Tag Archives: Wine

Saint Emilion

Saint Émilion

This piece was featured in the travel section of the Irish Daily Mail.

The Italians, the French, or any of those folks on ‘The Continent’ as my Dad used to call it, always just seem so effortlessly stylish. So, at a risk of being outdone and letting the entire of Ireland down, while packing my bag for a few days away in France, I made sure my beret was included.  Afterall, I would hate to turn up in France and look like a thick (without one) as my Ma would say. 

Saint Émilion
Saint Émilion

Now we all know Paris has long been considered the glittering grand dame of France.  The city of romance, fashion and intrigue.  The city of the Eiffel Tower, the Seine River and the Arc De Triomphe. I however was not going there. I was flying to Bordeaux, the bustling belle of a city on the Garonne River. The city of stunning architecture, luscious public parks and fabulous food. It is also the gateway to Saint Émilion, the land of vines and wines which was my ultimate destination. 

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Lanzarote Wine Run

Lanzarote Wine Run 2019

This piece was featured in the travel section of the Irish Daily Mail.

Running plus wine plus sunshine, sure what could go wrong.  With large scale running events like the Marathon du Médoc in September each year and the International Marathon of Beaujolais in November, its not surprising that smaller wine related runs are also being held.   I spotted the Lanzarote Wine Run in an inflight magazine. Running I like, wine I like, so it was hardly a stretch to combine the two.  On a whim, knowing little about it I signed up.

Now I’m no stranger to running.  My first marathon was in Venice, my second in Belfast and I’ve signed up to my third, the aforementioned Marathon du Médoc.  In between I’ve completed maybe ten half marathons. I’m no Action Man, but at 43 I’m essentially running to keep the midlife midriff spread at bay. 

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An Old Favourite – Argentinian Crios by Susana Balbo

Every now and then you find a bottle of wine which you just adore. The Crios from Argentina is such a wine. The wine is made by Susana Balbo at Dominio del Plata in the Mendoza region of Argentina. Continue reading

Lidl Italian Wine Sale

Lidl Italian Wine Cellar Sale – Picol Sauvignon Blanc

The Picol Sauvignon Blanc is part of the Lidl Italian Wine Cellar Sale which begins on Monday July 23rd 2018. Collio is a region in the northeast of Italy.   It has the official designation of Collio DOC (Denominazione di origine controllata) and is known for white wines including Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and of course Sauvignon Blanc. (Note: wine sample sent for review) Continue reading

Lidl Italian Wine Sale – Selone Negroamaro

The Lidl Italian wine sale kicks off in stores on Monday July 23rd.  The Italian wine sale is the third in the Lidl European Wine Cellar tasting, following France and Spain. Continue reading

Lidl Red Wine

Two Lidl Red Wines

Throughout the year Lidl tend to have a number of wine festival sales.  Their most recent offerings cover Iberia, France and Italy.  I missed a recent tasting, but I picked out two Lidl red wines from the list and they kindly sent me samples for review purposes. Continue reading

Lidl Organic Prosecco

Organic Prosecco

Organic Prosecco doesn’t mean more expensive or lacking in flavour, taste and character. Lidl have some Organic Prosecco hitting shops December 27th just in time for that New Years Eve clink of glasses. Continue reading

Bodegas El Grifo

Travel: Bodegas El Grifo Lanzarote

Recently I wrote about the village of El Golfo in the south of Lanzarote. A stunning village that’s home to the green lagoon. My next snippet about Lanzarote is all about a trip to Bodegas El Grifo. One of the largest wineries on the island they have been in operation since 1755. Having recently passed my WSET Level 2 Wines and Spirits, there was no way I was going to miss out on discovering a bit about the history of wine in Lanzarote. Continue reading