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Ballymaloe rolls out Electronic Wine List!

Electronic Wine List at Ballymaloe!!

Using an Apple iPAD, Ballymaloe House now has a wine list in electronic format.

Our red and white wines of the month, from bio-dynamic Domaine de l’Hortus, Pic-St-Loup, Languedoc, are featured, alongside a short video of Yves Orliac, in the conservatory at Ballymaloe House talking about the domaine, terroir, winemaking and the wines.

Yves visited Ballymaloe on Wednesday, and we made a short video specially for the iPAD ‘Wine List’.

Yves Orliac was delighted to be the first listing on our interactive video and information page on the electronic wine list. The guests are really enjoying it, and the wine!

Jancis Robinson MW also ‘tweeted’ about it on Twitter, and wrote a subsequent article on her website.
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Jean Trimbach, Alsace


With a resounding ‘Bonjour’ on Thursday afternoon, Jean Trimbach introduced himself to the students of the 12-week cookery course. With great pleasure, we welcomed back Jean Trmbach to Ballymaloe on Thursday 1st July, and the students had a truly memorable introduction to the wines of Alsace and Mason F.E. Trimbach.

Jean spoke about the unique ‘micro-climate’ that Alsace enjoys – Colmar, the ‘wine capital’ of Alsace is the second driest town in France (the driest is Montpellier, 10ookm away in the South-West of France), its varied and important history, its great food culture and amazing restaurants, and of course, the great wines that are made in this amazing wine region.

Jean gave a tutored tasting of three of his wines, a Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer. What a treat for the students, and the wines showed really well.

Afterwards, Jean Trimbach also gave a talk and tasting at The Grainstore at Ballymaloe, and our sincere thanks once again to Jean Trimbach for taking the time to visit Ballymaloe.

Jean Trimbach, Alsace and Mark O'Connor at Ballymaloe Cookery School
Jean Trimbach, Alsace and Mark O'Connor at Ballymaloe Cookery School

A special thanks also to Mark O’Connor and all at Gilbey’s Wine Merchants for organising this visit.

www.maison-trimbach.fr

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Bertrand Verduzier, Henriot Champagne


We were delighted to welcome to Ballymaloe today, Bertrand Verduzier, of Henriot Champagne.

The Henriot family have been in the area since the 16th Century and it was in 1808 that they began to sell what had been until then a very private Champagne. This was the birth of the House which is still today managed by those who bar its name. From the choice of grapes to the bottling, the Henriot family is completely involved in the making of the Champagne which is to correspond to their idea of perfection. For nearly two centuries and seven generations, the family has patiently kept its secrets, enriched by tradition and savoir-faire. It is above al at the time of blending, the highlight of Champagne’s tradition, that the House exercises its skill to enhance the character of the grapes which has been rigorously selected from the best vineyards, above all Chardonnay, which is at the heart of the Henriot blends, which are famed for their elegance, refinement and exquisite lightness.

Bertrand Verduzier, Henriot Champagne at Ballymaloe
Bertrand Verduzier, Henriot Champagne at Ballymaloe

Our thanks to Matthew Tindal and Michael Henchy of Tindal Wines for this visit.

www.champagne-henriot.com

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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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Paddy Borthwick, Wairarapa, New Zealand

On midsummers evening, the students enjoyed a talk and tasting from Paddy Borthwick of Borthwick Wines, Wairarapa, New Zealand. We learned all about the wines of New Zealand, and then focussed on Paddy’s region and his wines. A great evening and the students enjoyed his unique way of canopy management in his vineyard – his sheep eat some of the leaves!

Afterwards Paddy led a wine dinner at Ballymaloe House, which all was much enjoyed by all and a memorable way to spend midummmers evening 2010. www.borthwick.co.nz

Our thanks to Fionnuala Harkin of Wines Direct, for arranging this visit. www.winesdirect.ie

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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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Jean Smullen, Wines of Chile

Jean gave another of her fantastic wine presentations on Wines of Chile to the students of the 12-week cookery course at the Ballymaloe Cookery School.  The students really enjoyed the talk, and learning all about Chile, its food, culture, and of course its great wines and it was great for them to have the opportunity to taste such a great selection of different wines from the different wine regions of Chile. www.jeansmullen.com

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Harshal Shah, India

Harshal, Sommelier and Wine Consultant in India, gave a presentation and tasting about wine areas, grapae varieties, and viticulture in India, and we tasted two wines from India with Harshal, a Zinfandel and a Syrah from Sula Vineyards. Hashal also gave the students advice on what the best wines are to drink with the different styles of Indian Cuisine.

Harshal-Shah-India-june-2010
Harshal-Shah-India-june-2010

http://harshalshah.wordpress.com

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Mary Pawle

Mary Pawle is Ireland’s specialist wine merchant for Organic and Biodynamic wines. Mary gave a presentation to the students on organic and biodynamic wines, and we tasted a great selection of wines with Mary, many of which are available in the shop at Ballymaloe Cookery School.

www.marypawlewines.com

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Michele Jordan, Australia

Michele has spent the last 25 years involved in wine, which has taken her around the world presenting wine talks and tasting including the International Wine Centre in New York, the Hong Kong Royal Yacht Club and Ballymaloe, which she last visited in 2007.

Michele is the wine ambassador to some of Australia’s best boutique wineries including Shaw + Smith from the Adelaide Hills (who make elegant Sauvignon Blanc, refined Chardonnay (regarded as Australia’s finest Chardonnay), seductive Pinot Noir and intense Shiraz), Mitolo Wines from McLaren Vale (Mitolo make sumptuously rich, hedonistic Shiraz, and another one of their wines is called Serpico – Mitolo’s version of an Amarone) and Greenstone Wines from Heathcote, Victoria, and also wine ambassador to the renowned Poggiotondo, Chianti, Tuscany, Italy.

Michele is married to Dr Tony Jordan, who is also a famous Australian winemaker and a senior wine judge at Australian and international wine competitions. They live, surrounded by their own vineyard, in the Yarra Valley, Victoria in South East Australia. Michele gave a tutored tasting to the students and also gave a wine dinner at Ballymaloe House that evening.

Michele-and-gerry-at-Ballymaloe-Cookery-School
Michele-and-gerry-at-Ballymaloe-Cookery-School