We are so happy to have Judith Beck visiting our shores on March 20th and 21st, 

Judith’s wines are a real hit in Ireland, and it will be fantastic to listen to her stories while sipping her beautiful wines. We have 4 events lined up:

Here are Judith's events:

 

Dublin:

Judith Beck Masterclass, Trade & Press

Wednesday 20^th March, 2.30 to 4.30pm

Hens Teeth, Blackpitts, Dublin 8 – D08A9FD

Free gig, must be booked !

Contact: Fiona Cashin fiona@lecaveau.ie or Colm Douglas colmdouglas@lecaveau.ie

 

Judith Beck Public Wine Dinner

Wednesday 20^th March, 19.30

The Fumbally Café, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8 – D08 HFF2

Book directly with venue: 01 529 8732 – Price TBA

 

 

Cork:

Judith Beck Masterclass, Trade & Press

Thursday 21^st March, 2.30 to 4.30pm

L’Atitude Wine Bar*, 1 Union Quay, Cork – T12 DY75

*(If numbers are too large, we will move the venue to the Apple Market Cork,

we will confirm the day before)

Free gig, must be booked !

Contact: Colm McCan colm@lecaveau.ie

 

Judith Beck Public Wine Event

Thursday 21^st March, 19.30

L’Atitude Wine Bar, 1 Union Quay, Cork – T12 DY75

Book directly with venue: info@latitude51.ie  – Price TBA - SOLD OUT!

 

Tastings with New Wave Burgundy producer - Antoine Petitprez (Uliz)

 

 

Cork:

(Cancelled due to storm Noa which delayed Antoine's ferry! We are checking to see if this can be re-programmed on Wednesday 19th April -  Watch this space or follow Le Caveau on Instagram for updates)

- - - - 

Dublin:

 

Antoine Petitprez:

The wines of Antoine Petitprez are for connoisseurs. Most of his modest production is sold to multi-Michelin-starred restaurants in France, and yet for more than a decade he has largely gone unnoticed in the rest of the world.

An impressive achievement considering how quickly rumours generally spread about anything related to Burgundy.

But Antoine has never made a big deal out of marketing his wines. He is a hardcore terroir nerd with a scientific background, and he spends all his time in the vineyard.

In his modest cellar in the heart of Pommard, he vinifies his wines with great attention. Whole clusters, gentle extraction, spontaneous fermentation, only old casks, zero fining or filtration and zero added sulphur.

The wines of Antoine Petitprez are light and elegant, yet profoundly concentrated while trembling with energy.

Antoine studied oenology in Beaune and Lyon, during which he was responsible for a research program on the moon's effects on wines and vines. He created an association with the likes of Meo Camuzet, Domaine JJ Confuron, Alain Meunier, Liger Bel Air, Bruno Clavelier and Domaine Dujac to repeat experimentations in the vineyards and in the cellar.

 

He’s part of a new generation in Burgundy, taking the best of tradition, soil and winemaking to tell a story of where the wines were made.

The fruit sourcing for Uliz is quite original and utterly efficient: Antoine develops mutually beneficial partnerships by consulting with organic farmers in exchange for their agreement to sell him grapes. His strategic networking allows him to acquire superior fruit contracts with these growers and provides him with an openness to understand their vineyard practices throughout every aspect of harvest.

All of Antoine’s farmers plow for good biological activity in the soil and practice organic and biodynamic farming methods.

 

“Bespoke” is a word that has been ruined by overuse, but I’ll use it nevertheless to describe the wines of Antoine Petitprez. Most of what little wine he makes ends up in Michelin-starred restaurants in France, leaving the rest of us to fight over the tiny amount that’s exported.
This begs the question: Is it worth the effort?

Well, it sure was for me.

Uliz is a venture focused first and foremost on sustainable viticulture: Antoine Petitprez consults with organic and biodynamic growers in exchange for fruit from those vineyards for his wines. Impeccably crafted and resolutely natural, his are tiny-production, much-buzzed-about Burgundies— and they live up to the hype!”

Ian Cauble, Master Sommelier, SOMM Select

It's happening again!

The trio of specialist importers - Brian's wines, Le Caveau and Veraison - is hitting the road in May and will showcase 36 newly arrived, beautiful and exciting natural wines.

Check below where you can catch us:

 

Dublin:

Note Bar. Bistro. Bureau - Fenian Street, Dublin 2

Monday 15th May - Trade & Press: 3 to 7pm 
(Public: 5 to 7pm, pre-book your tickets with the venue)

 

Cork:

L’Atitude 51 - Union Quay, Cork City

Tuesday 16th May - Trade & Press: 3 to 7pm 
(Public: 5 to 7pm, pre-book your tickets with the venue)

 

 

Galway:

The Universal - William Street, Galway

Thursday 18th May - Trade & Press: 3 to 7pm 
(Public: 5 to 7pm, pre-book your tickets with the venue)

 

 

See you all there!

 

The third Thursday of November marks the official release of the year's Beaujolais Nouveau. Typically harvested in September, the wine undergo fermentation and after few weeks left to settle, it is bottled and sent around the World, for people to celebrate and get a glimpse of what the year's vintage is like.

For the last 10 years, Le Caveau has focused in bringing those 'New Wave' or 'Natural' Nouveau, made by producers who work their land the organic way and most importantly, do not add anything to their wines. 

When you open a bottle of Nouveau by Jean Foillard, Rémi Dufaître or Jean-Claude Lapalu (amongst others), what you get is simply what's described above, pure Gamay juice, spontaneously fermented, settled and bottled without additives. They are the polar opposite of mass-produced Nouveau, in their appearance, taste and the philosophy behind it.

Parties and events around these Natural Nouveau are organised around the World, Paris 11th arrondissement being the epicentre. Ireland's wine bars, wine shops, restaurant and bars scene will be very active today and this evening.

If you want to see for yourself, what the fuss is all about, make your way to any of the venues listed below, and grab a glass or a bottle!

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Green Man Wines

L'Atitude 51

Loose Canon

Station to Station

Baggot Street

Le Caveau

Brindle

Blackrock cellars

Paradiso

Ventry Post Office

Cass and Co

Frank's

Ballymaloe House

Nash 19

Savoir Faire

Rift Coffee Limerick

Saint-Francis Kinsale

Universal Galway

Glass Curtain

Nell's Cork

McGuinness Dundalk

Ard Bia Galway

Good Day Deli

World Wide Wines

Fallon Byrne Wine store

Trinity Cellars

the Wine Pair

Lennox Street Café

Bridge Bar Restaurant

Cheese Press Ennystimon

Kalbos Skibbereen

Pop up Wine Shop Grain Store Ballymaloe

O'Driscoll, Ballintemple

Curran Retailer Galway

Dodi Café Lahinch

Lilith Wines

Pete's Provisions

11 Deli

Allottment wines

Nude Wine Co.

Mardagh Howth

Sweeney's D3

NOTE Wine Bar

Whelehan's Wines

The Fumbally

AVOCA Rahtcoole

AVOCA Ballsbridge

AVOCA Monkstown

AVOCA Malahide

Mitchell's Glasthule

Mitchell's CHQ

Drink stores Stonybatter

The Corkscrew

Thai House Dalkey

Dooks Fethard

Greenwich Cork

Bradley's Cork

Mc Curtain Cellars

Manning's Ballylickey

WunderKaffee Cork

Pilgrims Rosscarberry

The Lane Cheese & Wine Galway

Mosaic Ballydehob

Luna Killarney

51 Cornmarket Cork

Fota Island Resort

Lignum Galway

Stranfield house

 

MAY IS REAL WINE MONTH

After 2 years of absence, May 2022 will mark the return of Real Wine Month, the time we celebrate Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wine.

Look out for restaurants, wine bars, bars, cafés and wine shops around the Country who promote these wines. There will be many events organised and we will publish the list below.

WHAT IS REAL WINE?

‘Real wine’ is a term embracing wines that are made organically, biodynamically and naturally. By no means precise nor prescriptive it serves chiefly to highlight growers who work with minimal mediation, ideally to obtain the purest articulation of terroir, fruit and vintage.

All great wine begins in the vineyard and is ultimately the result of sensitive farming. It is important that growers farm sustainably and with a sense of environmental responsibility, ensuring the natural balance and health of the vineyard. The juice from the resultant grapes should then ideally, be guided to the bottle with the fewest manipulations in order to create a vital and singular – rather than an homogenous – product. This sympathetic interpretation and transformation of nature’s gifts lies at the heart of what makes a wine “real.”

EVENTS

Check for price, tickets, info with the venues

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5th May: Jura Night

A unique opportunity to taste 'Unicorn wines' from Jura - Expect the rarest and finest:  Kenjiro Kagami (Domaine des Miroirs), Overnoy-Houillon, Jean-Francois Ganevat, Domaine Saint-Pierre, Domaine Labet..

L'Atitude 51 Cork

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9th May: Bojo & Hotdogs

Beaujolais from superstars Foillard, Métras etc.. & Hotdogs (with Gubbeen sausages!) 

Table Wine, Dublin

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16th, 17th, 18th May: Vins de Copains Tastings

3 indie importers, specialising in Natural Wines join forces to pour 36 of their best, in an informal, fun and wine fair style!

Veraison - Le Caveau - Brian's Wines

16th May: Note Wine Bar, Dublin

17th May: L'Atitude 51, Cork

18th May: The Universal, Galway

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22nd, 23rd May: Real Wine Fair, London

The World's most amazing Natural wine fair returns to Tobacco Docks, London

The Real Wine Fair

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28th May: Natural Wine Masterclass

What is Natural Wine? What does it tastes like? How do you recognise it? Join this fun, interactive and educational Masterclass.

L'Atitude 51, Cork

 

Date TBA: Mentors of Natural Wine

Tasting the wines of Vignerons who have mentored/influenced the current wave of Natural wine producers.

Green Man Wines, Terenure, Dublin 6

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PARTICIPANTS IN IRELAND: 

 

Co. Clare:

This is it, Ennistymon

 

Co. Cork

Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry

Bradley's, Cork

Crawford Gallery Café, Cork

The Blackpig, Kinsale

Da Mirco, Cork

Dunmore House, Clonakilty

Garden Shop at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Glass Curtain, Cork

Good Day Deli, Cork

Ichigo Ichie, Cork

L'Atitude 51, Cork

Levi's Bar, Ballydehob

Liss Ard Estate, Clonakilty

McCurtain Street Wine Cellar, Cork

Nash 19, Cork

Nell's Wine Bar, Cork

Nico's, Schull

O'Driscoll's, Douglas

Paradiso, Cork

Pilgrim's, Rosscarbery

Pop up Wine Shop at the Grainstores, Shanagarry

Sage, Midleton

Saint-Francis Provisions, Kinsale

Sonflour, Cork

 

Co. Donegal:

Bridge Bar and Restaurant, Ramelton

 

Dublin:

Baggot Street Wines, Dublin 2

Bastible, Dublin 2

Commons Room, Trinity College, Dublin 2

Etto, Dublin 2

Fallon and Byrne, Dublin 2

Fish Shop, Dublin 7

Frank’s, Dublin 2

Fumbally, Dublin 8

Grano, Dublin 8

Green Man Wine, Terenure

King Sitric, Howth

Lilith Wines, Dublin 7

Loose Canon, Dublin 2

Martin's Off Licence, Fairview, Dublin 3

Note Wine Bar, Dublin 2

Table Wine, Dublin 2

Two Pups Café, Dublin 8

Uno Mas, Dublin 2

Woodruff, Stepaside

 

Co: Galway:

Ard Bia, Galway

Inis Meain Restaurant, Inis Meain 

Kai, Galway

The Lamplight, Clifden

Re_Galway, Salthill

Tartare, Galway

The Universal, Galway

 

Co. Kerry:

Watchhouse, Valentia Island

Sheen Falls Lodge, Kenmare

 

Co. Kilkenny:

Aran Bakery, Kilkenny

The Grapevine, Kilkenny

Le Caveau, Kilkenny

 

Co. Louth:

MacGuinness Wine Merchants, Dundalk

 

Co. Tipperary:

Dooks Fine Food, Fethard

 

Co. Waterford

Cass and Co, Dungarvan

World Wide Wines, Waterford

Some Jura winegrowers are producing such phenomenal wines, in such tiny quantities that they tend to capture the imagination. The Labet family in Rotalier (same village as Jean-Francois Ganevat!) are a good example. We were really excited to have secured our first allocation for Ireland late last year, after more than 4 years on their 'waiting list'. 

Luke Byrne, a customer and friend of ours, who works with the wonderful Green Man Wines in Terenure, got his hands on a few bottles. This is the resulting Instagram post:

'Julius Caesar the Roman geezer, squashed his wife with a lemon squeezer.

Great to see Labet over here, always a treat to drink, like huffing gas and licking batteries.

. Les Varrons - Effortless. Weightless Watermelons held down by a thick lactic pear casing and a charred confectionery peach core.

. Metis - A wild wine, reigned in by some leather straps. A cowboy rides this wine, hes covered in shit and he smokes Pall Mall but boy does he look good. Larry Lambic.

. Lias - Blend up some apple pie and chase it with some Greek yogurt. Eat nettles and stay focused. The longer it's open the more focused it becomes. Bottle dipped in toffee wax and covered in sour orange peel, I'm enveloped in autumn fruits. I'm slipping on hot wet stones.

Like a shooting star these wines came and left. I'm not one to hold onto anything so I drank them all in quick succession, I regret nothing. They would have aged beautifully.' 

 

Luke Byrne - @luekbrungis

 

 

 

 

We received a beautiful video-message from Nicolas and Karine Mirouze of Beauregard-Mirouze in Corbières, Southern France this morning, we are delighted to see they are keeping well. Their vineyard are farmed organically, respecting and following Nature's rhythm. Fancy a little tour of their vineyard? click on the link here: Once on their site, 

Two high priests of the natural wine movement visited Ireland recently. Both paid homage to “the Pope”, the late Marcel Lapierre, a producer in Morgon who started it all back in early 1990s. Jean Foillard owns vineyards in Morgon in Beaujolais and Thierry Puzelat in the Loire valley. Inspired by Lapierre, they began to take wine back to its roots.

“We did not invent anything, we simply returned to what our grandfathers did,” says Puzelat.

 

  On Friday March 6th, The Cork French Film Festival will be screening the Irish Premiere of Jonathan Nossiter's Natural Resistance at Ballymaloe House Grainstore, Shanagarry, Co.Cork. Natural Resistance is a movie/documentary about 4 Italian Natural winemakers. The screening will be followed by an Italian inspired rustic supper and 4 wines made by producers featured in the movie will be served to accompany Gillian Hegarty's (Ballymaloe House Head Chef) dishes. We are delighted to have been asked to supply the wines for this brilliant event. Furthermore, Doug Wregg of Les Caves de Pyrene, the largest importer and ambassador of Natural Wines in the UK will introduce both the movie and Naural wines in general. Tickets for the evening can be purchased here   We hope you can join us!  

Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wine presentation

Ballymaloe Cookery School, 25th February 2015

Any occasion to team up to with Colm McCan, Consultant Sommelier at Ballymaloe House and Wine presenter at Ballymaloe Cookery School is always very welcome, so it was a real pleasure to visit Shanagarry once again and introduce some 'hand-made' wines to the Cookery School 12 week certificate students. In front of a full class, the wines showed quite well and were well received.

The wines showed were:

Coste Piane Prosecco di Valdobbiadene ‘Naturale’

Valli Unite ‘Ciapé’ – Cortese – Colli Tortonesi DOC

Bodegas Menade, Rueda ‘Verdejo’

Cantina Tollo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ‘Biologico’

Gran Cerdo Tempranillo, GONZALO GONZALO GRIJALBA

Arianna Occhipinti, SP68 Rosso IGT Terre Siciliane

Many thanks to Darina, Colm and the team at Ballymaloe Cookery School for the opportunity to introduce these wines to the class, and indeed many thanks to the students for your attention and feedback, very best of luck with the exam next month!

Picture courtesy of Ketty of French Foodie in Dublin blog

 

Raymond Blake writes about Le Caveau in this month's Food and Wine magazine:     

Ballymaloe Grain Store was the venue for our ‘Real wines – Celebrating the Artisan growers’ presentation last Sunday. Pascal Rossignol of Le Caveau was joined by Eric Narioo  owner of Les Caves de Pyrene, a UK wine importer championing the cause of Natural wines and his wife Anna Martens, owner/winemaker of Mount Etna winery Vino di Anna.  Once again, we greatly appreciated the impeccable organisation of Ballymaloe, lead by sommelier Colm McCan and his team. We presented 8 wines, each of them bursting with individuality, charm and life. Answering a question during the presentation Eric Narioo predicted that in 20 years, most wines would be produced naturally, given the overwhelming enthusiasm with which an entire new generation of winegrowers around the World are embracing these methods. The demand is certainly growing, with the ‘natural wine bar scene’ in major cities such as New York, London or Paris still in full swing and with more and more restaurants allowing greater space to Artisan wines on their lists. In effect, Natural wines may never replace conventional wines, but they certainly offer a brilliant alternative to wine drinkers in search of emotion and authenticity,  and as in the words of Patricia Nelson recently posted on Slow Food website

‘In the end, there is definitely room to accommodate both markets. Natural wines counter what seems to be increasing homogeneity, and it is heartening to see producers and retailers embracing craft practices while creating products that do not present an ever-pervasive sameness.’

Wines We Presented At Ballymaloe Grain Store

• ‘Pink bulles’ Pet Nat Gamay rosé by Jean Maupertuis (Auvergne, France)
• Vino Bellotti Bianco 2011, Cascina Degli Ulivi (Piemonte, Italy)
• Vouvray ‘la Dilettante’ 2011, Pierre et Catherine Breton (Loire Valley, France)
• Vitovska Amphora 2007, Vodopivec (Friuli, Italy)
• Cheverny Rouge 2011, Clos Tue-Boeuf (Loire Valley, France)
• Vino di Anna 2011, Eric Narioo and Anna Martens (Etna, Sicily, Italy)
• Peza do Rei 2010, Adega Cachin (Ribera Sacra, Spain)
• Villalobos ‘Wild Vineyards’ Carignan Reserve 2010 (Colchagua Valley, Chile)