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The Bridgestone, IRISH FOOD GUIDE 9th Edition Introduction: " Irish farming is in a state of crisis. The crisis is not merely financial, though that is presently the most potent manifestation of the crisis. But more fundamentally, the crisis in agriculture is a matter of power. Quite simply, the Government has ceded control over the fate of Irish agriculture to massive multinational supermarket chains, and in so doing it has sacrificed Irish farming and Irish farmers. It has allowed those supermarket chains to acquire and exercice power, but this power is wielded without responsability, and power without responsability, as Kipling remarked so long ago, has been "the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages". Are the supermarkets harlots, then? Most definitely. They are amoral and destructive and they dance only to the bidding of the money markets, as a true harlot does. They owe no loyalty, and they know nothing other than submission to their will to profit. They have no culture, and they are mesmerically clever; for how else can one explain why people shop in stores that destroy Irish towns, refuse to disclose their profit margins, and generally act in ways that are totally contrary to the best interests of the country. Above all, that means acting in ways that are inimical to the interests of farmers and farming. Ireland has been colonised, one more time. One more time, we are but a pawn in an empire, this time an economic empire. ... " And we couldn`t agree more Le Caveau review: " A modest but intelligent man, with a real passion for wine". That`s how John Wilson, wine writer of the Irish Times, described Pascal Rossignol, when he wrote a piece celebrating the tenth anniversary of Pascal and Geraldine`s shop, which Mr Wilson called "one of the finest wine businesses in Ireland". Right on both counts, John. Le Caveau is a gem, one of those tardis-like shops that is tiny, and which unveils its wine portfolio slowly, steadily, delightfully. They import 180 wines from more than 75 producers, and yet they never rest, always looking for new wines, new bargains, new frontiers, most recently their wonderful array of Italian wines. Talk to Pascal or Geraldine - like her husband, equally modest and intelligent - and they always stress the need for wines to show "character and authenticity". Add in the need for good value in these straitened times, and Le Caveau delivers at every point. Ten more years, please, ten more glorious years." John and Sally McKenna

DECEMBER 2009 OPENING TIMES: Monday to Saturday: 10.30 to 6.30 pm Special openings: Sunday 13th December 12.00 to 6.00 pm Christmas Week: Thursday 17th December 10.30 to 8.00pm Friday 18th December 10.30 to 8.00pm Saturday 19th December 10.30 to 6.30pm Sunday 20th December 12.00 to 6.00pm Monday 21st December 10.30 to 7.00pm Tuesday 22nd December 10.30 to 8.00pm Wednesday 23rd December 10.30 to 8.00pm Thursday 24th December 10.30 to 3.30pm Christmas Day to Monday 28th December included closed New! Tuesday 29th December 10.30 to 6.30pm Wednesday 30th December 10.30 to 6.30pm Thursday 31st December 10.30 to 5.30pm Then closed for annual holidays, re-opening on Tuesday 5th January 2010 at 10.30 Website last orders for guaranteed delivery before Christmas is Monday 21st December. Orders placed after this date will be processed and delivered in the New Year. We wish you a Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year 2010!

Ideas for a corking Christmas Tomas Clancy, Sunday Business Post, 29th November 2009 Whatever your budget, there’s a wine out there for your Christmas table, and to give as the perfect gift. Here is a roundup of the best on offer across different price ranges. Meyer-Fonne, Riesling, Vignoble de Katzenthal Vin D’Alsace 2007 (90) Meyer-Fonne is the epitome of a bespoke Alsace producer - a family-run winery founded in the 19th century and still run by the same family, working the same land. Precision is the word that comes to mind when tasting this riesling. It is not tart, as so many modern rieslings are, but rather it is mellifluous, with a touch of ripe apricots, honey and a dash of lime marmalade. A perfect Christmas wine, ideal chilled with a hard, tart cheese. Tomas also recommended one of our all time favourite port: Niepoort Colheita 1995 (93) As a gift, port can be slightly tricky - give something solid and classic, like a vintage port, and it might be mistaken for an LBV at a fifth of the price. A much easier way to give port is to head away from the dark side to the tawny port rebels, and that path almost immediately leads to Dirk van der Niepoort, the man who made port lively and hip. This is a vintage tawny port, which is a rarity, and is a magical wine that will last open in the fridge all Christmas.

We were delighted to receive Cedric and his wife Dorothee in our shop this week, they were spending a long week-end in Ireland and enjoyed greatly the Kilkenny hospitality. We import their lovely, good-value, Sancerre-like Touraine Sauvignon blanc since this summer and customer`s reaction has been quite positive.

Savour Kilkenny Festival 2009 Artisan wines and food tasting at Le Caveau Call in and sample three terrific artisan wines with some organic French pates and jams. Sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley, Trebbiano from Abruzzo and Syrah fom Southern Rhone together with pates and jams from an organic farm in Cantal (Southern France). Informal and free. Friday 23rd October 2009: 2.00 to 6.00 pm Saturday 24th October 2009: 10.30 to 6.00 pm Sunday 25th October 2009: 12.00 to 4.00 pm Visit Savour Kilkenny Festival Website

WINES OF THE WEEK Cahors, L’Héritage du Cèdre 2007, Château du Cèdre, 12.5%, €12.95-€13.50. Château du Cèdre produces some of the great wines of south-west France. If you can afford it, I would certainly recommend the Le Prestige (€19.95) or even the silky-smooth Le Cèdre (€38.50); you will not be disappointed. However, the L’Héritage is also well worth a try; light clean, slightly austere blackcurrants with a light spice and dry finish. Perfect with belly of pork or duck breast. Stockists : Fallon Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin.; Corkscrew, Chatham Street, Dublin; Liston’s, Camden Street, Dublin; Avoca, branches nationwide; Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4; Le Caveau, Kilkenny; 64 Wine, Glasthule. John Wilson, Irish Times Saturday 17th October 2009

Our third and last wine presentation to the 12-weeks Certificate Course students of Ballymaloe Cookery School for 2009 took place on Wednesday 14th October. Au programme, Burgundy, Beaujolais and the South West of France. The wines tasted were: Vincent Girardin, Bourgogne blanc Saint-Vincent 2006 Domaine Parize, Givry rouge Champ Nalot 2007 Jean-Charles Braillon, Regnie Les Forchets 2003 Alain Brumont, Vdp de Gascogne Gros Manseng - Sauvignon blanc 2008 Chateau du Cedre 2006, Cahors Charles Hours, Jurancon Clos Uroulat 2007 6 wines that represented their regions of origins rather well. [gallery ids="1535,1536,1537"]

John Wilson recommends three of our imports in his Autumn wine guide... Tamellini, Soave DOC 2006 (12.5%) Good Soave is a wonderful thing, and we now have a number of really good examples in this country. This has lovely rich, textured fruit, cut through with a welcome mineral streak. Probably big enough to handle chicken, but happiest with some hake or cod. Champagne J.M. Gobillard Premier Cru Brut N.V. (12%) A lacy, floral nose, leading onto a wonderful, elegant Champagne with delicate honey and biscuits to complement the fresh green fruits. Very attractive and very keenly priced too. Tour des Gendres Cuvée Classique, Bergerac AC 2007 (12.5%) “Bordeaux-lovers should head straight for this wine, with its delicious, beautifully defined, poised blackcurrant fruits and pleasing dry finish. An organic wine made from a blend of Merlot and Malbec, this is one of my all-time favourite wines, a fine match for most red meats, but perfect with roast lamb.” John Wilson The Irish Times: John Wilson’s Autumn Wines Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

The 2009 grape harvest in Burgundy: a limited quantity of greater quality 2009 marks the return of the seasons. After a good year of weather, characterised by a pleasant spring which followed a long, cold and snowy winter, the summer, which made its return, has favoured optimum growth and maturation of the vine and its grapes. A few days before the harvest, the wine growers are enthusiastic and in a permanently good mood. The hot and sunny spell in the first half of April provided fast and consistent budding across Burgundy with dates conforming to the average of the last 15 years, and more particularly close to those of 2005. Blossoming then took place in two steps. As the average temperatures at the end of May exceeded the seasonal averages, blossoming began on the earliest plots. The cooler weather which arrived during the first ten days of June slowed down the blossoming of the later plots, particularly in the Yonne. This interval was then maintained at the different stages of development of the vine and the grapes. The heat wave which set in around 10 August caused ripening and set off fast maturing. The Burgundy Wine Board therefore began its maturity checks on 13 August. Since then, thanks to optimum climatic conditions (sun and heat), maturing is following a very sustained pace leading to concentration within the grapes. In fact, each week, the potential degree of alcohol is increasing by over one point, reaching levels close to those observed in mid-September 2008. Tasting the grapes has already shown a most promising balance of sugar and acidity. The vineyard is in perfect health. If this excellent weather continues, the harvests will begin between 5 and 10 September for the early sectors. The plots intended for production of Crémant de Bourgogne will be harvested in the coming days. 2009 is set to be a high-quality vintage: fruity, concentrated, balanced and powerful - in a word, magnificent. This promising vintage is the fruit of a combination of ideal climatic conditions and controlled volumes. The harvest volume is estimated at 1.4 million hectolitres, i.e. 10 % less than in 2008. All this gives further strength to the Burgundy legend that years ending in 9 produce great vintages. source: BIVB

This little gem produced by Eurocave enables you to serve your wine at perfect temperature and preserve openned bottles for up to 10 days...

Domaine Meyer-Fonne, Vieilles Vignes, AC Alsace Pinot Blanc 2008, €14.95 from Le Caveau, Market Yard, Kilkenny; Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2; and with nationwide delivery at www.lecaveau.ie (90) When looking for better priced wines, keeping an eye on special offers is an important skill, but it is also key not to forget that there are areas of the wine world where there are brilliant winemakers, great vineyards and centuries of tradition, but also very low consumer demand. This is where the true wine bargains are to be had – places like Alsace, Cahors and Provence in France, almost all of Austria, Germany, many smaller Argentine estates, and Italy beyond Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto. This delight is from Alsace. It is a lavish, full-bodied white with rounded honey flavours over hints of apricot, touches of lemon and a fine, medium length, clean finish. Often paired with fish but just as delicious with stuffed pork. Tomas Clancy, Sunday Business Post, 16th August 2009

Framingham Classic Riesling 2007: Made in similar manner to the German wine above, this has lovely crisp acidity, an off-dry but never sweet finish, and lovely delicate green fruit. Made to sip in the summer sun. Brumont Gros manseng-Sauvignon 2008, Vin de Pays de Gascogne: This is a really racy crisp number, bursting with aroma, and brimful of zingy lemon and elderflower fruits. Marlborough Sauvignon meets France in a delightful marriage. Serve chilled as an aperitif. Sweet wines: Jurancon, Clos Uroulat 2007: A gorgeous sweet wine that deserves to be better-known. Charles Hours fashions subtle scented wines, full of refreshing pineapple fruits that balance sweetness with a tangy acidity. Perfect with fruit tarts. John Wilson, Summer wines booklet, the Irish Times July 2009