THEY suggest that you take a “journey of pure discovery” and to be fair, with some of the wine that is coming off the vines in the Southern Hemisphere, a bottle from any of the producers in New Zealand will certainly allow you discover plenty of hidden gems.
Last week, all that is good and great about New Zealand wine, culture and indeed their tourism region was shared at a tasting session in Dublin.
There, many well known Kiwi brands were displayed, shown and raved about but it was the little known producers that sought representation were where the real hidden talent lay.

While this is not yet available in Ireland, other varietals from this brand are great examples of some of the great wines that come from New Zealand

It’s summer right now down south but an equally warm welcome beset the chilly Dublin air. Entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well with the Kiwis and the showing of over 250 wines was clear indication of that.
Despite the relatively small market share that the New Zealand wine industry occupies in Ireland, it’s position in a niche market producing very high quality is where the Kiwis have hung their cap.
2011 has produced a large vintage and this is now in-line with the demand that the market seeks. Exports to Ireland are at 13 per cent and it is the consumers that agree with this perception of high quality within the bottle as they continue to pay the price for the wine on offer.
In 2011, a total of 698 vineries produced over 235 million litres of wine. Over 150 million litres of that was exported making the demand for the wine sit at a very high global ranking.

THIS week, I thought I would share a recent email to the food for thought page regarding wine.
Mary writes;

“Dear Andrew
I read your column on wine with great interest this week and with some nostalgia. I love a glass of wine but have not drank it for nearly a year now because it began to give me dreadful migraine after one small glass and that was white wine. Red wine is a definite no no. I am just wondering if there is any wine that is known to be less likely to cause migraine. It would be nice to have the occasional one with a meal. I have heard that organic wine might be good but I wonder if you have any advice”.

In response to Mary’s query, I recalled a conversation I had some time back with a knowledgeable wine man in the South of France. Needless to say, this winemaker in had a lot of passion to offer but ironically, he suffered from something very similar.

This Sauvignon Blanc will feature as one of the Christmas Crackers at the next wine tasting FromVineyardsDirect

STUART, our good friend @FVDIE FromVineyardsDirect, has vowed to bring another superb wine tasting to Limerick before Christmas and as the planning is in its early stages, final details have yet to be confirmed.
Speaking with the man himself this week, Stuart said; “It’s great to come to Limerick each and every time. I hope we can have another great tasting just in time for the festive cheer as we have some really great new wines that we would love to showcase.”
It’s been a few months now since the guys at wine merchants brought their show to Limerick and having had a sneak peak at their new collection, visitors and guests to the tasting, likely for the Absolute Hotel, will be treated to a world of vinified delights.
We will keep you posted, online, in print and via whatever means necessary.

IT might be a wise to stock up now as one of the most luxurious tipples that we have enjoyed in recent times is set to return to the price that matches its rank.
Despite the current heavy discounts that are in place for most bottles of Champagne, the price the grapes of the most popular region in the world is set to rise in the New Year after it was said that grape prices are to increase.
The rise in grape prices from the 2011 harvest means that the selling prices for the main brands will be forced to rise in turn.
A 3% rise is likely according to Decanter who add that grand cru grapes could see a rise of up to 5%.
Producers are saying that they will have to pass on the increase in the cost of the grape this time around and that not taking such a move would make their business “unsustainable”.
As of yet, retailers have not indicated the timing of such a move but they have noted that the increase will also be reflected in the duty paid.

DAMN those pesky scientists anyway as they have discovered that for some lovers of wine and beer, allergies such as red itchy eyes, nasal congestion, upset stomach and respiratory problems can present themselves to those allergic.
Louisiana State University Medical School educators have found that the reactions can be triggered by naturally occurring ingredients in beer and wine including barley, grapes hops, malt, oats, wheat and yeast.
They say that other potential allergens may be introduced to beer and wine during the processing including egg whites, which are sometimes used as a filtering agent.
Researchers said that understanding what triggers the allergies is key to finding an alternative drink.
They note that Individuals can be allergic to the alcohol itself or indeed an added ingredient but they must remember that the alcohol can worsen an existing allergy.
Skin rashes can appear for some and they also say that red wine can be the cause of headaches…not the overconsumption kind.

It has been well documented that the tasting is on this week, but for those that are unsure about the invites or how to get in, here’s one. Tweet @FVDIE, call them or just turn up. The more the merrier.

“WE are keen to show our new wines such as; Albarino, Picpoul de Pinet, Chateau Bauduc Blanc 2009, Mark Haisma Bourgogne Rouge and Emma Serjeant Bourgogne Blanc to name but a few”.
Those are the treats that await guests of the FromVineyardsDirect next wine tasting at the Absolute Hotel later this month.
Following the success of the From Vineyards Direct wine tasting in July at the Hunt Museum, Stuart and his crew are set to make a welcome return to the Treaty City where they have joined forces with Donnacha Hurley, GM at the Absolute Hotel to host the second of their wine tasting bonanzas.
Stuart says that “All of these guys hit the nail on the head with regard to price/quality ratio”.
September 22 has been pencilled in and Stuart will bring with him a plethora of vinified delight.