BUBBLE BROTHERS – CORK WINE MERCHANTS

wine • champagne • more

BUBBLE BROTHERS – CORK WINE MERCHANTS random header image

Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon

February 2nd, 2010 · Ireland, wine

It seems to have been well worth our while attending the annual Dublin tasting of Californian wines. In addition to the three wines we currently list, we were happy to babysit, on behalf of the Gladiators’ parent company, Hahn, a few bottles new to us. One of these was the Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon, which, inexplicably (I don’t remember the reason, anyway) we failed to introduce at the same time as the Chardonnay, Merlot, and Pinot Noir from the range.

Laurence Veale, wine blogger and wine journalist too, visited Christopher at the Bubble Brothers stand and liked what he tasted. (From what I gather, other people at the press-and-trade-only tasting were also impressed). Here’s his video analysis:

After that, we thought we should hold a tasting here at the Marina for those of us who weren’t able to go to Dublin, and pleasurable it was. We don’t have too many varietal Cabernets on the list, though customers often ask for them, so we paid special attention to those.

Wines of California ready for tasting at Bubble Brothers

I’ll leave our other discoveries for another time, but the Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon is going straight on to our list. In fact, we pulled the communication cord on an order we’d already placed, so that we could add a few cases of the Cab and introduce it to our customers as soon as possible.

The thing that struck us was the careful balance of sweet, ripe, fruit with depth and structure. It’s not a difficult wine to like, but there’s much more to it than blackcurrant jam, and the second glass is just as tempting as the first – it doesn’t give that impression of effortful over-extraction that quickly palls. What’s more, or rather less, the alcohol content is an unremarkable 13½% – downright modest by the standards of California.

I’ve just found out that I was mistaken in thinking I attended this fair last year. No, wasn’t the year before, either. Or the year before that. This very blog says it was 2006. Just goes to show time flies when you’re having fun in the wine business.

Speaking of past blasts and so on, here’s young Mr Veale’s report on the Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir, for those who like a bit of scandal:

→ 4 CommentsTags: ···········

Space: the final frontier for Blackrock Castle wine club launch

February 1st, 2010 · Blackrock Castle Wine Club, Cork, champagne

The inaugural session of the Blackrock Castle Wine Club was extremely well attended. We hadn’t thought for a minute that the numbers would get into the sixties, given the general belt-tightening of recent months. There had been healthy sales of online subscriptions, and a fair few reservations of the please-keep-a-seat-for-me kind by telephone, e-mail and twitter; but very many people turned up to pay on the door, and I’m afraid that at a certain point (as we approached standing room only) we had to explain that we simply couldn’t admit anyone else.

The little refrain I tend to murmur to our customers is that last year’s uncertainties about money led more and more people to cook and eat at home, with consequences beneficial to anyone thinking of starting a wine club:

  • • people tried out a few new recipes, often cooking from scratch;
  • • the pleasures and perils of inviting friends to dine were given new exposure;
  • • the value of wine recommended by your friendly, local &c. merchant vs glumly shopping by price on a restaurant list was rediscovered and discussed;
  • • and a common sense of adventure combined with Tigerish competitive urges in shopping and in cooking.

Suddenly, spending time in other people’s company while getting the low-down on how to pick a winner from the wine shelves, not to mention the satisfaction of a little gentle learning for its own sake, seemed like a fun thing to do. Six generous tastes of different champagnes for €20 (€25 if you paid on the door) is a good deal in itself, I’d have thought.

But, still and all, we were astonished at the reponse to our new venture. As usual, some of those present had their accounts of the evening published almost before we’d finished saying goodnight to everyone. Thank you very much for speedy publication, Brian Clayton, who couldn’t resist remarking upon

…some videos that appear to have been produced in the 70s by the Champagne tourist board.
They were long on style (more realistically 70’s porno chic) and a little short on facts.

You can read the rest of Brian’s post here.

Elke O’Mahony of Cork’s Dine and Wine Club, who also almost instantaneously reviewed each of the wines tasted on her blog, will be choosing her champagne with new confidence from now on:

Billy’s knowledge of the wine makers, procedures and wine industry is amazing and we learned a lot at the night…

I’ve already received one or two pieces of constructive criticism from other people present, so we’re thinking about the best way to make sure that:

  • • everyone can hear what’s being said;
  • • everyone tastes each wine while it’s being introduced and discussed;
  • • if necessary, and with as much notice as possible, we limit numbers fairly.

If you were with us on Thursday, and have some suggestions to make, this is the place to do it. Alternatively, send us an e-mail and I’ll add your ideas to the blend already in the fermentation tank.

In the meantime, we’re looking forward to the next tasting on February 25th, which will introduce some wines from the Languedoc in southern France.

I thought it would be helpful to sell temporary membership – one meeting’s worth – in advance, so you can book your place at the February tasting @ €25 here.

If , however, you’d like to sign up for the remaining nine sessions of our 2010 season, you can do so here @ €180.

→ 1 CommentTags: ······

Echo and Narcissus

January 27th, 2010 · wine

…spem sine corpore amat, corpus putat esse, quod umbra est.

(“He loves an unsubstantial hope and thinks that substance which is only shadow”)

Don’t make, or think I’m making, Narcissus’ mistake.

It’s a bit of a week for us, interview-wise.  The distinguished speaker at Thursday’s inaugural meeting of the Blackrock Castle Wine Club and my colleague at Bubble Brothers, Mlle Valérie Ravillon, has been grilled by the Cork Evening Echo, which is fair enough in my view seeing as she’s a local celebrity – or about to be one.

I’m not so sure that the same paper really needs not one, but two, tuppenceworths, from me.  One piece was about wine, so no problem there: it rather goes with the territory; but the other one was the sort of  Desert Island Discs-y thing that would be interesting if it were about someone you’d heard of,  in the public eye, &c.  I’m just embarrassed, and should warn you not to believe everything you read in the papers, in case you didn’t know that already.

And then, by pure chance, good old Robert Francis Wine publishes more of my evasions today.

As Charlie Brown might say, good grief.

→ No CommentsTags:

California Wine Annual Tasting 2010

January 26th, 2010 · Ireland, wine

On Thursday in Dublin there is a trade tasting of wines from California, an annual event but one at which, for the first time, we’ll be on the other side of the tables, representing the wines from Cycles Gladiator that you may have noticed on our shelves, along with a few other interesting bottles from parent company Hahn.

If you dare to court controversy, you should give the Gladiator wines a try.  There aren’t many Californian wines in Ireland occupying the lush pastures between the summits of very expensive and very cheap, and we’re naturally pleased to be able to offer such great value from the USA.

If there’s sufficient enthusiasm from the Irish trade, we may consider adding some of their less flying-bicycle-ladyish cousins to our list, too.

Advertisement for California wine tasting in Dublin

Tip for visitors: see how your professional dignity is getting on among all those 14% plus wines, by regularly dropping into conversation the name of the Californian state flower.  It’s the eschscholzia.

→ No CommentsTags: ·····

Twinnerparty wine suggestions

January 22nd, 2010 · food, wine

Not so long ago there was a wine tasting using twitter, which we helped with, by supplying the wine to be tasted.

Now twitter is to be the venue for a dinner party co-ordinated by unfeasibly energetic, musical, youthful &c. Dublin cook Donal Skehan.  He’s come up with a three course menu, and will post recipes and shopping advice over the next few days.  Between now and Saturday, if you’re joining in, you buy the ingredients, cook the meal and enjoy the results, using twitter to share the ups and downs with everyone else following.

Someone using twitter dropped me in it by suggesting that I might offer recommendations for wines to suit Donal’s menu.   I don’t mind, really – it’s rather flattering.   Here are my thoughts on the matter, though please don’t treat this as something you can Get Wrong (or Right).  You can’t.   It’s not a test.  It’s for fun.

To read more about it and to have a look at the menu, head over to the Good Mood Food blog.  Twitter people, #twinnerparty is where it is at.  wine-searcher.com is a handy search engine for wines, if you’re looking for something in particular.

Goat’s cheese salad
I’ve tasted some Sicilian whites (look out for Cataratto, Grillo, Inzolia grapes – sometimes blended with Chardonnay, or with each other) that would do well here with the earthiness of the beetroot and the pronounced flavour of the cheese – something neutralish, with nutty aromas, good acidity and a little fullness in the mouth. A dry prosecco – very popular, and fun – might fit the bill, too, and is probably easier to find.

Roast chicken
A Chardonnay with a little oak would do nicely, but the honey and parsnips make me think the aromatic qualities and rich body of a Viognier would really be a good match. A quick look around suggests that you’ll find interesting examples in Ireland from all around the world – not just the grape’s home in the Rhône Valley in France.

Red drinkers should try something that will complement, not overpower, the flavours of the food. I’m fond of the Beaujolais cru wines (all made from the Gamay grape) with roast chicken: Fleurie is the most well-known, but there are nine other villages to choose from. Look out for a Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, or Juliénas. If they’re a few years old, so much the better. Pinot Noirs from the New World: New Zealand or California, say, are a reliable, juicy choice too.

Banoffi pie
If you’re still going, we have a brilliant, inexpensive Spanish dessert wine, made from the sherry grape Pedro Ximenez, to go with this: sweet enough to match the pie, but with a spine of acidity that gives it its own identity among all that sweetness.
With all due respect to the mighty banoffi, I wouldn’t break the bank. A half bottle of any fully sweet white dessert wine would be worth investigating here. Might need a glass of water on the side, though.

I hope you all have fun on Saturday – I look forward to reading what happens.

→ No CommentsTags: ···

The Irish Apple (ii)

January 21st, 2010 · Cork, Ireland, revolutioncycle

This is about the people at Apple Computers, and how generous-spirited and far-sighted they have been in respect of one particular incident indirectly concerning Bubble Brothers.

(If this looks like a draft rather than the full gale, so it is.  Progress has put the kibosh on uploading pictures for the moment, and I’m not getting prompter with things generally as the years go by.  My apologies. But I did want to get part (ii) up before part (i) had turned to dust.  Hate to miss a segue.)

Bubble Brothers are sponsoring the first round-the-world bicycle ride by Irishmen.
One of these stout chaps had his iPod stolen from him in Tashkent.
Apple, makers of iPods, are in Cork.
We, the sponsors of Revolutioncycle, are in Cork.
I asked Apple if they would consider doing the knight in shining armour routine.
They did.
Wow.  Yippee.
They dished out an engraved replacement iPod, which was delivered to the circumnavigators with their winter weather bundle a month or two ago.
Simon’s thoughts across the countless miles once again have a soundtrack.
I think that was thoroughly decent of Apple.
I invited the local press to make a fuss, but somehow the story didn’t grab them.

→ No CommentsTags: ····

The Irish Apple (i)

January 20th, 2010 · Ireland, beer, food, gardening, wine

It looks as though the economic strictures of the last while have stimulated people’s interest in what they eat and drink, perhaps because those in the habit of eating in restaurants and discussing their meals have had to eat at people’s houses (chiefly their own) a bit more, but haven’t necessarily cut back on the discussions.

This has helped the likes of Bubble Brothers, who have interesting, varied wines to suit the interesting, varied outcomes of home cooking.

However, wine is all very well for you enlightened, progressive folk who embrace the benefits of international commerce without a second thought; some of us, who feel queasy about every novelty from beech trees to the loom and beyond, can’t help wondering if all the hoo-ha about wine shouldn’t have a local equivalent of some kind. Don’t talk to me about beer. It’s too painful. How can there be so few choices in a country that has the ingredients mostly to hand, and such a quantity of pubs? But that’s a debate for another day, and I’m hardly qualified to comment.

Paying more attention to apples and what you can make from them would be a step in the right direction, though. What inspired me to put this post up was this recent crisp windfall from the extensive orchards of Blake Creedon, who is nobody’s fool:

…of course the whole apples/juice/cider thing fits in perfectly with the local-and-in-season aspiration which has all but supplanted organics as the foodies’ touchstone…

but who nonetheless thinks it odd that we’re not

fluent in, for instance, Irish apples and their terroirs…

I couldn’t agree more. It would help us all feel a little less foolish with making the wine-speak if were used to flexing our epithets discussing the good things that grow here relatively uncomplainingly.

If you’re one of the people I’ve spoken to who is making wine in Ireland, please don’t take offence. Nor if you’re one of the people who is doing great things with apples already.

I know the climate can be more than a little mouldy here, and that the fine, balanced acidity of apples from, say, England can be hard to achieve, but a little bit of effort with varieties that have shown their worth here in the past, or even – gasp – modern strains could work wonders in the redevelopment of an indigenous food culture. Wouldn’t it be great to have a local cider?

If you’d like to have a go yourself, Cork Free Choice Consumer Group will be meeting at the Crawford Gallery in the centre of Cork on Thursday 28th at 7.30pm, when two very experienced fruit growers, Con Traas and John Howard, will be speaking on the topic of growing your own fruit.

If you do go along, you’ll miss the launch of our new wine club, which takes place on the same evening.  Decisions, decisions.

→ 6 CommentsTags: ···

En attendant le nouveau millésime… Rétrospective de l’année 2009

January 12th, 2010 · wine

I shouldn’t really do this, because it’s the height of laziness and annoying into the bargain to just post wholesale communications from my suppliers.  I apologize.

But, for those of you who read French, here’s a look back at what happened at Domaine Sylvain Bailly in the Loire Valley last year.  We have bought not only white, pink and red Sancerre from them in the past, but also that other less familiar Sauvignon, Quincy.

Un débourrement normal

L’année 2009 débute par un hiver frais et sec. Les températures sont très en dessous des normales, surtout en janvier et le déficit hydrique est marqué en février et mars. Néanmoins, la vigne débourre à une date proche des moyennes décennales (vers le 12 avril pour le Sauvignon).
Ces conditions sont favorables au travail du sol et de nombreuses vignes ont été travaillées en mars-avril. Malgré quelques frayeurs dans la deuxième quinzaine d’avril, les gelées ont épargné nos vignobles cette année.
Le début de la végétation est marqué en 2009 par une invasion relativement étendue des mange-bourgeons. Ces mange-bourgeons sont constitués d’un cortège d’insectes phytophages se nourrissant des jeunes bourgeons à peine gonflés. Cette attaque importante a d’ores et déjà diminué le potentiel de production.

Un mois de mai compliqué

Dès le mois de mai, l’année 2009 s’annonce très difficile à gérer. La vigne poussant, les premières grappes commencent à apparaître. Très vite, nous nous rendons compte que celles-ci sont peu nombreuses, laissant présager une récolte moyenne en volume. Nos craintes se sont amplifiées dès le 7 mai par un passage orageux violent provoquant des dégâts de grêle sur une surface exceptionnellement grande. Pour la première fois depuis l’acquisition de notre vignoble de Quincy en 1995, il grêle sur les deux appellations le même jour et à la même heure. A Sancerre comme à Quincy, toutes nos parcelles sont touchées, sans exception, à des degrés plus ou moins importants. Du jamais vu ! Cet épisode orageux se poursuit par une période pluvieuse interminable. Du 7 au 21 mai, soit 15 jours, les stations météorologiques relèvent 13 jours de pluie. Les températures étant élevées pour la saison, le Mildiou trouve les conditions idéales de développement et commence à apparaître dès la fin mai.

Comble de malchance, un deuxième épisode de grêle aussi ravageur que le premier s’abat sur notre vignoble de Sancerre le 25 mai. Pour clore le tableau du mois de mai, un autre ravageur a beaucoup fait parler de lui, il s’agit du Cochylis, un ver de la grappe pourtant discret depuis la canicule de 2003 mais qui revient en force cette année en exerçant une pression supplémentaire sur le potentiel de production.

Un été « à bout de nerfs »

De fréquents épisodes pluvieux s’abattent sur notre région. Le cumul d’eau de mai à juillet reste dans la moyenne décennale mais se caractérise par des pluies orageuses régulières tous les 8 à 10 jours. Le climat reste donc extrêmement favorable au Mildiou et met les nerfs des vignerons à rude épreuve. L’épisode orageux du 25 mai a entraîné la première sortie significative de taches de Mildiou. La pression de cette maladie est très élevée et la moindre erreur dans la protection contre ce parasite est sanctionnée rapidement par une nouvelle baisse du potentiel de récolte. La floraison a lieu vers le 15 juin en Sauvignon, soit une date moyenne par rapport aux 10 dernières années.

Un refroidissement important en pleine fleur a entraîné un peu de coulure. Le reste de l’été se poursuit sur les mêmes bases avec des orages réguliers, une pression Mildiou exceptionnelle, une deuxième génération de vers de la grappe importante et un dernier épisode de grêle ravageur le 16 juillet. Une nouvelle fois nos deux vignobles sont touchés, réduisant parfois à néant le travail des derniers mois. Nos vignes sont atteintes, notre moral l’est aussi ; l’été nous parait bien long … Le sort semble s’acharner …

Une fin d’été étonnante

Comme l’an passé, avec un peu d’avance, l’année se termine mieux qu’elle n’a commencé. Août débute comme le mois de juillet avec de fréquents épisodes pluvieux. A partir du 10, le temps change enfin et une longue période sans pluie commence. La maturation du raisin peut alors se faire dans des conditions favorables. Toute l’eau tombée au cours de l’été et les températures élevées permettent à la vigne de pousser encore fin août et nous nous activons à rogner afin de maintenir les raisins dans un microclimat optimal. Les températures relativement élevées permettent une maturation rapide. Les rendements faibles, les conditions climatiques chaudes et sèches permettent quant à eux une accumulation importante d’éléments dans les raisins et notamment de sucres.
Un léger épisode pluvieux début septembre vient parfaire cette maturation. La seule grande difficulté en cette fin de saison est de choisir la bonne date de vendange. En effet, les raisins commencent à exprimer une palette aromatique très intéressante vers le 10 septembre sur les secteurs précoces mais conservent une peau épaisse et astringente. Comme tous les ans, le maître-mot est Patience. Nos vendanges s’étalent du 22 septembre au 3 octobre. Nous ne nous précipitons pas et, le beau temps persistant, nous n’hésitons pas à stopper les vendanges quelques jours afin d’atteindre la pleine maturité. Le rythme s’accélère toutefois début octobre car les degrés s’élèvent rapidement et atteignent souvent des potentiels en alcool supérieurs à 13, voire 14° ou même 15°. Là encore, une exception jamais connue des anciens !

Aujourd’hui en janvier 2010

Nos vins sont toujours en cours d’élevage, en cuves et en fûts. Ils reposent patiemment sur leurs lies fines.

En dépit de quantités très amoindries, le millésime 2009 est très prometteur ; une belle récompense après une année de travail si ardue. Les vins seront riches et aromatiques, le seul regret sera donc leur relative rareté …

→ No CommentsTags: ·····

Bubble Brothers start a wine club

January 11th, 2010 · BB tastings, Cork, Ireland, wine

We held a few wine tastings last year, and enjoyed ourselves no end in doing so.   Some were for businesses, some for private individuals, and some were public events like the launch of our new Australian acquisitions at Cork’s AGA showroom.

We even joined in with a virtual wine tasting using Twitter.

pictures of wine tasting

The success of all these undertakings, and also of the Good Wine Show in November, made us wonder if it would be a good idea to begin a wine club proper, with a subscription and regular meetings and so on.

We decided to go ahead.

Without further ado, here’s what we propose for 2010:

The Blackrock Castle Wine Club

  • WHERE
    will meet at the Castle Bar and Trattoria, Blackrock Castle, Cork (special circumstances may demand a different venue – for example, we’re planning a midsummer-banquet-tasting-dinner on June 24th in the Castle’s Observatory Restaurant.
  • WHEN
    ten times a year, on the last Thursday of the month (not July and not December) 7.30-9.30ish pm.
  • COST
    €200/year for all ten sessions, or €25/session for non-members, subject to availability.

Naturally, the cost covers all wines tasted (usually between six and ten per session), glasses and the washing thereof, a certain quantity of bread, olives and appetizers at each meeting, printed notes &c. as appropriate.  Newsletter updates and information are free!

We’ll be letting our suppliers know what the club is up to, too – so members can look forward to guest speakers introducing their own wines from time to time.

The inaugural meeting of the club will take place on Thursday, 28th January at 7.30 pm at Blackrock Castle.  We’re starting things off with a bang (probably more of a pop, really).   If you’d like to know more about our sparkling beginning, or just want to keep an eye on what’s coming up,  subscribe to the club’s newsletter, which we’ll send out at least monthly.

If you’re interested in joining and making sure of a place, you can buy membership here or at any meeting.

→ 5 CommentsTags: ···

Video encouraging you to try the wines of Cahors

January 8th, 2010 · wine

Cahors is working hard these days to promote itself. We have some wines from the region, if you fancy getting in on the action.

→ 3 CommentsTags: ····