O'Briens Wine Blog

View from Delheim Vineyards

In a word WOW!!!! Met at airport by Victor Sperling part-owner and viticulturist at Delheim. He drove us from Cape Town to Del Vera–1 half of the Delheim Winery which overlooks Stellenbosch and Table Mountain. To me Italy had always the most beautiful countryside but South Africa has now kicked this into touch! Brought out for dins that evening by part-owner Nora Sperling and her husband that night into a lovely little restaurant in Stellenbosch.

Next morning picked up by Williaum of Cloof Cellars and brought out to the Darling region which is a very different place to Stellenbosch but also beautiful. Had a day of wine tasting and tours on the 2 vineyards with Christopher (winemaker)  followed by a jeep journey through their game reserve park spotting Spring Bok, Zebras, Ostrichs. Then back to Cloof for a “bri” (barbecue) with Cloof’s family owners and then dropped back to Del Vera for the night.

Rust en Vrede in the morning

 The next 2 days were in amazing. We were picked up by Warren of Guardian Peak and brought to Ruste en Vrede for a vineyard  tour and wine tasting which included the entire range all the the way up to the 1694 blend. After this brought up to the Guardian Peak restaurant in the mountains for lunch and full range-tasting of Guardian Peak wines. Warren then again picked us up and brought to meet owner Jean at the Ruste en Vrede restaurant, ranked 67 in the world! – Bono couldn’t get a table 2 months ago! – There’s a 3 month waiting list here. We went for the 6 course tasting menu. We hit it off immediately with Jean and had a great night the 4 of us.

Glen Carlou's Quartz Stone vineyard

Next morning off to Glen Carlou in Paarl, which amazed us. The amount of money invested there and the machinery they use is incredible. Johan the GM was a fantastic guy and took us around the different areas of the vineyards which include his gem of “Stone Quarry” soil they use for their Chardonnay which their brand is built around. They have such a real love and passion for their country and land they work. Full tour/tasting here also with Arco Laarman the winemaker followed by  lunch and more wine!

Another “bri” that night with Jean and Cobie from Ruste en Vrede. We had a night that nearly killed us but that’s how Jean rolls!!!!

Off to  Delheim’s Del Vera next morning where we met Nora after so much we asked could we chill so she brought us to stay in Morgenoff winery for the night. We stayed in the Manor house which is usually for royalty, and a few months previous the King of Sweden stayed in my room!! Victor popped over for a beer in the afternoon before bringing us for dinner in Stellebosch.

Next morning, back to Delheim with Victor to met up with their new wine maker Reg who has just joined them from Neil Ellis where he spent 5 years. Brought for a drive through their vineyards stopping at every occasion for snaps and tasting the grapes. Full tasting and tour followed with Reg and got to taste some really fantastic stuff. After breakfast a tour guide  brought us around the coast and Cape of Good Hope and 6 hrs later we arrived at our hotel in Cape town. We chilled and got ready for our 28hr journey that got us home.

A fantastic trip and the people we met were so nice. We all just hit it off. We were so lucky as every day we saw harvest taking place in each of the vineyards, a real treat. And to be brought around the cellars and given sample tastes from tanks, barrels from all different stages of fermentation was out of this world, I will never forget it.

(Anthony Keane is the Manager of O’Brien’s Wines Athlone)

The sale ends this Sunday so time is running out to grab a stunning Gold Medal winning wine at a damn fine price. Both these wines are still available as late additions to the sale…albeit in rapidly dwindling quantities. So be quick!

Longview Bucket Red 2009 Shiraz/Cabernet

Adelaide Hills- Australia (oaked)

International Wine Challenge 2011

The Judges said: “ Savoury, notes of Indian tea. Minty, lightly fragrant. Very fresh. Medium-bodied, classy. Grainy tannins. Very  elegant. Brilliant.” 

 Longview Bucket White 2010/11 Semillon/Sauvignon

Adelaide Hills (unoaked)

 Top Gold at the 2011 Royal Melbourne Wine Show

Like all Longview wines this is an outstanding example of faultless winemaking and superb terroir. A brilliant cooler-climate white with loads of grassiness and vibrant fruit, perfectly combing Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon

Congratulations to Gérard Bertrand who won European Winery of the Year

 “Both landowner and partner of the best winegrowers in the South of France, Gérard Bertrand manages over 325 hectares of vineyards across varying Languedoc terroirs. He fully understands the movement toward expressive, well-balanced and elegant wines that remain accessible and affordable.”  Judges comments

Cascastel - Fitou

Bravo Gérard!

We, at O’Briens have been importing Gérard’s wines for the best part of a decade and we have seen then improve year on year from an already high quality level. Amongst the range are two of the best loved wines in our stores; Château Remaury and Grand Terroir Pic St. Loup.

His family estate red Domaine de Villemajou is well worth checking out and you just might find some of his Château de Cascastel Fitou left in the February wine sale…..though it is selling out fast.

Other wines in the range include Château St. Estève from Corbières, and the high altitude estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Domaine de L’Aigle. If you are not already a fan of the Bertrand style then now is the  time to try some of the best modern wines emanating from the South of France

Amongst the terrific range of wines being offered in our February Sale there is a sprinkling of mouthwateringly good Fine Wines.  There are wines in here that are designed for red-letter days and can be bought at a good price now and put away for Easter or other special occasion during the year.

So if it is the half price Bethany G6 Chardonnay that has caught your eye as a wine rack filler then a  bottle of Chanson 1er Cru Chassagne Montrachet is worth squirrelling away for a special day. For fans of Spanish reds Cune Rioja Crianza is still available at €8.99 but there are two unbelievably good iconic Spaniards also on offer: Numanthia 2006 (94 points Wine Spectator) and Victorino (92 Parker Points). These have €15 and €10 knocked off respectively and both have years of ageing capacity left in them.

The Bordeaux brigade won’t be disappointed either as loveable St. Emilion is represented with a half price Grand Cru in Château Haut-Badon.  But for those seeking something a few rungs up the ladder  there are few bottles of Château La Tour Figeac St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé out there –  with €20 off the asking price.

Some of the other treats on offer are the Biodynamic superstar Jasper Hill Georgias Shiraz 2006 €33.99 (was €48.99), Rust en Vrede Estate at €23.95 (was €31.95) and 2007 Chanson Meusault at 24.99! (was €39.99).

Or if you want a wine that can hold its head up high in such illustrious company then try the stalwart Argentine Clos de los Siete at €13.99 (was €18.99).

Whatever you decide on there is almost certainly wine in this sale for you…. just be quick!

In the recent past I was invited to Portugal by Joâo Portugal Ramos whose Alentejo and Duoro wines are exclusive to O’Briens, to become a Cavaleiro in the Confraria do Vinhos do Porto. I kindly accepted the invitation and Beryl, my wife and I duly arrived in Oporto for the ceremony which was a Black-Tie event.

It was a wonderful international affair which was held in the Grand Hall of the old Stock Exchange. Forty three people were honoured for their contribution at various levels in the production and promotion of Portuguese wines.

After the formal ceremony we were paraded through the cobbled streets of Oporto, led by six mounted guardsmen

and flanked by senior members of the Confraria all dressed in their ceremonial cloaks and hats. That evening there was a wonderful banquet for four hundred people, overlooking the river Douro and across towards Villa Nova de Gaia. It was a moment of pride for both of us as we were the only two Irish people at the event. My thanks goes to Joâo for giving me the honour.

At the Gala dinner, Tons white was selected out of twenty five entries to be the pouring white wine for the evening.

The next day, it was off to see the progress that has been achieved at the amazing Duorum vineyard project. Then later that day, a train back to Lisbon and home.   Kevin O’Brien, Retail Director.