Wine with Leslie: Get your wine online this Christmas
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There is no escaping Christmas, so this week, I want to remind you that you don’t have to brave the Christmas traffic, but can buy all your wine online.
If you have a favourite retailer, remember that they likely have an online site and will deliver (or you can just email or call them on the telephone and pick up at your leisure).
The grandfather of all the online shops is of course WineOnline.ie who began selling online when 99% of the country had no access to the internet and those that did connected via telephone line.
Also importing wine for generations is Kellys.ie, who I wrote about last week.
Of the younger, hipper sites, I recommend WineSpark which is subscription based so great value, and TheAllotment.ie run by Chris Gifford, one of the finest palates in the land.
Chris also imports some excellent wines from Piedmont and elsewhere. Rory at StationtoStationWine.ie is another palate I respect; I particularly love his creative box selections.
Take a look at Siyps.com (siyp stands for ‘sommelier in your pocket’) who stock wine from many of Ireland’s best independent importers.
WorldWideWines.ie in Waterford is worth a look.
CuriousWines.ie are based on the Tramore Road in Cork
LeCaveau.ie are recommended specialists in organic and natural wines.
BubbleBrothers.ie remain an excellent place to find Champagne but also import many interesting producers (e.g. Ch. de Beaucastel) and now also deliver wines imported by the brilliant Mary Pawle (e.g. Albet i Noya, Dom. de la Bonne Tonne) — you can also visit their shop in the English Market.
WinesOfTheWorld.ie is the online shop of Cork based Barry & Fitzwilliam so expect to find value on Villa Maria, McGuigan, Michel Lynch and celebrity wines like Graham Norton and Kylie Minogue. Happy hunting.
This classic Claret is from the owners of Château Léoville Poyferré (2ème Cru Classé) and Ch. Le Crock in St. Estephe.
It is at this price until the new year. Blackcurrant and cedar aromas, ripe and almost lush on the palate with depth and complexity.
Whelehans have some great deals on their site including Bénard-Pitois 1er Cru Champagne at €45.
One of my wines of the year, from biodynamic winemaker Marta Rovira Carbonell in beautiful Priorat.
Pure red fruit aromas, full and rich, earthy truffle hints & a soft, dark-fruited delicious finish— if you buy it and don’t like it I’ll buy it back from you!
Their 1er Cru Coma-Vella (€40.75) is even silkier and more complex.
I tasted this at a gorgeous dinner in the Mustard Seed when wines were supplied by Ron Forrestal of Forrestal.ie — he supplies much of posh Limerick and Kerry with their wine.
Intense lemon and lime curd aromas, sweet and honeyed on the palate but with a brisk refreshing finish. Beautifully balanced and in a pretty bottle.
The annual Bradleys-Dot Brew collab this year is a rich chocolatey Imperial Stout aged in ex-pot still and ex-bourbon barrels and brewed with 10% rye.
Milky cacao aromas with a background of spice and whiskey, creamy and chocolatey with mouth-filling mocha and dark malt flavours balanced by spice and acidity.
Will match the pudding nicely!