Pinot Noir is a fussy grape. It needs the right conditions and the appropriate care in the vineyard to really flourish, and when it does, you may not come across a better red wine. The world’s top wine critics view Riesling as the best white grape. The black skinned Pinot Noir is considered the best red wine grape.

Like Riesling, Pinot Noir has an incredible knack for taking on the flavours of the land in which it was grown. “Terroir” would be the term used by wine buffs. It’s a French word, best translated as ‘a sense of place’.

For wine drinkers that don’t take wine talk too seriously, Pinot Noir is generally very easy drinking, light, fruity and most are to be drank young, although some premium versions have great ageing potential (like those from Burgundy). Due to the fact that it is not the easiest grape to grow, low supply equates to a slightly higher price in comparison to the likes of Cabernet Sauvignon.

It’s thin skins result in wines that are light in colour with low to medium levels of tannin. Regions that are too hot produce wines that can be a little ‘jammy’, and in those that are too cool, the grapes may not fully ripen. When the balance is struck, Pinot Noir will display red fruits (strawberry, cherry and raspberry), with vegetal and animal nuances (wet leaves, mushrooms, gamey-meaty aromas).

For French Pinot Noir, the classic region is Burgundy (Bourgogne), where some of the best reds in the world can be found. Look out for the individual villages: Gevry-Chambertain AC, Nuit-Saint-Georges AC, Beaune AC and Pommard AC. New Zealand is also producing world-class Pinot, which tends to be fuller in body with lower acidity and more intense fruit flavours. Other countries to note for good Pinot Noir include Australia, USA (California & Oregan) and Chile. Romania is known for some exceptional inexpensive Pinot.

In our humble opinion (and that of our loyal customers), the best Pinot Noir available in Ireland for under €10 is the V Pinot Noir. For other tasty options, check out Fonty’s Pool from Western Australia, Bilancia, from New Zealand’s North Island, and our Organic Domaine du Chateau d’Eau Pinot Noir from the Languedoc. For something special from Burgundy, our Beaune-Greves will drink well until 2025.

Let’s keep this simple. France is a strange and complicated nation. For a start, they drive on the wrong side of the road, they call a “French kiss” an “English kiss” and, in 1386, they executed a pig by public hanging for the murder of a child (Oink!).

French laws covering the use of Appellation Contrôlée (wine regions) names rarely permit the naming of grape varieties. You may not have realised that all Chablis is made from the Chardonnay grape – and that’s by law! Head to the south west of France for those Vin de Pays (Table Wines) and expect to find much more open and less regulated winemaking.

They haven’t gone through much effort to simplify the laws that regulate their wine industry, and I’m not interested in boring you when trying to explain who can’t use oak or who can’t grow what. So here’s a glance at a number of the appellations and what they do best.

Bordeaux: Around 88% of wine produced here is red (known as Claret in Britain). White wines are typically Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc blends. Cabernet Sauvignon dominates the red wine blends, although Merlot is the most widely planted grape. Regions include Médoc, Graves and Saint-Emilion.

Burgundy: Great Burgundies, both red and white, are unblended wines made from a single variety - a major difference from Bordeaux. Wines from the wider Burgundy region are labelled as Bourgogne AC. Major varietals are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gamay (Beaujolais).

Rhône: The two great grapes of the Northern Rhone are Syrah, which you’ll find under Crozes-Hermitage, and Viognier, with Grenache based wines dominating the south, including Châteauneuf-du-pape (meaning “the Pope’s new castle”). Cote du Rhone is another popular red in the south.

Languedoc & VDP: The majority of France’s Vins de Pays wines are produced in the Languedoc, which borders Spain on the southeast. Grenache and Syrah are popular blends in Languedoc AC, but the freedom granted with labelling a wine VDP allows large volumes of inexpensive wines from international grape varieties to be produced. To the delight of us wine nuts!

After the success of Chardonnay in the 90’s, Sauvignon Blanc took over the reigns and led us well into the new millennium, with its like-ability and accessibility, which seems impossible to shake almost a decade later.

Sauvignon Blanc is an aromatic white grape variety, producing wines that usually display strong aromas of green fruit and vegetation (gooseberry, elderflower, green bell pepper, asparagus). They are generally high in mouth-watering acidity and almost always dry.

Loire valley in France is considered to be one of the worlds premium regions for Sauvignon Blanc. Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé are regarded as producing the regions best. The cool climate results in dry white wines with high acidity, green fruit, moderate or prominent vegetal flavours, and often a hint of smokiness. Bordeaux tends to blend Sauvignon with Semillon, adding body and sustaining the citrus fruit character.

New Zealand is a country that put a new spin on Sauvignon Blanc in the 1980’s, the infamous Cloudy Bay deserving much credit for introducing the world to an incredibly expressive and fruit driven style from this varietal. Intense, clean and pungent are appropriate words to use for these medium-bodied, racy bombshells.

Sauvignon Blanc does not usually have contact with oak during production, in order to preserve those fresh, crisp flavours. It is a great match for seafood because of its high acidity, and although it can keep for some time, it is best consumed within three years of the vintage.

Chile and South Africa is known for making Sauvignon that is very keenly priced, such as the organic Sierra Grande from Chile and the South African Long Neck.

A step up will take you to New Zealand, with plenty of superior quality Sauvignon to choose from, and for something a little special, check out Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.

Riesling has long been the basis for the finest wine in Germany. The steep slopes along the Rhine and Mosel rivers retain warmth and incubate grapes to full ripeness in the otherwise chilly climate.

An aromatic white grape variety, Riesling is not unlike Sauvignon Blanc in that it is fruity and floral, as opposed to vegetal. When the fruit is harvested ripe in the cool climate of Germany, the wines have green fruit flavours (green apple, grape) with floral notes and sometimes a hint of citrus fruit (lemon, lime). If you enjoy light, refreshing whites that have a relatively low level of alcohol, then keep reading.

Sugars build up slowly in this variety and it retains its acidity well. Although some may associate Riesling with sweet wines, they can be as bone dry as you like. Many of the branded German wines in the supermarkets are overly sweet, but a lot of these are Liebraumilch (a blend of grapes) rather than Riesling. True German Riesling is often made in a drier style - and the sweet ones are usually balanced by high acidity, making for a pleasant and refreshing wine, rather than one that is overly sweet.

When you are exploring German wine, look carefully at the label. This will help you find the style and quality of wine you want. Like other European countries, Germany has a government regulated wine rating system. The levels include Qualitatswein bestimmte Anbaugebiete (QbA), which is a medium quality wine, and Qualitatswein mit Pradikat (QmP), which is the highest level of quality. ‘Trocken’ means dry and ‘halbtrocken’ means half-dry. These should be noted on the label.

Our German range includes some cracking Rieslings (and a slightly rare but very special red!), and here are our top picks from other world class producers of this noble grape variety, all representing very different styles - Alsace (France), Australia and New Zealand.

For further reading, check out Curious Mike’s blog post on the ugly duckling of wine.

Let’s not make a Shiraz of Syrah. They are the same grape, taking the name from the city of Shiraz in Iran, where wine flowed freely for many years before the Prophet Muhammad laid out his cards in the 6th century. Generally labelled Shiraz in Australia and Syrah in France, there is a huge worldwide following for this noble grape variety.

Expect deeply coloured wines with medium or high levels of tannins and acidity. Shiraz is a medium to full bodied wine (again, think of that water vs. milkshake consistency). The subtle spiciness in its aroma, often a combination of cinnamon, rose petals and orange rind, complement flavours of blackberry and black pepper.

Whereas French Syrah would tend to be more restrained, the Aussie Shiraz is generally big, bold and fruit driven. Some may not be for the faint hearted, although they can still be very accessible because of their soft tannins and relatively low acidity. The hot climate is key in this, allowing grapes to ripening thoroughly before harvest, helping to produce wines with intense black fruit, sweet spices and notes of black chocolate. Oak aging may add smoke, vanilla and coconut flavours.

The Northern Rhône in France is the classic region for Old World Syrah. The finest wines are grown on steep terraces that tower above the Rhône Valley. Grapes are harvested by hand and the sunlight and good drainage provide ideal conditions for the production of powerful, complex and age-worthy wines. In the flatter zone of Crozes-Hermitage, you’ll find less expensive wines that often display raspberry-like fruit flavours with hints of black pepper. The higher acidity of the French Syrah’s allow them to match very well with food.

New Zealand (aka ‘Godzone‘) is one of the New World countries that is producing Rhône-like Syrah’s, particularly those of Hawkes Bay in the North Island. Chile is also producing some fascinating Shiraz.

For a big, fruit-driven Shiraz, check out the Heartland Shiraz of Barossa Valley, South Australia, and for a particularly good food wine, the Charles Thomas Crozes Hermitage.

Chile has it all. The heritage of its ancient cultures, the Atacama Desert (the driest in the world), the fertile Central Valley, a Lake District the length of Sweden, the wilds of Patagonia, and the ice-filled wonders of Antarctica all squeezed into a narrow strip between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

It has now become one of the most important sources of inexpensive varietal wines in the world. Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon - you name it. Chile does it, and does it well.

Most Chilean regions have fertile soils and a plentiful supply of irrigation water from rivers. The climate is generally hot, and most vines, especially for inexpensive wines, are planted on the floor of the Central Valley that runs north-south between the Coastal mountain range and the Andes.

As well as the traditional grape varieties, Chile is producing some truly brilliant Syrah and Pinot Noir. Be sure to seek out Carmenère the next time you’re on the hunt for a big, full red wine. For years this grape was mistaken by the Chileans for Merlot, and now that it’s almost extinct from its native homeland of Bordeaux, Chile has taken it on as its own. It makes powerful, spicy wines with low acidity, fairly high tannins and a velvety texture. Expect flavours of dark fruit (blackberry) and perhaps green bell pepper and green bean when under-ripe.

Chile operates a system of regional DOs (denominations of origin) in which regions are divided into sub-regions. You may be familiar with Central Valley, Rapel Valley, Maipo Valley and Casablanca Valley. Another very interesting region is Limarí, as you’ll find out from reading this recent blog post.

If you like to treat yourself to something over €10 the odd time, try a Chilean wine instead of a safe French or Australian. You’d be surprised at the quality vs price ratio at this level as well. Here’s a few excellent examples of the kind of value on offer, especially with an additional 10% off on marked prices.

Sierra Grande Sauvignon Blanc (Organically produced from Central Valley)

Santa Alicia Cabernet Sauvignon (Maipo Valley)

Tabali Carmenère (Limarí)

Villard Pinot Noir (Casablanca)

As a consumer myself, I feel it’s important to know about the factors affecting cost and why we pay what we do. Unfortunately, here in Ireland, you can’t just pop down to your local vineyard and pick up the latest vintage of Paddy’s “ah, dat’s lovely” Shiraz. So already, we’re at a bit of a disadvantage. And even if Paddy did have a vineyard, costs will always be incurred. Such is business.

Starting with the vineyard, there is a cost to acquiring sites, and those in the best location will often fetch a higher price. Some vineyards may be very steep, so grapes might need to be handpicked, as opposed to being mechanically harvested. The cost and availability of labour varies from country to country. Yield size and grape selection also plays a big role in supply, and will thus have knock on effects when it comes to the demand versus supply. For example, low supply and high demand will heighten market price.

The winery and the equipment used can contribute to fairly significant overheads, and it can be expensive to store wines for aging, as well as tying up capital. Then there is the packaging of the wine (materials and labour) and building transport costs into each bottle. Obviously it’s more economical to transport these directly and in bulk.

Just before the retailers margin, we have government duty and then VAT added. This is how it works:

•    €2.46 flat-rate duty on every bottle, €4.92 on sparkling wine
•    21.5% VAT (this is on the whole cost, including duty)
•    At €19.99, tax represents 30% of purchase price
•    At €9.99, tax = 42%
•    At €7.99, tax = 48%
•    At €5.99, tax = 60% & less than €2 gets spent on the wine inc. packaging and shipping.

Therefore, more often than not, you’ll be getting a drastically better wine at €7.99 than you will at €5.99.

Ah, the white Pinot G, the quintessential summer wine, popular with those who enjoy a light lunch on a summers afternoon, or those who can’t get enough of those warm summer barbecues. But is it Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris? Well, since they are the same grapes, we are talking about a case of style here, with Grigio being the leaner version and Gris being the chubbier of the two. Generally speaking of course.

Pinot Grigio is the term derived from Italy, where this close relative to Pinot Blanc has become very popular. There is more produced here than anywhere else in the world. They would say they’re making the world’s best, but the French Alsatians would have a few things to say about that. In the New World it is New Zealand that has recently been making the most notable Pinot Gris.

In Italy, the best of this varietal probably comes from the northeast. They are typically dry, medium or light in body, with high acidity, and unoaked with delicate citrus and green fruit flavours (green apple, lemon). As a result, they are good to go with a huge variety of foods. The dry, acidic versions are particularly well paired with shellfish and other seafood.

Alsace Pinot Gris’ are typically full-bodied, dry, medium or sweet, with spicy tropical flavours (ginger, banana, melon), sometimes with hints of honey.  The secret to Alsace Pinot Gris lies not only in the climate, but also the soil. Rich, minerally soil flavours mingle with the substantial acidity to create that unique Alsace stamp.

Look out for possibly the most fruit driven wines of this variety. Pinot G has recently begun to flourish in New Zealand, which now offers some fantastic alternatives to Europe, often with more prominent flavours of pear, nectarine, peach and apple.

Interestingly, the Pinot G grape itself is pink, so it’s possible to make Rosé wines by fermenting the juice with the grape skins remaining. This allows for a lovely pink colour to develop, with all the varietal characteristics left intact.

Here are a few suggestions from our own range that will make you realise just what a difference the styles and regions can make.

Farnese Pinot Grigio: Classic Italian Pinot Grigio from Italian Winery of the Year three years in a row.

Mirabello Pinot Grigio Rosé: A crisp, lively Pinot Grigio Rose, from juice that was left in contact with the skins for 12 hours before gentle pressing.

The Ned Pinot Grigio: Brent Marris, responsible for one of the most remarkable Sauvignon Blanc’s to come out of New Zealand in previous years, has produced this memorable, fruity New World Pinot G labelled “Grigio”.

Blanck Pinot Gris: Now we’re getting serious. This is classic, top end Alace Pinot Gris, with the minerality forementioned, coupled with delicate fruit flavours.

For many winemakers the process of oak aging is as important as, say, choosing where to grow the grapes or when to harvest them. The complexity of flavours that can be derived from oak can help transform a wine into a different animal all together, and as well as adding a broader range of aromas and flavours, it will also have an affect on colour and tannin levels.

Oak is porous, so when a wine is ageing there are chemical changes that take place that wouldn’t happen in stainless steel tanks. The contact with the air helps tannins to soften and oak flavours to slowly leech into the wine. The influence oak will have on the wine depends on several factors:

Origin of oak: French oak is traditionally viewed as being the best to use, and typically carries a price tag to match. While they are Europe’s most important source of oak, the United States is the biggest commercial grower of oak in the Americas. French oak will result in quite subtle flavours in comparison to American oak, which is generally more powerful, adding sweet vanilla-like overtones.

Size of container: The larger the barrel, the less wine will be in contact with the surface area of the barrel itself.

Age of container: New oak will impart more flavour into the wine. For top wines an oak barrel may only be used once or twice before being used for mid-range productions.

Time in container: The more time spent in oak, the more flavours the wine will take on. It may need less time in new oak because it will impart stronger flavours quickly.

The judgement of the winemaker is paramount in all of the above. He or she must decide where to source their oak, the size of the barrels or barriques, how many times they will use them, and the amount of time required to strike the perfect balance and achieve the style of desired.

Obviously, the number of times the barrels are used, the larger they are and their origin, will have a considerable effect on production costs, but often the best wines are oak aged in quality oak and in small quantities. Cheaper wines can be made by stirring in oak chips in some countries, and really cheap, mass-produced wines can have essence of oak added.

You may find with some inexpensive wines that the oak isn’t that well integrated, and can taste unpleasant. This is particularly true of whites, the danger being of course that one might say they don’t like oaky wines. If you are one of these people, don’t give up, just pick your wines properly. Seek advice if required, or do a little reading around.

Oak used smartly doesn’t mean you have to pay silly money. A number of wines available under the €10 mark in your local supermarket will have oak flavours added, but our Santa Alicia Chardonnay is the perfect example of oak done well and honestly.

Beautiful South Africa is considered one of the stars of the New World, yet wine has been made there for over 350 years. At one time, it was the vineyards of Constantia that were considered to be producing the best wines in the world. Today, with such easy access to international markets, the country’s wine industry has been given an energetic lease of life to quench the thirst of all those new found disciples.

The ‘Wine of Origin’ legislation of South Africa dates back to 1973. For those wines coming into the EU, the stated variety and vintage must constitute 85% of the wine, but 100% of the grapes must come from the stated production area. The smallest recognised production area is the Estate. Estate wineries must make wine from grapes grown on their own land. Groups of Estates are known as Wards, which are grouped into Districts, with the largest production area being known as a Region.

Regional wines are generally the least expensive, and it’s these wines that have helped make South Africa more accessible to so many people worldwide. There has been huge investment in equipment in recent years from co-operatives, who source grapes from farmers and specialise in large volumes produced in modern wineries.

Typically South Africa is renowned for its red Pinotage, which is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. It’s one that shows red berry fruit characters, and from mature vines it can produce full-bodied, rich, spiced, berry fruit. The white patriot is Chenin Blanc, which is producing great alternatives to French versions, such as Vouvray. It accounts for around a fifth of white plantations. Floral aromas combined with tropical fruit is often complimented by almonds and honey from bottle aging, and smoky, toasty flavours from oak.

Recently, there has been big demand for the reds in particular, so this led to an influx of noble varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. They are also producing some exceptional Chardonnay’s from the cooler sites and showing a range of different styles from the Sauvignon Blanc grape, so be sure to explore, or continue to explore South Africa, because it looks like there are going to be even more interesting wines coming our way.

Here’s a few examples from our own range:

Paarl Heights Chenin Blanc: A product of the Paarl Region, which has provided perfect growing conditions for this soft, fruity white.

Long Neck Pinotage: This is a great introduction to Pinotage, with concentrated fruit and hints of pepper and fig. It’s produced in Western Cape, which covers all vineyards of the Cape.

Saxenburg Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon: This is South Africa showing off with a noble grape variety. The tannins in this Estate red have been beautifully tamed and mellowed after 12 months oak aging and time in bottle.