Learning Wine One Glass At a Time

As a novice to wine culture it can be very daunting to learn all the technicalities such as the geography, terminology and even the varieties of grapes is so huge. Nevertheless if you really open yourself up to the experience of tasting wine, the knowledge will follow, one glass at a time. I, myself have been a bartender for most of my career and know many things spirits and cocktails, however wine is so vast and complex I never gave it a chance to learn more until now.

This week I will be learning about Peique Tinto Mencia (2018) from the region of El Bierzo, Spain. Located about three hours northwest of Madrid, the terrain is mostly hilly and so the grapes are hand-harvested. The Mencia grapes are grown on vines between forty five and fifty five years of age on clay and sandy soil which surprisingly comes through in the tasting of the wine. Currently, it is run by Bodegas Peique with Jorge, Mar and Luis Peique looking after the whole operation.

The wine itself gives off a beautiful deep ruby colour. The aromas include hints of red fruit on the nose. Tasting notes include slight acidity at first which then evolves into a nice dry earthiness with subtle notes of blackberry in the background, before finishing with nice and easy tannins.  Medium bodied, overall a genuinely nice bottle of wine for those who enjoy dry and earthy notes in a red. A new drinker of wine, there is no need to over-complicate flavours. See what you can taste by comparing it to flavours you had before. If you have a bad memory like myself, jot down your tasting notes so you can compare it to futures wines.

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Beat the January Blues with a little wine Education!

An informal and fun way to discover a whole world of wine!

€160 for 6 Weeks Limited to 8 Places

This course runs for 6 weeks, one evening per week, starting on Tuesday 2nd of October. The Wine Appreciation Course will give a comprehensive overview of the wines of the world. The various styles, vintages and the relationship of food and wine will all be covered. Each evening we will sample a selection of wines, notes will be provide. (Should you wish detail information that can be provide also) Each Class begins promptly at 7.30 pm and will run for one hour and half.

The next course, will begin at 7.30 on Tuesday January 28th, and will run every Tuesday until Tuesday 3rd of March.

Wine School Key Features:

• Basic tasting techniques including putting words to wine
• Tasting the major grape varieties
• Discovering your favourite styles of wine

The Tasting Schedule

Introduction to French Wines

Introducing the various styles, grapes and wine philosophies of the leading wine producing country in the world. It starts from basics and it covers France’s principal wine regions and grapes.

Introduction To Australia & New Zealand

Australia is country that is emerging from a bit of an identity crisis, now looking to produce regionally distinct wines. We reckon Australia has never made better wines. New Zealand has nailed it’s flag to great Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Come and sample Clare Riesling, Marlborough Sauvignon among others.

Introduction To Argentinean, Chilean and South African Wines

Much like Australia these countries that boomed for one style of wine and are now looking to attract people with their regionally distinct styles of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc,  Malbec, Carmenere, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Introduction to Spanish & Portuguese Wines

Spain the trendiest wine country at the minute. This course will acquaint you with Rioja, Rueda and Rias Baixas along with Tempranillo, Albarino and Garnacha. Portugal long in the Shadow of it’s bigger neighbour produces some stunning  Vinho Verde and Douro reds.

Introduction To Austria & Germany

Germany and Austria are fast become a customer favourites with their fruit driven stylish reds and crisp refreshing whites. This week is the one that surprises most!

Introduction to Italian Wines

This will introduce you to some of the major wine regions of Italy, a country that we could focus a whole six week course on and only cover one region. Areas covered will be Piedmont, Veneto and Tuscany.

Places can be booked by emailing tadhg@woodberrys.ie or alternatively by calling 091-533706

A Rioja for all occasions: wine tasting

Join us for Spanish wine tasting on Friday October 18th between 5pm and 7pm. Come and sample some great Rioja wine and their new competitors from Ribera del Duero, Jumilla and more as we travel along our very own wine road. We will be introducing some new

Entrance tickets are €5, which includes a €5 voucher redeemable against any wines purchased that weekend*. Tickets can be gotten here

*Voucher Valid until 20th October.

Back to school

An informal and fun way to discover a whole world of wine!

€160 for 6 Weeks Limited to 10 Places

This course runs for 6 weeks, one evening per week, starting on Tuesday 2nd of October. The Wine Appreciation Course will give a comprehensive overview of the wines of the world. The various styles, vintages and the relationship of food and wine will all be covered. Each evening we will sample a selection of wines, notes will be provide. (Should you wish detail information that can be provide also) Each Class begins promptly at 7.30 pm and will run for one hour and half.

The next course, will begin at 7.30 on Tuesday September 24th, and will run every Tuesday until Tuesday 29th of October.

Wine School Key Features:

• Basic tasting techniques including putting words to wine
• Choosing from a restaurant wine list
• Tasting the major grape varieties
• Discovering your favourite styles of wine

The Tasting Schedule

Introduction to French Wines

Introducing the various styles, grapes and wine philosophies of the leading wine producing country in the world. It starts from basics and it covers France’s principal wine regions and grapes.

Introduction To Australian Wines

A country that is emerging from a bit of an identity crisis, now looking to produce regionally distinct wines. We reckon Australia has never made better wines. Come and sample Clare Riesling, Orange Pinot and Mudgee Shiraz among others.

Introduction To Argentinean, Chilean & New Zealand Wines

Much like Australia these countries that boomed for one style of wine and are now looking to attract people with their regionally distinct styles of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc,  Malbec, Carmenere, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling.

Introduction To New Old World

Fairly new entrants to the Irish market Portugal and Austria are fast become a customer favourites with its fruit driven stylish reds and crisp refreshing whites. We will also take in a selection of German wines.

Introduction to Spanish Wines

Spain the trendiest wine country at the minute. This course will acquaint you with Rioja, Rueda and Rias Baixas along with Tempranillo, Albarino and Garnacha.

Introduction to Italian Wines

This will introduce you to some of the major wine regions of Italy, a country that we could focus a whole six week course on and only cover one region. Areas covered will be Piedmont, Valpolicella and Tuscany.

Places can be booked by emailing tadhg@woodberrys.ie or alternatively by calling 091-533706.

The course is sold as a complete 6 week course with full payment of €160 required to secure a place.

La Dolce Vita – An evening of Italian Wine Tasting Evening

Join us on what will hopefully be a sunny July evening for a tasting of some of the best Italian wines available in Ireland. We will have over 20 stunning Italian wines open from Alto Adige in the North all the way to Salento in the heel of Italy. Customer favourites like Pinot Grigio, Prosecco and Valpolicella, to exciting wines such as Traminer Aromatico, Vernatsch, and regions and styles making a comeback like Soave and Orvieto.

Tickets are €5 per person but are redeemable as a €5 off voucher on the night against purchases. Tickets can be booked here on Eventbrite.

First of the Summer Wine (Tasting)

Join us for our first tasting of the summer, when we will be showcasing 10 of our favourite, fabulous wines summer wines! Think sizzling BBQs,grassy gardens, balmy evenings and sunny weekends.

Taste your way through different styles of bubbly, shades of rosé, zippy Sauvignon, crisp Riesling, summer berry reds, and big bbq reds!

Let us tell you the story of small, boutique, craft & family run winemakers.

 

RESERVE YOUR GLASS HERE

Albarossa – a peculiar Piedmontese grape

Albarossa is a crossing of Nebbiolo di Droneroand and Barbera, developed in 1938 by Italian enologist, Professor Giovanni Dalmasso. As a varietal wine, Albarossa has many of Nebbiolo’s aromas, such as violet and rose, but lacks Nebbiolo’s distinctive tarry notes. In terms of flavor, Albarossa has more in common with Barbera and typically shows dried and sometimes spicy herbs, and plenty of red fruit characters. When pressed, the juice makes for ruby-red wine with purple tinges. Up until the early 2000s there was very little of this variety in existence, even now only a handful of wineries produce wines from this variety!

One of the wineries that produce this wonderful wine is Cossetti. Run by three sisters who received their wine-making passion from their father who made wines in Piedmont all his life. Their Albarossa is made from grapes that are hand picked, pressed and macerated for 15-20 days; induced malolactic fermentation after racking and subsequent aging in cement vats for I year. The resultant wine is, intense ruby red colour with purple reflections, clean and ample bouquet with scents of red fruits and light spices. Full-bodied and fleshy palate, with good structure and softness. And pairs well with pasta dishes, white and red meat, medium aged cheeses

 

 

LOVE MALBEC YOU NEED TO TRY THIS…

Malbec, and particularly Argentinian Malbec is known for being rich, dark and full-bodied with red fruit flavours, woody notes and even a hint of chocolate. If this style is for you, try another grape, known as Monastrell in Spain. Ego Bodegas ‘Acuma’ 2017 will give you the richness and tannin you are after to replace your beloved Malbec. It also has Dark cherry red, vigorous. Intense aromas of red and black fruit with a sultry spiciness. The taste is rich and soft, almost velvety. The tannins are fussy and despite the great ripeness, there is plenty of freshness to  keep the wine in balance. This is a Southern Spanish gem from a family-run wine estate that won’t disappoint Malbec-lovers. Currently on offer at €14.95

Azienda Agricola Coffele

In 1971 Giovanna Visco and her husband Giuseppe decided to retire from teaching to breathe new life into Giovanna’s family’s estate: a property with cellars in the old walled village of Soave that had lain dormant for over 30 years.

Today their children, Alberto and Chiara, are in control of the day-to-day running and are the head and heart of the place. They are fully aware that the ingredients for a great wine come from the land itself. Around 30 hectares of immaculate vineyards are planted in the Soave Classico zone around Castelcerino (200-350m above sea level) on perfectly exposed hillsides. For about nearly a decade the winery has been following full certified Biodynamic practices (all natural – minimal intervention – spiritual viticulture) in their vineyards

The garganega grape variety from this location is prized for its ripeness and natural acidity when it ripens slowly, allowing for exceptional flavour development. Coffele’s wines often go a step beyond their peers, with the hard work and careful attention to detail that is given to the vineyards. The grapes are all hand-harvested using multiple passes through the vineyards to ensure picking at the perfect moment of ripeness.

This producer is doing a great job, maintaining standards of Soave that some of their neighbours in the area, with much larger resources, would be proud to achieve. The wines are typically high in finesse with delicate mineral notes.

Most recently, Coffele has expanded into the Valpolicella DOC with the purchase of a small estate in Campiano, and are now producing a Valpolicella and an Amarone.

COFFELE VALPOLICELLA 2017 Full of fruit: sour black cherries, blackberries, and ripe red cherries, with hints of balsam and spice and the slightest suggestion of herbaceousness. The aroma is rich and intense, but with great finesse. It is highly structured, harmonious, and delicate, with a long finish. The refreshing acidity balances out the wine’s alcohol, and the tannins are dense yet fine.

Banish those January Blues…..

De Haan/Altes El Covertido Rioja 2015

“We love Garnacha,no matter where is comes from and Rioja is a great exponent of this variety.What is less common however, is to find Garnacha in the cooler, western parts of the D.O.The grapes for this wine were sourced from a vineyard near the village of Canilla de Riotuerto.Planted in 1980, these bush vines produce lower yields than the tempranillo vines, around 2 kg per vine”, Rafael De Haan.

Manually harvested using small boxes of 12-15 kg. The grapes passed along a selection table to remove all berries that were not healthy or properly ripe.
Stems were removed and the grapes lightly crushed, after which they were placed in small stainless steel tanks of 40 Hl. Pre-fermentation maceration was carried out in the cold for 72 hours. Alcoholic fermentation occurred spontaneously between 24-28° C for 9-12 days. Malolactic fermentation in barrel. Then aged 17 months in new French oak barrels, during which 4 rackings were carried out.

The 2015 El Covertido pours a bright crimson colour, this wine is very expressive with notes of red fruits and minerals that leap from the glass. Plenty of fruit on the palate, a touch of complexity and sweet tannins mingle with the spicy oak nuances. This is a Rioja like no other as it has zero Tempranillo.

Normally €24.95 but currently on Promotion at €19.96