Wine with Leslie: Organic wine to enjoy in January
And Veganuary Month Williams: Leslie Can As You The Again Be January Will And I Once Deprivations Avoiding Dry Enough Year Of Conjure Any The Depressing Is Other First
It’s January, the darkest month of the year. So let me state clearly that I will once again be avoiding Veganuary and dry-January and any other deprivations you can conjure as the first month of the year is depressing enough.
If you are stronger than me and are taking it a little easier after the excesses of Christmas you might be interested in trying the alcohol-free Hollow Leg range which launched in the market in December.
Currently independents such as Deveneys and MacCurtain St. Wine Cellar stock it but expect it to pop up in larger places soon.
The other alcohol-free wine I recommend is the EinZweiZero range which is available in most of the independents such as O’Donovans and JJ O’Driscolls.
In relation to vegan wines remember that almost all wine is vegan as only high-end wines could afford to use egg whites to fine their wine prior to bottling. Isinglass (derived from fish bladders) is also rare — practically all wineries that fine their wines use bentonite clay instead.
New Year is all about improvements so you might consider doing a wine course to sharpen your palate and wine knowledge.
Éan Wine Bar and Restaurant in Galway is one of my favourite places in the country and they are running an Introductory Wine Appreciation Course this January priced at €250 per person.
The course will run in the wine bar over four consecutive Monday evenings (6.30pm to 8.30pm), beginning on January 16 and finishing on February 6, 2023. Places can be booked online via Eventbrite.com (include the fada on the ‘e’ when searching).
I also teach an Introduction to Wine course every January (and September) in Rathmines College of Further Education — 2023 will be my 15th consecutive year teaching the course which runs on Monday evenings. Booking can be done online via rathminescollege.ie (€125).
The wines this week are from organic sustainable producers and all taste great, these will all bring a smile to your face as you contemplate all those misguided souls that are depriving themselves of pleasures this month.
Stockists: Quay Co-Op Cork; Taste Castletownbere; Vintry; www.marypawlewines.com
This isn’t really natural as such but it is artisan and organic and vegan-friendly. The Verduzzo grape is native Romagna but quite rare these days. This has delightful lemon-lime aromas with ripe pears - juicy, fruity and zingy with a touch of spritz and crisp finish. A perfect pick-me-up wine. Fish & Chips anyone?
Stockists: Quay Co-Op; FIelds Skib; Ardkeen; Connemara Hampers;; Organico; Mortons Galway; Taste Castletownbere.
This estate has been organic since 1995 and is, I believe, the only certified organic producer in this pretty Appellation located on the Mediterranean coast beside oyster farms and a sandy lagoon. Salty lemon aromas with a touch of kiwi fruit, textured and creamy on the palate with lively citrus acidity. Bone-dry and begging for oysters.
Stockists: Spar; EuroSpar; Mace.
B-Liv is a new Organic range in Spar and Mace from the same quality-driven owners as Leyda and La Celia from Argentina. The winery uses renewable energy and green packaging etc and grapes are picked at dawn to preserve fruit and acidity. This is pleasingly dry with raspberry aromas mixed with pink grapefruit, crisp and fresh with tangy orange peel finish.
Stockists: Bradleys; L’Attitude51; World Wide Wines; Le Caveau www.lecaveau.ie; and via your Neighbourfood market - www.neighbourfood.ie
Organic grapes, wild yeasts and less than 2mg of sulphur added, this is almost healthy. Made by Thierry & Jean Marie Puzelat who were natural wine pioneers. This is flinty and ripe on the nose with soft pear and apple fruit - pleasingly crisp and stony on the mid-palate.
Stockists: MacCurtain St.; Lilith; Lennox Street Grocers; Sheridans Sheridanscheesemongers.com;
This is produced by the Pomerol producer Olivier Techer of the biodynamic estate Château Gombaude-Guillot (which costs €80). This is 100% Merlot and is full, juicy and ripe with crunchy textured fruits thanks to its youth - layers of plums and blueberries and with pleasing weight and depth. Perfect for finishing off any cheese you might have left.
Stockist: Celtic Whiskey Shop Dublin & Killarney - Celticwhiskeyshop.com
Who says you can’t treat yourself in January? Brick red centre with brown edges, dark berry aromas, intensely fruity, bursting with ripe cherries and concentrated strawberry fruits and background bitter chocolate touches. Layered and lush with lingering berries, a touch of strawberry coulis and a touch of saline - who said Germany can’t compete with top Burgundy?
Stockist: Lidl
The Crafty Brewing range is brewed for Lidl by Rye River Brewing in County Kildare, and is solid quality for the low price.
At the recent Blas na hÉireann awards the Crafty Lager won gold and both the IPA and this Stout won Bronze. The Lager is crisp and refreshing with some mild malt notes and lower carbonation than usual, while the IPA has some bright tropical flavours. There is also a Saison and a Red Ale.
The Crafty Stout is my favourite, coffee and mocha aromas, creamy at first with subtle carbonation, lightly bitter on the mid palate with malty chocolate notes and a final kick of bitter hops to refresh the palate.