News / organic wine

A lovely message from Nicolas and Karine, Beauregard-Mirouze (Corbières)

A lovely message from Nicolas and Karine, Beauregard-Mirouze (Corbières)

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, 
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Ballymaloe Cookery School, 12 week-certificate

Organic, Biodynamic and Natural wine presentation

Ballymaloe Cookery School, 25th February 2015

Ballymaloe Cookery School 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

 
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Natural Wine Tasting at Ballymaloe Grain Store

Wine Tasting at Ballymaloe Grain Store 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. Pascal (right) at the Ballymaloe Grain Store Natural Wine tasting night 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.’
Natural Wine Tasting at Ballymaloe Grain Store

Wines We Presented At Ballymaloe Grain Store

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Ballymaloe LitFest 2013 'Going Natural' and more

Just back from the first edition of Ballymaloe LitFest, and what a wonderful week-end that was;  the line-up of International and Irish speakers was unique, and so was the quality of the presentations, forums, pop-ups, tasting and demos. No doubt as Food and Wine festivals go,  there will be a pre and a post-LitFest. Colm McCan (Ballymaloe Sommelier) On the wine side, there was a mountain of interesting events, Ballymaloe resident-Sommelier Colm McCan  lined up an impressive list of talks, tasting and presentations, Our own presentation with Mary Dowey 'Going Natural, new trends in wine'  went really well - we had a full house at the Carrigaun Room, and the wines showed very well. The themes of the presentations were: Biodynamic Wines, illustrated with Valpolicella Classico 'Saseti' 2011, Monte dall'Ora Natural wines, Vouvray 'la dilettante' 2011, Pierre et Catherine Breton No Sulphites addedVina Almate Tempranillo 2012, Alfredo Maestro Tejero Old Vines, Vinsobres 2010, Chaume-Arnaud If you want to read more about our event and the LitFest festival, look-up Billy Lyons' excellent blog here   Jancis Robinson with Pascal Rossignol (Le Caveau Kilkenny) The next day, it was Jancis Robinson's inspiring 'Wine Grapes' presentation and tasting. Jancis lined-up 8 wines, including two of our imports: Chateau du Cedre, Cahors Cuvée GC 2007 Charles Hours Jurancon 2011 'Clos Uroulat' Read Jancis Robinson own report here   And to the Big Shed... what a brilliant place to be, the food, the atmosphere, the family-friendliness, and the party atmosphere in the evening were memorable. If you enjoyed the wines served there, chances are they were one of these: Alain Brumont, Gros Manseng-Sauvignon 2011, Pays de Gascogne Vouvray 'la dilettante' 2011, Pierre et Catherine Breton Valpolicella Classico 'Saseti' 2011, Monte dall'Ora   read more on what went on in the big shed in Joe McNamee's brilliant piece here   Full report on LitFest by John and Sally McKenna & Team here      
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Two wines in the Sunday Times

Martin Moran writes a nice article on Natural wines in today's Sunday Times and select two of our imports   ST17March2013     Martin Moran recommends: Vouvray 'la Dilettante', Catherine et Pierre Breton Gran Cerdo Tempranillo
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