However, that view wasn’t always held as a universal truth.

“Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it.”, attributed to Napolean, often misquoted, here possibly too.

Another popular champagne quote comes from Madame Lily Bollinger “I only drink champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty”.

However, my favourite is from Winston Churchill, arguably the king of quotes. “Meeting Franklin Roosevelt was like opening your first bottle of champagne; knowing him was like drinking it”. Wonder what wine Obama is comparable to.

Back to the bubbly in the bottle: Crémant du Jura

And what does this have to do with this Crémant du Jura? Well, it’s made in the same way as champagne.

This “way” or method was formerly known as the “méthode champenoise” but the champagne crowd didn’t want any old plonk to be associated with their reassuringly expensive bubbles and the EU kindly stepped in restrict the term specifically for wines which from the region. So, instead we get the traditional method (méthode traditionnelle). Still with me? Wow, you’re keen. So what is this method formerly known as Champenoise (TMFKAC)?

Méthode Champenoise/Traditionnelle

What does that mean? Well, it’s a rather painstaking process which goes something like this:

1. Fermentation happens just as with any table wine to produce a dry “base wine” (fermentation is the conversion of sugars to alcohol by yeasts).
2. The wine is then put in the bottle with some added sugar and yeast.
3. This triggers a second fermentation in the bottle, where one of the by-products is carbon dioxide, the fizz when you open the bottle.
4. The bottle is kept tilted slightly downwards where the lees (dead yeast cells) collect as a sediment in the neck. This can be for between 15 months to three years or more.
5. Then, the neck of the bottle is frozen, the cap taken off and a small amount of frozen liquid (containing dead yeast cells) is removed from the bottle. This is known as “disgorgement”.
6. The final step is the addition of some more sugar and other stuff (secret recipe for many producers). Collectively known as “dosage”. The amount of extra sugar added dictates how dry or sweet the wine is.

Back to the Crémant du Jura

So, we know the Crémant is made the same way as Champagne, mostly a laborious and expensive process. But is it as good as the good stuff? Will we be quoting famous historical figures on the virtues of Crémant du Jura? Excluding from Bubbles DeVere, (Little Britain) “Call me bubbles, darling. Everybody does.”

Well, it’s been picking up a few gongs here and there recently at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2009, the Quality Drink Awards 2009 and more recently back in December, the “Which? Best Buy for Sparkling Wine”.

What did I think? Very much what it send on the label; whiffs of pear and apples, tastes of Granny Smith apples and citrus. Very pleasant and at €10 from Aldi, a bit of a bloody good bargain.

With food? It wasn’t a special occasion, just a Friday night with a homemade Thai red curry – coconut milk, prawns, salmon and rice – pretty good match too (if you’re into that sort of thing).

Lots of fruit and spice combine for a complex, balanced and above all, delicious wine.

Taken from Grapes of Spain, this project started as a tribute to Tempranillo by winemaker Joaquin Galvez and Aurelio. With Tempranillo forming the backbone of Spain’s most famous wines, the La Viña Cooperative in Valencia planted Tempranillo widely with the goal of reproducing some of the qualities of those famous wines.

This project would not be possible without the wealth of vineyards and range of altitudes the coop has planted. Contrary to popular opinion that Valencia is too warm for Tempranillo, the cooperative has planted the varietal at a range of altitudes from 300 to nearly 900 meters above sea level.

At these high altitudes, the Tempranillo ripens slowly developing a tremendous aromatic potential. The lower altitude vines take advantage of cooling sea breezes and the higher altitude vines cooler night to maintain and develop those aromatic qualities. The reason Cabernet Sauvignon is blended into the wine is to allow for a stylistic continuity vintage to vintage.

The varietals are co-fermented in stainless steel tanks and aged 6 months in oak barrels prior to being bottled unfiltered.

Quick overview of the Barossa

Winemaking in the Barossa Valley dates back to 1842 when German Luterans settled there bringing their century old traditions and techniques with them.

The Barossa climate is ideally suited to producing full-bodied red wines for which the region is most well known. And of course, the grape we all know it for is Shiraz.

In the 1970’s, Shiraz was unfashionable and old vines were at risk of being pulled up in favour of more en vogue grapes.

However, St. Hallett bucked that trend and focused on grapes sourced from these endangered vines. Along with other visionary Barossa wineries, St Hallett’s aim was to save the old vines and to develop a specific Barossa taste around Shiraz in particular.

While Australian Shiraz is all but ubiquitous in wine shops and supermarkets around Ireland, the region and the winemakers who work there are capable of making wines with that something special.

This is my pick of Shiraz which offer that something extra, and which show what Australian wine is truly capable of.

1. St. Hallett Faith Barossa Shiraz 2008 (€15)

This is from the south of the Barossa where cooler climes give more floral, softer and less spicey flavours than either of the other two this week.

It’s probably more bing than bang, vibrant fresh red fruits and less of the spice (though it’s still there) as its bigger Barossa brethren.

Smooth and silky and almost feminine, if I can be forgiven for labelling a Barossa Shiraz as such.

With food? Venison with chocolate sauce would be a real treat, but would work equally well with a more modest steak or lamb.

Availability? Imported by Gilbeys and on the shelves of many leading independents.

2. Glaetzer Wallace Shiraz-Grenache (€17)

The Glaetzer family is synonymous with Barossa. This one is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache, from a northernly pocket of the Barossa Valley called Ebenezer.

Shiraz adds dark fruit and spice and the Grenache adds dusty raspberries into the mix. Ripe, rich and elegant.

“The 2007 Wallace is a blend of 75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache aged for 12 months in seasoned French and American oak. Deep crimson-colored, it reveals a fragrant bouquet of cedar, scorched earth, pencil lead, black cherry, and blueberry. On the palate it has an elegant personality with racy, slightly tart, fruit flavors, good concentration, and a silky finish. Drink this excellent value red through 2017.” (Jay Miller, Wine Advocate)

With food? Lamb or Beef

Availability? The Wine Boutique, Ringsend, On the Grapevine, Dalkey, Searson’s Monkstown. Fahy’s Off Licence, Ballina. Jus du Vin, Portmarnock. Power and Smullen, Lucan and online from curiouswines.ie

3. St. Hallett Old Block Shiraz 2006 (€39.89)

This is the much bigger brother to the St. Hallett Gamekeeper’s Reserve featured a a few weeks ago (from €9.99 in Tesco, Superquinn, O’Briens and other independents).

So, this is where things start to get expensive. Arguably, for good reason. Some of vines which make this wine are over 100 years old. Older vines generally mean fewer grapes with more concentrated flavours.

In terms of taste, this is an iron fist in a velvet glove, power and punch with balance and poise. You’re drinking more than wine, you’re drinking history with the Old Block.

With food? Forget food. This is a meditative wine. Perfect for by the fire with a book..

Availability? O’Briens online, Dermot Nolan Wine Services, Thomas Woodberry’s Galway, Sweeney’s Hart’s Corner (Glasnevin), Mc Phail’s Drogheda

More on Garnacha/Grenache

Garnacha (in French, Grenache, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine grape in the world.

It ripens late, so needs warm, dry conditions such as those found in Spain and in the south of France. It is generally spicy, red berry-flavoured and soft on the palate with a relatively high alcohol content.

It tends to lack acid, tannin and colour, and is usually blended with other varieties such as Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault.

Grenache is the dominant variety in most Southern Rhône wines, especially in Châteauneuf-du-Pape where it is typically over 80% of the blend. In Australia it is typically blended in “GSM” blends with Shiraz and Mourvèdre.

It’s also used to make rosé wines in France and Spain.

More on Samsó

I originally missed Samsó as a grape. Why? It’s the local name for Cariñena, a grape and the place of its origin in Aragon.

It’s slightly better known as Carignan and to make matters more complex, it’s also known as Mazuelo in the Rioja region.

What Garnacha lacks in tannin and acidity, the Samsó more than makes up for.

Previous Franck Massard tasting

The Rueda blend of Verdejo and Viura, called “Herbis”, was bloody good when I had it a while back. Check it out here.

Cycles Gladiator is back. Following from my tasting of their Pinot Noir, this time it’s their Cabernet Sauvignon. Available, most likely, soon from Bubble Brothers for about €15.

Please excuse the intro music, I’m assuming it’s good clean Alabama music.

I visited the Dublin Barista, Colin Harmon in his five week old establishment, the 3rd Floor Espresso, on Middle Abbey Street, across the Luas tracks from Arnotts. A more dedicated, passionate barista you will not meet. In a world of mediocre coffee, this is an oasis of great honest coffee.

You won’t get your Tall or Grande Decaff Skinny Soya Latte here. What you will get is a coffee made with the care of a skilled craftsman. And it’s only €2.

With an almost obsessive attention to detail, fresh coffee is carefully sourced from around the world – not just where it’s grown but also from the best places for roasting (one of which happens to be Norway).

It’s then weighed and measured for each cup. If it’s a latte, you’ve ordered, you’ll get “barista art” on top, how the frothed milk is carefully layered on top. This, of course, is no gratuitous doodling, it’s the work of The Barista champion of Ireland and 4th place finisher in the world, Colin Harmon.

His place is the 3rd Floor Espresso on Middle Abbey Street. Dublin coffee lovers have a new Mecca.

More on 3rd floor coffee

On Twitter: twitter.com/3fe

Web: thirdfloorespresso.com (and Colin’s blog, Dublin Barista)

Video: featured in Steve Leighton’s In My Mug video blog, below

Spotted on the YouTubes, a video from the Bibendum tasting of the 21 January, 2009. Worth a look-see.

From 3min 40secs in, how to taste like a pro, perfect for this Sunday’s Twitter Blind tasting.

In the glass, it’s most often described as elegant, smooth and feminine with “gaminess” and “forest floor” often used too.

I caught up with Patrick Materman, Chief Winemaker with Montana wines in Marlborough, New Zealand. He was in town for the New Zealand Wine Fair last Tuesdsay, and was able to describe it a little differently.

“Everyone talks about Pinot Noir as being a difficult variety to make. I think the difficult part is finding the right place to grow it. Once you’ve done that, it’s not so difficult. But it is about being very focused in the vineyard. It’s very hands on”.

Burgundy was always the right place to grow it.

That was until an Ulsterman, Alan Brady, planted vines in southerly New Zealand region of Central Otago in 1981. The rest is history, and New Zealand now produces fantastic Pinot Noir not just in Central Otago, but also in areas like Martinborough, Waipara and Marlborough.

What’s more, New Zealand can produce great Pinot Noir at affordable prices, the same which can not be truly said of Burgundy.

Here are three of the best value Pinots from New Zealand.

1. Montana Reseve Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2008 (€14.35)

A suberb example of the quality and value coming out of New Zealand. Cherries, plums, combined with velvet and savory spices.

The winemaker, Materman, spends a lot of time in the vineyards tending to his vines, and this care and attention show in the glass.

With food? A wide range of possible matches, roast chicken, read meats, and mushroom risotto.

Available in Tesco and many other wine shops nationwide.

2. Clocktower Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2008 (€16.49)

This one is slowly creeping up the price scale since I first posted about it.

In terms of style, it’s more action hero than femme fatale while still maintaing a nice balance.

This richness resembles Cherry Coke or Dr. Pepper but makes no apologies for it.

Full of flavor with no room for sublety, yet still maintaining low tannins and high acidity that we associate with Pinot Noir.

With food? Salmon, duck with hoisin sauce.

Available from Marks & Spencer nationwide.

3. Waipara Springs Premo Pinot Noir, Waipara 2008 (€19.99)

In my view, I’m leaving the best until last. I’ve tried this wine a couple of times from one of Ireland’s favourite online wine shops, curiouswines.ie.

Imported by Blackrock native, Joyce Austin who runs New Zealand Boutique Wines, and splits her time between Ireland and New Zealand.

This is produced naturally with minimum intervention which allows for a great expression of the fruit, cherries, raspberries, plums. There’s also a gamey character you often get with classic Pinot Noir styles. Great acidity with smooth silky tannins. Very classy. Good value at €20? For what you’re getting, I think so.

With food? Roast lamb.

Available online from curiouswines.ie

Curious wines are following in the footsteps of Bubble Brothers who ran the firss Twitter tasting and the concept is as follows:

1. Do a blind tasting

In this case, you try a wine where the place, grape, producer (everything on the label) are hidden and you guess what the wine is.

2. Where does Twitter come in?

You share your thoughts on Twitter (using hashtag #twebt, short for Twitter Event Blind Tasting and for extra Brucey bonus points, #ttl for Twitter Taste Live).

What’s Twitter?

It’s Facebook updates without the Facebook.

What’s a hashtag?

Hashtags allow you to easily find Twitter discussions on a specific theme.

Okay, I’m in. What next?

1. Order your blind tasting wine from Curious Wines (€19 including nationwide delivery)
2. Make sure you’re following @brianclayton and @curiouswines or the hashtag #twebt on Twitter
3. Block off a couple of hours from 8pm (GMT) Sunday, 31st January.

I’ll be there – promises to be a bit of good clean fun.