Learning about Wine at Ballymaloe Cookery School
Enjoing the Irish Examiner Cork Food Festival this weekend, Ballymaloe House had a selection of Sherry at their stand at the food festival - and everone had great fun using a traditional Sherry Venencia. Some photos here. A great weekend, and we were delighted to win ‘Best of Bridgestone at The Irish Examiner Food Festival 2012 Best Beverage Award’ – Sherry is a great fine wine. Also see the fantastic blogs of Billy Lyons www.corkbilly.com and Caroline Hennessy at www.bibliocook.com
Visiting the school recently were Murray & Chaise McHenry of McHenry Hohnen Wines, Margaret River, Western Australia. Murray also, along with David Hohnen, was responsible for starting Cape Mentelle Wine, Margaret River in the early 1970’s, and subsequently, Cloudy Bay Wine, in Marlborough, New Zealand. Murray spoke to the students about McHenry Hohnen Wines, and Margaret River, which is a really beautiful part of the world, and also the lovely café they run overlooking the ocean, and their wine bar, ‘Steves’, in Perth. Pictured with Murray & Chaise at Ballymaloe, are Anthony Tindal and Pascal Playon of Tindal Wine Merchants. We are looking forward to also welcoming back to Ballymaloe, David Hohnen, for our McHenry Hohnen Margaret River event in East Cork, on 27th September 2012 – more details here and along with a great wine tatsing from a super winemaker, we will also have a number of events that day as well, including surfing in Ballycotton Bay and a cricket experience on the lawn at Ballymaloe with the East Cork Cricket Club, pictured below – finishing with Ted Berner’s Wildside Catering ‘Fire Cooking’ Harvest Supper – bringing Margaret River to East Cork!
We were delighted to welcome Jean Trimbach, Trimbach Wines, Alsace, France, back to Ballymaloe, who along with Giana & Fingal Ferguson, Gubbeen Farm, Cured Meats and Cheese, and Sarah & Sergio Furno, Cashel Blue and Crozier Blue, Fethard, Co. Tipperary, gave a brilliant presentation together, matching up a selection of Trimbach Wines, including Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling and Trimbach Clos Sainte Hune Riesling with some of their produce – a brilliant presentation. Trimbach are family run since 1626, and ranked amoung the top white winemakers of the world. See also Billy Lyons brilliant series of blogs following on from their presentation all together here at Ballymaloe - about Trimbach here  and Gubbeen here and Cashel Blue here . (Also see Jean Trimbach’s previous visit, in 2010, here )
Malcolm Davies of Duval-Leroy Champagne visited Ballymaloe House and Ballymaloe Cookery School, and spoke with the students about Champagne. Pictured below, with Malcolm on a lovely sunny day, are Michael Kane and Rose of Curious Wines, Cork and Charles Robb, of Robb Bros Wine Merchants, Portadown.
Caro Feely, author of ‘Grape Expectations’, and owner & winemaker at Irish owned & Irish run, biodynamic Chateau Haut Garrigue, Bergerac, South-West France, and Tomas Clancy, well known wine writer, recently gave a co-presentation at Ballymaloe on The Irish Wine Geese – Irish people both long ago, and present day, who are involved in winemaking around the world. A fascinating insight into generation of Irish people in all corners of the wine world, with a great selection of wines to taste as well. We also served ‘Irish Wine Geese’ wines at another recent event in Ballymaloe
We had a Masterclass from Master Cooper, Ger Buckley, Midleton Distillery who gave a presentation to the students of the 12-week course on the ancient craft of Cooperage. Ger dismantled a barrel using the various ancient tools that are still in use to this very day, and talked us through it stage by stage, and he then re-assembled the barrel. It was a truly fascinating presentation much enjoyed by the students, and our thanks to Ger. Also see our recent visit to Midleton Distillery here
Niels Verburg, owner & winemaker at Luddite Wines, Bot River, South Africa gave a terrific wine presentation, including a selection of Chenin Blanc’s from South Africa and four different vintages of his award winning Shiraz – finishing off with a tasting of his freshly pressed Olive Oil. After Niels presentation & tasting, we all enjoyed Ted Berner’s Wildside Catering traditional South African Braai, with Niels on hand demonstrating the art of Sabrage to open Sparkling Wine.
In Association with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland, Ballymaloe hosted a Riesling Revolution – a wine tatsing with three winemakers from great Riesling producing areas – Carl Ehrhard, Rheingau, Germany, Severine Schlumberger, Alsace, France and Tim Adams, Clare Valley, South Australia – and we had over 140 people turn up in Ballymaloe for this amazing Riesling tasting – Riesling Rocks! A video clip of the event can be viewed here and also see Billy Lyons blog here
Sami Ghosen, Massaya Wines, Bekaa Valley Lebanon, visited the school recently and spoke to the students. Lebanon has a fascinating history, and wine history – the Romans’ only builty one temple to Bacchus, the God of Wine, and that was in Lebanon. Pictured below in the wine cellar at Ballymaloe House, are Sami and Conor O’Brein of James Nicholson Wine Merchants.
Our annual Easter wine tasting for guests of the house, at Ballymaloe, was this year given by Fionn Little of Bubble Brothers Wine Merchants, Cork.
The guests enjoyed what was a fantastic line-up of wines from Bubble Brothers, including Chateau Beaucastel and Avignonesi including their rare Vin Santo
Avignonesi Rosso di Montepulciano 2009
Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Grande Annate 2006
Avignonesi Desiderio Cortona 2006
Avignonesi Vin Santo 1997 – this was a real, rare treat – the reputation preceding the tasting of this unique Vin Santo, lived up to its expectations in the glass! Please see the link here to learn more about the Avignonesi Vin Santo
