Stitch and Bear

A long-running Irish blog with reviews of the best restaurants in Dublin and throughout Ireland. Some wine and cocktails thrown in for good measure!

Saturday, July 2, 2016

[Wine] July BBQ wines

It's July now, and we continue to BBQ at every opportunity. At a recent BBQ, I opened the following bottles of wine for Mr and Mrs H, to accompany our feast of cowboy steak, lamb and chicken skewers, along with various salads. The intention was to have both light and rich reds, along with a nice refreshing white. 


Yalumba Paradox Shiraz 2012
Marks & Spencer, reduced to clear approx €30 (I can't find the receipt)

This was my "rich" red and it didn't disappoint in any way. I've been steadily more and more impressed by the higher end reds produced by Yalumba. From the Barossa Valley, this wine is inky and velvety smooth. It has deliciously appealing spicy, peppery notes along with delicate dark fruit (think cherries), violets and fine tannins. I like to think of it as the elegant cousin of the more typical Barossa big reds.

Domaine des Corbillieres Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2014
The Corkscrew Warehouse €13.56

This wine hails from a small estate in Oisly, in the Touraine region of the famous Loire Valley. The Barbou family have the distinction of being the first to plant the Sauvignon grape in the region, and it took rather well to the ground. Although not officially organic, the wines are made with natural yeasts and this Sauvignon Blanc is a great crisp example. Lemon in colour, it's herbaceous with gooseberries  and pears. A fantastic summer wine. 

Quinta do Cardo Vinho Tinto 2014
The Corkscrew €15 (cannot find receipt)

I'm slowly becoming a big fan of Portuguese reds and this simple Vinho Tinto is a great introduction. I love the beautiful label but more importantly the contents are organic. It's made from a blend of three traditional grapes, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz. Whereas the Yalumba was dark and inky, this wine is light in texture and colour, showing as ruby in the glass. It has nice acidity, with dark fruit and a slight balsamic spiciness. A great bottle to have on your shelves. 
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