Empty and Full; The Stop, Start Nature of Empty

[Hey there folks, we are having some issues with Empty on Wordpress, so just temporarily I will get this up here - Rob]

It’s been a long time since I’ve written in a way reminiscent of my old prolific empty self. There are a million excuses I could make as to why, but, very simply it boils down to one factor; passion. I have been working in ‘wine’ retail for quite a while now and if there is one thing I am certain of it is that there is a negative correlation between the amount of £6 wine one sells and your passion for wine. Thankfully, I am finding, there is a two step remedy; acceptance and focusing on the good wine in life. This leads me to writing this post; I have been really complacent with this passion of mine and I think it’s about time I start writing about it again.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

@Rob_Gilmour has been writing for Empty for too long to mention, he is currently working in wine in Edinburgh where he runs @Wine_Edinburgh and somehow has found time to be Vice-President of the @IWSScotland. Being a balanced multifaceted individual Rob's only interest in not wine, he is also interested in wine education as well having passed with distinction his WSET L3. If you'd like to contact him email: emptyglassie@gmail.com 

Power & Smullen Tasting Event: Portugal

Relatively a new comer to the Irish wine market, Portugal, seems intent on blazing a trail straight to our hearts. It's now common knowledge that for quality and value, Portugal is leading the way, and  rather conveniently, I just so happened upon a Portuguese tasting hosted by Lucan Wine Merchant, Power & Smullen only a short time ago.

Coyam 2010

'The New World' is a funny old term, deriving from Imperialistic categorization of the colonised and a general bolstering of Western Superiority.  As you may gather there is a long and complicated history here, but I would rather leave this for a more comprehensive article on 'old' and 'new' worlds. Let us in this smaller context take one of the leading organic producers without the loaded terms we would normally associate with the two tiers of wine making.

Artificial Decantation

I managed to follow this wine over three consecutive nights by accident. My busy schedule and a missing vacuum seal had left me relying on my trusty robot bottle stopper. So what were the consequences of this? Well the wine itself was left exposed to the elements, the main one being Oxygen.

Decanting allows a wine to be exposed to a large surface area of Oxygen. This is done to help the wine show its true potential, by mellowing the wine and allowing it to express hidden aromas. A well made wine will always benefit from an hour decanting. A wine that was closed and not up to much when first opened should be jumping out the glass ... unless it needs more time in the decanter or is rubbish to begin with. This isn't much help is it? Ok rule of thumb, if a wine has enticing aromas, but is somewhat elusive, give it some time.

So why so serious, or why are you banging on about this decanting so much? Well if you have stuck with me this far I will tell you why. I opened up the bottle over to the left on Saturday night and had two glasses. The wine displayed nice tight aromas of red fruits and nutmeg. Still slightly closed i left it with trusty Mr. Roboto.

Ferngrove, Shiraz, €12.99

 

So enter another Auzzie poised to steal me and my little old world heart away to the great down under. Punching in at €12.99 this little wine offers a tight entry level to the world of austrialian shiraz, or so it seemed. 

Chateau Ksara, Reserve Du Couvent 2008

Lebanese wine, a rather interesting thought this now. You have this little tucked away country in the rather turbulent area these days that is the middle east, happily pottering away at wine. No matter whose being kicked out of office or which neighbour is bombing the holy bejesus out of who, they  always seem to batter out a few bottles. One I managed to grab happened to be inhabiting the shelves of the Mill Wine Cellar Maynooth, and was sitting quite happily at €14.95 too.