Barbecue season is upon us! For those evenings when we are lucky enough to enjoy an outdoor barbecue, it is worth while being somewhat selective in your choice of red wine. The great outdoors tends to suck the life out of medium weight red wines. Opt for something big & chunky (think of your sturdy patio umbrella) and go for a Malbec. I can recommend Luigi Bosca Malbec DOC Vistalba, a single vineyard wine from Mendoza in Argentina. While many Argentinean wines have steered towards the mediocrity of fruit-bombes (to cater for mass-market tastes), Luigi Bosca have stayed true to form with this exceptional varietal. Full-bodied, almost inky depth, with generous dark fruit flavours (think black cherry, blackcurrant), smooth subtle vanilla and just-firm tannins. Of course, as with all my recommendations, this wine over-delivers on its price of €16. Available in good wine shops nationwide.
About Maureen
Maureen is a fully certified trainer who holds the WSET Diploma, working full-time in the Irish wine industry since 1991. Prior to setting up Premier Wine Training in 2010, she worked in wine companies including Findlaters and Gilbeys. She has been fortunate to train and work with some of Ireland’s best wine people and taste wine with some of the world’s most famous winemakers.