Kevin Ecock's WinePod

Mead. Timeless, ancient and exceptional. This is a fabulous drink made with Honey, Water and Fruit. Simplicity is often the hallmark of brilliance and this is certainly true of the Kinsale Mead from the Atlantic shoreline of Co Cork in southern Ireland. Mead is versatile and makes a wonderful gift. How about the Kinsale Red Mead - Smooth with Irish Blackcurrants and Cherries or the Kinsale Atlantic Mead - Citrus and Crisp. Versatile! The expertise at Kinsale Meadery is world class. In this podcast founder owner Kate Dempsey brings us on a journey from setting up the Meadery in 2016 , with her husband Denis, to the present day .... and here they are ... The faint hum in the background is the Kinsale Meadery at work - wish it was the bees! One final note. A Kinsale Mead Christmas Gift Pack makes a genuine and fabulous surprise. Brilliant in front of the log fire or with warmed leftover turkey sambos!

We all know where Moldova is? mmaybe not  ...   We all know that Moldova is historically a very important player in how the world trade in wine developed. Right? mmaybe not .... OK, how about the underground cellars that stretch for 200kms? They even hold an underground marathon through them!! Nope? So much to learn! This year The National Office for the Vine and Wine (in Moldova) held a Fair in Dublin. I don't usually talk about events that don't have product in the market but make an exception here. Why? Because it is truly an interesting story and a genuine part of our wine heritage. Oh, Moldova is pretty much land locked and sandwiched between SW Ukraine and NW Romania down by the Black Sea -a challenged piece of geography. At the Fair Parascovia Ignat, Head of wine Marketing for Moldova gave us a fabulous presentation and then sat down for a podcast chat. Did you know that winemaking in Moldova dates back to 5,000BC? or that the Milesti Mici winery has the world's most extensive wine cellars - 200kms! That Moldova has Local,  International and Caucus grape varieties across 122,000 hectares of vineyards - this is extraordinary for a country the size of Belgium. Let's listen to Parascovia tell us the story of Moldovan quality or, as they like to say themselves, Moldova Uncorked : a Wine Adventure.  

In this episode we visit and chat with David Dennison of Viking Irish Drinks in Co. Waterford. It was a beautiful summer day in his vineyard. Everything promises well for another fine vintage of the grapes that Dennis grows for his Viking Irish Wines. The vineyard is fascinating for the variety of grape types that David has in the ground. It is, in effect, a magnificent experiment that will inform present and future Irish viticulturists. Remember, folks, you must have quality grapes to make quality wine. Ireland may not grow a lot of grapes but what is grown is of a very high quality. In this podcast David tells us what he has planted and why. We are brought here on a journey that has had its ups and downs. He is a genuine pioneer who has an unwavering passion to make wines in Ireland from grapes grown on his own land. It helps that he doesn't seem to mind the hard work involved!  Viking Irish Drinks also has  wide range of Craft Ciders in the market along with an intriguing small batch annual production of a Blackcurrant Liqueur.  

Kevin Glastonbury, affectionately known as KG, is Senior Red Winemaker at Yalumba in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. The Barossa is one the world's premier red wine making regions and Yalumba one of its most respected wineries. Back in 2019 we had the honour here on the podcast to chat with Yalumba owner (Barossa legend) Robert Hill-Smith. (Listen Back HERE) His family has owned and operated Yalumba for over 170 years! The Hill-Smiths are proud members of Australia's First Families of Wine, have pioneered Viognier beyond what anyone thought possible and brings us The Caley one of finest expressions of red wine making anywhere.  In this podcast recorded in Dalkey at the Grapevine and hosted by Irish agents Cassidy Wines KG brings us on a Barossa journey where Winemaking, Barrel Making, Sunshine, Skill and History combine to bring us special wines. It's a great story. Enjoy.

Riedel has a special place in the world of wine. It is one of Respect for a family that has worked tirelessly to perfect how we can further our ability to taste many types of drink but especially that of wine. Riedel stemware is known the world over as being completely brilliant. It is also a family that firmly believes in designing and producing glassware to perfectly suit individual grape and wine styles. To emphasise this Maximilian Riedel spends a lot of his time touring the world with a quite fabulous roadshow. At these he presents, through interactive tastings, how to capture the very best from a wine by using the appropriate Riedel wine glass. Recently Maximilian commanded the attention of an Irish audience of many hundreds (both wine professionals and consumers alike). His presentation was brilliant. His glassware memorable. The result is that Riedel and Respect are intertwined by Quality and Brilliance.   Enjoy our podcast recorded while Maximilian was in Dublin. The Riedel Wine Glass and Decanter Collections are distributed in Ireland through Mitchell and Son and by Hospitality Products.

Last year we were very fortunate to have had a zoom podcast chat with Dave Phinney and the remarkable wines he has created, most notably under the Orin Swift label. Dave is a very busy man! So how cool was it to meet him in person in London and spend a further 30 minutes chatting. Very cool indeed! Orin Swift is one of the great wines from the Napa Valley in  California. Fruit expression in Orin Swift has been elevated to an art form. Just as well then that the labels Dave Phinney designs are among the funkiest and most personal in the world of wine. Orin Swift wines are collectable, age worthy and very, very drinkable. Enjoy our latest chat with one of the really great wine maker personalities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Many thanks to the team at E&J Gallo who made this visit possible, to Dave Phinney for his generosity and wines and also to Ireland agents Pembroke Wines (to whom I continue to apologise for accidently blocking them in my WhatsApp!)

I met Olly Nolan at the Gifted Fair in the RDS last Christmas. He was showing a range of honeys. I was captivated. Each honey had a captivating scent. Intoxicating even.  Olly's Farm Dublin Honey had taken me prisoner! Wine, Tea, Honey, Whiskey, Stout, and on and on can only stand out as being exceptional if they attack our senses in a visceral way. This should be immediate, lasting and memorable. I just had to find out more about Olly's Farm. I paid Olly a visit recently and we recorded in his Honey House up on the edge of the Dublin hills. What a view! My knowledge of bee keeping and honey production is, to be honest, rudimentary to the point of being non existent. Thanks must be given to Olly for guiding me through the process and a lot more besides. Choosing to live the life of a small holding farmer on the edge of Dublin city is not for the faint hearted. That said Olly Nolan has made a fabulous success with limited resources.  Olly's Farm Honey is among the very best tasting products on sale today. Enjoy. The Honey House  

In this podcast we talk with Zoltán Heimann whose family, HEIMANN & FIAI, has a long and distinguished history of quality winemaking in the southern Hungarian wine region of Szekszárd - on the border between the Large Hungarian Plain and the beginnings of the Transdanubian Hills. Zoltán likes to refer to himself as the 'Kadarka Man'.  After this tasting and podcast I'll always be in his debt as knowing my Kekfrankos from my Kadarkas! Each grape is brilliant. Each is unique and completely different to one another.  This podcast was recorded at The Lodge at Ashford Castle where Zoltán gave a masterclass food and wine matching meal the night previous. At the tasting we progressed from Village (Szekszárd) to Single Vineyards (Bati Kereszt and Baranya-volgy) to Szivem (a parcel selection wine from Baranya-volgy). These are wines to explore and to support. Really excellent.  The Lodge at Ashford Castle : A Red Carnation Hotel

It's a sobering thought to many winemakers that they work at companies and enterprises that, in many cases, are younger than they are themselves! For those lucky enough to work in wineries where age and tradition has seen decades upon decades of continual success they might only contribute to a very limited number of vintages.  It is very unusual that a family can trace its lineage back over 250 harvests. That's a very big number. 1772 - Captain Cook sets sail to find the Anti Arctic: Rutherford discovers Nitrogen gas: The American Revolution begins: The Boscaini family gather in grapes for the first time in the Vaio dei Masi, a little valley in the heart of the Valpolicella Classico region, northern Italy. Yes, Masi Agricola by the Boscaini family celebrated its 250th harvest last year. There were events across the world as MASI is one of the greatest names in the world of wine. We were treated to a celebratory dinner at Glovers Alley by Andy McFadden. Giacomo Boscaini opened and poured for us a special label  Vajo dei Masi 1997 double magnum produced to honour the 2022 celebrations. In this podcast, recorded in Dublin at last years' celebration, Giacomo Boscaini brings us on the journey that his family continues to travel. It's been a long and extraordinary time and a story with many more vintages to come. ENJOY.   Looking forward to visiting our signed bottle in Valpolicella one day! The MASI portfolio of labels is represented and distributed in Ireland by the Findlater & Co.    

Recently I met with David Llewelyn at his farm in Lusk, north County Dublin. It's a small holding where he grows a fantastic collection of fruits that include, pear, apple, cherry and grape.  It's also a business where David makes truly interesting products. Try his Perry (sparkling pear wine). It's really very good! David has a wine label called LUSCA. It's a collection of red wines and a new sparkling wine. They are genuine finds. In this podcast David tells us his story. Why does he not grow any white grapes? Where did his love of the RONDO grape come from? This a unique story where hard work meets vine growing and wine making talent. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot! Really? On the day David was very generous. It was a tasting for the ages! The Lusca Sparkling Wine is the real deal. Remember, David only grows red grapes so this is a Rose. It's so good that I can see a lot of the vineyards' grapes heading towards it in the future.  The Lusca Rondo is a very versatile grape. The wine ages really well and one sample of a Rondo made with semi dried grapes really impressed these taste buds. Mind you that's testament to David's wine making skills. Quantities of the various LUSCA wines are small. Hence you won't find any inexpensive bottles! Google Lusca, though, and you'll find a collection of the finest wine stores in Ireland. They all want a slice of the action because ' the action' is so very good. Read an excellent Producer profile here on the Terroirs wine store web site. Enjoy.

Bruce Tyrrell was in Dublin recently. His fame and expertise in the world of wine is well known. His wines are among the most awarded. His Semillon considered as among the best ever produced. He was in Dublin behind the Tyrrell Wine's stand at the Cassidy Wines Portfolio tasting serving the wines himself. There are many who would have passed this along to an agency, a distributor or to whoever else. This is Bruce Tyrrell. He tells a fabulous story and continues to work hard at what matters - his customers. Tyrrell's Wines is family owned since 1858 and its website tells us that, 'Having lived and breathed wine growing and winemaking in the Hunter Valley for more than 160 years, we've amassed an unrivalled knowledge of what makes the Hunter one of Australia's, and indeed the world's, greatest winegrowing regions'.   In this podcast Bruce Tyrrell brings us on the fabulous journey this family has taken, the brilliant wine they produce from the most extraordinary vineyards and how keeping an eye on the future is totally dependent on respecting the past. Enjoy Tyrrell's Wines is a founding memebr of of Australia's First Families of Wine, an organisation that helps to build awareness of premium Australian wines and their heritage.       

April the 17th 1853. Who'd have thought back then that it would be a date celebrated the world over as  World Malbec Day. After all, back in 1853 it was just an idea presented to the national legislature of Argentina that it might be a good plan to establish a 'Quinta Normal and Agricultural School'. Up to then the wine industry in Argentina didn't have any great focus. As it happens it wasn't until September 1853 that the idea was given the green light and even then it was for the project and had nothing in it specific to Malbec at all!! Fast forward. Malbec today is to the wine industy in Argentina what barley is is to whiskey; what Earth, Wind, Fire and Water are to the elements; what John and Paul were to the Beatles. I could go on. Malbec is Essential and without April the 17th 1853 it may never have been imported to Argentina (from France) at all. Essential, of course, should not be read as singular or indeed as unique. The wine trade in Argentina is diverse with regards to grape types grown, regionality, terroir and wine making brilliance. It is vibrant and fascinating, superb value and totally unique in its offering to the world. No wonder World Malbec Day is so often celebrated as Argentina Wine Day. We are honoured in this podcast to chat with Phil Crozier, Wines of Argentina Ambassador. How do you become an 'Ambassador'. How do you know so much about Argentina? Phil tells it all! Phil Crozier really does talk Argentina. Enjoy. This podcast was recorded in June 2022 in Dublin at the very successful Wines of Argentina tasting titled:           

La Kav Wines is the brainchild of Arnaud Clopin. It sells a selection of well sourced wines from France at www.lakavwines.ie. Arnaud's wife is a Kavanagh and he is French - hence La Kav. All straight forward so far! La Kav Wines also has a vineyard on the East coast near Gorey in Co. Wexford. Visit the La Kav website and fly over it in a drone. It is spectacular! When I visited Arnaud at his vineyard the weather wasn't as good as it was for the drone. It was winter. Have a look at what 5,000 vines in Ireland on a couple of hectares looks like. Fabulous. Afterwards we visited the La Kav winery in Gorey town, tasted the wine (white, fresh lemon and thyme, 11.5% excellent) and recorded this podcast. Enjoy the story. It is unique and quite brilliant.

Ashford Castle in Cong Co. Mayo is a Fine Wine destination and a Five Star hotel. It sits in majestic surroundings. Under the ownership of Red Carnation Hotels Ashford Castle offers a unique visitor experience. Robert Bowe has been part of the fabric of the castle for many years and now with Red Carnation Hotels continues to develop Ashford as one of the most extraordinary destinations in the world. This is a fascinating podcast. Robert details his beginnings at Ashford, how the wine cellar was conceived and built. Along the way he has helped to develop the most comprehensive Wine Flights, Wine Events and Wine Dinners that Ireland has ever seen. Robert's attention to detail is a fine one and his love of the customer and guest is now part of the folklore of the Hospitality trade in Ireland. It was our honour to chat with him in the great wine cellar at Ashford Castle. And let's not forget the stories - Robert has a comprehensive collection! Enjoy ******************************************************************** Kevin Ecock's WinePod would like to acknowledge support received from leading wine distributor Comans Wines whose portfolio is one of the great delights available to the wine trade in Ireland. It is a collection of some of the finest wines available.

Ashford Castle in Cong Co. Mayo is a Fine Wine destination and a Five Star hotel. It sits in majestic surroundings. Under the ownership of Red Carnation Hotels AShford Castle offers a unique visitor experience. None of this matters unless the staff involved are at the very top of their game. Their wine sommeliers are! Paul Fogarty is Head Sommelier at Ashford Castle. In this podcast he recounts his early days graduating from Athlone, a healthy stint as a wine retailer and a return to his native West of Ireland as sommelier at the Castle.  We recorded in the extensive cellar at Ashford. It really is a wonderful place and testament to the foresight of Red Carnation Hotels.     ENJOY ******************************************************************** Kevin Ecock's WinePod would like to acknowledge support received from leading wine distributor Comans Wines whose portfolio is one of the great delights available to the wine trade in Ireland. It is a collection of some of the finest wines available.

This podcast with Morgan VanderKamer is the first in a series that chats with sommeliers working in Ireland. Their expertise is invaluable and enriches our dining experience in a very immediate way.     Morgon is a Canadian, has been in the hospitality industry for twenty years, the last nine of which have been in Ireland. Today, with her partner Stephen McArdle, Morgon is the co-owner of UNioN Wine Bar & Restaurant in Waterford city . Morgon is a Certified Sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, has Level 3 Certification with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and is the current President of the Irish Guild of Sommeliers. ENJOY. ********************************************************************* Kevin Ecock's WinePod would like to acknowledge support received from leading wine distributor Comans Wines whose portfolio is one of the great delights available to the wine trade in Ireland. It is a collection of some of the finest wines available.

It was never our intention or plan to publish our podcast with DIABLO at Halloween! Perhaps the brand decided for us .......  When (the fabulous) Concha y Toro launched the DIABLO brand a few years ago it was hard to see where it might fit into the market. That's the way with leaders and those 'first to the table'. They often see hidden and emerging gaps on our shelves long before the rest of us know they are there! In this recording we were honoured to speak with DIABLO winemaker Tito (Hector Urzua) and with Lynn Balaresque (Global Marketing Manager for both Diablo and Casillero del Diablo). Together they give us insight into how the brand came about, who it was aimed towards and how brilliant it's performance has been. Importantly, Tito guides us through the grapes, soils and climate that gives DIABLO it's unique character. Mind you, the packaging and pricing are also fabulous and everyone MUST have a peek HERE at the promo video!  Since this podcast was recorded both the DIABLO Volcanic Cab and the DIABLO Golden Chardonnay now sit on our shelves beside the DIABLO Dark Red and the DIABLO Cabernet Sauvignon. Now it really is a case of the DIABLO you know! ENJOY.  

Trivento has been acknowledged by the very best wine writers as the Best Value High Quality label from Argentina. The name means Three Winds. In this podcast chief winemaker at Trivento, Maximiliano Ortiz, brings us to the heart of what makes Trivento so good. We have two of Maximiliano's labels in sale on Ireland - the Trivento Reserve Red Malbec and the Trivento White Malbec. It's unusual to describe Malbec as the 'Red' Malbec but in Trivento's case it's necessary because they are unique in bringing us a white version of this dark skinned grape!    Both wines are quite fabulous. The red Reserve Trivento is rich, handsome and rewarding while Trivento White is inviting, bracing and memorable. Both have tremendous depths of fruit, structure and quality. Maximiliano is an engaging personality and just like his wines we can 'hear' him smiling throught our half an hour together.  Enjoy.   Trivento is a member of the Concha Y Toro stable of world renowned brands.    

Vinho Verde has been on our shelves as long as I have been in the wine trade - a long time! That said, I always thought of it as a wine and not a region. A few brushes in the past with poor quality Vinho Verde styles then led me away from both wine AND region. Poor choice. My loss! On a recent visit to Ireland the good folk from  Aveleda transported me to the fabulous quality that the region is capable of. Indeed, I was introduced to wine styles that completely blew any notion of 'green' wines' away for ever. Vinho Verde is one of 14 demarcated wine regions in Portugal. It sits in the Minho region above the Douro river, below the Minho river and with the Atlantic ocean to the west. It is primarily a white wine region with a load of permitted grapes, most of which we have never heard of! Of these the Alvarinho and Loureira make up the majority of exported wines. Red and Rose wines are also produced. In the podcast Teresa Olivera (see above) of Aveleda guides us through the region and the fabulous wines made under the Aveleda label. These are wines made by the same family for the past 150 years. These are really top class.   Aveleda is distributed in Ireland by the award winning Mackenway Wines.

Jonathan Mitchell is among the most likeable, knowledgable and enduring personalities in the drinks trade in Ireland. His family business, Mitchell and Son, is not just the longest running of its kind but is unique in its offering. In this podcast Jonathan guides us through the remarkable history of his family from an early 1800's bakery in Fairview to a coffee emporium on Grafton Street to their long established presence on Kildare Street in Dublin.  Along their journey to their current flagship stores in Glasthule and the IFSC the Mitchell family has continued to develop its world renowned Spot Whiskey collection along with a multi faceted wine agency and retail business.  The New and the Old. A recent Mitchell and Son Portfolio Tasting and the original 1887 lease for the Kildare Street premises. Will we ever see another family business of its kind again? I fear not. So, let's celebrate the remarkable and fascinating Mitchell and Son. Just as this podcast recording was completed Jonathan produced  a 1978 Spatlese Riesling from their long standing association with Deinhard. This is so typical and generous of this family. It wasn't for show. No. It was for opening! Robert, Jonathan's son, was called in and I had the honour of watching two generations help each other to carefully remove the ancient cork. ..... and it drank  beautifully!        

Orin Swift is an ultra premium wine brand with a fascinating back story. It's a story that begins and continues with Dave Phinney, one of the finest wine innovators around. His vision is extraordinary and his wines are equal to his vision. They are the epitome of what 'unique' and 'original' are - all wrapped into bottles whose labels would not be amiss in an exhibition at the Tate or at our own IMMA.        Dave Phinney's first venture into wine was at the very bottom rung of a harvest with Mondavi in 1997. A year later he bought a load of premium Napa grapes without a clear vision of what he was going to make with them. He incorporated Orin Swift Cellars (a blend of family names) and made 'The Prisoner' (a unique and captivating blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono). Dave likes blends! It was a runaway success. So much so that the brand was sold in 2008 for a sizable return.   Currently Dave Phinney makes a range of wines under the Orin Swift label - a brand he successfully sold to E&J Gallo in 2016 - owns vineyards in four countries, makes the Locations Wines label (fruit and labels from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, California, Oregon, Washington, Corsica, Portugal, New Zealand, Texas ....) and has a simply brilliant looking new distillery Savage&Cooke in California where he makes Tequila, Bourbon and Rye whiskey (from Daves own pure water spring in the Alexander Valley!) Enough! This podcast is Dave Phinney generously telling us the story of Orin Swift - owned by E&J Gallo and made by the insanely gifted Dave Phinney. Enjoy.       

Ribera del Duero is on a high plateau in the north centre of Spain. It is, in fact, the D.O. with the highest altitude in Spain with vineyards grown at a thousand metres above sea level and above.   In this podcast Nacho Andrés, Export Director from Bodegas Emilio Moro, guides us along the Emilio Moro journey. It's a fabulous story that results in wines of extreme class and quality.  Nacho at Cassidy Wines in Dublin recently Low rainfall, long and bitter winters, lashings of rain in the springtime and hot dry summers. These are the conditions that vignerons need to work with to make the local Tinto Fino red grape (Tempranillo clone) into some of the finest red wines made anywhere. Bodegas Emilio Moro sits at the heart of this region in the Valladolid village of Pesquera de Duero. Its lands have been worked by the same family for three generations and current president Jose Moro is leading the family forward. Jose has a fabulous guiding philosophy that makes him an endlessly interesting person to listen to. Jose will tell you that 'to make good wine it is necessary to love wine and everything it involves' and that 'a Great wine is the harmony between space and time'. Indeed he also has a refreshingly genuine belief in a Corporate Social Responsibilty where all aspects of Humanitarian and Environmental responsibilities are carefully and fully inetegrated into the wine making process.         The wines of Bodegas Emilio Moro and Cepa 21 are sublimely and uniquely latched onto family tradition and the most up to date and modern technique. They are justifiably proud of their family tradition and at the same time tell us that, 'Innovation in our wineries was born with Emilio Moro when he planted the Clone of Tinto Fino and, with him, set us apart forever. Since then, we have not stopped innovating. From the development of native yeasts, digital field notebooks, through drones or geolocation in the vineyard, to the star sensorization project, Sensing4Farming.'  Jose Moro at both Bodegas Emilio Moro and Cepas 21 The wines of Emilio Moro and Cepa 21 are imported and distributed in Ireland by Cassidy Wines Ltd.  

Tea Tasting is very like Wine Tasting. Bouquet, Aroma, Palate Structure, Length, Fruit/Berry Intensity, Weight and so on. Try it some day. Focus into the sensations that Tea brings to the senses. Then add a Sparkle! This podcast with Jacob Kocemba explains all!  Award winning Sommelier, Jacob Kocemba, brought his first Sparkling Tea to the market in 2017. It was a sensation and represented years of meticulous research into developing a product that answered a need.  Jacob (left) with his business partner Bo Sten Hanson  The 'Need' began when Jacob was working at a top Michelin starred restaurant. He found that that even the though the wine cellar at his disposal had as many as 1700 wines none were entirely suitable for matching with a particular suite of desserts. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea answered the call. It is quite simply fabulously innovative, brilliantly produced/packaged and a genuinely enjoyable product to savour and to drink. The product comes in five styles. Each has a unique blend of 13 different black, green, white and oolong organic teas (Silver Needle, First Flush Darjeeling and others). Each is finely and gently flavoured  with among others Habiscus, Lemon Grass and Jasmin. Three of the Sparkling Teas are at 5%abv (Gron, Rod and Vinter) with the remaining two (Bla and Lyserod)at 0%abv. Today Copenhagen Sparkling Teas are offered at over 70 Michelin starred restaurants across 35 countries.  This is a fabulous success story and a great podcast. Enjoy.  Copenhagen Sparkling Tea is represented and distributed in Ireland by Richmond Marketing.  

Laura Catena is one of my all time favourites in the world of wine. Her bio is well told HERE and worth reading into. Her father Nicolas is the most decorated wine maker to ever make a living from wine in Argentina and South America. The wines from Catena Zapata are magnificent. While these have all held my esteem for Laura for quite a few years now they only tell half the story. What I really admire about Laura Catena is her continual and real engagement with her audience. She doesn't need to. Besides all the above she also has a family and a life outside of wine! And yet, she still perseveres to be accessable and wondrously interesting. She writes great wine books.  The three wine books that Laura Catena has written are pride of place among the many hundreds that I have. Why? Becuse they are completely from the heart, brave and honest. They tell me a lot more than simple facts. They allow me to enter into the lives, ideas and inspirations behind some of the finest wines made in the world.      Laura's latest book, in collaboration with Alejandro Vigil, is 'Malbec Mon Amour'. Her previous titles are  'Vino Argentino' and 'Gold in the Vineyards'. Alejandro is a director of the Catena Institute of Wine, Chief winemaker at Catena Zapata and by training a celebrated soil scientist. 'Malbec mon amour' draws heavily on the ground breaking work that the Catena Institute of Wine has undertaken since its formation in  the 1990's. This work has brought us the most extensive study of the Malbec grape, and its relationship to its terroir, ever undertaken. Published in both Food Chemistry and the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture it effectively gives a scientific proof to the existence of terroir to vines over time.   In this podcast Laura Catena brings all of this and more to us. Enjoy. The wines of Catena Zapata are distributed across Ireland by Cassidy Wines. A previous podcast of ours dealt with the wines of Catena Zapata, The Catena Zapata Adrianna Vineyard: one of the Finest in the World. Our guest at that time was Pedro San Martin of Bodega Catena Zapata.

SuperValu runs a tight ship when it comes to Wine Sales. They drop prices back in a very honest and transparent way. They also bring in Guest Wines at fabulous prices. These are in store for a limited time only. The mix is always fabulously interesting. The current Sale, featuring wines from Spain and from Portugal, offers us a fascinating insight into the brilliant Marques de Caceres. They have the Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza at €12.00 and the Gran Reserva at the absolute bargain price of only €15.00 (down from €30). In addition they offer the Marques de Caceres Verdejo from Rueda at only €10.00. But who is behind the Marques de Caceres? What makes them so special? Let's find out. In this podcast Santiago Alvarez of Marques de Caceres explains all. Well, not quite all, all! The wonder of wine is that it keeps us learning more all of the time. In the case of Marques de Caceres this is one of the great pleasures we have to enjoy.  Enjoy. 

Last year Zoe Lengjak brought us, in her words, 'truly special, exclusive, natural and independent Grower Champagnes from the rarest terroir to Ireland's shores'. Read all about it here at www.champagne.ie As it happens she also brought herself as a fabulous addition to the palate that makes up the wine trade in Ireland.  Zoe's experience within the region of Champagne is exceptional. We are genuinely lucky to have her here.  In this podcast we are introduced to the world of Grower Champagnes. This is where family's grow their grapes and make their wine to the very highest standards. The quality is quite brilliant.  If I wanted to make statement with my wine list I'd Champion a Grower Champagne. If I wanted to impress with a gift I'd choose a Grower Champagne from Zoe's list. If I was wondering what my New Year Resolution was going to be I'd include the idea that in 2022 I'll have a look at the Champagnes that Zoe imports!   Enjoy the podcast and to you all a Very Happy New Year.

Michael Eddy is Director of Winemaking at Louis M Martini in the Napa Valley of California. This is a winery that produces high quality year in and year out. It is one of the shining jewels in the E&J Gallo portfolio of Fine Wines. It has some of the finest Terroir available at its Monte Rosso vineyard. Add to this Micheal Eddy's talent. What a great story! Louis M Martini brings us some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon based wines made anywhere.  In this podcast Michael talks to us about terroir and his winemaking philosophy where Cabernet Sauvignon takes centre stage. Mind you, there are other players as well! How about a Gnarly Vine Zinfandel ... Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is Episode 4 of our six part podcast series from the premium vineyards within the E&J Gallo portfolio. Episode 1 featured the wonderful Beth Liston of Dark Horse Vineyards and Winery. Episode 2 followed up with the legend that is Jim Collins - Vice President for Vineyard Management at E& J Gallo. Episode 3 entered into the world of Master of Wine, Edouard Baijot, Director of Fine Wine at E&J Gallo for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia).   In Episode 4 we travelled to the famed Sleepy Hollow vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. This is where winemaker David Coventry weaves his magic into some of the most sublime Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines made in California. 

There's an old chestnut out there doing the rounds that asks, 'What makes a Great Coach?' The answer is, of course, 'A Great Athlete!' Great coaches agree. David Coventry agrees. He's a winemaker who answers the question, 'What Makes a Great Wine?' by telling us - 'Great Terroir'. Indeed, he only positions himself as an intermediary! Is it possible that sometimes Great Winemakers become part of the terroir? They, in effect, become part of the fabric of the wine. One becomes essential to the other. If so then welcome aboard David Coventry. Talbott Vineyards, in the Santa Lucia Highlands of California, brings us labels from their Diamond T and Sleepy Hollow vineyards. These are fabled and exceptional wines made by an exceptional winemaker who, I believe, is as part of the fabric as the rolling land itself is.   In this podcast David invites us into his winemaking philosophy and out into the vineyards that allow him to produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excellence. Enjoy ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is Episode 4 of our six part podcast series from the premium vineyards within the E&J Gallo portfolio. Episode 1 featured the wonderful Beth Liston of Dark Horse Vineyards and Winery. Episode 2 followed up with the legend that is Jim Collins - Vice President for Vineyard Management at E& J Gallo. Episode 3 entered into the world of Master of Wine, Edouard Baijot, Director of Fine Wine at E&J Gallo for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia).  

Edouard Baijot must be one the bravest Frenchman to ever pass the Master of Wine exam! Why? Because when he joined the wine trade in 2002 he began as a sales rep in the north of France selling Californian wines for E&J Gallo - to the French! This from someone born in Vertus in the Champagne district. Edouard has since passed the rigorous Master of Wine examination and seventeen years after joining E&J Gallo is now Director of Fine Wine for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia). This is a great story that proves beyond doubt that the wine trade is not a closed shop and that 'Fine Wine' should not (and perhaps does not) imply wine snobbery. E&J Gallo owns some of the finest vineyards in California, employs some of the finest winemaking talent and, in turn, makes some of the finest wines made anywhere. After all that takes place the wines are entrusted to Edouard's expertise to tell their stories and to explain their magic to the rest of us. This is what this podcast does. This is Edouard Baijot's story and these are the exceptional wines from E&J Gallo. Enjoy. This is Episode 3 of our six part podcast series from the premium vineyards within the E&J Gallo portfolio. Episode 1 featured the wonderful Beth Liston of Dark Horse Vineyards and Winery. Episode 2 followed up with the legend that is Jim Collins - Vice President for Vineyard Management at E& J Gallo.    

It is simply not possible to make fine wine without fine grapes. Jim Collins goes further and tells us that, 'I'm a firm believer in the idea that better choices and better wine go hand in hand, today and for generations to come'. Well, as VP for Vineyard Managemnt at E&J Gallo, Jim is one of those who has to make the choices.  How is it possible to oversee 8,000 acres of top class vineyard? What experience would you need? Add 8,000 acres of wildlife habitat onto that and then adopt an sustainability model for the entire operation   ...  the mind boggles. Welcome to Episode 2 of our 6 part mini series looking at the premium and super premium wines of E&J Gallo in California. What a brilliant episode where another great story really does lie behind the greatest wine labels in California.   Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------- In Episode 1 we met up with the amazing Beth Liston of Dark Horse. Listen back HERE to Beth as she brings us on a journey along which California's best selling premium wine label was born.    

Welcome to the first podcast in our 6 part mini series of premium and super permium wines in the  E&J Gallo portfolio. These wines are brilliant. Beth Liston is Director of Winemaking for the E&J Gallo Dark Horse label situated in the central valley of California.  These are wines that are widely available at affordable price points - they deliver fabulous fruit! Dark Horse is a label that has been developed so that we can enjoy, on a regular basis, quality fruit from California. Along the way its winemaker has forged ahead with some highly innovative techniques that give Dark Horse a distinct edge above its rivals.  In this podcast Beth allows us to explore a world of winemaking where experimentation and imagination are allowed to play part. Fabulous processes have resulted in wines born out of co-fermenting different grapes together, dry rosé from Californian grapes grown specifically to make rosé wines, Malbec with a dash of Petit Verdot  ...... This is a great podcast and I reckon we can hear Beth smiling her way through it!  Enjoy. The next podcast in this series will follow in mid Novenber when we chat with Jim Collins - Vice President of Vineyard Management at E&J Gallo.   

The astute among you will recognise that I have already recorded a podcast interview wIth José María Fraile of Bodega Tandem. That was at an O'Brien's Wines Fair held at Dublin Castle back in Dec 2019. You can listen to it HERE. I just did. Not bad. Not bad at all! What was missing, however, was Jose's partner in business and winemaker at Tandem, the very gifted Alicia Eyaralar. Well, here they are together in our new podcast and here they are together at the winery: I am a complete fan of the wines of Navarra in Northern Spain. The region offers a uniquely diverse collection of grape types and a great understanding of how to blend from both new and old vines. Then there's the great differences across the region in terms of climate, geology and geographies.  Then there's Tandem! This is a super modern winery bringing grapes in from ancient mountainsides. The team at Tandem does as as little as possible as these grapes are transformed into bottled wines. The result is a collection of finely crafted beauties. Listen in and find out why, and how, Tandem goes about its craft. Enjoy.     The wines of Bodega Tandem are imported to Ireland by O'Briens Wines.

When WineOnline.ie was launched back in 1999 it was a groundbreaker. The first of its kind always is! There are loads of online wine stores out there now. These weren't there when Anne Mullin and Gerry Fitzsimons developed WineOnline.ie. Indeed it was unthought at the time that their creation would one day be in competition with not just these but also a wide variety of bricks and mortar retailers also.  It is testament to how brilliant WineOnline.ie is that it has not only held its own against allcomers but has also constantly redeveloped itself, time and again, to suit an ever changing winescape. Online events. Off line events. Hampers. Spirits. Gifts. Special Offer cases of wine and more. Much more. In this podcast we explore the world of WineOnline.ie with Will Mullin. What goes on behind the scenes? Where has WineOnline.ie come from? Indeed, where has Will Mullin come from and where do their wines come from .  .  . ! This is entertaining, informative and really, really interesting. Enjoy. 

In this podcast we chat with Fernando Rodríguez de Rivera, of the fabulous Bodegas PradoRey farm and vineyard in Ribero del Duero. PradoRey (Kings Meadow) is the largest estate in the north of Spain - 7km stretch of the Duero river; 520 hectares of vineyard; a hydroelectric dam that dates back to 1858; a dairy farm with 800 Friesian cows; a flock of 1800 Churra sheep; a 3hectare solar panel farm; a 17th century 18 room palace for tourist accomodation and a 16th century chapel. This is mega. The wines are equally impressive!   Ribero del Duero is a fascinating wine producing region. It is high - vineyards might be 1000m asl! This gives the region harsh and tough winters but also spectacular diurnal shifts during the warm summers. And these are Good! The local Tempranillo grape has a small berry and is referred to as Tinto Fino. 90% of the DO is planted to this grape. The resulting wines are big, bold, age worthy and distinctly food friendly. PradoRey  is imported to Ireland by Classic Drinks.

LUXARDO is a name that I have always associated with beautifully crafted spirits of the highest quality.    The family has just celebrated its 200th anniversary of being in business. We are honoured to have been joined in this podcast by the Luxardo cousins, Nicolò and Matteo.   The family history is peppered with difficulty and war torn strife. There can be very few companies that have had to see their entire operation completely destroyed by war - then, with extraordinary determination succesfully rebuilt, brick by brick and cherry tree by cherry tree. Original Maraschino Cherries are mouth wateringly exceptional. It's a taste that is impossible to forget. The LUXARDO MARASCA cherry is a unique cultivar grown across the north East of Italy. Each tree is overseen by the Luxardo's.  The Luxardo range is fleshed out by brilliant products such as Limoncello, Sambuca, Triple Sec, Gin and others. None disappoint. Cocktails just aren't the same without a Luxardo present. Have a look at the Luxardo 200th to see cocktails in action! Luxardo advert from 1828

Nugan Estates is a winery based in New South Wales in Australia. It is the 13th largest exporter of branded wines in Australia, a top 20 wine producer and whose wines are imported directly to Ireland by the Musgrave Group. As such the Nugan labels are widely available through SuperValu and Centra stores. In this podcast 3rd generation Matthew Nugan brings us on a journey. Along the way we explore his family's quite brilliant history as farmers all the way to where they have become one of Australia's most successful wine producers. Matthew (above) with winemaker Daren Owers. They won the Wine and Spirits magazine's 2021 Star of Australia and Star Design for their Scruffy's Shiraz. The range of labels available from Nugan is extensive and impressive. The Nugan Web Site is a trove of information while the Supervalu/Centra shelves are a willing source of the treasure it tells us to explore!  

In this episode I chat with Chris Gifford who set up The Allotment Wine Company last year. Yes, right in the middle of our Covid lockdowns! Brave or Bonkers? Let Chris explain himself all the way from how to get into the wine trade, how to stay in it and how to set up an online wine store. Great story.  Brave. Chris has been in our trade for quite a long time. Many will know him from his time in retail all the way from the ground breaking McCabes on Mt Merrion Ave to the excellent, 'The Corkscrew' on Chatham Street in Dublin. He is well educated with his WSET credentials and knows a good wine when he tastes one. The Allotment Wine Co sells to a private client base and via an online portal. Online Wine Sales is an area that I am always interested in hearing about. It is also an area of growth across the world of wine these days. So, what better place to talk about growth than down at your new, and friendly, Allotment. Enjoy.   

Dunnes Stores recently held a fascinating online tasting of its WEINHAUS range of wines produced by the great Reh Kendermann in Germany. The tasting was hosted by Alison Fleming, Master of Wine. It was quite brilliant. We are thrilled that Alison agreed to give some of her time, and to share her expertise in relation to the wines of Germany, with us here at the WinePod. German wine continues to be either misunderstood or not understood at all. What a pity. They produce exquisite wines. Listen in here and find out why. Enjoy.    

When I visited Vasse Felix way back in 2010 I was bowled over by the quality of its wines. At the heart of this story was its  chief winemaker Virginia Willcox. If anyone dares to say that there are no winemakers around who can instil their sheer fabulous enthusiasm, extreme dedication and insane ability into their wine year after year after year after .... then they have yet to meet Virginia! Vasse Felix is the founding winery of the unique area that is the Margaret River in Western Australia. South of Perth this is a wine making region that is truly alone in the world. It is also a region that everyone interested in wine, everyone that likes wine and everyone with even a hint of curiosity of what might make one wine more brilliant than another needs to know about. The Margaret River, its wines and Vasse Felix are unique in the world of wine. This is a powerful story, told by an amazing winemaker who brings us wines to dazzle. Vasse Felix is imported to Ireland by Cassidy Wines. 

Gerard Bertrand is a winemaker of tremendous ability. More importantly he is an extraordinary human being. He has the vision of a poet and when he speaks it is uplifting and positive. His eleven great wine estates across the South of France contain the greatest collection of organic and biodynamic vines in the world. Image from The Buyer In this podcast Gerard invites us into his world, a place where he feels uniquely honoured to be a part of. The Gerard Bertrand website is a superb read. It is littered with worldly advice and is richly philosophic. For instance it describes his Clos d'Ora wine as 'Unique and bordering on the sublime, the Clos d'Ora is, more than a wine, a unique experience, a suspended moment in which the intention of its creator, the work of man and animal, the patient power of the plant on the base of the mineral resonates.       The wines of Gerard Bertrand are brought to Ireland by O'Briens Wines. In addition, Dunnes Stores also imports from the Bertrand stable of labels.      

I have been a long time fan of the work that Wine Intelligence does for the wine trade. It provides us with context and data. Both are vital to our understanding of how the trade works and where it might be heading to next. In this podcast Richard Halstead, COO of Wine Intelligence, allows us to have a look inside his organisation. We hear how it goes about its work towards the three aims of conducting Research, supplying expert Consulting and writing in depth Reports. As with all trades there are many back stories to the wine we buy and the wines we are presented with. The Wine Intelligence story is one of these - and it's a fascinating one. Enjoy.  

Peter Dauthieu is a Director at Ehrmann's, a leading distributor across the UK and Ireland. He is based in Jerez, is MD of Viniberia and responsible for Viniberia Almacenista which consolidates the sherry range sold by Ehrmann's in the UK. Peter has worked  in the wien trade  since 1997 - at Ehrmann's Wines aand also as Export Director at CVNE. In 2002 Peter graduated with a Wine MBA from Bordeaux University. I originally approached Ehrmann's through their distributor, United Wines, with a view to explore the 'BeefSteak Club' wines. I have a great admiration for companies that can develop value brands that in turn deliver very drinkable wine. The BeefSteak label does just that! Peter very quickly changed my mind by pointing out that, as he lives in Jerez (and is quite the Sherry expert), I might begin the Ehrmann's story with a podcast on almacenista sherry with an additional focus on his family's long association with the great sherry bodega, Williams and Humbert. (BeefSteak to follow at a later date ... ) Yes Please! You never have to ask me twice when it comes to talking about what is probably one of the most exciting wines and wine regions in the world.  

I took part in a Virtual Wine Tour of Lanzarote recently. It was brilliant. What an extraordinary landscape! This image is from Turismo Lanzarote. Watch the video HERE before you listen to this podcast with Ollie Horton of Wine Tours Lanzarote. It brings it all alive! Wine Tours Lanzarote was set up by Ollie Horton, an English man from the Channel Islands. (He does, intriguingly, mention that there was an Irishman involved also ...) The business seemed like a great idea for someone with a background in  - surfing and finance! Well, it was. Why? Because Ollie knew the island backwards, had taken a genuine interest in its unique wines and craft beers. He could see there was a gap in the market. His potential customer base would be found hidden amongst the hundreds of thousands of sun seeking tourists who flocked in from the UK and Ireland every year. Bingo. It worked. And why not - Lanzarote has some of the most extraordinary vineyards in the world built into its slopes of ancient lava flows. Then Covid hit. Tourism ceased and the Lanzarote Wine Tours business crashed.  Not to be deterred Ollie set up Lanzarote Virtual Wine Tours along with an online wine shop - Wine Shop Lanzarote. They work hand in hand as when you buy a virtual tour you are also sent a bottle of wine from the Island.    The wine shop is top class. It gathers the best products from a number of the island's best wineries and allows you to mix and match. Delivery was initially a UK and Ireland only service but has since expanded across the rest of Europe. This podcast has a slight echo feel to Ollie's voice - but, then, he was speaking to us from an island! Enjoy.   ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until Christmas 2020  many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Sinead and Liam Cabot run an excellent wine distribution business, Cabot and Co., in Westport, Co. Mayo They also run an excellent vineyard and wine production business, (Roka is the brand) in Slovenia. At one time they also operated an excellent wine store in the IFSC in Dublin. Clearly, while they are defined by excellence they can also be defined as a couple who are willing to travel the long mile to find it. The recording for this podcast caught up with the Cabots just after they had driven 2,500kms to their vineyard. It is in Kog in the Stajerska region of eastern Slovenia.  We began with the obvious! How do you do it? Why? This quickly moved on to the history of their venture and finally the wines. What a great story. True passion. Genuine emotion. 'Roka' means 'Hand' and the three wines that I have recently tasted are excellent, memorable and unique to their origin and production. The Cabot website has a fabulous piece on the vineyard and its wines written by Tamlyn Curran. Read it HERE.   Roka is on sale in Ireland across many select wine stores. It sells out every year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until Christmas 2020  many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Kanonkop Pinotage is reckoned to be one of the finest wines made.  It's wine makers have been awarded Best Winemaker in the World on many occasions. It is that brilliant In this podcast we chat with Deidre Taylor of Kanonkop. We first met Deidre at a small tasting hosted in Dublin three years ago by their Ireland agents, Findlaters. It was a small occasion for such a big wine and to make things difficult the room was dark. Regardless, both Deidre and the wines of Kanonkop shone into my tasting book as Outstanding and Exceptional. Testament to all great wines is that they really do bring joy (and light) into all occasions! Kanonkop is is in the majestic Stellenbosch vine growing region of South Africa - famed for it's red wines. Hear in this podcast why they say this is 'Where the Big Guns Roar' or why they can quote Robert Parker as saying, 'If ever you meet a cynic who claims that Pinotage cannot make great wines, then pour them a glass from Kanonkop and they will soon change their mind'.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Our Podcast episode #6 was with Clive Weston of Nautilus Wines of New Zealand. That was recorded at their Ireland agents' office, Cassidy Wines, in Dublin. It was this week all the way back in 2019! How everything has changed since then. What has not changed is that Nautilus Wine Estate of Marlborough in New Zealand continues to make some of the finest wine available. Their website says it all: The Striking Nautilus Shell - it's shape expressing natural beauty and mathematical perfection is our inspiration to create a collection of expressive, textural precisely crafted wines. We are very pleased here to present a new podcast with Clive Weston. This was recorded last week via Zoom during the grape harvest in New Zealand - Vintage 2021. During our discussion we touched on this years harvest, new developments at Nautilus and New Zealand wines in general. We also tasted a few wines! Follow each of these wines in the podcast. Note that, while my photography skills are not the best, the very clear and youthful colour of the 2015 Pinot Gris is noticeable. Both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were supplied for the podcast by Nautilus while the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris By Cassidy Wines.  Nautilus Pinot Gris 2015 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2017 GOLD at the NZ Royal Easter Show Nautilus Chardonnay 2019 GOLD at the NZ Royal Easter Show Each wine is spectacular with the Chardonnay taking the honours for me. It is bright, alert and simply packed in much the way a good apple tart might be - layers on layers of adventures in fruit and texture! Nautilus is a proud member of the Family of Twelve - Twelve Exceptional New Zealand Wineries.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Gaia Wines always means top notch and unforgettable Assyrtiko from the volcanic Greek island of Santorini. These are Greek wines that sit at the top table of quality wines.  Of course, there's a lot more to Gaia Wines! In this podcast, owner and founding partner, Leon Karatsalos guides us through the wines that he produces at Santorini and also at Nemea. Santorini for Gaia is exclusively the white Assyrtiko grape. These are ungrafted vines grown on young volcanic soils. Quite how these vines achieve full ripeness under magnificent Greek sunshine and yet retain such sparkling acidity is a constant mystery to me! But they do, and in turn, bring us some of the most interesting white wines on the market today.     Nemea for Gaia is all about the red Agiorgitiko grape. We need to see more of these red wines on our shelves. They make such a unique and satisfying style of wine with soft delicious fruits to the fore. (Wikipedia tells us that, 'In Nemea, the Agiorgitiko wine of the region is nicknamed the "Blood of Hercules" based on the legend of the Greek hero slaying the Nemean lion'. Now, we're talking!!) The wines of Gaia are imported to Ireland by O'Briens Wines. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Pio Cesare makes a range of magnificent wines in Piedmont in the north of Italy. In this podcast 5th generation family member Federica Boffa talks to us about her family's 140 year history of making wine. 140 years - that's 1881! Federica with her father Pio Boffa Pio Cesare makes its wine in an extraordinary winery built in ancient and modern cellars below the pavements of Alba (North of Genoa and South of Turin - see map HERE). The wines themselves are exemplary as Pio Cesare owns some of the finest vineyard sites in both Barolo and Barbaresco. This is where the fabulous Nebbiolo grape is capable of expressing itself to perfection. Federica is patient with me here! How many times am I going to mix up my Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Barolo's!! What a great podcast. Pio Cesare -in safe hands as the 5th generation of Federica and her cousin Cesare bring them forward towards new stories, generations and wines. The wines of Pio Cesare are distributed across Ireland by Cassidy Wines. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

I am fascinated to hear from Janet Wang that wine making in China has a 9,000 year history. Incredable as that seems Janet still refers to wine in China as being both new and old. Janet Wang is a complete expert on everything to do with wine in China. Her book, The Chinese Wine Renaissance, is rich with both historical records and contemporary accounts. It is an important reference to a country where more vines are being planted than anyhwere else in the world. It is an account of a country where wine has been re-imagined. Janet Wang is a member of the Association of Wine Educator's and hosts a fabulous YouTube stream on the Wines of China at the Cambridge China Centre.  She can be found at her web page WinePeek where you can see the very impressive lists of how busy her media work is.    The Chinese Wine Renaissance is published by Penguin Books. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Maison Joseph Drouhin is one of the leading practitioners  of biodynamic and organic viticulture in the world. They are also one of the leading high quality producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay based wines from both Europe (Burgundy) and North America (Oregon). The Drouhin family is a member of the twelve strong Primum Familiae Vini - First Families of Wine. In this podcast Veronique Drouhin, winemaker at Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Drouhin Oregon, explains to us how she works with her three siblings, Frédéric, Philippe, and Laurent, and also alongside their father Robert, to maintain the magic and excellence of the wines of Drouhin. It really is a truly remarkable story. Horse ploughing in Burgundy. Weathered basalt in Oregon. Venerable cellars in Burgundy. Gravity flow winery in Oregon. The wines of Maison Joseph Drouhin are distributed in Ireland by Bibendum Ireland. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.

Soil, Location and Vine. Over the millenia farmers have understood that chance is best left at the door when choosing 'what to grow' and 'where to grow'. Experience is a better bed fellow. Sometimes, though, a grower will make a decision based on a soil analysis along with a great deal of knowledge and experience but because no-one had ever attempted to venture into this territory before then chance is their inevitable traveling companion. In 1992 Nicolas Catena planted a vineyard 5,000 feet above sea level in the Uco Valley of Mendoza in Argentina. Noone had attempted this before. It would be ten years before they knew whether folly or reputation would benefit. This is the Adrianna Vineyard - South America's Grand Cru  In this episode Pedro San Martin of Bodega Catena Zapata brings us closer to the stones and vines that now produce 100 Point wines. This was a terroir that local viticulturists said could never ripen grapes at all. In 2018 Laura Catena brought out her second book. It was titled 'GOLD in the vineyards'. (Her first was the brilliant 'Vino Argentina' in 2011). Gold in this case was the potential wine quality hidden away in special and rare terroirs across the world. The Adrianna vineyard held onto its gold for quite a few years. Then, after an inticate mapping of every detail relating to every vine - it released its treasure. Bodega Catena Zapata is represented in Ireland by Cassidy Wines. Enjoy ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well.  Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the Santa Rita Wine Room at Monty's of Kathmandu - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or HERE at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.