Random thoughts on wine in West Cork

Here is my latest for the West Cork People. It's called Random thoughts on wine in West Cork. Come and have a read of it by clicking here.

''I find Marks and Spencers (in Cork and Killarney) interesting because they choose and import all their own wine and are constantly introducing new lines.''

Read the full article here.

The Cork and Kerry mountains

The Fall and Rise of Beaujolais

Hi, here is my latest contribution to the West Cork People, hope you enjoy.
You can see it by clicking here.

The Fall and Rise of Beaujolais

Chianti: When a ‘fiasco’ is not a disaster

Hi everyone. Here is my latest for the West Cork People.  It's called 'When a ‘fiasco’ is not a disaster'. The focus of the piece is on Chianti.

You can click here to check the article out.

Enjoy, and share it around!
Thanks as always for reading!

''Not surprisingly, good Chianti is the perfect partner for fine Italian cuisine.''

Rapallo

This is a shot I took of the fabled Ligurian town of Rapallo. We were staying in nearby Santa Margherita at the time, and decided to walk over to Rapallo to pass the evening. The fortification you see was built to fend off Barbary Pirates. Of Etruscan or Greek origins, Rapallo had 'visits' from the Lombards, the Ottomans, French armies, and at different times was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia and also of the Republic of Genoa. In more recent times the Russian-German Treaty of 1922 was signed here, and the famous writer Ezra Pound made it his home along with the English critic and essayist Max Beerbohm.

Marco Polo and the wines of the Veneto

Hello everyone. Here is my latest for The West Cork People.

It's called Marco Polo and the wines of the Veneto and it combines two of my favourite things, the great explorer himself and the wines of the Veneto. You can check the article out by clicking here. Hope you enjoy it!

New wine article in the West Cork People

Your Special Holiday Wine is the title of my latest article. Hope you enjoy.

Wine articles.

Hi there, I've been busy writing exclusively for the West Cork People. Here is a handy link to my most recent articles. More to come soon!

Here is a link to each of my latest articles for the West Cork People.

• Turin and wine glasses
• A quick guide to Rosé wines
• Wine varietals and blends
• Beers from around the world
• Wines for Christmas

Have fun reading!

Tony.

 Le Plancha, Blackrock, Dublin

 

“Very promising new restaurant” 

Reviewed 30 March 2012

4

people found this review helpful

We waited awhile after Le Plancha opened before giving it a try, perhaps for the word of mouth encouragement that one hopes for before trying somewhere new. On my birthday we walked over and met my son and his girlfriend, and I'm happy to report that we had the most enjoyable evening. There were previous restaurants on the spot, but the new owners have done a great job in making the new place both intimate and atmospheric at the same time.
The Baked Cod Portuguese Style was so good that I had it again on our return visit although I might try the Steak á la Plancha which my son gave the thumbs-up to the next time. The menu is relatively small, which I think is a good thing, and has a distinct Iberian flavour.
There is a special every night on the blackboard.
The wine list is very well chosen, and represents excellent value. We had an excellent white Rioja the first visit and a very tasty Portuguese red on the second. There is a nice buzz in the place, and it was very busy on the Thursday night which is a sign they are getting things right.
The hostess, Eimear, is both charming and efficient. She offered us a free tasting of a new dessert wine which they were trying out.
In summary, there are so few local restaurants like this in Ireland, the type of place where you can go out and have a nice meal at a reasonable cost and immediately start thinking of your next visit.
You can lose yourself in the ambiance though, and as you gaze out the window you almost think you will see the Spanish or Portuguese coastline, alas it is only Newtown Park road! Give this place a go, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Visited February 2012

Short break in lovely Druids Glen

Visited Druids Glen for the first time just for a short stay and was very pleased with the whole experience. It was very quiet, only a few guests on a Tuesday night, but that suited us fine. (I believe the weekends get booked out well ahead of time.) We received a warm welcome and that set the tone for the exceptional friendliness of all the staff.

Ken and Anthony in the bar went out of their way for us. We ate in the bar because the dining room was so quiet that we decided there would be more atmosphere in the smaller venue. The food was fine, and the orange scones we had with afternoon tea were out of this world.

Our room was lovely, with a nice view over the golf course and beyond. The walks around the hotel are great. As it is only a short drive, just the ticket for a break from the manic pace of Dublin city!

Room Tip: Room 211 is perfect.

The Eternal City

Rome was great.
Walked up the Via Giulia, a gaslight-lined street featuring an archway designed by Michaelangelo. The road was built for the popes to travel up and down
along the Tiber from St Peter's. Wandered around the Trastevere and visited Santa Maria in Trastevere with its fabulous 13th century mosaics by Pietro Cavallini. Dinner in a small Osteria near the Piazza Farnese called La Quercia, which was recommended by our hotel, the Ponte Sisto.

Day two- visit to the Contarelli Chapel with its three fantastic Caravaggios depicting scenes from the life of Saint Mathew. Next up was the Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a beautiful gothic basilica which has a Michaelangelo sculpture just to the left of the altar. There are also some stunning 15th century frescoes by Filippino Lippi. After a brief visit to the Pantheon which is around the corner, we viewed the courtyard of Rome's oldest university and then strolled around the atmospheric Ghetto district where we had lunch in a small trattoria. That night we ate at one of Rome's most famous pizzarias, called Da Poeta. The queue was long, I gather it always is! but it was fun to try genuine Roman pizza.

Farewell to Arms

I read Farewell to Arms while in College in Connecticut. I had an enthusisatic English professor who was such a fan of Hemingway that he named his daughter Ashley after a character in the Sun Also Rises.

Re-reading it now is even more fun, because I now have first-hand knowledge of many of the placenames.
For example,
'I got drunk and slept until past Vicenza'-(Clare and I had a wonderful stay in the beautiful city of Palladio last year.)
The picture is from Stresa, with a monument to the famous Italian Alpine Regiment in the background.
Stresa features in A Farewell to Arms, and the hotel where Hemingway stayed is still there on the Lago di Maggiore lakeside.

A favourite poem.

Tell Me a Story

Long ago, in Kentucky, I, a boy, stood
By a dirt road, in first dark, and heard
The great geese hoot northward.

I could not see them, there being no moon
And the stars sparse.I heard them.

I did not know what was happening in my heart.

It was the season before the elderberry blooms,
Therefore they were going north.

The sound was passing northward.

Robert Penn Warren

Review of Hotel Cannero on Lake Maggiore

What a welcome! We stepped off the boat from Stresa, and the ever-attentive Deborah from reception was on the stairs of the hotel to take our bags and show us to our rooms. At reception Samuele told us 'we love it when people arrive by boat' so we felt like elegant 19th century travelers. Very beautiful room with parquet floors and balcony with dreamy views of lake and mountains. Our bedroom door opened out not into a cramped hallway, but on to an atmospheric high-ceiling space painted like all of the hotel, in soft pastel colours.

The swimming pool is great, when doing the backstroke, you can look up at the mountains!
Both the restaurant and the cafe with dining tables overlooking Lake Maggiore, are excellent. If you are not staying half-board, I can strongly recommend Trattoria Gino and Gaby up above in the town of Cannero.



Every evening from 5-6 you can visit the atmospheric Cantina and Giuliana will help you choose a wine to match and complement your evening meal. If the wine you are interested in is not 'on tasting' she is quite likely to grab a bottle and open it so that you can have a taste.
Finally, the breakfast is lovely, and the buffet selection is kept fresh right up until ten o'clock. How can you improve on near-perfection? (Freshly squeezed orange juice would do the trick.)
I would recommend a day-trip to nearby Cannobio further up the lake. It is also an attractive lake town with good shopping and a wonderful promenade where you can sit and have a refreshing drink while waiting for your ferry to take you back to Cannero. Incidentally, it is possible to have a great and varied lake holiday without the use of a car.

In summary, Hotel Cannero is an idyllic place to relax in stunningly beautiful surroundings, with attentive and friendly staff looking after your needs. We have stayed in many wonderful Italian hotels over the years, and this one truly is as good as it gets.

Hotel Adler: Good hotel

Were it not for the rudest, most agressive waiter we have ever come across, I would give the Adler five stars. This man did his best to ruin our anniversary celebration in the otherwise very good fondue restaurant of the Adler. A box of sweets from the staff after we complained, has not really wiped out the bad memory. The only other thing I was not crazy about would be the rather perverse see-through glass of the bathroom doors mentioned in earlier reviews. Finally, goose-stepping inconsiderate neighbours above us often spoilt our sleep, but for this we cannot really blame the hotel. That said, we enjoyed our stay at the Adler. Our room which was upgraded without our asking, looked out on the lovely square outside, and some fabulous Christmas decorations.

The breakfast buffet was fine although it failed the freshly squeezed orange juice test.
As previously reported, the hotel is in an excellent location and is spotlessly clean. All staff, with the one notable exception, were courteous and helpful. When we were leaving they gave us a free pass for the tram, which was a very kind and helpful gesture.

If your time in Zurich allows, go for the 72 hour pass when you arrive at the airport. It includes free travel on the great tram system, entrance to the brilliant museums, and even a fun boat ride on the Zurichsee. The city of Zurich itself is surprisingly beautiful with the church-lined river, and the magestic Alps in the distance, and it lends itself ideally to a short few days break. Don't miss the Marc Chagall stained glass windows in the Fraumunster, an experience that stays with you after your journey is over.

BrookLodge & Wells Spa: Relaxing stay at the BrookLodge

I don't trust reviews that say a place was perfect. I don't believe there is such a place, so I will get my gripes out of the way. The bed in our River Mews room was a bit on the small side. Also, I think that at the moment, there would be no harm in warning guests that there is a big construction job going on right besides the River Mews rooms.

We were told this is going to be a new Functions area. As it turned out, it didn't bother us all that much, but it doesn't do much for your arrival when you are greeted with the sight of a huge crane overhanging your destination!

That out of the way, I have to say that the service at BrookLodge was first class. Every person we dealt with was friendly and efficient.

We were not happy with our table in the Strawberry Tree, so they offered us a number of alternatives with a minimum of fuss. The food was lovely, although I would prefer to have the option of a la carte as opposed to the set five course dinner.

The breakfast was exceptionally good. I asked for something that was not on the menu and my request did not raise an eyebrow. The fresh treakle bread was so good we enquired about it and the manageress of the restaurant came up with a loaf for us to take away!

All in all, the folks in BrookLodge are doing a great job in providing a real getaway in the countryside only an hours drive from Dublin. They deserve to be commended for this.

Albergo Del Duca: A great little hotel

We are just back from a short stay in Como where we celebrated our Coral Anniversary. We spotted the great reviews of the Albergo Del Duca on Tripadvisor and decided to go for it. No regrets. A charming little hotel, lovely room overlooking the quiet and atmospheric piazza, great restaurant downstairs with pizzas which are exceptionally good and a very good wine list. The staff were all helpful and very welcoming.

Como is a great small city with a beautiful Duomo and intriguing medieval streets to explore, and lots of classy shops. From the hotel it is a short walk to the lakeside where we got the boat for a day trip to Bellagio, one of Italy's most beautiful towns.

Highly recommended.

Fabulous Ferrara

The Locanda Borgonuovo is a wonderful place to stay in a very beautiful city. The family running the guest house are charming and very helpful. The personal touch includes the best Italian coffee with freshly made cake to wake up to, and very informed suggestions as to where to explore and where to dine. The location could not be better, just around the corner from the fabulous Piazza Cattedrale. Spotlessly clean, classy place to stay in a city which is perfect for relaxing, wandering around the Renaissance streets and gardens, and very accessible, being on the main train line from Venice to Florence. Not at all touristy, and a short hop from Ravenna and Bologna.

What more can I say?