We’re hitting the road for Dublin, a year after our first, much lauded public tasting in Cork. As a result of being inundated with requests from our loyal customers in our nation’s great capital, we just had to bring the party north - and believe me, you’re going to love it.

We’re delighted to welcome back Joyce Austin of New Zealand Boutique Wines, all the way from Auckland, to host a seated tasting of New Zealand’s most exciting new wines. Our followers here in Cork will tell you how relaxed, informal and enjoyable our tastings are, and Joyce is sure to work the crowd whilst serving up some of the world’s top Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs and the rest!

Our last tasting with Joyce was a sell out. Don’t miss it – join us for what promises to be a wonderful night.

Places are limited to 40 people, on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are €15.00.

Date: Friday 6th November 2009 - 7:30 PM

Location: Clarion Hotel Dublin IFSC - Quote Curious Wines and enjoy bed and breakfast at the Clarion for €130 single occupancy or €145 double occupancy.

Ticket Price: €15 - click here to book on-line, call us on 023 884 3898 or email us at curious@curiouswines.ie.

To receive announcements of upcoming wine tasting events, both ticketed and free of charge, join our Newsletter.

On the 8th of June we asked our readers to support a very important fund raising event. A good friend of Curious Wines, Lesley Atkins, completed a gruelling, stupidly long bike ride in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust - the 300km Vatternrundan!

The Vatternrundan is a cycling event on the road around a lake in Sweden. It’s so big you can see it on the weather map on the TV and apparently even from space. Her efforts were well worth it after she broke her £3000 target with the help of yourselves.

As an incentive, we put up a mixed case of wine to be won and we’re delighted to announce the lucky winner is Martin Long.

Congratulations Martin, and a big thank you to everyone who supported Lesley - your donations have gone to a great cause and we won’t forget your generosity!

Saturday night was the last meeting of the Bandon wine club until September. Around twenty people (myself included) met up at ‘Seats Cafe’ in town, where we were all treated to homemade lasagne (it wasn’t quite BBQ weather!), a fantastic array of wines and live music, courtesy of some very talented members. It didn’t end until the early hours of Sunday morning, thanks to an endless supply of vino, entertainment and good company.

The Bandon Wine Club has gone from strength to strength in a very short period of time, from its first meeting in January. Six months and six meetings later, there will be a little break for the summer, before starting into a new itinerary in September, which will include informal wine classes.

Wine clubs are a great way of giving a group of people access to a range of wines from around the world that they probably wouldn’t otherwise have tried. If you would like Curious Wines to host a wine tasting for your club, feel free to get in touch.

Here’s to the future success of the Bandon Wine Club. Long may it continue to show ambitious wine drinkers of the endless variety out there!

Friday night saw Joyce Austin return from Auckland to present our fourth public wine-tasting, in Cork’s Ambassador Hotel, and we’ve a special 48-hour sale to mark the occasion.

We had an overwhelming response to tickets, with 50 hungry wine lovers treated to an intriguing evening of world-class New Zealand wines. In a tasting of eleven of our newest arrivals from New Zealand, it was a combat zone as each person pitted their skills in a blind tasting evening. Needless to say there were a few surprising revelations with a healthy quota of both red faced and proud-as-peacock faces! There was a huge buzz as our gathering delved into a new taste experience in pairings of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, along with delicious summer sipping Rosé.

Check out what a couple of tasters thought of the night: our thanks to Brian Clayton and Manic Mammy for your kind words and support, we’re absolutely delighted you enjoyed the evening.

To mark the tasting, and our goal of making New Zealand one of your top summer picks, we have a 48-hour sale on all New Zealand wines until midnight Thursday, 11th June, with 10% off across the board. In particular check out this cracking mixed case selection, hand-picked by Joyce herself. It’s a delicious case, so if you’re sipping New Zealand, now’s the time to buy.

Wines tasted on the night were:

Muddy Water Pinot Noir Rosé
Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc
Tussock Sauvignon Blanc
Waipara Springs Chardonnay
Mount Cass Chardonnay
Coney Piccolo Pinot Gris
Tussock Pinot Gris
Greenhough Dry Riesling
Waipara Springs Riesling
Bilancia Pinot Noir
Waipara Springs Premo Pinot Noir

Congratulations to Wietse Buwalda of Crosshaven, Co. Cork, who scooped €220 worth of wine and a pair of New Zealand crystal wine glasses in a prize draw for orders placed on the night.

And finally, our thanks as always to Joyce for a great night’s education and entertainment. There are already rumours that Curious Wines’ first Dublin tasting could be a New Zealand night this side of Christmas, so watch this space.

Those of you who attended our Recession Busters wine-tasting last month in Cork will remember a good friend of ours, Lesley Atkins, who presented 13 stupidly good value wines on the night. Well, Lesley’s taken another of her passions to the extreme by undertaking a stupidly long bike ride in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust - the 300km Vatternrundan!

The Vatternrundan is a cycling event on the road around a lake in Sweden. It’s so big you can see it on the weather map on the TV and apparently even from space.

Cystic Fibrosis is Ireland and the UK’s most common life-threatening inherited disease, with one person in 19 a carrier of the gene. It affects the internal organs, especially the lungs and digestive system, making it difficult to breathe and digest food. The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is a UK-based charity whose work and research has positive implications for CF sufferers in Ireland and around the world.

We’re supporting Lesley and the Trust by offering €110 worth of wine for a prize draw - all that we’re asking is that you donate at least £5 (less than €6!) to Lesley and Will’s fund then pop a comment back to us here saying “I donated!”. Donations of more than £10 will get a double-entry into the draw. Lesley’s hoping to raise £3,000 for the charity and she’s over half way there already, so hopefully we can all help get her across the line before she starts her marathon cycle.

Everyone who donates from Ireland will be entered in the draw for the case of wine on the 24th of June, so PLEASE DONATE - come on, a case of wine for a fiver!

The Kiwis have a way with wine, that’s for sure. From fresh, grassy, near-tropical Sauvignon Blancs to Pinot Noir packed with fruit, this little island nation of All Blacks fame is a wine-making powerhouse. We’re delighted to welcome back Joyce Austin of New Zealand Boutique Wines, all the way from Auckland, to host a seated tasting of New Zealand’s most exciting new wines.

There’s an intriguing theme at this tasting. We’re showing the wines blind and grouping them in pairs: 2 Sauvignon Blancs, 2 Pinot Gris, 2 Rieslings, 2 Pinot Noirs, plus a few surprises. One wine will be modestly priced, the other more expensive.  Which wine will be the most impressive?  Prepare for lots of fun with the results sure to raise a few eyebrows.

Our last tasting with Joyce was a sell out. Don’t miss it – she’s travelling straight from picking the berries in the 2009 harvest and is brimming with stories. Join us for what promises to be a wonderful night.

Places are limited to 40 people, on a first come, first served basis. Tickets are €15.00.

Date: Friday 5th June 2009 - 7:30 PM

Location: Ambassador Hotel, Military Hill, Cork (Accommodation is available at the special rate of €65 per room - just mention Curious Wines when booking)

Ticket Price: €15 - click here to book online, call us on 023 884 3898 or email us at curious@curiouswines.ie.

To receive announcements of upcoming wine tasting events, both ticketed and free of charge, join our Newsletter mailing list.

Last Thursday (7th May) we held our recession busting wine tasting at the Ambassador Hotel in Cork. Thirty-five Curious guests turned up to see what we were doing about the recession, so we featured 13 wines between €7.99 and €19.99 to show that exceptional wine can be sought at exceptional prices, particulary below that all important €10 mark.

Our tasted wines in order:

1. Cuvee Jean Paul Sec (€7.99) There aren’t many wines at this price that would stand up to the Curious house wine. Similar to Sauvignon Blanc in style, this Vin de pays is a blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard.

2. Paarl Heights Chenin Blanc (€8.99) This soft and fruity South African has plenty of character, and as I found out quite recently, it’s smashing with a mild/medium curry.

3. Pasquiers Sauvignon Blanc (€9.49) A fantastic, easy drinking Vin de Pays Sauvignon blended with 20% Vermentino. What was an accident in the winery, turned out to be a masterstroke for the winemaker.

4. Tabali Viognier (€12.99, current sale price €11.69) A Viognier to do Viognier justice. Citrus, apricot and pear mingle with great acidity for a well balanced, elegant Limarí white.

5. Orballo Albarino (€13.49) Many people hadn’t tried this varietal before. Albarino is Spain’s answer to Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, and Orballo’s medal winning attempt wowed the crowd.

6. Domaine de la Motte Chablis (€16.99, current sale price €14.99) The star of the whites dropped jaws when the price was mentioned. You could easily pay €25 or more to get this kind of quality elsewhere.

7. Aerus Crement de Loire (€17.99) Loire’s answer to Champagne - except half the price. The superbly made Aerus has very fine bubbles, forward fruit and, like the best Champagne, biscuity aromas and flavours.

8. Cuvee Jean Paul Rouge (€7.99) The brother of the first white tasted. This Syrah and Grenache blend is one of the few wines at this price that’s serious enough to go with food. A great introduction to the reds.

9. Palazzi Negroamaro (€8.99) Dark in colour, this fruity Italian red has ripe berry and bitter plum flavours, with the kind of acidity that would make it even better with food.

10. Sierra Grande Cabernet Sauvignon (€8.99, current sale price €8.09) Full flavoured organic Cabernet, which just shows what Chile is capable of under €10.

11. Quinta el Refugio (€9.99) Many thought that this Spaniard represented the best value for money for red under €10. It’s certainly a great alternative to Rioja, with dark fruit flavours and lots of complexity from the American oak. Fantastic buy.

12. Dignite Syrah (€14.99) For those who like ‘big’ reds with plenty of upfront fruit. The Languedoc is renowned for producing wines similar to those of the New World, largely due to its warm climate.

13. Roland Betton Crozes Hermitage (€19.99) Our surprise wine of the night is for those recession busters who treat themselves at the weekend. For many, this was the best of the night.

A special thanks to our very knowledgeable and informative speaker, Lesley Atkins of Boutinot, who kept the night as fun as it was educational, and to the Ambassador Hotel, who provided us with top notch service and a venue to match.

Lastly, great thanks to our special guest Paul Kiernan, the business writer and wine enthusiast behind Irish blog, Grapes of Sloth. A very nice chap indeed, Paul knows his wine very well, and we were delighted to see he left some very positive feedback on his blog the following day.

Our next wine tasting in Cork is on the 5th of June. If you would like more information, just pop us an email at curious@curiouswines.ie, or join our monthly newsletter to be the first to hear of ticket availability.

Discover everyday drinking treasures with Curious Wines Recession Busters. In the third of our public tastings in Cork we’ll be showing a selection of our best value wines, designed for everyday drinking without breaking the bank. These are wines to match the supermarkets on price, but knock their pants off on taste!

Places are limited to just 40 people, on a first come, first served basis.

Date: Thursday 7th May 2009 - 7:30 PM
Location: Ambassador Hotel, Military Hill, Cork
Ticket Price: €15 - click here to book

To receive announcements of upcoming wine tasting events, both ticketed and free of charge, join our Newsletter mailing list.

Wine is for enjoyment first, and appreciation second, but it’s also true that learning how to appreciate wine can make your wine experience more enjoyable. The following three factors are considered to be wine tasting essentials.

Appearance: This could be the first sign that a wine is out-of-condition. Dull in appearance, with a hint of brown may imply it being faulty, but you can’t be certain until the next action. It’s worth noting appearance as wines can vary vastly. In reds you may find an intense, deep ruby red Shiraz, or a light garnet Beaujolais. Purple indicates youth and brown colours are indicators of age. With white you could have a light, pale lemony coloured Sauvignon or a deep, golden Chardonnay.

Nose: This part also doesn’t have to be pretentious, and it really is half the experience. The aromatics of wine can be so engaging. Many a time I find myself in heaven, nursing a glass of aromatic red or white without tasting a drop until minutes later. You’ll also detect any signs of cork taint (think wet cardboard) if there is any. Fill your glass about half full, pop your nose in and have a good whiff. You could be getting those wonderful citrus aromas of a German Riesling, or the soft plumminess of a Chilean Merlot that may not be as obvious on the palate.

Palate: And here’s the big test. Sweetness, acidity, tannin, body and length. It’s all there. And from here, you can make conclusions on the balance between sweetness and fruit, acidity and tannin, how long those flavours will linger in your mouth, the intensity or concentration, the complexity, structure and expressiveness. Inexpensive wines may have fewer, simple flavours, whereas a little more investment could provide layers of complexity, including different spectrum’s of fruit, like red, black and even blue fruits in a good red.

There are no set rules. Whatever you get out of an elegant red Burgundy or a zesty New World white can’t be argued with. It’s completely subjective.

Be careful when you’re judging wine. You may have noticed a wine you’ve tried on separate occasions to be fowl one time and sensational the next. If you know your palate isn’t clean, don’t be too harsh. An exaggerated example - don’t eat of packet of extra strong mints before wine tasting. Some will also only come to true form with food. This is particularly true of certain Italian and French wines. For food and wine matching, don’t miss out Mike’s post on the matter, as well as his and Niall Harbison’s Look and Taste series. I think he loves his food and wine more than his mammy.

Without becoming a wine ponce, it’s worth investing in a couple of ISO tasting glasses, an Essential Wine Tasting Guide and, if you want to get a little more serious, a blank notebook for making notes - because if you try new wines regularly, it’s great to look back to compare and contrast. Much to learn, yes, a lot of fun, yes.

For our first tasting of 2009, Charles Robb of Robb Brothers Wine Merchants will be in Cork to regale us with tales of the unexpected from his wine adventures around the world and, of course, let us sample some of his most curious and sumptuous finds.

There will be an eclectic mix of Old and New World wines to sample, all of which will be available on the night from Curious Wines.

Charles’ renowned and extensive knowledge, experience and palate will ensure a highly informative and delectable wine experience.

Places are limited to just 30 people, on a first come, first served basis.

Date: Friday 6th February 2009 - 7:30 PM
Location: Hayfield Manor Hotel, College Road, Cork
Ticket Price: SORRY, WE’RE SOLD OUT! Please check back for details of our May Tasting.

To receive announcements of upcoming wine tasting events, both ticketed and free of charge, join our Wine Club mailing list.