Carneros, USA - March 2016 @ LynneCoyle - O'Briens Wine

Château Pichon Longueville, Pauillac, France - Kevin O' Brien - 2004

MEET OUR
WINE EXPERTS

Lynne Coyle MW
Lynne is our Wine Director and one
of less than 369 Masters of Wine
worldwide. Lynne sources and selects
our wine range. Starting a career in the
hotel and restaurant industry, she is
still a passionate foodie as well as being
a member of the Champagne Academy
and also a Sherry Master.

DISCOVER
James Tobin, DipWSET
James Tobin holds the WSET Diploma
in Wine and Spirits and is a Certified
Wine Educator, he looks after wine
communication and staff training for
O’Briens. With a background in

BORDEAUX
hospitality, James is a keen cook and
he has been working with wine his
entire career.

Lorcan O' Brien,

Store Manager, Citywest
Lorcan is WSET qualified and a
confirmed wine anorak. When he's
not managing our Citywest store,
by Lynne Coyle MW
Lorcan can be found scribbling articles

M
for a number of wine and whiskey
publications, as well as his own blog: aybe you don’t need an excuse to open
theirishwino.ie.
a bottle of Bordeaux, but if you do
then this time of year is the perfect excuse.
The nights are still chilly, weekends either
frosty or rainy, the fire is on and comfort
foods such as warming casseroles, tagines,
wild mushroom risotto or just a plate of
cheese are the order of the day.
Bordeaux is the benchmark to which many
other iconic international wines aspire.
Introduced by the Romans, the red wines,
Bordeaux City - April 2017 @LynneCoyleMW- O'Briens Wine
They are all however unmistakably
Bordeaux in style and character. The top
Châteaux such as Château Lafite
Rothschild or Château Margaux help drive
the reputation of Bordeaux for expensive
wines, wines only for the rich or only
understood by wine connoisseurs, as a
result Bordeaux can be considered out of
reach for many wine lovers. This however
does not need to be the case as there
are an abundance of smaller, often family
owned Châteaux known as Petit Châteaux

depending on where they are from in the
region are dominated by Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec
and Carménère. Bordeaux is the largest
vineyard area in France, it covers 120,000
hectares and within the region there are
multiples of communes each with their own
soil type, traditions and appellation
controlee rules.
Climatically these vineyards, depending on
where they are positioned, are influenced
by both the Gironde River and the Atlantic.
From the Graves and St Estèphe in the
North to the sweet white wine communes
of Barsac and Sauternes in the South each
wine style reflects its commune and local
growing conditions as well as the specifics
of the grapes from which they were made.
that offer excellent wines at very
approachable prices.
However, after a series of good vintages in
Bordeaux, the prices are still very fair. But
with the devastating frosts across Europe
including Bordeaux in the spring of 2017,
significant price increases will come into
effect with the next shipments of wine
arriving. The wines featured here all arrived
in the country some months ago, were
purchased before the frost affected the
price increases and therefore offer
remarkable value for money.
My heartfelt advise would be to buy these
wines to enjoy now and see out the winter
in style. But is also well worth buying some
to tuck away to enjoy in the next two to
three years, that decision you would not
regret. The key point about storing these
wines is that you need to avoid light, heat,
vibration and significant temperature
variation. If you are not lucky enough to Château Saint Poly,
be blessed with a cellar in your house, that Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2012
€30.00*
would include most houses these days
including my own, then under the stairs, an Stand out quality, ripe concentrated
elegant and full flavoured, cassis
unheated room or a garage that does not notes layered with hints of spice.
overheat in summer will suffice. Lay the
bottles on their sides to avoid the cork
drying out and check them occasionally to
ensure there are no drips.

For enjoying these wines over the last

weeks of the winter and into Spring, serve
Bordeaux at room temperature or slightly
colder if you have a warm centrally heated
house. Around 17 – 18 °c is perfect this is
because red wines served too warm lose
their definition and purity of fruit.
Whilst there is no sediment in these wines,
it is therefore unnecessary to decant them
Château Puy Marceau,
Bordeaux 2014
€17.95*
Savoury and elegant with hints of
liquorice and cassis and a refreshing
cleansing acidity on the finish.
Château Sainte-Marie,
Bordeaux Supérieur 2015
€17.95*
Bright red fruits with floral hints
of violets, forward style with good
defining acidity and a fresh finish.

For enjoying the wines

over the last weeks of the
winter and into Spring,
serve Bordeaux at room
temperature or slightly Château La Raz Caman, Château Clos du Roy,
Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux, 2015 Fronsac 2012
colder if you have a very €29.95* €29.95*

warm centrally heated house.

A riper, juicy wine with good fruit Concentrated ripe fruit with cassis
concentration and notes of chocolate, notes, the tannins are chalky and the
but because they are youthful, decanting spice and toast on the palate. wine has a long rich sour cherry finish.
will enhance your enjoyment of the wine
as the aromas and flavours in the wine
will intensify due to the increased exposure
to oxygen. Decanters look attractive on
the dinner table, even with a casual supper
I feel a decanter adds to the occasion and
they can be bought reasonably cheaply
these days.
Château Poujeaux Château Laroze,
Moulis-en-Medoc 2011 Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2012,
€48.00* €50.00*
All featured wines are available to buy
More restrained elegant style of wine Good depth of red berry fruit with
in-store or online at www.obrienswine.ie with firm tannins, some savoury hints savoury notes of coffee and spice,
and a refreshing elegant finish. well balanced by good acidity.

*BUY ONE GET SECOND HALF PRICE FOR MARCH ONLY


IRISH
by James Tobin DipWSET
Laurent & Neasa - Laurent Miquel Winery
Charmes de Kirwan 2014
€36.95
Black fruits dominate this
2nd wine of Kirwan.. .
The oak aging is subtle and
gives a smooth character..”
Rated ‘Outstanding’ 91 Points,
Wine Enthusiast
T
he Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations that
take place all over the world each year
are a reminder to us all that the Irish have
always looked beyond these shores.
Although historically this was mainly for
reasons of political or economic necessity,
these enterprising emigrants often sought
out or created exciting opportunities for
themselves in their adopted countries of
residence.
In the case of France many of the best of
these opportunities lay in the wine trade,
evidence of the success of these Irish
“wine geese” of centuries ago is still plain to
see in the names of some of today’s leading
Bordeaux Châteaux such as Lynch-Bages,
Kirwan, Phélan-Ségur, and in the case of
Barton family, the estates remain with the
family who left Ireland almost two hundred
years ago. The Bartons are famously proud
of their Irish heritage, so much so that,
patriarch of the clan, Anthony Barton even
holds an Irish Passport. The wines detailed
below illustrate the central role these Irish
émigrés played in the wine trade of the
adopted country.
Elegant and refined, Château Kirwan, is one
of Margaux's star performers, their second
wine, Charmes de Kirwan 2014 is fragrant
and beautifully aromatic with lovely
balance, and very nicely judged oak.
The Barton family's latest venture,
Château Mauvesin-Barton 2014 has started
to develop so besides dark fruit there are
savoury cedar like notes and a rounded
palate.
The third wine from Château Lynch Bages:
Pauillac de Lynch-Bages 2015 is a
wonderfully fresh and elegant wine with
notes of red fruit, spice, wood and a silky
Château Mauvesin-Barton 2014 Pauillac de Lynch-Bages 2015
€24.95 for the month of March €34.95 for the month of March
A ripe full-bodied wine that The high class origins of this
has great structure and fine wine come through in the
tannins.” Rated ‘Outstanding’ beautiful mix of damson &
91 Points, Wine Enthusiast cassis fruit along with Pauillac's
signature cigar box character.
well-rounded mouthfeel to finish it off.

But the story doesn’t end here, because

while these pioneers blazed a trail, there
is new generation of young Irish making a
name for themselves in the wine-world in
France today.

One such wine goose is Isla Gordon,

originally from Co. Carlow. After spending
a number of years training under Jeremy
Hyland, possibly the best regarded
viticulturist in NZ, at Kim Crawford wines
and later at Astrolabe wines, Isla and her
Australian winemaker husband Paul
decided it was time to set out on their own
and chose the Languedoc as the place best
suited to the style of wine they both
wanted to produce.
Today, working with some unique terroirs
and old vineyards treated organically and
by hand, the Gordons produce some
stunningly good old-world wines but with
a modern Oz twang such as the delicious
wine below. Domaine la Sarabande Les
Rabasses is a classic Languedoc blend
of Grenache, Carignan & Syrah, that
has blackberry and cherry fruit plus
liquorice complemented by subtle oak
notes.
Another of these modern-day wine geese,
based in the South of France is Neasa
Corish Miquel. Originally from Foxrock,
Dublin 18, Neasa is married to
winemaker Laurent Miquel and living in
France. The family are making delicious
red and white wines from their organically
farmed vineyards in Corbières region.
Alongside the region’s traditional grape
varieties, the Miquels are pioneering the
use of Albariño, their Alaina Albariño has
There is new generation of
young Irish making a name
for themselves in the wine
world in France today.
aromas of grapefruit & delicate floral notes,
which lead to a palate which is peachy, yet
also lively & refreshing with a hint of lime
on the finish.
Looking further afield, I have two
examples of Irish Wine geese making their
way to Australia, one quite recently and
one a little further back. Originally from
Tipperary, since 2004 the O’Dwyer family
have been custodians of fourteen hectares
of mature Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc and Shiraz vineyards in Clare Valley,
South Australia. With their meticulous
attention to detail, the result is high quality
fruit which results in these stunningly
concentrated but elegant wines.
O'Dwyer Shiraz boasts all the hallmarks of
Charlie, Ellen & Kevin O'Brien - Kangarilla Road
great Australian Shiraz – rich fruit, defined
oak structure and fine-grained tannins.
In and around the time of the great
famine, winemaker Kevin O’Brien’s great
grandfather James O'Brien and great
grandmother Mary Mullins independently
left Co. Clare they later met and married
in South Australia. Kevin’s vineyard is
located in the McLaren Vale, its name
‘Kangarilla’ is an aboriginal word meaning
a place with abundant resources. The
vineyards are located on multiple sites
and ancient geologies giving the wines
complexity. Farming sustainably, Kevin
uses small batch hands-on techniques to
give his wines a natural fruit expression,
reflective of site and season.
Kangarilla Road Terzetto 2013 is an in-
triguing mix of three Italian varieties gives
perfumed tea-brack, raisin and cherry on
the nose, with palate of prunes, cinnamon
and chalky tannins.
All that leaves for me to say is,
Sláinte agus Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhaoibh!

Domaine la Sarabande
Les Rabasses
€18.95 for the month of March
Delicious blackberry and
cherry fruit is perfectly
complemented by subtle
oak notes.
Alaina Albariño
€13.95 down from €16.95
Deliciously peachy, yet
also lively & refreshing
with a hint of lime on the
finish.
O’Dwyer Shiraz 2009 Kangarilla Road Terzetto 2013
€49.95 €17.95
This stunning Shiraz has "Smooth, with a taste of
rich fruit, a well-defined gently poached red fruits
oak structure and and sweet spice. Dark prunes
fine-grained tannins. and a touch of anise linger.”
Rated ‘Outstanding’ 91
Points, James Halliday's
Australian Wine Companion
HOW ARE THINGS
IN CALIFORNIA?
C alifornia is the largest economy in the
US, it is also the most populated state
with almost 40 million residents. It has over
600,000 acres under vine and accounts
for 85% of US wine production, this makes
it the biggest wine state in the US and the
fourth biggest wine producer in the world.
It is a significant contributor to the US
economy and a major employer through
wine production jobs, wine tourism, and
wine hospitality. Cutting edge in terms of
their visitor experience, Californian
wineries and vineyards have been referred
to as adult theme parks. From afar it
would be easy to imagine that California’s
multi-billion wine industry would be devoid
of the authenticity that abounds in other
wine growing areas around the world.
However, on a recent visit to Sonoma and
Napa I discovered that this could not have
been further from the truth. Yes, at some
wineries the impeccable visitor experience
is similar to visiting the top Châteaux in
Bordeaux – wine of the highest quality,
information in-depth and flawless.
But my overriding impression of the
Californian winery visits was of their
diversity and individuality. Furthermore,
my final thoughts of Napa and Sonoma were
of the passionate dedicated grape growers
Raymond Field Blend
€22.95
A field blend, this is where the different vines are
grown together in the same vineyard, this is a blend of
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Zinfandel.
Supple, ripe and concentrated.
and wine makers. Who, like their colleagues
around the globe, are doing their very best
to make the best wine they can from the
climate, the soil, the grapes and the
prevailing vintage conditions.
California is steeped in grape growing
history and winemaking know how, the
first vines were planted in 1863 by Spanish
missionaries. The Californian gold rush
started in 1848 which increased and the
number of people arriving in the state and
the subsequent demand for the local wines
increased. In 1919 California faced the
challenge of prohibition which all but wiped
out the industry. In 1976, The Judgement
of Paris tasting elevated the status of
California wines and once again increased
demand for them worldwide.
No stranger to environmental challenges,
the insect Phylloxera (1980’s) and Pierce’s
Disease (1880’s, 1930’s, 1940’s and 1990’s)
have taken their toll on the vineyards over
the years. Even as I write, Santa Barbara in
Southern California is battling with a wild
fire that has already been burning for two
weeks. The damage so far is estimated to
be in excess of 55 million US dollars.
This is on top of the wild fires this October,
in the wine regions of Sonoma and Napa.
These fires destroyed over 5,000 buildings,
Schramsberg Traditional Method Sparking
€40.00
100% Chardonnay, made in the same way as
Champagne, elegant and complex with toasted brioche
on the nose and palate balanced by refreshing citrus
notes and a touch of honey.
by Lynne Coyle MW
caused $9.4 billion US dollars and led to
loss of life. It has been suggested that the
long drought, followed by excessive spring
rains and a dry summer left dry brittle trees
and grasses which was perfect kindling for
the fires that spread quickly, fanned by the
autumn winds. Perhaps because of the
environmental issues California has faced,
in 2001, The Sustainable Winegrowing
Program was initiated. It has impressive far
reaching objectives for its 975 member win-
eries which represents 85% of the country’s
wine production.
Apart from an agenda to protect rural land
from urban sprawl, the focus is directed
towards biodiversity, ecosystem
management, energy efficiency, water
quality and air quality. When driving
through the vineyards of Napa, bat boxes
and owl boxes are common place. Land set
aside to encourage pollinator insects and
vegetable gardens growing beside the
vines are frequently seen. Refreshingly, in
keeping with this philosophy, cover crops
and the decision not to use weed killer,
leaves the vineyards alive and natural in
appearance rather than manicured to
within an inch of their lives.
It was the people however who brought
the California wine scene alive for me,
and their abounding devotion to making the
Inglenook Pennino Zinfandel
€60.00
Purity of fruit, intense and concentrated with a ripe
tannin profile, hints of spice and vanilla, this wine is
perfect with red meats and hearty stews and would
do a hard cheese proud.
best quality wines they could.
Raymond Winery, owned by the well known
Burgundian Jean Charles Boisset, is a fully
functioning Biodynamic winery making
interesting Cabernet Sauvignon.
Kitted out internally with a night club, a
wine sensory area and a “Winemaker for
a Day Experience”, the external area is
the complete opposite with a biodynamic
garden populated by goats and sheep.
Jean Charles is committed to the idea of
sustainable practises, wants people to
remember his wines and winery and
maintains “wine is fun, it should enhance
life”. Raymond is open to visitors.
Napa Valley - March 2016 @ LynneCoyle - O'Briens Wine
At the smaller more traditional end of the
scale is Schramsberg. This property was
established in 1965 by Jack and Jamie Davis,
now run by their son, this is one of the most
prestigious sparkling wines made in the Like their colleagues around
US. Made in the same way as Champagne,
the elegance and quality of the wines are
the globe, are doing their
exceptional and well worth seeking out. very best to make the best
A visit to this winery promises traditional
cellars and traditional winemaking wine they can from the
practises as well as the opportunity to
taste high quality sparkling wines. climate, the soil, the grapes

Napa Valley - March 2016 @ LynneCoyle - O'Briens Wine

There was no doubt when arriving at
Inglenook, that the owner was a “movie
mogul”. This is a stunning estate that has a
French style Château at its heart. Owned
by Francis Ford Copolla, the visitors centre
is stuffed with movie industry paraphernalia
including the hand written cast list from
The Godfather. Making stunning Cabernet
Sauvignon and Zinfandel, elegance and fruit
purity are the hallmarks of the estates wine
style.
Of Irish heritage is the Teac Mor Estate in
the Russian River Valley. Originally from
County Galway, this Irish family are making
premium Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from
and the prevailing vintage
conditions.
their own vineyards. The Russian River is
technically cool climate in California so
perfectly suited to growing Chardonnay
and Pinot Noir. Burgundian in approach,
the wines are exceptional quality and
an honest reflection of the climate and
vineyards of this beautiful river influenced
inland region. Owner Steve Moore,
expresses his delight and wonder that his
Galway father planted their vineyards and
he shares his families desire to make the
best possible Chardonnay and Pinot
Noir they can. I am sure when you taste
the wines you might agree with him.

Teac Mor Chardonnay
€26.95
An elegant, rich Chardonnay, lemon freshness and
green apple balances a creamy mid palate, some
underlying hints of toasted hazelnuts gives an
exotic feel, serve with grilled white fish.
Murphy Goode Chardonnay
€17.95 down from €19.95
Classic Chardonnay flavours of apple, lemon and
white, well-balanced acidity on the palate with a
hint of ripeness and a subtle use of oak.
Kendall Jackson Zinfandel, Mendocino 2014
€23.95* - Buy one, get second one half price (February)
Remarkable value for the second bottle, this Zin is
medium to full bodied with lovely ripeness of fruit
over a bed of oak, cinnamon and pepper.

by Lorcan O'Brien
F ebruary enjoys an enduring association
with love, romance and fertility. Long
before Valentine’s cards and heart-shaped
boxes of chocolates, many ancient pagan
societies celebrated festivals at this time
of the year to herald the coming season of
rebirth and regeneration.
This tradition stretches back at least 5,000
years in Ireland, when pre-Celtic peoples
aligned the passageway of the The Mound
of the Hostages at Tara to welcome the
life-giving early February sunrise. This
festival was later adopted by the Celts as
Imbolc, one of the four principal festivals of
the Celtic calendar. It honoured the love
and fertility goddess, Brigid; such an
important figure to the Irish that she was
Júlia Florista Branco
€7.95 down from €9.95 for February/March
With crisp green apple and a clean finish this
wine offers unbeatable value for money.
later assimilated into the Christian church
as one of the country’s patron saints.
Over the centuries the festival has evolved
to celebrate romance and love in all its
guises by exchanging chocolates and
bouquets. Although we wouldn’t recognise
the peculiar hedonistic practices of the
ancient Romans, we do have something tell-
ing in common. As with today, the Romans
associated the silky texture of red wine
with seduction and romance. The grape-
vine was a sign of virility and fertility, sacred
to Venus, the goddess of love and desire.
To this day we still recognise the alluring
sensuality of the grapevine’s fruit, so this
Valentine’s raise a glass to celebrate the
Romeo & Juliet Passimento Red
€12.95 down from €17.95 for February
This is a truly seductive, velvet smooth wine.
Lupercalia with some of our favourite
romance-inspired wines here at O’Briens.
Júlia Florista (1883-1925) was a Lisbon
flower seller by day and renowned Fado
singer by night. Her true bohemian soul
is honoured in this vibrant, fruity white
wine from the Porta 6 team. With crisp
green apple and a clean finish this wine
offers unbeatable value for money and
would be the perfect match for our
favourite aphrodisiacal Valentine’s food:
oysters. (Júlia Florista Branco - €7.95
down from €9.95 for February).
For something more seductive, be inspired
by that most romantic of couples. From
Shakespeare to Dire Straits, Romeo and
Juliet has long been lauded as the ultimate
tragic love story. Named in their honour,
this wine’s label shows part of Juliet’s wall
in Verona, where 3,000 love messages
are left daily. Made in the local passimento
method, whereby the grapes are dried
prior to fermentation, this is a truly
seductive, velvet smooth wine.
(Romeo & Juliet Passimento Red. €12.95
down from €17.95 for February).
The Whitehaven Pinot Noir Rosé from
Marlborough is a fabulous example of the
delicate, fresh wine this grape can
produce. A romantic pink in the glass,
it offers intense fresh strawberry, raspberry
and candy floss notes.
Whitehaven Pinot Noir Rosé
€14.20 down from €18.95
for February/March
A romantic pink in the glass, it offers intense fresh
strawberry, raspberry and candy floss notes.

P i n o t N o i r i s t h e m o st
r o m a n t i c of t h e n o b l e
g r a p e s - n ot o r i o u s l y
difficult to cultivate,
this Burgundian grape
can produce wines
of unparalleled
complexity once
tamed.
A perfect food wine from a wonderful
New Zealand producer. (Whitehaven Pinot
Noir Rosé - €14.20 down from €18.95 for
February).
If you would rather treat your Valentine
to a bottle of sparkling wine, O’Briens have
a wide range available, including plenty of
pink bubbly. Valhonda Rosado is our new
pink Cava, produced near the vibrantly
romantic city of Barcelona. Made in the
Traditional Method, this fresh and easy
drinking pink fizz has fast become a
customer favourite at a very affordable
price. (Valhonda Rosado Brut NV. €14.95
down from €17.95 for February).
Valhonda Rosado Brut NV
€14.95 down from €17.95
for February/March
Our new pink Cava is bursting with strawberry and
cherry fruit.
For something more elegant, champagne
is the ultimate celebratory wine to treat
the one you love. For Valentine’s day
O’Briens are offering a discount on a
number of big name brands, including
Lanson Rosé Label, one of the first rosé
champagnes. A seductive soft pink colour
in the glass, this wine offers plenty of fresh
summer berry fruits on a soft, subtle palate:
an ideal match for salmon or duck. (Lanson
Rosé Label. €47.95 down from €57.95 for
February).
If this Valentine’s day represents a special
occasion for you and your loved one, mark
it with a bottle of prestigious Bollinger
Rosé. Attention to quality and finesse is the
hallmark of the Bollinger house. From the
high proportion of Grands and Premiers
Crus Pinot Noir grapes this sparkling wine
offers plenty of luscious red fruits and fine
tannins, married to a rich complexity from
extended lees ageing. This benchmark rosé
Champagne is an excellent match for a wide
range of dishes from smoked salmon to wild
berry tart. (Bollinger Rosé. €65 down from
€83 for February).
All featured wines are available to buy
in-store or online at www.obrienswine.ie
Lanson Rosé Label Bollinger Rosé.
€47.95 down from €57.95 for February €65 down from €83 for February
This wine offers plenty of fresh summer berry fruits on a Benchmark rosé Champagne is an excellent match
soft, subtle palate: an ideal match for salmon or duck. for a wide range of dishes from smoked salmon to
wild berry tart.
ROOT & BRANCH
NAVAN ROAD
Ihave managed the Navan road store
for 15 years. I started in Malahide as a
part- timer and then moved to Glasnevin
as Assistant Manager. O’Briens have
always given their staff great opportunities
to advance with wine training and
development. Looking forward to
discovering even more fantastic wines in
the future thanks to our wine buyer, Lynne.
For Valentine's Day, my choice would have
to Longview Yakka Shiraz- a real winter
warmer with plenty of dark fruit and that
lovely warming spice. Perfect with a fillet of
Store Manager: steak or curled up on the couch with a box
Louise Newman of dark chocolates and the one you love.
I have been lucky enough to have gone on
Assistant Manager: a number of wine trips with O’Briens over
Erica Hudson my 18 years in the company. I must say
Portugal stands out as one of the best.
STILLORGAN
I have been working with the company for
nearly 36 years and in that time I have
seen it grow from a small family run
company to the very successful business it
is today. What I most enjoy from working
here is that I have always felt part of the
family and as the company has grown it has
always kept that family ethos.
The best wine trip I went on was to the
Masi estate in Verona also taking in
Venice. There were nine of us including Jim
O’Brien. I have never laughed so much as I
did over those four days and it was great to
Store Manager: try some exceptional wines and learn from
Garry Reynolds their master winemakers.
It's great to meet couples who are about to
Assistant Manager: tie the knot and help them choose suitable
wines for their big day. They will usually
Darran Conway look for the same wines each valentines
and anniversary and we will have a little bit
We visited the Symington family restaurant
and winery where we tried some of their
amazing Ports. The Boat trip on the Douro
allowed us to see some amazing views and
vineyards. We were introduced to White
Port and Tonic, a fabulous refreshing drink…
something to look forward to on the
summer nights.
I have been working with O’Briens for
almost ten years. I began my journey in
Navan Road in a part time role and from
then on as my experience and knowledge
grew so did my role. Opportunities were
always available within O’Briens to progress
in many roles but my heart has always been
in Navan Road. I am now Assistant manager
and have been for 6 years and I can
honestly say I love my job thanks to all the
training provided, great support and the
real family feel within O’Briens.
of craic with them that it must be our
wine that’s keeping them together!
For Valentine's Day, I would recommend
Romeo and Juliet Passimento red and
white. What could be more romanatic than
this rich, spicy and velvety red which pairs
perfectly with the intense citrus laden
white. A tribute to the thousands of love
messages at Juliet’s balcony in Verona.
Keep an eye on the O'Briens facebook and
twitter for more info as we hope to have
the guys from Glendalough as well as some
of our craft beer makers in store to do
tastings over the next couple of months.
Edana Cassidy - Graphic Designer @ O'Briens Wine
 UNCORKED AWARDS

SAVE THE DATE

Albariño Masterclass
Hosted by Lynne Coyle MW

Venue:
Smock Alley Theatre
Date:
Thursday, 22nd February 2018
Tickets will be on sale- early February

Limerick Wine Festival

Spring Edition 2018

Date: Thursday, 10th May

More details to follow.
The Sunday Business Post Gold Star Awards 2018
Here, at O'Briens we were delighted to receive three
Dublin Wine Festival
gold star awards from Tómas Clancy. We were awarded
Spring Edition 2018 Best Multiple Wine Chain, Best Specialist Drinks
Outlet - France, Best Specialist Drinks Outlet-Spain and
Date: Friday & Saturday, 11th & 12th May
Best Tastings & Events. Thank you Tómas!
More details to follow.

JUST LANDED
Plenty of new wines have been arriving from around the globe, they are well worth checking out!
Chateau de Tourans, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France
Seguin Manuel Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France €22.95
Lionel Osmin Le Conservatoire Malbec, South West France €13.95
Domaine de Sarabande Bousigue, Faugeres, France €28.95
Domaine de la Madelaine Tourraine Sauvignon, Loire Valley, France €17.95
Brunello di Montalcino Val di Suga €39.95
Big Sky Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, New Zealand €24.95
Big Sky Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand €28.95
Astrolabe Wairau Riesling, Marlborough, New Zealand €19.95
Raymond Field Blend, California €22.95
Raymond Family Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa €29.95
Motto Red Blend, California €17.95
Chateau St Michelle Riesling, Washington State, US €15.95
Chateau St Michelle Syrah, Washington State, US €18.95
STORES The GRAPE PRESS
El Salvaje Malbec 2014
The Sunday World 29/10/2017
“This is a FAB Argentine Malbec. The grapes come from
one of the best vineyards in Mendoza, Gualtallary. This
has tons of dark plum fruit. It’s spicy, dark and delicious."
-Jean Smullen

Murphy Goode Chardonnay 2016

The Sunday World 29/10/2017
“Medium-bodied with plump ripe peach and pear fruits,
and a hint of smoky oak.” - John Wilson

Roquette e Cazes 2014

The Sunday Business Post 19/11/2017
“A linear, fine-grained tannin delight; fresh, nuanced and quite
savoury.” - Tómas Clancy

Jean-Luc Colombo les Abeilles Blanc 2016

The Sunday Times 26/11/2017
“An appealing mixture of floral and fruit favours with
honeysuckle, pear and red apple.” - Martin Moran MW

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2014

Irish Independent 02/12/2017
“A top-quality sparkling wine from California, made from
100% Chardonnay, with a beautiful complexity of flavours;
green apple, apricot and white peach wrapped up in a creamy,
toasty texture.” - Corinna Hardgrave

Tandem Inmune Garnacha 2015

The Irish Times 09/12/2017
“A very moreish ripe bouncy red with herby aromas and vivid,
pure black fruits. A real crowd-pleaser.”
- Martin Moran MW

Beaumont des Crayères NV

Irish Independent 16/12/2017
"A top-quality Champagne... complex and weighty with
generous aromas of toasted brioche and notes of hazelnut over
a creamy, fresh palate.”- Corinna Hardgrave

Tolo do Xisto 2015

The Irish Times 16/12/2017
“An enchanting mix of ripe red cherry fruits and savoury
liquorice in a very stylish wine.”
- John Wilson

Contrapunto Albariño 2016

Irish Independent 16/12/2017
“With aromas of peach and a distinct floral note,
this is vibrant on the palate, with plenty of fruit and pure,
racy acidity. Great with fish, shellfish or goat’s cheese.”
- Corinna Hardgrave

Domaine Begude Etoille 2016

The Irish Sun 30/12/2017
“A superb cool-climate organic Chardonnay, all that you would
want from a top-end white Burgundy is here, and much more.
Great richness on the buttery palate, with vanilla, citrus, and
pear notes. Excellent, lingering finish.” - Matthew Nugent