The Winebuff Blog
May
08
2013

Something New in May & June

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Arrivals

 

Something New is going to be a bit of a feature at The Wine Buff over the next couple of months, after tasting and slurping our way through a fair few bottles, we’re just about ready to reveal our new wine arrivals. We’ll be introducing a terrific range of new wines from Italy, France, Spain and South Africa. Our emphasis for the summer is to focus on great value wines, top notch quality and we’ve found some real gems that you’re sure to enjoy.

So, for May, we’re kicking off our new arrivals with a trio from Italy, Spain and France.

We’ll be introducing the next batch in a few weeks so watch this space for updates as they happen or call into your local Wine Buff shop to check out the new wine arrivals.

 

 

 

 

Vina Alambrada, this medium-bodied red is a fruity, crisper,  cleaner, crunchier style of red Spanish wine, for €9.99.

 

 

 

 

2011 Apollonio Elfo Susumaniello, plenty of ripe red fruits like plum, black cherry and raspberry which give way to a hint of pepper. On the palate it’s warm and soft with light tannin and plenty of red fruit flavours, for €12.95.

 

 

 

 

2010 Gilles Bouton Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru ‘La Garenne’. Layers of ripe peach and apple aromas. Juicy fruit on the mid palate leads to an invigorating balance of lively acidity, for €47.50.

 

 

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Apr
29
2013

Charity for 2013 – Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Charity

 

Following a good few discussions with The Wine Buff team, we are proud to announce that our charity of the year for 2013 will be the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is Ireland’s national charity dedicated to helping others who are blind or vision impaired and families of children with autism to achieve improved mobility and independence.

The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind receive over 80% of their funding through voluntary donations and fundraising through a network of volunteers throughout the country. It will cost in excess of €4 million to run the organisation in 2013, so all donations are truly welcome and very much appreciated.

The Wine Buff will be raising money and awareness through collections in store, special offers, fundraising activities such as wine evenings and sponsored events.

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Apr
05
2013

Just landed – Ocaso Malbec

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Arrivals

Ocaso hails from the highest vineyards  in Mendoza on the slopes of the Andes mountains, situated over 1000 metres above sea level, with a dessert climate and virtually no rainfall.

Ocaso Vineyard Mendoza

This could be difficult were it not for the engineering skills of the Huarte Indians, who 1500 years ago, built canals to take the melting snow from the Andes and carry it to the city of Mendoza, thus ensuring no irrigation problems for farmers or city dwellers.

The high altitude climate also means that the difference between day and night temperatures can be as much as 16 degrees, the benefits of this can be found in the beautiful aromatic quality of the Ocaso wine and all of these unique factors combine to give the grapes a different complexion to lower level grown fruit.

Ocaso Malbec 2011, a medium bodied malbec rich in flavour, with notes of black fruit, nutmeg and cigar box, followed by a long savoury finish.  This is a great food friendly wine.

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Mar
30
2013

A Celebration of Food & Wine

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine & Festivals,Wine & Food

With less than a two weeks to go the West Waterford Festival of Food in Dungarvan , it is yet again proving to be a Mecca for food and drink lovers, for anyone who enjoys a bit of grub and and a wee tipple this festival is a must in your diary.

Over the four days you can browse around the town taking in the free events or attend the ticketed venues, at this stage most events are nearly sold out, give Michael a call at The Wine Buff Dungarvan (ticket office) or check online to see what’s still available.

Local food producers, market food sellers, restaurants, Michelin starred and award winning chefs are all representatives, combine this with the best of the best local and national food and we are in for a cracking, fun filled, food extravaganza.

So don’t forget to bring you appetite for a great weekend and call into The Wine Buff on Grattan square for a taste or two of our excellent wines.

April 11th to the 14th, The 6th Annual West Waterford Food festival, Dungarvan for a full list of events give us a click.

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Mar
19
2013

Landed in our Shops – Diemersdal

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Arrivals,Wine Reviews

Making wine runs in the family at Diemersdal, it all began a little while back in 1698 when Simon van der Stel, Governor of the Cape, granted the land to Hendrik Sneewind, jump forward a few years to 1885 when the Louw family acquired the land and since then six generations of the family have run the farm.

The estate is world renowned for its quality, multi award winning wines many of which have been awarded 5 stars by John Platter and gold medals at the Michelangelo International Wine Awards. In 2012 they were voted the top South African Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards are situated in the Durbanville valley located in the Western Cape region, perfect for the production of top quality grapes. The dry land vineyards develop concentrated flavours, uniformly ripened by the cooling sea-breezes from the Atlantic Ocean.

The folks at Diemersdal are all about producing fine, world class wines so if wine is your passion call into one of our shops and grab a bottle of red Diermersdal. Keep an eye out for a future consignment of their whites, arriving later in the year, hopefully to coincide with a scorching hot summer, fingers (and toes) crossed.

Matys Red 2012, a modern-style, medium bodied and easy drinking wine that shows aromas of red ripe berries and hints of dark chocolate with subtle tannins.

Diemersdal Shiraz 2011, vibrant with red fruit, blackcurrant and dark chocolate flavours, under-pinned by well integrated oak with a long spicy finish. This wine shows a good structure and will develop for years to come.

Diemersdal Pinotage 2011, a full flavoured wine, smoothly textured with oriental spice, chocolate and roasted banana flavours. A Pinotage ready to drink, but will also benefit for another 5 years’ cellaring.

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Mar
15
2013

Papal Wines and The Wine Buff

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Events

Cardinal Bergoglio had a close run ballot for Pope with our very own father Dougal McGuire, well it appears he did online anyway,  so seeing we have a new Pope, why not celebrate with a Chateauneuf-du-Pape at the weekend, The Domaine Cyril Coulon Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2010 is a full-bodied, powerful wine from the Rhone Valley; produced on a one hectare plot which is dedicated to biodynamic viticulture. Dense purple in colour, it has aromas of pepper, liquorice, red berry fruits and firm tannins which are balanced by ripe fruit and low acidity, followed by a great long-lasting finish.

It’s remarkably drinkable for such a young Chateauneuf, but will age well over the next 10-15 years. Perhaps have a bottle now and put away another one for tasting at the end of this papacy!

As an alternative, if you use public transport, cook for yourself and live in humble surroundings, then why not try its little brother the Vacqueyras Chateau du Roques 2008, a wine that bears the same crossed keys motif of Papal Regalia and made only a few miles from the Pope’s Chateau.  A big red, based on grenache and syrah, it’s packed with dark-skinned fruit, herbal flavour and a seductively earthy quality.

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Mar
13
2013

The Wine Buff Gathering for St Patricks day.

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Events,Wine Tasting

 In conjuction with our excellent offer on the wine “Lou Mazet” reduced from 14.95 to 9.99, we’re delighted to announce a visit from Fred Palu the owner of the vineyard St Jean du Noviciat situated in the Languedoc, France.

Mas du Nvi visit to The Wine Buff

Fred will be doing his Irish tour in the run up to St Patricks Day. Starting with dinner in Ranelagh and covering a far bit of Ireland in the following five days of his visit. If you would like to meet up with Fred, taste some of his outstanding wines and have a chat, please see below his busy fun packed schedule and call into one of the shops to meet the man and taste his wines.

Tuesday 12th March, 2000hrs, The Wine Buff Ranelagh will host a dinner at La Réserve Brasserie, Ranelagh. Four courses and five wines, €50. (SOLD OUT).

Wednesday 13th March 1400 -2000hrs, Meet the Wine Maker and taste Fred’s wines at The Wine Buff Cork.

Wednesday 13th March 1930hrs, Dine and Wine evening with The Wine Buff Dungarvan at Crews Steak and Seafood Restaurant, Dungarvan, Four courses and four matching wines, €40. (SOLD OUT).

Thursday 14th March 1400 hrs, Visit The Wine Buff Clonmel at the Honeypot, Clonmel.

Thursday 14th March, Everyone welcome for Novi Tasting with Fred from 1800 to 1930hrs in The Wine Buff Limerick and a Novi theme to the last night of the Wine Appreciation course (SOLD OUT).

Friday 15th March, 1700 – 1930hrs, Fred will present his wines at The Wine Buff Nenagh. All welcome.

Friday 15th March, 2100hrs, Wine Maker dinner at the Cornstore Limerick.

Saturday 16th March 1300 – 1600hrs, Mas du Novi wine tasting with Fred at The Wine Buff Ennis.

Sunday 17th……Paddy’s day and a well earned couple of Guinness for Fred in Cork.

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Feb
27
2013

The Wine Buff and Nevin Maguire

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine & Food

A big thanks to everyone who visited us last night at the Nevin Maguire food demo held at the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh,  great turn out for the local Kilbarron National School  fundraiser. If you missed us and Nevin last night you can catch up with us both, at the Knightsbrook Hotel Trim, for his latest roadshow demo and taste some of our wines.

The two clear favourites on the night were the Diemersdal Matys red wine, a smooth Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from the Western Cape region of South Africa, which has just landed on our shores.

And running a close second to the Matys’ was the El Lagar del Soto olive oil made from single variety Manzanilla Cacereña olives, hand picked from organic olives trees in the area of Sierra de Gata, Spain.

The Manzanilla Cacereña olive is a variety exclusively from the north of Cáceres, a product as unique as it is exquisite, grown in exceptional natural surroundings. It is provided with special characteristics such as its delicate flesh, low flesh-pit ratio and texture which it maintains after processing. The Jacoliva olive oil is bottled unfiltered to keep its extraordinary taste intact.

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Feb
12
2013

Ausone 2010

Written by Paddy O Flynn in: Paddy's Diary

What a great life!Pilar, Ciaran and I went to eat at "Chai Pascal" in St. Emilion this evening. On the way to our table we met with Alain Vauthier, owner of "Chateau Ausone". My passion for wine developed after drinking a bottle of Ausone 1983, and a bottle of Cheval Blanc 1983, with my great friend Laurent Daucy, one evening back in 1992. The amazing sensory sensations felt that evening still rem...
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Jan
20
2013

The Big Freeze Continues

Written by The Wine Buff in: Wine Offers

 

The first of the winter snow has fallen on our shores and already we’re heading into the final furlongs of January 2013, a time to sit back and review our infamous new year resolutions whether it was to eat healthy, join a gym, lose weight, budget better, make lists, this one could go on and on. You may even have resolved to - perish the thought – drink less.

Last weekend had lamb on the menu and with lamb it had to be a red Bordeaux, an excellent bottle of La Fauconnerie 2008 was duly opened and enjoyed, this got me thinking on a brand new resolution, drink less but better.

So give up buying those low quality wines, say farewell to mass production, say goodbye to insipid diluted bargains, forget the labels that look much better neatly stacked in rows than they taste in the glass. As we experienced this week in Ireland with ”burgergate” you get what you pay for.

So go out and seek wines that exhibit where they are from (terroir) and the people that make them, you’ll also avoid the bulk commercial wines and get into the wines that change from year to year and even wine that can cellar well (maybe you resolved to be more patient in 2013?).

At the Wine Buff we resolved to keep our prices at pre budget prices and this will continue until the 28th January so call into your local Wine Buff shop and avail of our New Year resolution.

Thanks for all your support in 2012 and we all look forward to seeing you again soon in 2013.

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