Christy O'Connor jr Launches his Portuguese Wine

I'm an unadulterated fan of celeb labels. What is it about me but I love the whole idea of a celeb taking an interest in wine? Am I one of the fickle ones? Do I need famous faces saying I'm 'worth it' before I believe it?: I reckon we all are, in a way!

Over the years I have had three lengthy columns on celeb wine labels published. I don't mention this as an excuse to preen myself - I don't need the excuse! It's because each time I dip back into the subject there's a host of new famous names on bottles of wine. Golfers include, Palmer, Els, Faldo, Frost and Ballesteros. Actors can point to Depardieu and Brad Pitt while cricketers are in on the act with the BMW label - Botham, Merrill, Willis. From muisc there's Bob Dylan, Hucknell, and of course Cliff Richard. There are loads, and loads and loads more. But you know, over the years I have always asked the question, if the Irish have excelled in all of these fields why don't we have a celeb wine label of our own?

One of the main reasons is that we have no vineyards or wineries. Our celebs might as well get stuck into something else first. Another is that our market is a small one and a good few of our 'celebs' aren't really well known overseas. Let's face it the name isn't there to sell the celeb, it's there to sell the product!

Last June I was approached by Wayne Scott who runs the very eclectic www.celebritywines.ie. Wayne had just taken on the task of distribution on behalf of the new Christy O'Connor jr range of wines. (In fact celebritywines.ie and Christy were in cahoots putting the wines together in the first place.) I was delighted to help out. I tasted each of the three wines in the range and gave the Christy jr. Private Selection a genuine thumbs up in EasyFood.

The wines have been sourced in Portugal and are good wines. The background to the label is Christy holding his arms into the air as he watched from the fairway his immaculate two iron approach shot snaking its way up the eighteeenth at The Belfry on the final day of the 1989 Ryder Cup. Europe won by one hole and that Christy jnr. shot will never be forgotten. The bottle of wine should feel grateful it is has been allowed to show such an iconic sporting moment!

Here are my notes from last June:

Christy O'Connor Jr Selection White Wine

Crisp lemon and lime notes on the bouquet lead to a well sculpted palate where crunchy sun ripened fruits add flavour and quality to all salads, white meat, seafood dishes and summer time eating.

Christy O'Connor Jr Selection Red Wine

Medium bodied wine with soft berry like fruits set into a savoury and mouth filling palate. Perfect for al fresco summer time dining, when it can be served cool, and for all celebratory occasions.

Christy O’Connor Jr Private Selection Red Wine
Really fine wine from the Algarve where fruit thrives in a warm and long growing season. Rich and lightly peppered fruit rises from the glass. The palate has a rounded and rustic charm to it where strong dark fruits and a fine structure combine well to produce a wine well suited to fine dining, rich roasts and memorable barbecues.

Last Friday evening O'Briens Wines, at the Beacon Centre, hosted a celeb bottle signing of the Christy wines. I'll tell you now, Christy jr will sell these wines anywhere he turns up to do so. Such is his natural warmth and charm. He really does know when and how to turn it on. He was in his element and a joy to watch in action - as he was back in 1989 and over the course of a marvellous golfing career.

Christy giving me a few tips as to why I should give up golf!

Jordan Estates Hamilton Russell Borsi Vini and Gilbeys Autumn Tastings

That was a crazy week last week. Major tasting every day!

Really enjoyed the joint Jordan Estates/Hamilton Russell South African pairing given to us by Febvre & Co. at the Westbury. The wines were fantastic, delivered quickly and with great detail. There was no attempt to bullshit or to sell us anything other than what was in the bottle. Both Kathy Jordan and Talita Engelbracht really know how to deliver a good tasting.

Then there was the Italian Fair at the Radisson -Borsi Vini The Excellence of Italian Wines. It seemed to me there were at least three Italians to every bottle- and there were a lot of bottles! Why did I go to a fair when I knew in advance that most of the wines on show would not ever be in distribution? Because it's Italy and that means exciting grapes and strange and wonderful ideas out of the cellars! I can't believe I missed out on the Amarone Lambrusco. Never mind, I did manage an excellent and brilliantly acidic Roboso from the Veneto (Conte Emo Capodilista), a scintillating soft and luscious Zubbibo Passito from Sicily (Ottoventi) and a range of very well made wines from Torre Fornello in Colli Piacentini. Where else can you find such imagination and variety?

Gilbeys had its Autumn portfolio tasting up at the Guinness Storehouse last week. It's always worth going to - a quick run around an eclectic range showing wines in brackets that included:-

Great Value for Money - Of the whites I liked the gutsy Man Vintners Chenin Blanc 2009 at €10.99, Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (surely changing vintage soon?) at €10.49 and Lingenfelder Bird Label Riesling 2007 at €14.99 is a fine example of an entry level off dry, well ripened and generously acidic wine out of the Pfalz. This was a good table. Can't forget Trimabach Pinot Blanc 06 at €14.49 or my fave of the lot St Hallet Poachers Blend (Semillon-Sauvignon-Riesling) 2007 where each grape is allowed full expression but then all coalesce at the finish into something really very interesting and memorable indeed. Reds showing well include Hunters Stoneburn Pinot Noir 2006 at €15.99 and the St Hallet Gamekeepers Reserve (Shiraz-Grenache-Touriga Nacional) 2006. I wasn't as taken with the reds on show as I was with the whites!

The next table was a bizarre and wonderful selection under the banner of Bin Ends:-

I say bizarre because who needs to 'clear out' vintages of Santa Rita's Medalla Real 2005 or Colonial Vineyards l'Envoy 2005 or L'Explorateur 2005? Mind you Ch Plain -Point Fronsac 2001 could do with a release. My favourite at the table was, once again, the St Hallet wine. This time it was their Blackwell Shiraz 2004.


We were then treated to a tasting (teasing) table where the wine maker from Simmonet Febvre showed us through his range of Chablis. I give a healthy thumbs up (how about seven thumbs out of ten) to the Simmonet-Febvre Chablis Premier Cru 2004. It shows ripe fruit with extreme earth and chalk on the palate. This 'terroir effect' is developed, and ultimately swamped out, by a growing minerality that just sparkles at the finish.

The Aromatic Whites table just didn't excite me at all - well the Laurenz V Singing Gruner Veltliner 2007 came close. Perhaps I don't like singling out certain wines as being aromatic and in some (modern) way this singles out other wines as not being as interesting?!

Then came Winter Treats (lots of big reds, especially Bordeaux), Christmas Gift Packs, Christmas Treats (do we have to equate top end price tags with treats - I suppose we do at Christmas..) and Desserts and Fizz. Well the latter gave me a chance to indulge in Klein Constancia Vin de Constance, Constantia 2004 (€49.99) once again. I just adore the unctuous richness and sheer decadence of this wine. Now that's a treat.

The Gilbeys list is excellent and extensive. It's custodian Lynn Coyle, leaves shortly to fill vacant David Whelehan boots at O'Briens. It will be interesting to see what her successor comes up with for the tasting next year.

On Friday we were treated to the story of the week - The launch of the McKenna Collection from Undurraga. Great story. It deserves a blog all of its own. So, it will get a blog all of its own!