Sherry, of course. And probably Port too. Talking to some wine merchants, and this is the only time they sell any of the stuff. If I were to pick one, I’d go for a Sherry. The great thing about Sherry is that you can go from bone dry to sweet, it’s literally a world of discovery. I’d go with a dry Puerto Fino sherry, perfect as an aperatif and available just about everywhere from independent wine shop to supermarket. Look out for Lustau.

Bubbles must make an appearance. There’s plenty to choose from. Tattinger has been walking out the door at Tesco where they have it down to €25, sometimes back to €60, then back to €30. That’s a bit of a bargin. But even at €25, you can get two bottles, almost. of Jacob’s Creek Sparkling. Blanc de Blancs is the ultimate crowd pleaser and perfect for parties.

Hosting a party?

For a ridiculously drinkable red, La Mano from Mencia (the grape) grown in a place called Bierzo in northern Spain. Not massive on the wine scene here, so you’ll pick up some novelty points. It got the brambly fruit and the rustic spice which will appeal to Cotes du Rhone lovers too. At €7.50 it’s also the wine to replenish your cellar with after the seasonal depletion. 

If there’s still a deal on (and even if there isn’t), try the Shiraz or The Fergus (a blend) from Tim Adams from Tesco. He’s a top bloke and makes great wine. See the interview I did with him last year.

For the white, I’m a fan of Le Courlis Sauvignon Blanc from The Corkscrew. There’s an interesting story behind this one. The winemaker and owner, Aynard, sent me some samples about two years ago now while I writing for the Tribune. He was looking for an Irish importer so I brought the bottle over to the lads and we tried it together. It has been continuously selling out since then. If I’d just become that importer, I’d be doing quite alright now.

As for fizz, look no further than the above Jacob’s Creek. Available in most convenience stores and supermarkets.

What to drink with the big bird?

For starters, whatever it is, it must be paired with Gavin Quinney’s Chateau Bauduc Bordeaux Blanc Sec. Austerity used to be a good word before the recession hijacked it. The French were the best at it, keeping overly generous tropical flavours in check in favour of elegance and complexity. While the French were at that, along came an Englishman and began to show them what’s what. A really stunning Sauvignon Blanc, quite unlike any of the new world styles we’ve grown accustomed to. Favoured amongst Gordon Ramsey, Rick Stein and TV’s Oz Clarke. This is a million miles from Oyster Bay and it’s all the better for it too. Down to €11 at the moment.

Onto the main event. I find it a challenge matching the turkey, trimmings and a wine. Classic matches are Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, but they can get crowded out by the brussels sprouts, chestnuts, cranberry sauce and whatever you’re having yourself.

I like something a little more robust and my wine of the year has to be Mas de Daumas Gassac. At €38, it’s expensive, but Michael Broadbent has been placed it in his top ten wines of the world. That’s good enough for me. I met the affable winemaker, Samuel Guibert. He’s a regular visitor to Ireland too, so it’s definitely buying local!

From not too far away, two other reds I love are from the same stable. First, the little brother, Les Orbiers de La Peira. It was my wine of the year last year and the 2009 is arguably better. For €20, it’s hard to find better. That’s not all folks, it has a big brother, La Peira Las Flors 2008. Both hail from the little known Terrasses du Larzac appellation, uncovered for us by Gary Gubbins who has an uncanny knack of seeking out amazing wines from the Languedoc. He’s like a pig with truffles! They’re both listed here on rednosewine.com.

That’s the old world taken care of. What about the new world? I was bowled over recently by three from South Australia’s Langmeil. They have some of the oldest vines in the world.

Typically, it’s Shiraz and in particular their Valley Floor and Orphan Bank. The Valley Floor really sings and at €17 you’ve got serious quality going on. Very polished wine. A step up in price at €36 and history is the Orphan Bank.

The vines were planted in the mid 1800′s and were to be torn out to make way for property. That was until Langmeil stepped in and transplanted them to a safe place where they continue to make great wines.

Worth mentioning too, the grandfather of both is the Freedom Shiraz from Langmeil. I tried it back in May at the Wine Australia tasting. Barack Obama was in town that day and this is a wine fit for a president. At €63 (down from €70) it’s a wine only our recently retired politicians on big pensions can afford to be drinking. It would be wasted on them too, tut!

For the classic fans, I’d go straight for Mischief and Mayhem’s basic Chardonnay available from The Corkscrew. At €19.95 it’s a glimpse into Meursault, toasty, minerals, creamy. Beautiful.

Meditative reds for later

A red by the fire and a good book. The book is probably on the Kindle, but the wine is still in the glass. Not for long if it’s Zenato’s Ripassa. Normally around €20, you’ll find it in some places on offer at €15. Silky smooth. Available in Next Door off-licences and good wine shops nationwide.

The Mulley’d Wine

For Mulley’d wine, I’ve put up my lovely wife’s recipe a couple of times over the years. I may be sucking up for brownie points, but I’ve yet to taste better.

Most wines mentioned were samples. I paid for those from The Corkscrew. Disclosure: I work on the The Corkscrew’s website. Sorry, award winning website. Ahem.

I’ve been taking a wine gadget, Vin Aire, for a test drive over the last couple of months.

What is the Vin Aire?

A wine aerator through which you pour wine into your glass. The science bit is that it’s based on Bernoulli’s Principle which states, as you all know, that an increase in the speed of moving air or a flowing fluid is accompanied by a decrease in the air or fluid’s pressure.

If, in your misspent youth, you pierced a can of beer while downing in it, that’s Bernoulli’s Principle in action.

From boisterous beer practices back to civilised wine, this decrease in pressure rapidly sucks air into the funnel (the gurgling sound), and mixes it with the wine before hitting your glass.

My “scientific” evaluation process

Now, wine tasting isn’t all that scientific. For example, if you know a wine is expensive or you recognise the wine brand, your brain starts to taste the wine before it’s even in the glass. Read the subjectivity of wine.

Despite the subjectivity of wine, I wanted to evaluate the Vin Aire through a somewhat “scientific” or objective process.

So, for each of the wines below:

• I poured wine into two identical glasses, one through the Vin Aire and other straight from bottle to glass.
• I alternated the order of pouring
• I asked my lovely assistant to switch the glasses so that I was tasting “blind” (I didn’t know which glass was which).
• Decanted the rest for later (a wine scientist needs to relax after intensive hours in his lab, after all)

The wines tasted

1. Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
2. Tim Adams Shiraz 2007
3. Henri Bourgeois ‘La Bourgeoise’ 2007 Sancerre Red (Pinot Noir)
4. Honoro Vera 2010 Garnacha Catalyud, Spain
5. Meerlust Rubicon 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa (Red Bordeaux blend)
6. Leoville Barton 2002, St. Julien, Bordeaux
7. Mas de Daumas Gassac 2006, Vin de Pays d’Hérault.

Vin Aire results

1. More expression on the nose, softer palate initially.
2. Far more expressive nose
3. No difference
4. Massive difference, particularly to taste, much softer
5. No difference
6. More expressive aromas, no difference to taste
7. Nice difference on the nose and slightly softer on the palate

The conclusion

While I did mention a scientific process, I was really having a bit fun with it. To be truly scientific the results would have to be repeatable with a bigger sample size of wines and tasters and tasting blind (not knowing what the wines were).

And if I worked for Vin Aire, that’s exactly how I’d market the device – a “The Vin Aire See For Yourself Roadshow”. Don’t knock it, that’s exactly how Max Riedel sells his wine glasses across the world.

So, from the “scientific wine experiments” I performed, there was definitely a difference for five of the seven wines.

The younger wines tasted seemed to benefit most from it.

How? With the Vin Aire, I suspect it’s a case of “blowing off” trapped gases like opening the window of a bedroom to let the air in.

Decanting, could be similar, but just take longer.

So, if you’ve bought a red wine for consumption an hour or two after purchase (most wines are bought this way), then I’m confident this will work for you.

All that remains is for you, with your new found love of physics, it to choose which shaped glass you’ll pour it into.

As I’m writing, Joe Ryan and his team are busy tending to their vineyards, mowing and trimming, before they cover their vines with nets. If they don’t net the entire vineyard, starlings will devour their entire crop before harvest. Such is the ebb and flow between man and nature.

Joe Ryan’s family are fourth generation New Zealanders now. His great great grandfather arrived in New Zealand in 1874. The boat ticket says he left from London, but that’s as far as Joe can trace it. He believes the family arrived in London after escaping the famine, possibly from either Tipperary, or Limerick, before seeking their fortune in New Zealand.

Gladstone, Wairarapa

Gladstone is one of 3 grape growing areas in the Wairarapa, the others being Masterton, and the more established Martinborough. Joe originally began exporting to Ireland under the Wairarapa banner, but the name is a bit of a mouthful for us (pronounced “Why ra rap a”) so they used the more local Gladstone.

Joe figured if he was going to sell wine in Ireland from an area named after a British priminister, at least it was one in favour of home rule.

Gladstone is a rural area 10 minutes east of Carterton, that only has a school and a pub, like many Irish towns, except for the shortage of pubs. It sits on the valley floor along side the Ruamahunga river. It was this river, moving eastwards over thousands of years that created the free draining stony terraces that the dozen or so vineyards here grow in.

Unlike Marlborough across on the South Island, they can’t achieve high yields, mainly due to climate, so the cost of grape production is higher per ton.

Joe shares the concerns of many of his fellow New Zealanders, with production increasing faster than their markets.

The problem of over production in New Zealand

A few years ago vineyards in Marlborough (over 60% of NZ’s production) were selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars per hectare. This attracted a lot of developers without any other interest in the industry to start vineyards with the idea of making a quick buck.

According to Joe, the over supply that has resulted coinciding with the onset of the global recession has really knocked the whole New Zealand wine industry.

The high cost of production

While New Zealand can still achieve reasonable prices for their wine on the international stage, New Zealand remains one of the most expensive places in the world to grow grapes. Why? Nature is a cruel mistress, and they have to deal with frost, fruit loving birds, higher labour costs before they transport wine half way across the world to get to most markets.

So, even if they wanted to be they probably could never compete on price.

In terms of the future, Joe is optimistic. Luckily, New Zealand has always been about quality despite many producers here being forced to currently selling below cost.

New plantings which led to the rapid increase in production have significantly decreased since 2008 when the over supply issues began. Joe sees the balance between supply and demand will return and is hopeful, like many of his peers that new wine markets in Asia will help this happen.

I’ve tried two of Ryan’s wines, both adorned with the celtic bands.

The Sauvignon Blanc 2008 was, almost as you’d expect, full of gorgeous tropical fruit, but with a nice streak of minerality, almost “Sancerresque”. Unmistakably New Zealand Sauvie but with perhaps more restraint than many Marlborough styles.

The Pinot Noir 2006 Single Vineyard is very classy. Lovely succulent cherry fruit, backed up with great acidity and a lovely silky texture. Very Elegant.

You’ll get a detailed story behind the place where and how this wine is made over at rednosewine.com. Worth a read even if you’re not considering buying it (but I really think you should).

I have to confess to a real grá for southern French wines of late, largely thanks to Gary’s selection. He has shown a keen eye to pick out some real gems from an area with a bit of a sorry reputation for mass produced bulk wine.

And this is another one of those gems. Gorgeous fruit, a rich vein of minerality and a silky smoothness. No harsh tannins, no big slap across the face, just excellent wine making. Grapes in the blend are Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Easily a 92 pointer if you care for such things.

Now, for the big reveal. I’ve never seen or heard Gary use the “c” word, and it has probably cost him sales.

Yes, “celebrité” is used to sell us almost everything these days, from Marty Whelan rolling off the “Every little helps” mantra for Tesco to Sean Moncrieff talking  up Rabodirect’s no sneaky terms and conditions.

The nice little secret, which Gary merely hints at is that Château Miraval property is owned by none other by the glamourous Hollywood duo, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Rumours abound that the name of the wine will change to “Château Brangelina” or “Clos du Pittolie” in the coming years.

I suppose Gary’s perspective is that he wants the wine to speak for itself on its own merits, no celebrity endorsement needed. Still, I’d have no problem sharing a bottle with Ms. Jolie. I wonder if Gary can pull a few strings

Buy the wine (or just read up on its history)

Check it out over at rednosewine.com

Despite the decline in popularity in recent years, Chardonnay remains one of the world’s great white grapes, capable of producing wines of varying styles, depending on where it is grown and who is making it. I think it’s brilliant and I’m currently loving new world styles.

Below, two classic French styles alongside two from the antipodes and one from the US of A.

1. Clos du Val Chardonnay, California, 2006 (€16)

This is nice rich example of Chardonnay which many producers have shied away from in recent years. Opulent, sensuous but with a perfect balance between gorgeous juicy fruit and oak, a crisp, long rewarding finish. Could easily be confused with a pricey premier cru from Burgundy. Rediscover your inner love of well made Chardonnay with this stunner.

With food? Roast chicken, stuffing or fish/chicken with rich creamy sauce

Available from: O’Brien’s

2. Domaine Maurice Lecestre Chablis 2008 (€18 approx.)

Chablis is famous for light and clean wines, a world away from the Chardonnay further south in the heart of Burgundy. Wines from the best plots In Chablis, Premier Cru and even Grand Cru are often more concentrated but are still light and crisp. This one is crisp and refreshing with a lovely minerality with notes of crunchy granny smith apples. In style, very different from the other Chardonnays this week.

With food? Lighter salads, or oysters

Available from: good wine shops nationwide (find using wine-searcher.com)

3. Innocent Bystander, Yarra Valley, South Australia Victoria 2009 (€13-€14)

Australian chardonnay is definitely back. Yarra Valley has a cool climate which means a refined, elegant style of chardonnay here with zesty citrus and a rich texture and toasty nutty flavours and a nice minerality. Not the sappy, sugary style of old, with any richness offset with a refreshing clean, crisp precision. Class in a glass.

With food? Roast chicken or fish in cream sauces

Available from: Mitchell & Son, Drinkstore (Stoneybatter) and good wine shops nationwide (find using wine-searcher.com)

4. Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2005 (€40)

The Aussies aren’t the only ones making classy Chardonnay. New Zealand elegantly demonstrates, again, that it’s more than a one trick pony. “It’s a field full of ponies ™” and thoroughbred producer, Ata Rangi are behind this one.

A major step up in quality and price, but it’s staggeringly good.  Peach, orange peel, toasty honied notes and all the good stuff you get with Meursault.

With food? Crab or salmon in a rich creamy sauce

Available from: good wine shops nationwide (use wine-searcher.com to find it online)

5. Chanson Meursault 2007 (€40, bought in sale for €25)

This is more restrained, more elegant than many of the overly buttery Meursaults. Lots of lovely minerality, a flavour seen throughout this week’s picks.

Pink grapefruit, brioche and honey all melding to form what is one of the best Chardonnays I’ve had in quite a while. Keep for a special dinner, and keep your eye on O’Brien’s when this can be reduced by as much as €15.

With food? Rich fish dishes or lobster

Available from: O’Brien’s wines

Over to you

What do you reckon, is chardonnay back?

The Some Young Punks are doing some seriously interesting stuff with wine and how they package it. This one is The Squid’s Fist and it’s a blend of 70% Sangiovese (the stuff what they make Chianti and Brunello from in Italy) from the Barossa Valley, 30% Shiraz from McClaren Vale.

Availability

Just under 1,500 cases made of this stuff, so if you want some, be quick and click on curiouswines.ie to get some (€21).

Points

The wine received 90 points from Stephen Tanzer in Wine Spectator. Jancis Robinson was on Grape Radio recently (worth a listen) and pointed out that points, my dear, just don’t matter in Britain.  Despite this, more and more retailers people are quoting Tanzer, Parker et al.

So, question of the day – in a Ralph Keyes accent – can you turn pleasure into points?

What? A red wine from Austria. The Austrians have been making reds all this time but we’ve been too busy getting a hard on for the groovy Grüner Veltliner (I count myself part of the group of erectees). The Austrians came to town a few months ago, but along with their Grüners, they brought their reds, Blaufrankisch, Zweigelt, St. Laurent and blends thereof.

St. Laurent, besides the excellent name, was the highlight for me and best in show the Glatzer St. Laurent which I’ve since revisited via O’Brien’s.

The closest description for the Glatzer I could come up with is good Burgundian Pinot Noir, wonderful alluring, enchanting aromas, with a gorgeous velvety, dusty texture, low tannins, streak of minerality and a high acidity.

This is made in Burgenland, a province in the east of the country. The vineyard is Altenberg or “high hill” in Roman town called Carnuntum (which I visited when I was a lad about 18 years ago with a certain wine perv). Carnumtum is half way between Wien (Vienna) and Preßburg, better known now as the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. At the time I was there, the split of the Czech and Slovak republics was a twinkle in a new nation’s father’s eye but I digress.

Many of the St. Laurent’s presented at the Austrian tasting were of similar style and quality.

But if one tires of the cheaper Pinots from Chile or New Zealand, then this St. Laurent is a suitable alternative to those aspiring to Burgundian nirvana.

Availability

There’s not alot of this elusive stuff about, the Glatzer St. Laurent is available from O’Brien’s for €21.45.

Others apparitions of St. Laurent in Dublin though not yet transubstanitated? Look to Mitchell’s, The Corkscrew and Fallon & Byrne.

Seek it out with my blessing.

Tschüβ!

Bordeaux en primeur doesn’t need me and I don’t need it. The point is this, though, the production and taste have no correlation with the final prices – it’s all debt servicing on large mortgages, supply and demand economics, and what Russian oil oligarchs or wealthy Chinese industrialists want to drink is their own business.

‘Nuff said on Bordeaux for the moment. Here are three reds, born in “Bordeaux”, but raised in the brave new world, Australia, South African and Chile. All great examples of what the New World can do with a focus on terroir.

1. Grosset “Gaia”, Clare Valley, South Australia 2006 (around €33)

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. If anyone remains unconvinced of Australia’s ability to produce fine wines of elegance, finesse and structure, then they need to try this stunning red.

It’s made in the Clare Valley in South Australia where there’s a real focus on terroir – aspect, soils etc. and which is arguably better known for its Riesling.

Great restraint, purity and focus, balanced fruit, mineral backbone and the graphite/pencil shavings characteristic of a good claret.

While price may look a little steep it’s far less expensive than a Bordeuax of similar quality. I tried this in Ely last week and was really impressed, though perhaps a couple of more years rest will see it drinking even better.

Available from: Le Caveau, Kilkenny (though it seems to be the ’03) Wineonline.ie, 64 Wine, Glasthule and Ely wine bars.

2. Meerlust “Rubicon” 2005, Stellenbosch, South Africa (around €35)

Meerlust has been producing world class wines for quite a while now and has been in the hands of the Myburgh family since 1756. Hannes Myburgh was in Dublin a few weeks ago to present some the wines from his family’s estate.

Another blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot with each batch grown on soils most suited. Read into this a real focus and commitment to terroir – knowing their soils and geography and matching them to the optimal growing conditions for the different grapes in their blend.

When Caesar crossed the Rubicon, the Roman empire changed for ever, there was no going back. In many ways this was the same for Meerlust Estate and South African wine. They can and do produce wines to rival the best from anywhere.

Dark fruits and minerality on the nose leading to a full rich body. There’s still some youthfulness in this wine which suggests ageing potential. Bottom of the wardrobe for 2-3 years.

Available from: The Corkscrew, Dublin 2, O’Brien’s, Gibney’s Malahide, Terroirs, Dublin 4, On the Grapevine, Dalkey and other independents nationwide.

3. Escudo Rojo 2004, Maipo Chile 2004 (around €20)

I picked this out as a low cost accompaniment for dinner for 20 in a restaurant back in December and everyone was impressed with the wine, if not my good taste, ahem.

The link to Bordeaux is not just in the grapes (there’s some Syrah in there too), but in Baron Philippe de Rothschild who is behind this project. You could well be drinking a classed growth. Like the wines above, it shares the following characteristics: elegance, structure, restraint, purity and austerity – everything classic claret lovers look for in their wine.

Available from: Clada Wines, Galway; The Corkscrew, Chatham St, D2; Fahy’s, Ballina; Food Room, Clontarf; Gibney’s, Malahide; Jus de Vine, Portmarnock; O’Birds, Navan; Shevlin’s, Rathfarnham

Your thoughts? Can new world match the best of Bordeaux?

After the three reds I had a few weeks ago, which I thought were brilliant, now it’s time for some bubbly, the devilishly divine Pirie non-vintage. Still from the south of Australia, albeit from the cool climate island paradise of Tasmania, a region which is now being taken rather seriously.

The Pirie sparkling blew my mind when I had it.  Others have declared this “as the greatest sparkling wine ever produced outside of champagne”.

• Eyes: Colourwise, a lot darken and more golden than many lighter bubblies.
• Nose: utterly butterly
• Mouth: No tart acidity like many champagnes at twice the price. Rather, a rewarding rich full flavoured creamy, nutty, buttery richness.
• Conclusion: gobsmacked
• Price: €25
• Availability: Simplywines.ie

Details for wine buffs

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, made in the traditional way as champagne and a minimum of 18 months on lees (the dead yeast cells which have converted the sugars to alcohol and bubbles in the bottle then die – autolysis.

But they’re not done yet. Far from it. By leaving the yeast in the bottle (“sur lie”), it imparts a bready, nutty flavour.

They are later removed (disgorged), leaving the their wonderful flavours behind.

Worth repeating: gobsmacked.

Tasting note from Berry Brothers

“Barossa Valley Shiraz is justifiably one of Australia’s iconic wine styles; a true terroir wine, born of a 150 yo Lutheran culture, ancient pre-phylloxera vines, prized loam over limestone terra rossa soils and continental climate. Elderton’s take is a classic: rich, smooth and seductive.

“Deeply dark with rich, stewed plum, chocolate, coconut and spice aromas while the palate’s thickly textured with lush blackberry pie and cream flavours, a hint of cinnamon and spice, rounded off with a grilled meat edge.”