Today on Movies & Booze live from the Talbot Hotel in Stillorgan, we are featuring Chardonnay from France and Australia and a super Pinot Noir from Marlborough.
2017 Val de Salis IGP Chardonnay Viognier Reserve €9.99
Stockists: Lidl, nationwide, for a limited time only, while stocks last
This is another of the great wines that appear on the Lidl shelves on a seasonal basis. Having tried it I would say, make sure you get some before it races off the shelves. This is a very enjoyable Chardonnay/Viognier blend from the Pays d’Oc region (Languedoc Rousillion) in southern France.
This wine is a Vin de Pays, what’s that you say? Well basically a category of wine created in France in the 1970’s to encourage the production of wines that are a step up from basic table wine. In 2009, France registered their VDP wines with the European Union as IGP’s (Indication Géographique Protégée) in a nutshell if you see IGP on a label it simply means quality wines from a specific region.
For our first white wine today we're going to the abundant sunshine in the south of France where this IGP wine is produced. Here we have a blend of two grapes, Chardonnay with its medium acidity and broad fruit flavours of melon and Viognier (pronounced Vee oo nee hay), a wonderfully aromatic grape with floral aromas and lots of peach. Viognier is native to the Rhone and is not very well known, its worth tasting it though for a Eureka wine moment. Here both grapes are blended together and the combination works beautifully!
This wine has lots of soft juicy tropical fruit, melons and white fruit and lots of it. The Viognier adds a touch of peach. If you like a less citrussy style of white wine then this is one to try. Lidl have a super Deluxe Salmon Sensation in stock at the moment, it’s a Salmon mousse with cucumber and dill. Grab some wholemeal brown bread, slap on the salmon mousse and enjoy with this, a great aperitif for any party.
The next two wines you will always find on the shelves in Lidl, they are part of their regular range and are widely available, year round in all the Lidl stores.
2016 Coonawara Chardonnay €7.99
Stockists: Lidl, Nationwide
We’re off to the southern hemisphere for our second Chardonnay today. Proving you can never get enough of a good thing! Chardonnay's greatest attribute is that it is an easy going grape that will grow almost anywhere; from the coolest climates of northern France to the hottest regions in Australia, it seldom disappoints. As a grape variety it is easy to cultivate, which explains why its so popular.
Viticulture has long been part of the tradition of the south east corner of South Australia where you find the Coonawara region. The first vineyard here was planted there in 1860. It has a maritime climate and is famous for its 'terra rossa' or red soil, which adds to the quality of the grapes grown here. Many of Australia's premium wines are born in the vineyards of Coonawarra.
Chardonnay is one of the few white grape varieties to have an affinity for oak. This wine has a hints of spice that comes from the grapes being aged in oak, it also has light melon fruit flavours. If you like cooking then try this with chicken in a creamy sauces or with a vegetarian pasta dish. The influence of the oak adds a buttery vanilla flavour to the final wine. So fruity oaked blends like this will also work well with stir fry of chicken or beef.
2016 Pinot Noir Marlborough €9.99
Stockists: Lidl, Nationwide
Marlborough Pinot Noir is a classic New Zealand style. Pinot Noir is possibly the greatest and most wonderful of all the black varietals. The style of wines made from Pinot Noir can range from light, fresh and fruity to deep and earthy. Generally speaking, with Pinot Noir, tannins are lower and acids are higher than in most other reds, the fruits character tends to be summery red. Young wines can be fresh and easy-drinking, but when aged., it evolves into a totally different wine. Pinot Noir has seen a re-birth in New Zealand where it produces some of the the best quality red wine from this grape.
This is a grand example of a well made affordable and very drinkable Marlborough Pinot Noir. It has lovely juicy red fruit, more cherry than raspberry and at this price offers enormous value. For a super weekend food and wine treat, serve this with Lidl’s DeLuxe Irish Duck Breast Fillets.
Wine Diary
As part of the annual Rhône Wine Week activities in Ireland, The Big Rhône Tasting, will take place on Tuesday 6 November 2018 at ely Bar & Brasserie in Dublin. For the public event which takes place from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, you can now buy your ticket, price €20.00 More details of this and many other events on the wine diary https://jeansmullen.com/
