The course introduces participants to the world of wine, exploring all of the main wine producing regions of the world.  The focus is mainly on still wine but we also cast an eye over [...]]]> The ever popular Learn About Wine course will be offered over an eight week period from Wednesday 19th September 2012.

The course introduces participants to the world of wine, exploring all of the main wine producing regions of the world.  The focus is mainly on still wine but we also cast an eye over sparking wines, fortified wines (port and sherry) as well as dessert wines.

We place a great emphasis on building your tasting skills so that you can apply the factual knowledge you amass to the practical business of wine drinking.  Each night you can expect to taste 8 wines, chosen to give life to what has been discussed in class.

While the classes are well structured and designed to encourage learning, they are also designed to be fun and informal.

The final evening takes place in a local restuarant where, over a carefully considered menu, we examine in a most practical way how to match food with wine.

Book now to secure a place.   You can make a provisional booking by using the contact form on this site but your place will  not be confirmed until you pay a €50 deposit, either by calling into Sweeney’s in Glasnevin or giving the shop a call.  The deposit is not refundable unless the course is not given.

The denominations “Haut Poitou”, “Moselle” and “Côtes d’Auvergne” will be promoted to AC status.

They approved new classification criteria for Premiers [...]]]> The National Committee of the INAO, the French authority for wines and other protected products, met on the 16 November.  They made a number of recommendations which, if implemented, will see the following.

The denominations “Haut Poitou”, “Moselle” and “Côtes d’Auvergne” will be promoted to AC status.

They approved new classification criteria for Premiers Grands Crus Classés and Grands Crus Classés for Saint-Emilion Grand cru which will come into effect for the 2012 harvest.   These focus on the method of production and the quality of the finished product with an emphasis on the independence of the assessment.

They accepted the geographical delimitation for AC Crémant de Bourgogne.  This extends over 391 commumes of which 95 are located in the Côte d’Or.  A similar delimitation was approved for Crémant du Jura which extends over 110 communes in Jura.

Rémy Gresser, a biodynamic producer who farms 11ha (hectares) in Andlau, who is now president of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d’Alsace (CIVA), already uses a sweetness code for his [...]]]> The new president of the Alsace wine trade council has called for sweetness codes to be a feature of every bottle of Alsace wine.

Rémy Gresser, a biodynamic producer who farms 11ha (hectares) in Andlau, who is now president of the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins d’Alsace (CIVA), already uses a sweetness code for his own wines.

He plans to introduce a compulsory code to indicate a wine’s sweetness on a one-to-five scale. The CIVA already have a vouluntary code, but most producers do not use it. Those that do e.g. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht put the index in very small writing on the label.

Although Alsace producers have traditionally been allowed to mention the grape variety on the front label of their AOC wines, consumers are often unaware of their sweetness level – and in Alsace, this can vary significantly.

M. Gresser said, ‘Most industries take full advantage of their packaging. The industry needs to come to an agreement on a common system adopted by every producer. Admittedly, the system is not an absolute science, but it does give an indication of style.’

Some well-known Alsace estates have opposed sweetness codes in the past, claiming that the sweetness in their wines changes over time, thus rendering such codes useless.

The base appellation AC Languedoc will sit at the bottom of a three tiered pyramid. Superior appellations including Minervois and St Chinian will be labelled Grands Vins du Languedoc. The best vineyard sites such as Minervois La [...]]]> The Languedoc wine region in France claims a new appellation system will simplify life for its consumers.

The base appellation AC Languedoc will sit at the bottom of a three tiered pyramid. Superior appellations including Minervois and St Chinian will be labelled Grands Vins du Languedoc. The best vineyard sites such as Minervois La Liviniere and Corbieres Boutenac will be able to use the highest rating: Grands Crus du Languedoc.

The appellation’s trade association the CIVL said the idea was to make the system easier to understand. Jerome Villaret, executive officer of the CIVL said, ‘We wanted the hierarchy in order to simplify Languedoc AC Wines for the consumer. In the Languedoc we have 29 different names of AC wines, and some of them represent only a very small percentage of the production. Consumers could not remember all of them. With the new hierarchy the consumer only has to remember three categories for Languedoc AC wines.’

Also Terrasses du Larzac, Pic St Loup and La Clape will become Grands Crus du Languedoc. At the moment these are not appellations but are classified under Coteaux du Languedoc: the ‘Coteaux’ is set to disappear within the next five years.

These three Grand Cru sites have also applied to the French authority, the INAO, to create new appellations, to become ACs in their own right.

The new pyramid hierarchy will appear on wine labels from 2011.

The region of Penedès has accepted the new DO Vino Dulce de Hielo.

This is the first European appellation to allow artificial freezing of grapes. This is forbidden in the traditional icewine regions of Germany, Austria – and Canada – where grapes must [...]]]> A Spanish icewine DO has been approved for the first time.

The region of Penedès has accepted the new DO Vino Dulce de Hielo.

This is the first European appellation to allow artificial freezing of grapes. This is forbidden in the traditional icewine regions of Germany, Austria – and Canada – where grapes must be left to freeze naturally on the vine. In Germany, the grapes must be exposed to a temperature of minus 7 degrees or colder before harvesting; in Canada the temperature must drop to minus 8 degrees.

In Penedes grapes are frozen in a cold room, refrigerator, or with dry ice. Freezing on the vines is allowed, but in practice rarely takes place. Sugar additions are forbidden.

The harvested grapes – Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Malvasia de Sitges, Moscatel de Grano Menudo, Moscatel de Alejandría, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and/or Merlot – must have a minimum of 240 grams per litre of sugar.

To date only Cava producer Jaime Gramona has made Spanish ice wine, although winemakers in Rioja and Utiel-Requena have made experimental batches. Gramona’s ‘Vi de Gel’ has been made since 1997 with Riesling, Moscatel de Grano Menudo and Gewurztraminer as individual varietals, with occasional blending.

The new DO will apply from the 2009 vintage.

Hendrik Hering, the minister for winemaking in the state of Rheinland-Palatinate, where the Mosel valley lies, is also the state’s minister of [...]]]> Germany plans to build a four-lane motorway and bridge through the Mosel wine-growing region, threatening the future of some of the most important Riesling vineyards in the world.

Hendrik Hering, the minister for winemaking in the state of Rheinland-Palatinate, where the Mosel valley lies, is also the state’s minister of transport. “The bridge is indispensable because it will cut travel time by half an hour between Germany and the Benelux countries and ease the flow of traffic,” he said.

Work crews have already begun laying down the roadway which that will cut into these vines. The vineyards of Zeltingen, Graach, Wehlen, and Bernkastel are all threatened as deep trenches need to accommodate the 120ft wide highway will throw the area’s delicate water distribution system into chaos.

Stuart Pigott, a British writer who specialises in German wines, said: “This is going to be tampering with a very fragile ecosystem which some of the world’s best wines happen to depend on.”

Germany says it is vital to improve transport links with Frankfurt-Hahn airport, a budget airline destination owned by Rheinland-Pfalz. The thinking is that the highway will help turn the airport into a cargo hub for Belgium and Holland and thus become more profitable.

Although there has been talk of getting UNESCO to designate the Mosel Valley a World Heritage Site, the German government has not pursued the matter.

However soon you may have the possibility to taste red Muscadet. [...]]]> Is there a future for red Muscadet? Muscadet is made at the mouth of the Loire river from the grape variety called Muscadet (or Melon de Bourgogne). It is well known as a not overly sophisticated refreshing white wine.

However soon you may have the possibility to taste red Muscadet. The winegrower Pierre Viaud has discovered a red variant af the Muscadet grape in his vineyard. It all started when he noticed one vine that had one branch with white grapes and another branch with red grapes. Shoots were taken from the red side and there is now an experiential vineyard with some forty vines. An interesting example of genetic modification in real life!