Sale Wines Trending With The Team

Lynne Coyle MW Top Pick

Tajapiera Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG 2017

(Was €29.95/Now €21.95) 27% off

When asking for any wine advice, my first port of call is always our Wine Director and Master of Wine, Lynne Coyle. Her top pick from the Wine Sale is the Tajapiera Amarone.

"We are delighted to have this back on our shelves and at such a great price. Amarone is made with semi-dried grapes, a process that concentrates the flavour intensity, resulting in one of the riches and most opulent styles of wine in the world. But a good Amarone, as we have here, will also have good acidity and a typical sour cherry tang to balance all those ripe & dried berry fruit and intense cocoa/coffee flavours."

Food Pairing: Amarone is a bottle to keep aside for a special treat. Ideal on a cold Autumn evening with a similarly rich meal- try it with the local delicacy of Oso Bucco with Risotto alla Milanese for a classic food and wine match.

Paul Turner's Top Pick

Asio Otus, NV Italy

(Was €15.95/Now €9.95) 38% off

Paul Turner is our Wine Category Manager here at O'Briens and has forgotten more about the Wine Business than I am ever likely to know. His top pick from the Wien sale is the Asio Otus.

"We started stocking the Asio Otus a few years ago and were delighted to see how popular a non-vintage, regional Italian wine, made from traditional French grape varieties, could be. It's always great to see an experimental wine backed by our customers to become a core part of the range. Made from super-ripe grapes in Puglia, in the heel of Italy, I love this expressive wine for its deeply aromatic & spicy aromas. Notes of blackberry, plum, dried fruits and vanilla with a smooth velvety texture and a long intense finish. Great one to have in the wine rack."

Food Pairing: This is one of those great wines that pairs best with simple, so-called peasant Italian dishes that I love to make for the family. Try it with Aubergine Parmigiana or bold garlic and tomato pasta bakes.

James Archer's Top Pick

Château Bentejac, Bordeaux, 2018

(Was €17.95/Now €8.95) 50% off

James is a member of our On-Trade team and studying for the WSET Diploma with me. His knowledge of Bordeaux wines borders on encyclopedic, so it was no surprise he picked one of the best bargains from the sale.

"It is increasingly hard to find really good, affordable, Bordeaux but Château Bentejac hits all the right notes for me. This is a modern, unoaked style of Bordeaux made from 90% Merlot and a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon for tannic complexity. The nose is bursting with red berry aromas, whilst the palate is dominated by blackberry, black cherry and a touch of spice. A very well-made and balanced wine at an unbeatable price."

Food Pairing: Bordeaux is the perfect match for classic French cuisine. Try this with roast duck with plum sauce.

Lorcan's Top Pick

Xovial Albariño, Galicia Spain 2019

(Was €16.95/Now €10.95) 35% off

Regular readers of this blog will know my long-term grá for the wines of Galicia, in particular the crisp and refreshing whites made from the Albariño grape variety, so perhaps it is no surprise I have chosen the Xovial Albariño as my top pick this week. Rías Baixas is the home of this grape, and the vineyard area is divided into a number of sub-regions. The best known is the Salnés Valley, right on the coast. But Xovial comes from the O'Rosal sub-region: a more southerly, inland area. The warmer conditions here produce riper grapes with more tropical fruit flavours to accompany the typical greengage and citrus fruit notes. Some lees-ageing gives extra body and texture to the wine before a refreshingly crisp finish. A beautifully balanced wine.

Food Pairing:  As usual in Ireland, once the kids return to school we are forecast for some warm weather this week. This crisp, refreshing white would be ideal with a big bowl of mussels, or other fresh shellfish in the garden.