Reeling in the years 2012
IF you haven’t already seen it, I’d recommend you download and read The misuse of alcohol and other drugs, a report released this week by the Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children.
Some of the recommendations have hit the headlines but it’s really worth reading the full report as it delivers a more rounded sense of the submissions the committee heard, lays out some key evidence, provides useful graphics (Read more...)
There is a Pint to be made here
What’s in a label?
Apparently it all kicked of at just a little passed five to six in a little sleepy hollow called Kildare. No more that three minutes later our boy Arthur was hassling his rent to half a student rate in none other than the capital working out at forty five quid no less. Now the time is little after ten passed the eight and back in the Allenswood of Kildare there is trouble brewing. Today (Read more...)
To changethings up a bit and try some new things, a little group of us (including Rob ofTeam Empty) devised a beer tasting that would give us a nice range of flavoursand styles. Well, we got what we asked for; a lovely variety, including a fewreal gems. Up for tasting we had Trouble Brewing Ór Golden Ale, ErdingerWeissbier Kristallklar, ErdingerWeissbier Dunkel, HoneyDew, and Belfast Blonde. So folks, here is my (Read more...)Chicken & fish paella
With 20% off Spain in January and February, I thought why get a good paella recipe up and pair it with a few great value wines. For best results, use real chicken stock here. It’s a handy recipe you’re bound to use again and again.
Chicken & fish paella (serves 4-6)
Ingredients
25g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
8 free range chicken thighs, skinned
1 medium onion
2 cloves of (Read more...)
The Sale 2012
Welcome to our Sale 2012.
We do this once a year in to clear the way for new wines due to be shipped in time for our new portfolio 2012 / 2013. There are some great offers in our sale but stock is limited.
We have listed the sales wines into different regions to help you define your choices.
The Sale 2012 Alsace, Loire and Burgundy
The Sale (Read more...)
Like Wine? Like Fish? Here’s €5!!
Finding where the value lies
My first taste of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was what started my love for wine. It always helps of course when you’re out there and you’re actually tasting it in the winery. Then I came home and very quickly realised that the overripe branded bulk wines of Oyster Bay and White Cloud are nothing like the wines I tasted in Allen Scott’s, Jane Hunter’s or Cloudy Bay. There’s no cheating (Read more...)
irish stew
This one-pot wonder is still a favourite at ely winebar.
irish stew
What you need
1 tbsp olive oil
1kg stewing lamb, diced
500g rooster potatoes,
peeled and halved
2 medium onions, diced
4 medium carrots,
peeled and sliced
rock salt, black pepper
What to do
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the lamb and seal on all sides. You will need to do this in batches.
Place (Read more...)
Year of the Dragon at Ying’s Palace
In the first in a series on wine apps I like to use, here is the wonderful Approach Guides Wine App for iPhone and IPad
I asked Jennifer Raezer of AG Wine about what they set out to achieve with this app
We set out to create something different — to give consumers everything they need to make an informed decision when faced with any wine list or in a wine (Read more...)
Ca’Rugate, Valpolicella Superiore, 2007
Thank You Mr Karwig
Take a letter on climate change
Does climate change, even if we’re only talking about a temperature increase of 0.81°C, make a difference to what ends up in your bottle - or is it that simple?
The letter below was published in the Irish Times letters page of 24th January 2012. It was written in response to another letter, printed in the same pages on 16th January, which in turn was prompted by an article by John (Read more...)
Carménère ready for a promotion
Since I’ve been on the front line of this game I’ve always really enjoyed helping people to discover new wines outside of the norm, away from the standard Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet. Carménère is one of those varieties I like to start with because it’s not a million miles away from Merlot, so it’s not a big step for even infrequent wine drinkers. In fact, you may already know, (Read more...)
