Kevin Ecock's WinePod
Kevin Ecock talks wine, explores wine, and tastes wine with experts from across the world of wine. This is the Wine Pod.
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Dave Phinney of Orin Swift: Amongst the World's Very Best
04/27/2022
Dave Phinney of Orin Swift: Amongst the World's Very Best
is an ultra premium wine brand with a fascinating back story. It's a story that begins and continues with Dave Phinney, one of the finest wine innovators around. His vision is extraordinary and his wines are equal to his vision. They are the epitome of what 'unique' and 'original' are - all wrapped into bottles whose labels would not be amiss in an exhibition at the or at our own . Dave Phinney's first venture into wine was at the very bottom rung of a harvest with Mondavi in 1997. A year later he bought a load of premium Napa grapes without a clear vision of what he was going to make with them. He incorporated Orin Swift Cellars (a blend of family names) and made 'The Prisoner' (a unique and captivating blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Charbono). Dave likes blends! It was a runaway success. So much so that the brand was sold in 2008 for a sizable return. Currently Dave Phinney makes a range of wines under the Orin Swift label - a brand he successfully sold to in 2016 - owns vineyards in four countries, makes the label (fruit and labels from France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, California, Oregon, Washington, Corsica, Portugal, New Zealand, Texas ....) and has a simply brilliant looking new distillery in California where he makes Tequila, Bourbon and Rye whiskey (from Daves own pure water spring in the Alexander Valley!) Enough! This podcast is Dave Phinney generously telling us the story of Orin Swift - owned by and made by the insanely gifted Dave Phinney. Enjoy.
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Emilio Moro: Ribera del Duero at its Best
04/26/2022
Emilio Moro: Ribera del Duero at its Best
is on a high plateau in the north centre of Spain. It is, in fact, the D.O. with the highest altitude in Spain with vineyards grown at a thousand metres above sea level and above. In this podcast Nacho Andrés, Export Director from Bodegas Emilio Moro, guides us along the Emilio Moro journey. It's a fabulous story that results in wines of extreme class and quality. Nacho at Cassidy Wines in Dublin recently Low rainfall, long and bitter winters, lashings of rain in the springtime and hot dry summers. These are the conditions that vignerons need to work with to make the local Tinto Fino red grape (Tempranillo clone) into some of the finest red wines made anywhere. sits at the heart of this region in the Valladolid village of Pesquera de Duero. Its lands have been worked by the same family for three generations and current president Jose Moro is leading the family forward. Jose has a fabulous guiding philosophy that makes him an endlessly interesting person to listen to. Jose will tell you that 'to make good wine it is necessary to love wine and everything it involves' and that 'a Great wine is the harmony between space and time'. Indeed he also has a refreshingly genuine belief in a Corporate Social Responsibilty where all aspects of Humanitarian and Environmental responsibilities are carefully and fully inetegrated into the wine making process. The wines of and are sublimely and uniquely latched onto family tradition and the most up to date and modern technique. They are justifiably proud of their family tradition and at the same time tell us that, 'Innovation in our wineries was born with Emilio Moro when he planted the Clone of Tinto Fino and, with him, set us apart forever. Since then, we have not stopped innovating. From the development of native yeasts, digital field notebooks, through drones or geolocation in the vineyard, to the star sensorization project, Sensing4Farming.' Jose Moro at both Bodegas Emilio Moro and Cepas 21 The wines of Emilio Moro and Cepa 21 are imported and distributed in Ireland by .
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Copenhagen Sparkling Tea : Quite Brilliant
04/11/2022
Copenhagen Sparkling Tea : Quite Brilliant
Tea Tasting is very like Wine Tasting. Bouquet, Aroma, Palate Structure, Length, Fruit/Berry Intensity, Weight and so on. Try it some day. Focus into the sensations that Tea brings to the senses. Then add a Sparkle! This podcast with Jacob Kocemba explains all! Award winning Sommelier, Jacob Kocemba, brought his first Sparkling Tea to the market in 2017. It was a sensation and represented years of meticulous research into developing a product that answered a need. Jacob (left) with his business partner Bo Sten Hanson The 'Need' began when Jacob was working at a top Michelin starred restaurant. He found that that even the though the wine cellar at his disposal had as many as 1700 wines none were entirely suitable for matching with a particular suite of desserts. answered the call. It is quite simply fabulously innovative, brilliantly produced/packaged and a genuinely enjoyable product to savour and to drink. The product comes in five styles. Each has a unique blend of 13 different black, green, white and oolong organic teas (Silver Needle, First Flush Darjeeling and others). Each is finely and gently flavoured with among others Habiscus, Lemon Grass and Jasmin. Three of the Sparkling Teas are at 5%abv () with the remaining two ()at 0%abv. Today Copenhagen Sparkling Teas are offered at over 70 Michelin starred restaurants across 35 countries. This is a fabulous success story and a great podcast. Enjoy. Copenhagen Sparkling Tea is represented and distributed in Ireland by .
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Malbec Mon Amour: Laura Catena on her New Book and the Great Wines of Catena Zapata
03/10/2022
Malbec Mon Amour: Laura Catena on her New Book and the Great Wines of Catena Zapata
Laura Catena is one of my all time favourites in the world of wine. Her bio is well told and worth reading into. Her father Nicolas is the most decorated wine maker to ever make a living from wine in Argentina and South America. The wines from are magnificent. While these have all held my esteem for Laura for quite a few years now they only tell half the story. What I really admire about Laura Catena is her continual and real engagement with her audience. She doesn't need to. Besides all the above she also has a family and a life outside of wine! And yet, she still perseveres to be accessable and wondrously interesting. She writes great wine books. The three wine books that Laura Catena has written are pride of place among the many hundreds that I have. Why? Becuse they are completely from the heart, brave and honest. They tell me a lot more than simple facts. They allow me to enter into the lives, ideas and inspirations behind some of the finest wines made in the world. Laura's latest book, in collaboration with is 'Malbec Mon Amour'. Her previous titles are 'Vino Argentino' and 'Gold in the Vineyards'. Alejandro is a director of the Catena Institute of Wine, Chief winemaker at Catena Zapata and by training a celebrated soil scientist. 'Malbec mon amour' draws heavily on the ground breaking work that the has undertaken since its formation in the 1990's. This work has brought us the most extensive study of the Malbec grape, and its relationship to its terroir, ever undertaken. Published in both Food Chemistry and the American Journal of Enology and Viticulture it effectively gives a scientific proof to the existence of terroir to vines over time. In this podcast Laura Catena brings all of this and more to us. Enjoy. The wines of Catena Zapata are distributed across Ireland by . A previous podcast of ours dealt with the wines of Catena Zapata, . Our guest at that time was Pedro San Martin of Bodega Catena Zapata.
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Marques de Caceres and the SuperValu Spanish Wine Sale
02/15/2022
Marques de Caceres and the SuperValu Spanish Wine Sale
runs a tight ship when it comes to Wine Sales. They drop prices back in a very honest and transparent way. They also bring in Guest Wines at fabulous prices. These are in store for a limited time only. The mix is always fabulously interesting. The current Sale, featuring wines from Spain and from Portugal, offers us a fascinating insight into the brilliant . They have the Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza at €12.00 and the Gran Reserva at the absolute bargain price of only €15.00 (down from €30). In addition they offer the Marques de Caceres Verdejo from Rueda at only €10.00. But who is behind the Marques de Caceres? What makes them so special? Let's find out. In this podcast Santiago Alvarez of Marques de Caceres explains all. Well, not quite all, all! The wonder of wine is that it keeps us learning more all of the time. In the case of Marques de Caceres this is one of the great pleasures we have to enjoy. Enjoy.
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Grower Champagnes by Zoe: Fabulous
12/31/2021
Grower Champagnes by Zoe: Fabulous
Last year Zoe Lengjak brought us, in her words, 'truly special, exclusive, natural and independent Grower Champagnes from the rarest terroir to Ireland's shores'. Read all about it here at .ie As it happens she also brought herself as a fabulous addition to the palate that makes up the wine trade in Ireland. Zoe's experience within the region of Champagne is exceptional. We are genuinely lucky to have her here. In this podcast we are introduced to the world of . This is where family's grow their grapes and make their wine to the very highest standards. The quality is quite brilliant. If I wanted to make statement with my wine list I'd Champion a Grower Champagne. If I wanted to impress with a gift I'd choose a Grower Champagne from Zoe's list. If I was wondering what my New Year Resolution was going to be I'd include the idea that in 2022 I'll have a look at the Champagnes that Zoe imports! Enjoy the podcast and to you all a Very Happy New Year.
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Michael Eddy: Winemaker at Louis M Martini talks Terroir and Cabernet Sauvignon
12/31/2021
Michael Eddy: Winemaker at Louis M Martini talks Terroir and Cabernet Sauvignon
Michael Eddy is Director of Winemaking at in the Napa Valley of California. This is a winery that produces high quality year in and year out. It is one of the shining jewels in the E&J Gallo portfolio of Fine Wines. It has some of the finest Terroir available at its Monte Rosso vineyard. Add to this Micheal Eddy's talent. What a great story! brings us some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon based wines made anywhere. In this podcast Michael talks to us about terroir and his winemaking philosophy where Cabernet Sauvignon takes centre stage. Mind you, there are other players as well! How about a Gnarly Vine Zinfandel ... Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is Episode 4 of our six part podcast series from the premium vineyards within the E&J Gallo portfolio. Episode 1 featured the wonderful . Episode 2 followed up with the legend that is at E& J Gallo. Episode 3 entered into the world of Master of Wine, for EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Asia). In Episode 4 we travelled to the famed Sleepy Hollow vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands. This is where weaves his magic into some of the most sublime Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines made in California.
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David Coventry: Winemaker at Talbott Vineyards and Sleepy Hollow Brilliance
12/15/2021
David Coventry: Winemaker at Talbott Vineyards and Sleepy Hollow Brilliance
David Coventry is winemaker at Talbott Vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands of California.
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Edouard Baijot MW: Fine Wines at E&J Gallo
11/23/2021
Edouard Baijot MW: Fine Wines at E&J Gallo
E&J Gallo owns some of the finest vineyards in California, employs some of the finest winemaking talent and, in turn, makes some of the finest wines made anywhere. After all that takes place the wines are entrusted to Edouard Baijot's expertise to tell their stories and to explain their magic to the rest of us.
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Jim Collins Vice President of Vineyard Management at E&J Gallo
11/17/2021
Jim Collins Vice President of Vineyard Management at E&J Gallo
Listen here to Jim Collins - VP of Vineyard Management at E&J Gallo. This is Episode 2 of our 6 part mini series looking at the premium and super premium wines of E&J Gallo in California. What a brilliant episode where another great story really does lie behind the greatest wine labels in California.
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a Podcast with Beth Liston of Dark Horse
10/28/2021
a Podcast with Beth Liston of Dark Horse
Welcome to the first podcast in our 6 part mini series of premium and super permium wines in the E&J Gallo portfolio. These wines are brilliant.
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Bodega Tandem: Brilliance in Navarra
10/15/2021
Bodega Tandem: Brilliance in Navarra
The astute among you will recognise that I have already recorded a podcast interview wIth José María Fraile of . That was at an Fair held at Dublin Castle back in Dec 2019. You can listen to it . I just did. Not bad. Not bad at all! What was missing, however, was Jose's partner in business and winemaker at Tandem, the very gifted Alicia Eyaralar. Well, here they are together in our new podcast and here they are together at the winery: I am a complete fan of the wines of in Northern Spain. The region offers a uniquely diverse collection of grape types and a great understanding of how to blend from both new and old vines. Then there's the great differences across the region in terms of climate, geology and geographies. Then there's Tandem! This is a super modern winery bringing grapes in from ancient mountainsides. The team at Tandem does as as little as possible as these grapes are transformed into bottled wines. The result is a collection of finely crafted beauties. Listen in and find out why, and how, Tandem goes about its craft. Enjoy. The wines of Bodega Tandem are imported to Ireland by .
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WineOnline.ie : A podcast with Will Mullin
09/29/2021
WineOnline.ie : A podcast with Will Mullin
When was launched back in 1999 it was a groundbreaker. The first of its kind always is! There are loads of online wine stores out there now. These weren't there when and developed . Indeed it was unthought at the time that their creation would one day be in competition with not just these but also a wide variety of bricks and mortar retailers also. It is testament to how brilliant is that it has not only held its own against allcomers but has also constantly redeveloped itself, time and again, to suit an ever changing winescape. Online events. Off line events. Hampers. Spirits. Gifts. Special Offer cases of wine and more. Much more. In this podcast we explore the world of WineOnline.ie with Will Mullin. What goes on behind the scenes? Where has WineOnline.ie come from? Indeed, where has Will Mullin come from and where do their wines come from . . . ! This is entertaining, informative and really, really interesting. Enjoy.
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PradoRey: Ribero del Duero Excellence
08/20/2021
PradoRey: Ribero del Duero Excellence
In this podcast we chat with Fernando Rodríguez de Rivera, of the fabulous farm and vineyard in Ribero del Duero. PradoRey (Kings Meadow) is the largest estate in the north of Spain - 7km stretch of the Duero river; 520 hectares of vineyard; a hydroelectric dam that dates back to 1858; a dairy farm with 800 Friesian cows; a flock of 1800 Churra sheep; a 3hectare solar panel farm; a 17th century 18 room palace for tourist accomodation and a 16th century chapel. This is mega. The wines are equally impressive! Ribero del Duero is a fascinating wine producing region. It is high - vineyards might be 1000m asl! This gives the region harsh and tough winters but also spectacular diurnal shifts during the warm summers. And these are Good! The local Tempranillo grape has a small berry and is referred to as Tinto Fino. 90% of the DO is planted to this grape. The resulting wines are big, bold, age worthy and distinctly food friendly. PradoRey is imported to Ireland by .
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Nicolò and Matteo Luxardo: 200 Years of Excellence
08/09/2021
Nicolò and Matteo Luxardo: 200 Years of Excellence
is a name that I have always associated with beautifully crafted spirits of the highest quality. The family has just celebrated its 200th anniversary of being in business. We are honoured to have been joined in this podcast by the Luxardo cousins, Nicolò and Matteo. The family history is peppered with difficulty and war torn strife. There can be very few companies that have had to see their entire operation completely destroyed by war - then, with extraordinary determination succesfully rebuilt, brick by brick and cherry tree by cherry tree. Original Maraschino Cherries are mouth wateringly exceptional. It's a taste that is impossible to forget. The cherry is a unique cultivar grown across the north East of Italy. Each tree is overseen by the Luxardo's. The is fleshed out by brilliant products such as Limoncello, Sambuca, Triple Sec, Gin and others. None disappoint. Cocktails just aren't the same without a Luxardo present. Have a look at the to see cocktails in action! Luxardo advert from 1828
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Matthew Nugan of Nugan Estates: a Great Australian Success Story
07/28/2021
Matthew Nugan of Nugan Estates: a Great Australian Success Story
is a winery based in New South Wales in Australia. It is the 13th largest exporter of branded wines in Australia, a top 20 wine producer and whose wines are imported directly to Ireland by the Musgrave Group. As such the Nugan labels are widely available through and Centra stores. In this podcast 3rd generation Matthew Nugan brings us on a journey. Along the way we explore his family's quite brilliant history as farmers all the way to where they have become one of Australia's most successful wine producers. Matthew (above) with winemaker Daren Owers. They won the Wine and Spirits magazine's 2021 Star of Australia and Star Design for their Scruffy’s Shiraz. The range of labels available from Nugan is extensive and impressive. The is a trove of information while the Supervalu/Centra shelves are a willing source of the treasure it tells us to explore!
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The Allotment Wine Co : New Shoots for Our Wine Trade
07/14/2021
The Allotment Wine Co : New Shoots for Our Wine Trade
In this episode I chat with Chris Gifford who set up last year. Yes, right in the middle of our Covid lockdowns! Brave or Bonkers? Let Chris explain himself all the way from how to get into the wine trade, how to stay in it and how to set up an online wine store. Great story. Brave. Chris has been in our trade for quite a long time. Many will know him from his time in retail all the way from the ground breaking McCabes on Mt Merrion Ave to the excellent, 'The Corkscrew' on Chatham Street in Dublin. He is well educated with his WSET credentials and knows a good wine when he tastes one. The Allotment Wine Co sells to a private client base and via an online portal. Online Wine Sales is an area that I am always interested in hearing about. It is also an area of growth across the world of wine these days. So, what better place to talk about growth than down at your new, and friendly, Allotment. Enjoy.
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Alison Flemming MW: Reh Kendermann and the Wines of Germany
07/01/2021
Alison Flemming MW: Reh Kendermann and the Wines of Germany
Dunnes Stores recently held a fascinating online tasting of its range of wines produced by the great in Germany. The tasting was hosted by , Master of Wine. It was quite brilliant. We are thrilled that Alison agreed to give some of her time, and to share her expertise in relation to the wines of Germany, with us here at the WinePod. German wine continues to be either misunderstood or not understood at all. What a pity. They produce exquisite wines. Listen in here and find out why. Enjoy.
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Virginia Willcox at Vasse Felix: A podcast from the Heart of the Margaret River.
06/10/2021
Virginia Willcox at Vasse Felix: A podcast from the Heart of the Margaret River.
When I visited way back in 2010 I was bowled over by the quality of its wines. At the heart of this story was its chief winemaker . If anyone dares to say that there are no winemakers around who can instil their sheer fabulous enthusiasm, extreme dedication and insane ability into their wine year after year after year after .... then they have yet to meet Virginia! Vasse Felix is the founding winery of the unique area that is the in Western Australia. South of Perth this is a wine making region that is truly alone in the world. It is also a region that everyone interested in wine, everyone that likes wine and everyone with even a hint of curiosity of what might make one wine more brilliant than another needs to know about. The Margaret River, its wines and Vasse Felix are unique in the world of wine. This is a powerful story, told by an amazing winemaker who brings us wines to dazzle. is imported to Ireland by .
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Gerard Bertrand: Peace, Love, Harmony and Exceptional Wine
05/21/2021
Gerard Bertrand: Peace, Love, Harmony and Exceptional Wine
Gerard Bertrand is a winemaker of tremendous ability. More importantly he is an extraordinary human being. He has the vision of a poet and when he speaks it is uplifting and positive. His eleven great wine estates across the South of France contain the greatest collection of organic and biodynamic vines in the world. In this podcast Gerard invites us into his world, a place where he feels uniquely honoured to be a part of. The is a superb read. It is littered with worldly advice and is richly philosophic. For instance it describes his Clos d'Ora wine as 'Unique and bordering on the sublime, the Clos d'Ora is, more than a wine, a unique experience, a suspended moment in which the intention of its creator, the work of man and animal, the patient power of the plant on the base of the mineral resonates. The wines of Gerard Bertrand are brought to Ireland by . In addition, also imports from the Bertrand stable of labels.
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Wine Intelligence - a podcast chat with Richard Halstead
05/19/2021
Wine Intelligence - a podcast chat with Richard Halstead
I have been a long time fan of the work that does for the wine trade. It provides us with context and data. Both are vital to our understanding of how the trade works and where it might be heading to next. In this podcast Richard Halstead, COO of Wine Intelligence, allows us to have a look inside his organisation. We hear how it goes about its work towards the three aims of conducting Research, supplying expert Consulting and writing in depth Reports. As with all trades there are many back stories to the wine we buy and the wines we are presented with. The Wine Intelligence story is one of these - and it's a fascinating one. Enjoy.
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Ehrmanns and Sherry : a podcast with Peter Dauthieu jr
05/06/2021
Ehrmanns and Sherry : a podcast with Peter Dauthieu jr
Peter Dauthieu is a Director at , a leading distributor across the UK and Ireland. He is based in Jerez, is MD of and responsible for Viniberia Almacenista which consolidates the sherry range sold by Ehrmann's in the UK. Peter has worked in the wien trade since 1997 - at Ehrmann's Wines aand also as Export Director at CVNE. In 2002 Peter graduated with a Wine MBA from Bordeaux University. I originally approached Ehrmann's through their distributor, , with a view to explore the '' wines. I have a great admiration for companies that can develop value brands that in turn deliver very drinkable wine. The BeefSteak label does just that! Peter very quickly changed my mind by pointing out that, as he lives in Jerez (and is quite the Sherry expert), I might begin the Ehrmann's story with a podcast on almacenista sherry with an additional focus on his family's long association with the great sherry bodega, Williams and Humbert. (BeefSteak to follow at a later date ... ) Yes Please! You never have to ask me twice when it comes to talking about what is probably one of the most exciting wines and wine regions in the world.
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Lanzarote Wine Tours and Wine Shop: A Fabulous Experience
04/27/2021
Lanzarote Wine Tours and Wine Shop: A Fabulous Experience
I took part in a Virtual Wine Tour of Lanzarote recently. It was brilliant. What an extraordinary landscape! This image is from Turismo Lanzarote. Watch the video before you listen to this podcast with Ollie Horton of . It brings it all alive! was set up by Ollie Horton, an English man from the Channel Islands. (He does, intriguingly, mention that there was an Irishman involved also ...) The business seemed like a great idea for someone with a background in - surfing and finance! Well, it was. Why? Because Ollie knew the island backwards, had taken a genuine interest in its unique wines and craft beers. He could see there was a gap in the market. His potential customer base would be found hidden amongst the hundreds of thousands of sun seeking tourists who flocked in from the UK and Ireland every year. Bingo. It worked. And why not - Lanzarote has some of the most extraordinary vineyards in the world built into its slopes of ancient lava flows. Then Covid hit. Tourism ceased and the Lanzarote Wine Tours business crashed. Not to be deterred Ollie set up Lanzarote Virtual Wine Tours along with an online wine shop - . They work hand in hand as when you buy a virtual tour you are also sent a bottle of wine from the Island. The wine shop is top class. It gathers the best products from a number of the island's best wineries and allows you to mix and match. Delivery was initially a UK and Ireland only service but has since expanded across the rest of Europe. This podcast has a slight echo feel to Ollie's voice - but, then, he was speaking to us from an island! Enjoy. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until Christmas 2020 many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Roka: The Cabots - from Westport to Slovenia
04/14/2021
Roka: The Cabots - from Westport to Slovenia
Sinead and Liam Cabot run an excellent wine distribution business, ., in Westport, Co. Mayo They also run an excellent vineyard and wine production business, () in Slovenia. At one time they also operated an excellent wine store in the IFSC in Dublin. Clearly, while they are defined by excellence they can also be defined as a couple who are willing to travel the long mile to find it. The recording for this podcast caught up with the Cabots just after they had driven 2,500kms to their vineyard. It is in Kog in the Stajerska region of eastern Slovenia. We began with the obvious! How do you do it? Why? This quickly moved on to the history of their venture and finally the wines. What a great story. True passion. Genuine emotion. 'Roka' means 'Hand' and the three wines that I have recently tasted are excellent, memorable and unique to their origin and production. The Cabot website has a fabulous piece on the vineyard and its wines written by Tamlyn Curran. Read it . Roka is on sale in Ireland across many select wine stores. It sells out every year. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until Christmas 2020 many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Kanonkop Pinotage: Deidre Taylor on the Jewel from South Africa
04/01/2021
Kanonkop Pinotage: Deidre Taylor on the Jewel from South Africa
is reckoned to be one of the finest wines made. It's wine makers have been awarded Best Winemaker in the World on many occasions. It is that brilliant In this podcast we chat with Deidre Taylor of . We first met Deidre at a small tasting hosted in Dublin three years ago by their Ireland agents, Findlaters. It was a small occasion for such a big wine and to make things difficult the room was dark. Regardless, both Deidre and the wines of Kanonkop shone into my tasting book as Outstanding and Exceptional. Testament to all great wines is that they really do bring joy (and light) into all occasions! Kanonkop is is in the majestic Stellenbosch vine growing region of South Africa - famed for it's red wines. Hear in this podcast why they say this is 'Where the Big Guns Roar' or why they can quote Robert Parker as saying, 'If ever you meet a cynic who claims that Pinotage cannot make great wines, then pour them a glass from Kanonkop and they will soon change their mind'. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more successful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? was the Hope. Now it's likely mid June - outdoor dining only.... We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Clive Weston of Nautilus Wines: Among the Very Best from New Zealand.
03/23/2021
Clive Weston of Nautilus Wines: Among the Very Best from New Zealand.
Our Podcast was with Clive Weston of of New Zealand. That was recorded at their Ireland agents' office, , in Dublin. It was this week all the way back in 2019! How everything has changed since then. What has not changed is that Nautilus Wine Estate of Marlborough in New Zealand continues to make some of the finest wine available. Their website says it all: The Striking Nautilus Shell - it's shape expressing natural beauty and mathematical perfection is our inspiration to create a collection of expressive, textural precisely crafted wines. We are very pleased here to present a new podcast with Clive Weston. This was recorded last week via Zoom during the grape harvest in New Zealand - Vintage 2021. During our discussion we touched on this years harvest, new developments at Nautilus and New Zealand wines in general. We also tasted a few wines! Follow each of these wines in the podcast. Note that, while my photography skills are not the best, the very clear and youthful colour of the 2015 Pinot Gris is noticeable. Both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were supplied for the podcast by Nautilus while the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris By Cassidy Wines. Nautilus Pinot Gris 2015 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2019 Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2017 GOLD at the NZ Royal Easter Show Nautilus Chardonnay 2019 GOLD at the NZ Royal Easter Show Each wine is spectacular with the Chardonnay taking the honours for me. It is bright, alert and simply packed in much the way a good apple tart might be - layers on layers of adventures in fruit and texture! Nautilus is a proud member of the - Twelve Exceptional New Zealand Wineries. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. Hopefully after Easter? We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Gaia Wines of Santorini and Nemea: Leon Karatsalos tells us his story.
03/19/2021
Gaia Wines of Santorini and Nemea: Leon Karatsalos tells us his story.
always means top notch and unforgettable Assyrtiko from the volcanic Greek island of Santorini. These are Greek wines that sit at the top table of quality wines. Of course, there's a lot more to Gaia Wines! In this podcast, owner and founding partner, Leon Karatsalos guides us through the wines that he produces at Santorini and also at Nemea. Santorini for Gaia is exclusively the white Assyrtiko grape. These are ungrafted vines grown on young volcanic soils. Quite how these vines achieve full ripeness under magnificent Greek sunshine and yet retain such sparkling acidity is a constant mystery to me! But they do, and in turn, bring us some of the most interesting white wines on the market today. Nemea for Gaia is all about the red Agiorgitiko grape. We need to see more of these red wines on our shelves. They make such a unique and satisfying style of wine with soft delicious fruits to the fore. (Wikipedia tells us that, 'In Nemea, the Agiorgitiko wine of the region is nicknamed the "Blood of Hercules" based on the legend of the Greek hero slaying the Nemean lion'. Now, we're talking!!) The wines of Gaia are imported to Ireland by . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Christmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Federica Boffa of Pio Cesare: 140 years of Barolo Barbaresco excellence
03/09/2021
Federica Boffa of Pio Cesare: 140 years of Barolo Barbaresco excellence
makes a range of magnificent wines in Piedmont in the north of Italy. In this podcast 5th generation family member Federica Boffa talks to us about her family's 140 year history of making wine. 140 years - that's 1881! Federica with her father Pio Boffa Pio Cesare makes its wine in an extraordinary winery built in ancient and modern cellars below the pavements of Alba (North of Genoa and South of Turin - see map ). The wines themselves are exemplary as Pio Cesare owns some of the finest vineyard sites in both Barolo and Barbaresco. This is where the fabulous Nebbiolo grape is capable of expressing itself to perfection. Federica is patient with me here! How many times am I going to mix up my Nebbiolo, Barbaresco and Barolo's!! What a great podcast. Pio Cesare -in safe hands as the 5th generation of Federica and her cousin Cesare bring them forward towards new stories, generations and wines. The wines of Pio Cesare are distributed across Ireland by . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Wine in China and Chinese Wine: A podcast with Janet Wang
02/23/2021
Wine in China and Chinese Wine: A podcast with Janet Wang
I am fascinated to hear from Janet Wang that wine making in China has a 9,000 year history. Incredible as that seems Janet still refers to wine in China as being both new and old. Janet Wang is a complete expert on everything to do with wine in China. Her book, , is rich with both historical records and contemporary accounts. It is an important reference to a country where more vines are being planted than anyhwere else in the world. It is an account of a country where wine has been re-imagined. Janet Wang is a member of the and hosts a fabulous YouTube stream on the Wines of China at the . She can be found at her web page where you can see the very impressive lists of how busy her media work is. The Chinese Wine Renaissance is published by . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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Veronique Drouhin: Making Magic in Burgundy and Oregon
02/16/2021
Veronique Drouhin: Making Magic in Burgundy and Oregon
is one of the leading practitioners of biodynamic and organic viticulture in the world. They are also one of the leading high quality producers of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay based wines from both Europe () and North America (. The Drouhin family is a member of the twelve strong - First Families of Wine. In this podcast , winemaker at Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Drouhin Oregon, explains to us how she works with her three siblings, , , and , and also alongside their father , to maintain the magic and excellence of the wines of Drouhin. It really is a truly remarkable story. Horse ploughing in Burgundy. Weathered basalt in Oregon. Venerable cellars in Burgundy. Gravity flow winery in Oregon. The wines of Maison Joseph Drouhin are distributed in Ireland by . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- While all restaurants in Ireland were closed until recently many reopened. That was great news - Open Again. Then we heard that they had to close once more - on Chrstmas Eve. Tough times, Tough times indeed. Here's hoping for a more succesful business environment in 2021. We should remember that many of these, including the wonderful Monty's of Kathmandu, are family businesses. They are often small and brilliant and need our support more than ever. Keep Safe and Keep well. Kevin Ecock's WinePod is brought to us with the assistance of the - an excellent place to host your next event or celebration. Contact Shiva at 01 -6704911 or at the Santa Rita Wine Room web page.
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