Fratelli Barba Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC “Colle Morino” 2006
Nice purple black coloured wine - almost Ribena concentrate like. Really nice colour, hugely inviting.
Fresh and clean wine on the nose. Cherries with some sourness, blackberries and some pepper. On the palate it is the black fruits that really hit you first. The fruit is soft but not [...]
No - not that Cork …. this Cork
On the 13th and 14th November in the Clarion Hotel Cork - some of the leading independent wine retailers in cork are getting together to showcase their wines. If you have not been to a wine tasting event before fear not - they are great fun, [...]
Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel 2006
Being a fan of Zinfandel, I was quite looking forward to this wine. Zinfandel normally offers solid medium bodied fruit, with decent concentration levels, and spice. Making it a nice alternative to Australian Shiraz. Zin as a grape variety usually bring fantastic colour aswell - Good Times !
The wine had [...]
Hugh Johnsons Pocket Wine Book 2009
The original pocket wine book that is now in its 32nd edition and going strong. Figures of 10 Million copies sold worldwide shows that this book has become an institution in its own right.
The books is nicely set out with vintage details inside the hard cover. What differs in this [...]
Italian Wine Tasting Event - Press & Trade Only
Just a short post to let all you retailers and wine writers who enjoy my blog know that the fabulous Jean Smullen is organising a tasting of Italian wines in Dublin on the 6th October. Wine makers and winery owners are making the trip to Ireland especially [...]
A Mano Primitivo IGT Puglia
A lovely reddy purple colour to this wine, with good depth of colour.
Quite aromatic on the nose, with rich black fruits - blackberries, blackcurrant and blueberries. The fruit is smooth ripe and has good concentration. Puglia being in the south of Italy while still in the Old World it is certainly nice [...]
Cuvee Jean-Paul Sec VDP 2008
Ugni Blanc and Colombard may not be grape varietals that you are to familiar with. They are work horse grapes that often are used to produce bland, high volume, boring whites. Italian White Wine lovers Ugni Blanc is the french name for Trebbanio. This grape is often used in cognac production.
I [...]
Jean Louis Denois Brut Pinot Noir – Chardonnay NV
Jean Louis Denois is one of the rising stars of the Languedoc and this Sparkling Wine is a perfect example of why. Denois vineyards are located in the very southwestern corner of the Languedoc region sitting at the foot of the Pyrenees.
This wine is a 50/50 blend [...]
Jansz Premium Non Vintage Cuvee
Now this is a sparkling wine with some serious pedigree - famous Champagne House Louis Roederer purchased Jansz in 1986. Roederer recently sold the winery Yalumba itself being one of the most famous family owned wine companies in Australia.
With the Premium Non Vintage, winemaker Natalie Fryar has carefully blended fruit [...]
Farnese Pinot Grigio Terre Di Chieti 2007
Pinot Grigio is just massively popular world over ! Commercially styled wines that have very lean fruit flavours, high acidity and get chilled to the max have become the stable for alot of restaurant house whites. There has been a backlash against the boring Pinot Grigios by some sections [...]
Frank established Robert Francis Wine and has an amazing enthusiasm and passion for wine. He is always on the look out for the latest wine trends to keep you up to date and informed. Frank advocates all styles of wine from all across the globe and encourages you to expand your palate.
Laurence Veale is the author of wine blog, Sourgrapes.ie and lives in Dublin, Ireland. What started as a present of a wine appreciation course and a holiday in Chianti quickly became a passion.
Michael is owner, founder and chief taster of Curious Wines, Ireland's mixed case wine specialists. A foodie as well as wine lover, Michael will be exploring the relationships between wine and food around the world, whilst living up to his company's brand values by never taking himself too seriously.
