Frizzante is a light style of sparkling with soft lemon and apple fruit flavours. According to Neil MGuigan, this wine is made in the Prosecco style but from a far superior grape Semillon, which has more structure. He also feels that because the Australian version has similar alcohol (10.5% ABV) and sugar level to Prosecco, his wine has the competitive edge because the Semillon grape “is a better variety than Glera to make sparkling wine from because Semillon gives you a mineral structure to balance the sweetness”.
The McGuigan Frizzante is the first sparkling Semillon to hit this market.
2012 Villa Maria Merlot Private Bin €14.99
Stockists: Super Valu & Centra; Independent Off Licences
Drinks International, one of the most trusted and respected global drink journals, named Villa Maria as the fourth most admired wine brand in the world in 2015, the only New Zealand winery to make the top 10 list. More than 200 of the world’s top masters of wine, sommeliers, educators and journalists took part in the annual poll. Villa Maria have just introduced brand new labelling on their wines which are on offer at €12.99 this summer.
Founded in 1961 by its current owner and Managing Director, Sir George Fistonich, Villa Maria celebrates 54 years in business this year. The Private Bin range is a good example of good quality mid-priced varietal wines from New Zealand.
Merlot is one of the two major red grapes in Bordeaux, where it is usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon. As a single variety Merlot is now gaining popularity elsewhere in both France and the major wine growing countries. The wines are lower in tannin and acidity than those made with Cabernet Sauvignon, so are easier to drink when young. They are soft and smooth with plum and fruitcake flavours.
Winemakers like the Merlot grape because it is an early budding and early ripening variety. It tends to produce it's best wine when grown on well drained soils in cool climates. The most famous (and one of the most expensive!) wines in the world is made from the Merlot grape, Chateau Petrus which is produced in Pomerol a region in Bordeaux.
Wines produced from the Merlot grape are usually deep in colour with very obvious soft ripe fruit character, sometimes described as plums. It has a tendency to have low tannin which means it matches well with most food. If you’re planning on grilling chicken with a on the barbeque, then fruit forward Merlot is an ideal pairing. It will also work well with beef but stay away from adding spicy sauces because the heat will overpower Merlot’s fruity flavours.
Learn about French wine – a great Father’s Day gift
If your Father loves wine, imagine his surprise when he sees a voucher for a wine tasting day! The day costs €150, including lunch, and a set of six tasting glasses. Wine tasting technique, styles, grape varieties and regions are included. 10 wines are tasted. People who have taken this course really enjoy it, and are amazed at how much they learn in a day. Premier Wine Training has organised a special French wine tasting day on Saturday July 11th (to coincide with Bastille Day). However, vouchers can be used against any course, on any date. Gift vouchers are available, and can be booked online at www.premierwinetraining.com
For more details about wine events go to the wine diary on www.jeansmullen.com
