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Marc Hoffmann, Chateau Lynch Bages, Bordeaux

Chateau Lynch Bages is one of the long established and famous ‘Irish Wine Geese’ Chateaux of Bordeaux. We were delighted to welcome Marc Hoffmann, who represents Ch. Lynch Bages, as well as the other wines of Jean Michel Cazes, owner of Chateau Lynch Bages. These wines include Chateau Villa Bel-Air, Graves; Xixto, in Douro, Portugal in association with Quinta do Crasto, Portugal; and Tapanappa, in South Australia in asociation with Bollinger Champagne and Brian Croser of Petaluma fame.

Our thanks to Colin Downey and all at Barry & Fitzwilliam Wines, Cork for arranging this visit.

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Martin Moore – Durbanville Hills Winery

Martin Moore, Durbanville Hills, South Africa Cellarmaster at Durbanville Hills Winery, Durbanville, South Africa, Martin gave a great insight to the winemaking and wine styles, and culinary traditions in South Africa. Martin is one of the most experienced and respected winemakers in South Africa, and you can keep up to date with Martin with his monthly newsletter http://www.durbanvillehills.co.za/#/Newsletter Our thanks to Paul O’Flynn and all at Edward Dillon & Co Wine Merchants for organising this visit. Martin also hosted a fantatic winemakers dinner later that evening at Ballymaloe House.

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Upcoming wine events at Ballymaloe House, October/November 2010

Australian Winemaker Dinner at Ballymaloe House, Thursday 28th October 2010.

5.00pm Presentation and wine tasting by David Hohnen, in The Grain Store at Ballymaloe. €15

7.30pm Reception followed by dinner with wines from McHenry Hohnen, which David will talk about during dinner. €70

David Hohnen, one of the best known winemakers in Australia and New Zealand, and the man who founded Cape Mentelle, and also founded one of the wine world’s most iconic names, and arguably responsible for single-handedly introducing the world to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Cloudy Bay, is coming to Ballymaloe, in association with Anthony Tindal, Tindal Wines, to introduce us to his latest wines, McHenry Hohnen, from Margaret River, Western Australia.

His latest venture, along with his daughter, Freya, and David’s brother-in-law, Murray McHenry, is called McHenry Hohnen wines. A not to be missed opportunity to have a wine tasting with one of the iconic figures of the wine world. David Hohnen has been recipient of the inaugural Len Evans Award for leadership in the Australian wine industry, and twice winner of the famed Jimmy Watson Wine Trophy. David Hohnen lives in Margaret River, Western Australia, surrounded by vines, woodland, horses, sheep and pigs!

South African Winemaker Dinner at Ballymaloe House, Tuesday 16th November, 2010,

8.00pm reception, followed by dinner with wines from Durbanville Hills, South Africa, which Martin will talk about during dinner.  €70

Martin Moore, Winemaker, Durbanville Hills Wines, South Africa, in association with Edward Dillon & Co. Wine Merchants. Famous for its award-winning wines and its spectacular views, Durbanville Hills Winery stands proud in the Durbanville wine area a mere 20 minutes from Cape Town’s city centre.

From its vantage point high up on the vineyard it overlooks Table Bay and Robben Island with Table Mountain providing a majestic backdrop. Situated in one of the Cape’s coolest wine-producing regions, in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, the vineyards providing grapes to the cellar all add their own distinctive characteristics, contributing to the complexity of taste, texture and weight of every wine in the Durbanville Hills range. The wines have won numerous national and international awards.

Also some dates regarding upcoming wine courses at Ballymaloe – Gift Vouchers also available.

Wine for the Festive Season with John McDonnell and Colm McCan, Half Day Course, including lunch, Saturday 4th December 2010.

Ballymaloe Wine Weekends ‘Introduction to Wine Appreciation’ Weekend Course with Mary Dowey, 18th – 20th February 2011, and also 1st – 3rd April 2011.

(More information on these wine courses on the website, www.ballymaloe.ie and also further information will be in the November mailshot.)

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Winemaker lunch with Italian winemaker, Silvia Allegrini.

Winemaker Lunch at Ballymaloe House, Tuesday 28th September 2010, 12.00pm, for wine tasting, presentation and lunch, with Silvia Allegrini, Allegrini Wines, Veneto, Italy, in association with Liberty Wines. We are delighted to be welcoming Silvia to Ballymaloe.

The Allegrini family,  has been handing down grape growing and wine producing traditions over many generations, playing a major role in the Valpolicella Classico area, near Verona, as far back as the 16th century. Their wine has charmed the most refined palates around the world, building on the historic value of Amarone della Valpolicella. They produce the Valpolicella, a Ripasso, and Amarone della Valpolicella. They also produce the amazing sweet Amarone, Recioto della Valpolicella. We will have a special lunch menu to match these wines.

“Superb estate. Excellent Recioto, and Amarone” Hugh Johnson

“Simply put, Allegrini are to wine, what Ferrari is to cars” Matt Skinner (Jamie Olivier’s Sommelier, and author ‘The Juice’)

Join Silvia Allegrini at Ballymaloe for a talk, tasting and lunch with her world-famous wines, on Tuesday 28thSeptember, 12.00pm.  €40 including lunch and wines.

Special rates for overnight accommodation in Ballymaloe House also available.

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Eric Talavet, Château Valandraud, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

We were delighted to welcome to Ballymaloe today, Eric Talavet, directeur général, of the renowned Château Valandraud, in Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

Started by owner, Jean-Luc Thunevin, this is the original of the ‘garagiste’ (garage) wines, that was actually started in a garage by Jean-Luc in 1991, along with his wife, neither of whom came from a background in wine, but pursued their interest in wines, and purchased 0.5 hectare of wines in Saint-Emilion, and did everything with obsessive attention to detail. The rest is history, and after rave reviews by the international wine critics, Chateau Valandraud is now today still the original, and one of the most renowned of the so called ‘garage’ wines.

Eric Talavet, Château Valandraud, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux
Eric Talavet, Château Valandraud, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

www.thunevin.com

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Anne Vallejo, Marques de Caceres, Rioja

Anne gave a tutored tasting to the students on her wines from the renowned Bodegas Marques de Caceres, including a white Rioja, and their famous red wine. It was a great opportunity for the students to learn first hand about the famous wines from Rioja, grapes, aging terms, and its food and culture.

Our thanks to Aonghus and Colin from Cassidy Wines for organising this visit

Anne Vallejo, Marques de Caceres, Rioja
Anne Vallejo, Marques de Caceres, Rioja

www.marquesdecaceres.com

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Glenn Thompson, Domaine Chandon, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia

Winemaker, Glen Thompson, from Domaine Chandon, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia, visited the school on Tuesday 18th May, and gave a presentation to the students.
 
Domaine Chandon, Australia, owned and started by Moet & Chandon, Champagne, are renowned for their award winning sparkling wines, crafted to the classic Methode Traditionnelle that they make in Australia. Domaine Chandon is located at Green Point, so named as it is one of the few places in the Yarra Valley that remains green during the summer months
 
Glenn specially brought over from Australia, the base wines that are then blended together to form the finished wine, so it was a great opportunity to taste the base wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, then the final blend, and then the actual sparkling wine itself, Domaine Chandon Brut NV. Glenn gave a fascinating insight into the skilled world of blending.
 
Thanks to all at Edward Dillon and Co, Wine Merchants, for arranging the visit.

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Philippe Menguy, Bollinger Champagne

Founded in 1829, Champagne Bollinger is still 100% family owned today. Bollinger is one of the last family houses in Champagne, and this is what allows for the uncompromising choice on behalf of quality and style that offers wine-lovers something different and unique. They produce the vintage Vieille Vignes Françaises, Grand Année and R.D. as well as the non-vintage Special Cuvée. Founded in 1829 in Aÿ by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger the house continues to be run by members of the Bollinger family. Bollinger Champagnes are affectionately known as “Bolly”.When 007 can tear himself away from Vodka Martini’s, he turns to Bollinger.
 “I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise, I never touch it—unless I’m thirsty.” Lilly Bollinger.
Out thanks to Ken Kinsella and Adrian McAleer of Findlater Wine and Spirit Group, for organising this visit, and our special thanks once again to all at Findlaters for their continuing sponsorship of the prize, which includes Bollinger Champagne, for the wine exam of the 12 week certificate course.
Photograph – Philippe Menguy, Ken Konsella, Adrian McAleer and Darina

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Chris Forbes, Taylor’s Port

Taylor’s is now over 300 years old. It remains a family firm, completely independent, owned still by relations of the original partners.

On the Atlantic coast at Oporto are the ancient lodges where Taylor’s priceless ports slowly reach their glorious maturity. High up in the Douro Valley is Taylor Quinta de Vargellas, one of the world’s truly great vineyards, comparable in quality to Chateau Latour. In between is the complex network of independent farmers, who have supplied Taylor’s for generations, their press-houses and wine making establishments. www.taylor.pt
 
Chris also showed how the often overloked White Port can be used as part of a refreshing long drink, when mixed with tonic water, ice and a spig of mint. Delicious, especialy outside in the lovely April sunshine in East Cork.
 
Out thanks to Colin Downey of Barry & Fitzwilliam for organising this visit. www.bandf.ie

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Charlotte Read, Villa Maria

Charlotte Read of Villa Maria Estate, New Zealand www.villamaria.co.nz. We were delighted to welcome Charlotte to the school. Villa Maria has won worldwide recognition for its wines – ‘Consistently excellent’ writes Hugh Johnson, ‘Top 10 ‘Greatest Wine Producers’, and Top 10 ‘Best Value Wine Producers’ New Zealand,  writes The Wine Report 2009
 
The students tasted the famous Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough and a lovely Pinot Noir.
 
Special thanks to Colin Downey of Barry & Fitzwilliam, Wine and Spirit Merchant, Cork, for arranging this visit. www.bfmws.ie