New season wine discoveries

WINE:Bored with the same old wines on shop shelves? Here are some new wines and new vintages, sourced by Irish wine importers

AFTER THE BUSY Christmas period, the nation’s wine importers start to look seriously at what wines they will list for the coming year. Wines that haven’t performed well enough will be quietly dropped, and the search is on for something new and exciting to tempt their customers – made up of our wine retailers and restaurateurs.

Most will have attended trade fairs the previous year, others will spend January and February travelling around the world tasting the new vintage. In Europe, this is not quite as pleasant as it sounds, as most cellars are bitterly cold and wet at this time of year. A trip to the wine regions of the southern hemisphere, currently enjoying summer, sounds much more interesting, but most of these will have released their wines in the latter half of last year.

February and March sees the launch of new price lists and new wines, sometimes accompanied by portfolio tastings. Most also invite wine journalists along.

Given the state of the economy, I was pleasantly surprised with the number of new wines this year. It seems that some importers see cause for optimism, with some experiencing a slight lift in wine sales in the start of 2011. Last year was not quite as bad as some feared, despite the recession. Figures released show that there has been an increase in sales, largely through the multiples. It seems we continue to drink wine, just cheaper wine most of the time. Some of the wines below are new, others are new vintages of old favourites. I will look at white wines next week.

I would urge readers not to be too worried about Michael Noonan’s threat to add a euro on to the price of a bottle of wine. By this stage, I suspect the mandarins in Finance will have pointed out to him that the previous minister tried something similar, which led to a decrease in tax take, as wine-drinkers either cut their consumption, or headed north to buy their wine.

I understand that a country cannot discriminate between beer, spirits and wine duties, so any increase could lead to a similar increase in beer.

Domaine de Sainte Rose Les Derniers Cépages 2009, 14%, €14.75 (£10.95 in Northern Ireland)Charles and Ruth Simpson, who are based in the Languedoc, aim to produce clean-cut modern wines using New World methods, and succeed admirably. All of the wines are vin de pays (now called IGP, or Indication Géographique Protégée, just to confuse us further), from the Côtes de Thongue. The wines are all good, some of them excellent.

The Le Pinnacle Syrah 2008 is beautifully restrained yet structured, but in need of a little more time. For drinking now, I would plump for the Les Derniers Cépages, a very unusual blend of Petit Verdot and Mourvèdre that works perfectly. Concentrated dark cherry and liquorice fruits, impeccably balanced and long in the mouth, this appealing wine is very keenly priced. Stockists: JN Wines, jnwine.com. A generous case discount is available when bought in case quantities.

Les Obriers de la Peira, Coteaux du Languedoc, Terraces du Larzac 2008, 14.5%, €18.50I was strongly advised on several occasions to try this wine by Gary Gubbins of importer/wine warehouse Red Nose wines in Clonmel. Having tasted it, I can see why. It is a wonderful example of everything good that the Languedoc can do. Rich and concentrated with delicious dark fruits, a sprinkle of spice, but retaining an elegance, too. This is one of those wines that normally restrained people fight over at the dinner table. Stockists: Red Nose Wine, Clonmel and online rednosewine.com; Curious Wines, Cork (curiouswines.ie); Cases, Galway; Simply Wines, Ballyogan Business Park, Dublin 18 (simplywines.ie)

Quinta do Vallado, Douro, Portugal 2009, 14.5%, €16The Douro valley has been famous as the home of Port for centuries, but over the past decade, has started producing some excellent table wines too. Although run by the scions of one of the oldest families in the Douro, Quinta do Vallado is unusual in that it specialises in table wines. This is a full-bodied rich wine, packed with sweet, dark fruits backed up by a solid structure. Try it with grilled or roast red meats. Stockists: Searsons, Monkstown; Next Door, Granville, Waterford; Mac's Off Licence, Limerick; The Wine Well, Dunboyne

La Rosine Syrah 2009, Stéphane Ogier, Vin de pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, 12.5%, €19.95This is a new vintage of an old favourite rather than a new wine, but a chance taste in my local wine shop had me reaching for my wallet. The La Rosine is always excellent, but in 2009 it is a stunning, elegant wine blessed with pure cherry and raspberry fruit. Bliss with roast chicken. Stockists: La Touche, Greystones; mail order from thewinestore.ie

Two under €12

MAN Vintners Shiraz 2009, Coastal Region, South Africa, 14%, €10.99I usually enjoy the rich, straightforward flavours of the MAN wines. This has powerful, robust, ripe dark fruits, with an appealing savoury edge, and decent length at the price. Save it for a beef casserole. Stockists: McHugh's Kilbarrack and Artane; Kitty Kiernan's, Collins Avenue

Chat en Ouef Rouge 2009 Côtes de Ventoux 13.5%, €10.99With a picture of a cat seated atop an egg on the label, the wine is a play on a much more famous wine region of France. Made from a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, this is a very modern, sleek, juicy red with plenty of power and fruit. Stockists: Superquinn; Molloy's; Eurospar; The Grape Vine, Ballymun; Deveney's, The Vintry, Rathmines.

Beer of the week

Harviestoun Ola Dubh, 8%, €4.60 per 330ml bottle

A Scottish stout that was aged in 12-year-old single malt whisky casks (Highland Park, no less) and boy does it taste like it. There are some dark chocolate stout flavours, but the pervading flavours are of sweetish, woody, smoky whisky. An all-in-one chaser?