Brightwater Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc 2005; Rully Premier Cru Mont-Palais 2003; Cuvée La Tabataire 2002, Domaine du Tabatau.
Brightwater Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Nelson, €17.90 Lovers of classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with its characteristic gooseberry nose and sharp, citrus flavours, have another vineyard to note with this new entry to Ireland. Fresh and full in the mouth, this is a tangy, fruit-filled wine from the rising area of Nelson, at the tip of the southern island. Bubble Brothers, Cork.
Rully Premier Cru Mont-Palais 2003, Domaine Bernard Defaix, €20.95 Hélène Jaeger-Defaix, the wife of Bernard Defaix's son Didier, took over her grandmother's land in Rully in 2002 and that was how this sensuous wine came to be made. Although Rully is poor man's white (and red) Burgundy, well-made wines can offer very good value, as with this example. It offers aromas of peach and vanilla, a smooth texture and a rich classy finish. From: The Wine Cluster, Moycullen and Barna; Wicklow Wine Company, Wicklow Town; Simply the Best, Maynooth; Mortons, Firhouse, Co Dublin.
Cuvée La Tabataire 2002, Domaine du Tabatau, Saint Chinian, €13.95 Unfiltered, and rustic in character, this blend of Granache, Syrah, Carignan and Mourvedre, is big, rich and spicy. Made from a small holding with high standards (winemaker Bruno Garcia was formerly head cellar master at the wonderful Mas de Daumas Gassac), La Tabataire is an unpretentious pleasure. From: The Wine Cluster; Wicklow Wine Company; Simply the Best; Mortons.