San Fermín is the legendary festival in Spain that celebrates bulls pounding through the cobbled streets each July. The fit, the brave and the...
When we talk about the Irish wine geese, the grand châteaux of Bordeaux come to mind, with names like Lynch-Bages, Phelan-Segur, Kirwan, and...
Did you know that The Chocolate Block, a red wine from South Africa is one of Bono's favourite wines? He likes it so much, when he was in South...
Next Friday is International Women's Day and the theme this year is Balance for Better. It's about getting a more gender-balanced world. This, of course, doesn't happen overnight, which is why it is important to focus on careers that are often considered to be male-oriented, as well as the...
What celebrity do you most associate with New Zealand? Please say Sam Neill, because I have...
If you're planning nuptials this year, congratulations! But as we all know, it's not just about the dress, the venue and the guest list, there are also plenty of decisions to be made...
If you're celebrating Valentine's Day with a bottle of Champagne, do not be tempted to open it by sabrage. This is the art of uncorking a bottle of Champagne using a sword or a heavy knife. If...
There's something very charming about Galway. It's not just the lovely city, and the stunning countryside, it's the people and the warm...
My first taste of alcohol was sherry. It was before I even hit 10. That's what happens when you grow up with teetotal parents. My mother's trifle was, and still is, legendary; so yes, I've always had a soft spot for Harvey's Bristol Cream. But apart from that, I always considered it to be a bit old...
Stroll around the beautiful cities of Lisbon or Bordeaux, and it is likely that you will be as enchanted by the beautiful pastries as you will be by the wine. Pastéis de Nata, the delicious custard tarts which date back to before the 18th century, are thought to have been invented at the...
It's the time of year when everyone is wondering, "what is the next big thing?" Which, when it comes to wine and spirits, is probably a bit...
I never make New Year's resolutions. Not that there's anything wrong with them: it's just that, with me, it is generally a good intention that's going nowhere fast. But if you're searching for a belated and actually pleasant New Year's resolution, why not decide to learn a bit more about wine...
I'm not a New Year's Eve person. Is that a terrible thing to say? Over the years, I've celebrated in so many different ways - from parties in my youth in friends' houses while their unsuspecting parents...
With Christmas Day on a Tuesday, there's a lovely weekend run in to the big day, so plenty of time for last minute presents.
I always think that there is something magical about the pop of a Champagne bottle as the aromas of turkey waft seductively from the kitchen. Of...
When it comes to entertaining, the days of 'go on, go on' are long gone. Well, maybe not quite, but increasingly the peer pressure is off when it comes to drinking. While there was a time when people in Ireland, like my parents, took the teetotal pledge for life; most of their offspring followed their...
For some reason, Christmas seems to have started particularly early this year, and for once, I don't hear anyone objecting. It seems that we are all ready for a month of festivities and catching up with friends. So it's worth getting organised and stocking up on a few reliable bottles to have on...
Buying Christmas presents for the wine and spirits lover in your life is a dream. If you have a general idea of what they like, all you have to do is pop into your local independent off-licence and ask...
As the kitchen fills with delicious festive smells as Christmas puddings soak in spices and booze, and Christmas cakes go into the oven, it is time to reward yourself for all your hard work with a...
It's official. Party season has begun and it's time to add a bit of sparkle to your life. And the perfect party handbook has just been released. I mean, who can resist a book called Let's Get Fizzical? It has over 50 cocktails made from Prosecco, Sekt, Cava, Champagne, and other sparkling wines.
If I asked you to describe port, what would you say? Probably that it is red and you drink it at Christmas. Unless of course, you've visited Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, the two stunning Portuguese cities that lie either side of the River Duoro, almost touching distance, reflecting their historic,...
I was an air hostess in the Middle East, about 100 years ago (ish), and although I lived in Bahrain, which is not a dry country, I had never tasted wine from the Middle East. I didn't know it existed. But when I returned to Ireland, it just so happened that one of the standout wines to hit my now more...
It is particularly exciting to visit wine regions during harvest time, and better still when the harvest is good and everybody is happy. On my recent visit to Galicia, I stopped off in the historic town of Cambados, on the coast of Rías Baixas. On the main square, I could see a winery working...
Have you ever thought, gosh, wouldn't it be wonderful to own a vineyard? Somewhere in France, Spain or Italy, with sunshine, vines, a nice villa and of course your own estate-bottled wine. Some people actually do it, quit their day job and head off into the rosé-tinted sunset.
Malbec is one of the better known grape varieties here in Ireland, and as the evenings get a little chillier and we start to tuck into some heartier meals, this warming Argentinian red seems like a perfect choice.
Look on the back of any wine bottle, and, more than likely, you will see those two dreaded words: "contains sulphites". Throbbing headaches the length and breadth of the country are attributed...
For many people, the most daunting thing in a restaurant, particularly a fine dining establishment, is being presented with the wine list. Invariably, people default to the second wine on the list, which may or may not have the highest margin, or they stick with a wine style they know. But the...
There are some wines that are resolutely insider. These are the cult wines that sommeliers, or 'somms', hover around at a tasting, discuss in rapturous tones and tick off their 100 wines to drink before you die list. And one of the regions that has been receiving a huge amount of somm...
You might think that Albariño comes from Galicia, in the north of Spain, and it is indeed that region which made this deliciously crisp white wine famous. But one of the myths surrounding it is...
Perception is everything. If you were asked to picture Austria in your mind, what would you see? Probably the pristine, snow-capped Alps that extend for over 500 kilometres down the west and south of the country. Hold this image, and then try to imagine what wine from this country would be like.
Yes, blue wine is officially a trend. You may remember a year ago, I introduced you to the world of Gïk, a Spanish blue wine which caused a bit of commotion with the wine police there. Blue is not an approved wine colour in Spain, so initially it was banned, but after wading through a load...
Did you know, the experts now recommend that you drink Champagne out of a wine glass rather than a flute? That's because it is, in fact, a wine, and using a wine glass allows it to release its aromas so that you can appreciate it better.
A salutary selection of sparklers, rosés, whites and reds to help you pay homage to the last of 2018's sunshine bank holidays.
Mildew is ravaging Bordeaux's vineyards, with harvests expected to fall by up to 70pc in the latest of a series of natural disasters in France's largest wine-growing region.
There are a few countries that really encapsulate summer holidays, and Italy is certainly one of them. From the rolling hills of Tuscany to the Amalfi coast, and right down to Puglia and Sicily in the south, it seems that everywhere is the idyllic place to visit - and the number of wines...
One of the biggest trends in wine at the moment is the move to 'natural' wine. It's a term that has no legal definition, but generally it is considered to...
It's Bastille Day today, and I like to think that not only did Marie Antoinette helpfully suggest to her courtiers that les miserables should use their loaf and switch from bread to cake, they might also consider drinking Champagne if their filthy troughs should ever run dry.
When my children were small and I was faced with the terrifying prospect of entertaining 20 of their tiny friends on their birthdays, I came up with a fun guessing game to keep them amused. One by one, the tots were blindfolded and subjected to a taste and sensory challenge. I resisted the...
While people joke that 'book' club is a euphemism for 'wine' club, an actual wine club is considered to be something terribly serious indeed. Which is a complete misconception. Because it can be exactly what you want it to be. You don't have to be a wine expert to start one. An interest in wine,...
Please don't throw shade at me for going all stereotypical and writing about whiskey on Father's Day. I know plenty of women who adore whiskey but as my husband - who also happens to be a father - is a huge fan of whiskey, I thought this was as good a day as any to write about uisce...
At harvest time last year, I stayed in the smallest vineyard in Bordeaux: in the grounds of Le Saint-James, a Relais & Château hôtel d'architecte with a Michelin-star restaurant, which is 10km southeast of Bordeaux in a little enclave called Bouliac. Wine and top-end food… what's not to like? Even...
Hailstorms have devastated thousands of acres of prime Bordeaux vineyards, prompting the French government to promise support for winegrowers, some of whom have lost their entire crop.
I read recently that there are 23 vineyards in Wales which produce both still and sparkling wine, and that got me thinking. I had been well aware of the top quality sparkling wine that is being produced on the chalky soils of Hampshire and surrounding areas, but Wales has always struck me as being...
You will be delighted to hear, I am sure, that we have another international wine day coming up next week. And this time it's International Chardonnay Day, which takes place this coming Thursday, so a perfect excuse for an early start to the weekend.
Although I'll happily drink bubbly all year round, it does feel particularly summery. And if you want to be on trend this summer, crack open a bottle of cava.
We've all heard of ABC - anything but Chardonnay - and if you thought, 'yep, that's me, I've had it up to here with oaky Chardonnay,' chances are the next wine you fell in love with was New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Aromatic, vivid and distinctive, it is immediately recognisable with its grassy burst...
If you're heading to sunny Spain on your summer holidays, or even if you're not, there's a bit of prep you can do in advance. Spanish Wine Week started yesterday, so it's well worth checking out the wine tastings, dinners, talks and trails that are running throughout the country.
If you're a fan of the Oscar-winning black comedy Sideways, you will probably remember the famous outburst from Miles, played by Paul Giamatti, when he yells, "If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I'm not drinking any f*cking Merlot!"
As a friend of mine always says, Alsace is the place that is in France that everyone thinks is in Germany. Which is a pretty good description. Wedged between the Vosges Mountains and the Rhine, it has changed hands numerous times.
Thursday was International Women's Day, and, as I'm sure you know, tomorrow is Mother's Day, so I thought it was the perfect time to talk about an amazing woman, who also happens to be a mother, and indeed a grandmother.
