Category Archives: Drink

Peruke & Periwig – Perfectly Poured Cocktails

I received an incredibly ingenious invite to a cocktail event in Peruke & Periwig. I wrote a piece about the extremely clever marketing surrounding it, which you can find Here.

The Invite

They were launching their new Around the World in 80 Cocktails menu and selected some lucky people to trial some of the creations over a few different evenings. 80 cocktails might sound like a large menu, it Is, however they have taken 40 ‘known’ cocktails and put their own unique twist on them, essentially doubling the menu. So for example you could have The Grapes of Wrath which is a twist on the Vesper Martini or you can have just as is.

Now unless you are involved in the service industry, it’s likely you probably don’t realise how much work, time and effort goes into creating the liquid fantasy that fills your glass. The behind the scenes work is not all just sitting around mixing alochol with fruit juice, although there is a little bit of that, for research purposes of course! There are late nights making syrups and juices and trial and error and tasting and retasting and all kinds of innovation including ingredients like smoke and digestive biscuits. They even infuse their own vodkas (including marshmallow infused) and create their own chilli sugar.

The menu itself also includes a quote to accompany each cocktail. I’ve added them to the pictures below. The attention to details is second to none.

Cocktail Menu

On the night of the event myself and my friend Carolann were treated to the ultimate in intimate cocktail evenings. There were four of us at the table being treated to a journey of cocktails across the globe. Our tour guide for the night was cocktail maker extraordinaire Rob. I’ll give you a run down of what was on offer. As my pictures were just not up to scratch and don’t at all show you how elegant each cocktail looked when served I have also put in some proper photographs beside mine. Believe me when I tell you, they were all served perfectly.

Key Lime Pie – “I don’t mind making jokes, but I don’t want to look like one”

A twist on the Gimlet, the Key Lime Pie is dessert in a glass. Absolut Citron, Absolut Vanilla, lemon, tarte citron, sicilian lemondae, meringue foam and a biscuit rim. Every sip let you enjoy the taste of the meringue foam and I kept twisting my glass to make sure every bit of biscuit was licked off the glass. For me out of 5, this was a 4.5, only losing a half mark because it wasn’t served in a large bucket. It was that good.

Key Lime Pie – My Photo

Next stop was the aptly named Hoptimus Prime. A variation on a Screwdriver. Hop infused Absolut Vodka, mango shrub (P&P made), honey, guava and pineapple. You can really taste the hops in it so the beer drinkers will certainly like it. For me it was 4 out of 5 but the presentation was top notch. Thats a slice of dehydrated pineapple on top which was sweet and chewy.

Hoptimus Prime – “I learned a long time ago that reality was much weirder than anyone’s imagination”

Hoptimus Prime – My Photo

A French inspired delicacy was next. The Nom de Plume. Similar to a Clover Club. A mix of Beefeater 24, elderflower, rose water (which I’m told is very expensive), pomegranate, lemon and sugar whites. It’s topped with edible rose buds. A classy looking cocktail with a refreshing taste. I’m giving it a 4.5 out of 5.

Nom de Plume – “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”

Nom de Plume – My Photo

Peruke have a brunch menu now, and guess whats on it? The Walking Dead cocktail. A variation on a Zombie. Being on a brunch menu essentially makes it a breakfast food. It’s made with Havana Especial, Oakheart (rum with flavours and spices), Kraken (more rum), Maraschino, Falernum (rum with lime juice), Apricot Brandy, orange, pineapple, lime and sugar. Now thats a long list of ingredients and a lot of rum and I suspect after about five of them you would be the walking dead but I also suspect it will cure a hangover too. Taste, superb. Thats my 5 out of 5.

The Walking Dead – “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else”

Off to Wonderland we went next with The Mad Hatter. A take on the Collins. Served in a teapot for two, or as I like to call it, a teapot full just for me.

The Mad Hatter – “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn’t be. And what it wouldn’t be, it would. You see?”

Chamomile, grapefruit, lemon, pepper, cucumber and mint infused Beefeater gin, tonic bitters, boston bittahs and dry ice. Yes dry ice. If you look at the picture below you will actaully see the dry ice coming off it. It’s a spectacular cocktail to have arrive on your table. It’s pure theatre. While tasty, for me it was 4 out of 5 but thats a personal preference.

Mad Hatter Cup – My Photo

Yes that is actual dry ice coming off the teapot and you can watch the video of it here

Mad Hatter Teapot – My Photo

The Corner of Bow St. & St. James’ Gate, which was served with a plate of Guinness fudge. Jameson Irish Whiskey, Guinness, aromatic bitters and sugar. Served on rocks like it’s counter part the Old Fashioned. Classic, simple, STRONG!!! 3 out of 5 for me but I’m not a fan of Whiskey or Guinness.

The Corner of Bow St. & St. James’ Gate – “I have the simplest tastes. I am always satsified with the best” – My Photo

Below we have the Harry Houdini. Based on a Sazerac. Woodford Reserve, Hennessy Fine de Cognac, Peychaud’s bitters, honey, smoke and an absinthe rinse. If it will play for you, check out the Video of it all being put together. That is actually smoke filling the glass and it’s quite impressive. 4 out 5.

Harry Houdini – “What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes” – My Photo

To finish off on a sweet note I had The Ministry of Silly Drinks. An explosion of sweetness. Absolut Peach, Kwai Feh Leychee, Creme de Cassis, P&P mango shrub, orange bitters, cranberry bitters, lemon, whites and popping candy. It’s like being smacked in the face with a bag of skittles but oh so delicious. In saying that I would only manage one of these due to sweetness overload. 3.5 out of 5.

The Ministry of Silly Drinks – “Read the directions and directly you will be directed in the right direction” – My Photo

The last creation in my run down is the South of the Border or French Martini as some know it. Olmeca Reposado, Creme de Cassis, P&P blackberry shrub, pineapple and sugar served with frensh blackberries. Alas I didn’t get to taste this but it looked great and Carolann says she would ‘inhale’ it.

South of the Border – “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro” – My Photo

This is a glowing review of Peruke & Periwig and it’s deserved. It was an extra special night and we were treated to impeccable service, tantalising drinks and Rob our cocktail maker, not only took us on a liquid journey, he took us on a literary one too. He knew the quotes. He knew who quoted them. For every drink there was a story to go with it, and with the story there was a piece of history and with that a nugget of information we took away with us. I left Peruke & Periwig that night enlightened or light headed, or maybe it was both.

You can also follow me on Facebook, (feel free to ‘LIKE’ the page) Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.

Alltech Craft Brew Festival 2015

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Over the weekend of February 27th to March 1st the Alltech Craft Brew & Food Fair took place, for a third time, in Dublin’s Convention Centre. Traditionally the event was geared more towards those with an interest in craft beer and ciders. This year the event diversified somewhat and included a range of culinary delights to cater for those with more of a food persuasion.

Tickets for the event were €15 per day and included a souvenir cup, program and four tokens. Unfortunately there was no option to buy a weekend pass at a discounted rate, which is something I’d personally like to see should they decide to return. I’m sure it would prove popular.

Cup

Tokens

There were about 60 breweries and distilleries, 12 food stands and a handful of other food and drink related stands set up.

In terms of drinks offerings there was the usual mix of craft beers, ciders and even a couple of whiskeys and liqueurs thrown in. Quick visual run down of some of the ciders and liqueurs below.

Bluegrass Sundown

Bluegrass Sundown

Bluegrass Sundown kind of like an Irish Coffee and very tasty, is part of the Lexington Brewing and Distillery company.

Bluegrass Sundown

The flavoured liqueurs from Ruby Blue were a firm favourite I have to say. The chilli pepper one will certainly give you a kick. They are frequently used to make Kir Royale’s along with a host of other cocktails.

Ruby Blue Liqueur

A great tasting cider from MacIvors a family run business from Co. Armagh. Available in medium and dry.

MacIvors Cider

Another great cider brand Tempted Cider were also in attendance. I had tried them out previously at a tasting event in Ely and have to say their Summer Sweet variety will be in my hand this Summer for sure.

Tempted Cider

The last of the cider brands I got to try out was Dan Kellys Cider which is made in the Boyne Valley in Drogheda. The brother sister team on the stand were showcasing a new cider which was a reduced carbonated one. It’s great to see these family run businesses evolving and trying out new products to keep a head of the game. The cider of course was great and the staff, well I’d buy the cider alone just to chat to them, they were great fun.

Dan Kellys Cider

The main stage at the event also had a number of bands playing including Amazing Apples and Interskalactic. While enjoyable I have to say, for the space and the event the volume was too high. It was actually difficult to have a conversation and also hard for those on the stands to hear what I was trying to order.

Amazing Apples

Central Bar Area

In terms of food offerings a few familiar faces were on show. Donal Skehans Skoff Pies of course. He seems to be doing the rounds with heavy promotion of his products. Quite enjoyable I have to say and I’ve tried the entire range at this point.

Skoff Pies

Chicken and Ham with a side of Slaw

Seymours from Cork, who make a range of biscuits were showcasing their Social Circle offerings. Each box contains a mix of Cardamom Orange and Vanilla Pecan.

Social Circle Biscuits

O’Donnells Crisps were on hand with their award winning Hickory BBQ flavour which won the Blas na hEireann Gold Medal in 2013. I’m now a convert I have to say.

O’Donnells Crisps

Found at all good markets and fairs Man of Aran fudge had a great range of products on offer.

Man of Aran Fudge

And of course no Craft Beer event would be complete without the stars of the shows, the craft beers. I didn’t get a chance to try that many but there was a wide range of beer producers at the event including the following.

http://troublebrewing.ie/

http://blackwaterdistillery.ie/

http://www.franciscanwellbrewery.com/

http://www.whitegypsy.ie/

http://kinnegarbrewing.ie/

The only drawbacks for me surrounding the event were a real lack of seats. While I understand the aim is to get people circulating around the various stands, it’s not exactly easy to drink a beer and eat a pie while standing. I suspect more people would spend a bit more time at the event if they could sit down and enjoy the music, drink and food all at once.

Also, the Dublin Craft Beer Cup was awarded on the Friday evening. The winners were Coisbo. The awarding of the cup was all a little underwhelming I have to say. It might perhaps have been better to highlight it a little more and award it on the Sunday to a much bigger audience. These distillers/brewers work very hard and I’d hate to see an award such as this not get the fanfare it deserves.

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Peruke & Periwig – Damn Clever Marketing

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I was already a fan of Peruke & Periwig so had no need to be converted. I like the style of their bar and restaurant and I like the fact that they don’t churn out the same old cocktails as everywhere else. I also like the fact they cater for different moods. You can just nip in to the ground floor level for a pint or upstairs for a cocktail in more sumptuous surroundings.

Right now in Dublin there is an incredible array of bars and restaurants offering us more options than ever before. While there is great choice, there is also an element of ‘sameness’ about quite a lot of places. Bar and restaurant owners need to strive ever more to stand out of from the crowd. The prompt behind this post is a really clever piece of marketing aimed at helping Peruke & Periwig stand out. I was quite impressed with it and decided to give it a mention. To celebrate the launch of their new cocktail venture ‘Around the World in 80 Cocktails’ Peruke & Periwig have sent some lucky folks a very impressive invite to try out their new range of cocktails.

A courier arrived at my door to deliver an invite that would certainly peek the interest of Phileas Fogg himself. Not the usual piece of card stuffed in an envelope. The marketing team had gone all out and produced this captivating invite. An old style chest with leather straps covered in travel stamps.

Travel Case

Inside there was an invite to take a food and cocktail trip.

Invite

The level of detail contained in the box was superb. There was a compass built into the inside of the lid.

Compass

A passport containing a list of cocktails which would be on offer on the night.

Passport

And no cocktail party invite would be complete without an actual cocktail included in it.

Cocktail

The cocktail entitled ‘Fashioned by Age’ is made of Irish Whiskey, maple syrup, still water, bitters and smoke! Peruke & Periwig have gone to a considerable amount of effort and I’d imagine cost too, to launch their new cocktail menu, so I’m very much looking forward to trying it out and reporting back.

You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date.

Rustic Stone – The New Cocktail Bar in Town

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Rustic Stone Cocktail Bar

Dylan McGrath has recently expanded his ‘wining and dining’ empire and opened a cocktail bar above his Rustic Stone restaurant.

Interior – Image from Rustic Stone website

The interior is essentially split by the stair case into two areas. The right has a classy luxurious feel with dark wood tables, black leather seats and exposed brick work. The bar is also on the right towards the back.

The left side, to me, feels a little more cut off from the feel of the cocktail bar and more corridor like. It also has more booth type seating. My preference would be a table on the right.

Cocktails range in price from €8.50 to €11.00 which by city standards seems very reasonable to me. I do have to say however some of the ones I tried did seem a little shallow in the glass, but I suppose that is reflective of the price.

Irish Honey

Rhubarb liqueur, Glendalough Poitin, honey syrup, marmalade and lemon juice served over crushed ice (€10).

Blackberry & Apple Crumble

Martin Millers gin shaken with gingerbread liqueur, blackberry jam, lemon juice, apple syrup, with egg white and served in a glass with a gingerbread rim (€10).

Salted Caramel

Grand Mariner, caramel liqueur, lemon juice and egg white with a pinch of rock salt (€9.50).

All of the cocktails were excellent I have to say. The service did seem a little slow, but I suspect that is down to the staff using good fresh ingredients, which takes longer to produce a quality end result so I can’t complain about that.

The only downside was the smell of the restaurant below was quite strong. Usually that’s not a bad thing but everything smelled of burgers which was less tantalizing and more unpleasant. No doubt it will become a popular place and is of course perfect for a pre or post dinner cocktails.

Irish Whiskey Museum – A History Lesson You Will Love

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Irish Whiskey Museum

I recently took a visit to the Irish Whiskey Museum on College Green. They had literally only opened a few days before I visited. I’m actually not a whiskey drinker at all myself but went with Whiskey Boy who is quite taken with Uisce beatha.

Café Bar Area

Just beside reception there is a nice café bar area where you can enjoy a drink before or after your tour. They do also serve coffee.

Tours depart every 20 – 30 minutes depending on demand. We had a tour with just the two of us. The standard is €15 for an adult and the VIP is €18. With the VIP one you get to taste the 10 year old single malt Bushmills and get a souvenir glass to take away so personally I think it’s worth the extra, especially if you like whiskey. Our guide for the tour was James. Very personable chap and by God did he know his history of whiskey.

The tour winds through a number of different rooms with each one telling a tale about a certain period of Irish whiskeys history. How it began. How the war affected it etc.

Video Stills

There are short videos depicting the various era’s which compliment the story the tour guide tells. There was actually quite a lot of content to take in, all of which was very interesting and James was open to us asking as many questions as we liked.

Video Stills

One of the rooms is laid out like an actual pub but alas I didn’t get any pictures of it as I was far too busy absorbing the history.

The tour takes you right up to the present day with Irish Distillers which was formed in 1966 and includes John Jameson & Sons, established in Dublin in 1780; Powers & Sons, who were founded in Dublin in 1791 and the Cork Distillery whose origins date back to 1825. Irish Distillers is now part of the Pernod Ricard family and Jameson is their flagship brand.

Whiskey Tasting

The final stop on the tour is all about the whiskey tasting. The various whiskeys are beautifully presented on a piece of an old oak barrel. They don’t sell them as a set which is a bit of a shame because it would be a perfect present for a whiskey lover.

Powers, Teeling, Irishman & Bushmills

We had the pleasure (I say that lightly, whiskey is not my friend) of tasting Powers, Teeling, Irishman and Bushmills 10 year old single malt. Funnily enough tasting whiskey is very similar to tasting wine. There is lots of smelling it to work out the notes and swirling it to see the colour. Whiskey can be aged in all manner of barrels so you may have a whiskey which was in a sherry barrel or a rum barrel and those flavours will remain in the wood and seep out into the whiskey over time to give them a new depth of flavour. I was getting hints of vanilla and caramel and apparently there is no wrong answer which is great.

Then comes the tasting. As a non whiskey drinker I got BURNING followed by less burning followed by a glass of water, much to the amusement of Eoin the absolutely brilliant tasting guide. Funnily enough after trying a few of them I did begin to appreciate different tastes (or levels of burning).

Whiskey Tasting Glasses

Souvenir Whiskey Glass

The VIP tour included a really nice souvenir whiskey glass which now proudly sits along side my cocktail shakers at home, waiting patiently for the day when a real whiskey drinker will use it.

Whiskey

All in all I have to say I did enjoy the tour. I learned a whole lot about whiskey which I never knew. I also confirmed that I am most definitely not a whiskey drinker. I would imagine that the tourists, once they know it is there will flock to its very central location and thoroughly enjoy the banter with the Irish tour guides. The tour itself lasted about 45 minutes and then the tasting instruction about 15-20 but you are in no hurry to leave once you have been talked through the various brands at the tasting. €18 for essentially an hour of entertainment, four shots of whiskey and a souvenir glass seems like good value to me.

Irish Whiskey Museum

37 College Green

Ph: 01 525 0970

Dandelion Cocktails

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I seem to be drinking a lot of cocktails lately. Thats no bad thing I suppose. There are just so many to choose from. On a Tuesday after work I found myself sitting at the bar in Dandelion with my buddy R. We had a couple of groupon vouchers for three cocktails each to use up.

They have quite a decent cocktail menu I have to say. As it wasn’t that busy we had the pleasure of talking to two of the loveliest bar staff I’ve ever met. Eveleen and Darragh. She was Polish and he was Irish and they had a great bit of banter trying to out do each other making us cocktails. I’d return just for them alone.

The Classic Martini (€10) was first. A classy drink which is pretty much just pure alochol and some olives. Apparently a ‘dirty’ Martini is made with adding a little of the juice the olives are resting in. I never knew that. It was a bit strong for me but R wolfed it down.

Classic Martini

The more refreshing Rosy Cooler (€10) was next. Vodka muddled with strawberries, fresh mint leaves, lime wedges, syrup and topped with apple cider. Now that was a tasty cocktail I have to say. Full of fruit from the strawberry and a nice little tang off the apple cider.

The Rosy Cooler

The big girl in me ordered the Skittle Martini (€5) next. Made with Skittle infused vodka, orange liqueur shaken with orange juice and topped with Grenadine in a Martini glass. Delicious but a little sweet. I’d probably only be able to drink about three of these in a row !

Skittle Martini

R opted for the more manly Whiskey Sour (€8) next. Made from, as you can guess Whiskey, fresh lemon juice and egg white. I’m not usually a fan of Whiskey based cocktails but this one was an exception. Quite a kick but very drinkable.

Whiskey Sour

To finish off we both went for a Honey Comb (€8). Baileys and Mickey Finns butterscotch, fresh cream, milk and finished with sprinkled chocolate flakes. Our lovely bar girl also threw in a bit of fruit and the chocolate flakes in a heart and star shape. Sinfully good but like the Skittle Martini I wouldn’t be able to manage too many these. It’s like drinking a box of chocolates. Overall a great visit I have to say.

Honey Comb

Fire Bar & Lounge – Back For More Cocktails

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I’m a big fan of cocktails and I have to say I’m never let down when I visit Fire for an after work cocktail. Great location, great service and great choice. The most recent visit for pre dinner cocktails included the following.

Toast and Jam. Chivas Regal, Martini and homemade strawberry shrub. It had quite a kick. Buried inside that glass is a booze soaked cherry that will make your eyes widen.

Toast & Jam

I like gin based cocktails and was recommended the Rubicon as a light and refreshing pre dinner drink. Green Chartreuse, Beefeater 24 Gin, lemon juice, maraschino (comes from cherries) and a sprig of Rosemary. It didn’t last long in the glass and I think it would be a great post dinner cocktail too.

Rubicon

This creamy looking snack is the Monks Milkshake. Vanilla ice-cream and raspberry sorbet with frangelico and Havana rum topped with an Oreo. Perfect alternative to cookies and milk before bed!

Monks Milkshake

Monks Milkshake

This one was a heavy hitter in terms of alcohol kick. The Fashioned by Fire. Rum, Hennessey Cognac, Makers Mark Bourbon, Angostura bitters, orange bitters and bourbon syrup. Lets just say it was strong!

Fashioned by Fire

Fashioned by Fire

You can never go wrong with a glass of Prosecco with a plump fresh strawberry bathing in it.

Prosecco

Prosecco

We also got chatting to Amy and Stuart, two of the staff from Fire. Staurt looks after all things beverage related. They are actually in the middle of redoing their cocktail menu with some interesting choices coming up.

I have to say after talking to Stuart I have a new found appreciation for the behind the scenes work that goes into creating a cocktail and sourcing the right ingredients for it. It’s not just a case of popping down to the wholesalers and picking up various bottles of booze and some mixers.

Stuart was telling me all about visiting some of London’s top hotels and working with world renowned cocktail makers to get their new cocktail menu just right.

The unassuming looking cocktail below is actually Fire’s new take on the classic Bloody Mary. As you can see not a stick of celery in sight. The celery element is that wonderful frothy head of celery foam which ensures you get a kick of celery with every mouthful. The tomato juice I’m told (if I remember correctly) is sourced from an Austrian company who in turn get it from Italy. Now that’s a lot of effort gone into creating a bloody mary. I’m told that will be on the new cocktail menu they are launching soon.

I managed to get a quick sneak peak at the listing and I look forward to trying some (all) of them. The new menu also has pictures of their actual bar staff shaking and stirring things up which is nice to see and adds a personal touch.

Fires Twist on a Bloody Mary

Wine Tasting with Masi Wines

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The diningroom.ie had a great offer recently for admission to an Italian Wine Masterclass with Masi Wines in the Shelbourne Hotel plus a €10 O’Briens Wines voucher for the baragain price of €15 per person. Absolute steal. Naturally I picked up a couple of tickets.

Masi Wines

The room was all set on arrival and jam packed with eager wine lovers. So packed in fact that it was impossibe to stand up and walk behind someones chair without the entire row having to move. They may want to rethink that level of closeness for furture events.

Room Set Up

Our host for the evening was the very entertaining and engaging Sandro Boscaini. He is the company president and managing director of Masi Wines and works hands on in the company with his son daughter and two brothers. Sandro is not just a figure head, he actually makes wine. He is passionate about it and that comes across clearly when he talks about the wines his company makes. We had six wines to try that evening. One Rose, two whites and three reds.

Sandro Boscaini

We started with the Rosa Dei Masai 2013 made from the Refsosco grape. A light salmon pink colour. According to Sandro the wine is best served at 10 degrees which will no doubt come as a shock to the Irish considering we chill our wines until they taste of nothing but cold. I have to admit I do like my wines cold but having it as per the wine maker’s instructions does actually enhance the flavour and taste. It was a lovely taste of ripened berries. There can be a sense of snobbery about Rose wines among the wine world but Sandro described this one as Armani offering T-shirts for Summer. The same great quality of anything else he would produce but more suitable for Summer. Quite a nice comparison I thought. RRP €19.49

Rosa Dei Masi 2013

The first of the whites was the Levarie 2011 which was a mix of Garganega and Trebbiano Di Soave grapes. Described as one of the classics. Sandro compared it to an elegant lady with no make up, entirely pure. Again to be served at 8 -10 degrees. Pale straw colour with a hint of green. A burst of citrus fruits and very refreshing. RRP €16.99

Levaríe 2011

The second white was the much more impressive Masianco 2013 made with Pinot Grigio and Verduzzo. Served best at 8 -10 degrees. Light yellow in colour with taste of lemon and peach and some impressions of honey. The Verduzzo grape gives the longer taste where the honey comes from. RRP €19.49 This was my choice of white for the night, typically the more expensive one and considered a ‘Supervenetian’.

Masianco 2013

The reds were up next, starting with Bonacosta 2012 a mix of Corvina, Rondinella and Oseleta grapes. Cherry red. Sandro described it as simple but not stupid. Cherries are the dominant flavour here. Served best at 18 degrees. Hemingway praised it as “a light dry red wine as friendly as the house of a favourite brother”. I think we we can safely say he liked it. RRP €16.99

Bonacosta 2012

Our second red was a Campofiorin 2010. A mix of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Known as the original ‘Supervenetian’ from 1964. Dark ruby read and almost black at the bottom of the glass. Cherry the overriding flavour on this one. Best served at 18 degrees. Masi say it combines simplicity and grace with strength and majesty. RRP €19.99.

Campofiorin 2010

Last but by no means least we had the Costasera 2010. Again a very dark ruby red. High alcohol content at 15%. Best served between 18-20 degrees. Made with Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. This one has a storage life of 30-35 years and a RRP of €46. So perhaps one for a special occassion. Fruity with a hint of chocolate. It was a bit too rich for my palate. Masi call it their ‘Gentle Giant’ and consider it part of the aristocracy of the Italian wine world.

Costasera 2010

A thoroughly enjoyable evening I have to say. The €10 vouchers were put to good use in O’Briens where we bought some Masi wine which was also on sale so it was a double win.

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