Wine Tasting

The wine tasting for the reception was in the Merrion last night, we were helped by the Sommelier Damian Corr to choose wines for the big day. We started with Champagne, as one does. We were treated to a Taittinger 1999 Brut Vintage. After a couple of sips Anne-Marie called the waiter over to ask the name of the champers, 1999, vintage, oops, thats a bit out of our league!!

We then tried a Kir made with crème de cassis (blackcurrant liquor) and Marqués de Riscal, Sauvignon Blanc, the Merrion Hotel's "house white" it was lovely and will be perfect for drinking outside in the courtyard on arrival (weather permitting).

We then tried 4 white wines, aptly named by Mr. Maguire as Exhibits A, B, C and D. As is so often the case we liked the 1st one the most. Damian gave me the slip by giving me the impression that one of A and B was a Chardonnay and one was a Sauvignon Blanc, I did correctly identify the Sauvignon Blanc, but then mistakenly labeled exhibit A a Chardonnay, tut tut tut! It turned out to be a Spanish Verdejo called "Bodegas dos Victorias", it was an unanimous decision getting 4 votes, we'd found our white!


Our main course then arrived and it was time to taste the red. Exhibits E and F were produced, having informed Damian that we liked full bodied reds with strong to balanced tannins he delighted in producing 2 great quality rounded reds. On tasting I was convinced they both had to be french, E I found to be very balanced, it had strong fruit character but was full bodied and smooth. Damian said the moment saw we were having fillet beef he knew the wine for us. An excellent choice and Australian to boot!

We found that we had chosen a great wine for the meal we thought that perhaps it wouldn't be as suitable for drinking before and after food, it was time to pick a more easy drinking red. Another 2 wines we produced,we'd given up on naming them at this stage, One was the Red Version of the Bodegas dos Victorias made with the "Tinta de Toro" grape variety, I found it too dry, after a number of tasting back and forth we decided on the Argentinian Malbec, Dominio Del Plata, again full bodied, but not as heavy as the McLaren Vale, a wine I could see myself enjoying a number of glasses of.

So there you have it, all of ouyr wines picked out, the full list is as follows:

Marqués de Riscal, Sauvignon Blanc - Rueda - 2005

Bodegas dos Victorias - Jose Parient - Verdejo - Rueda - 2005

Dominio Del Plata - Crios de Susana Balbo - Malbec - Mendoza - 2004

Wirra Wirra Vineyards - Grenache - McLaren Vale - South Australia - 2003

Tattinger Brut NV

One month to go

Well it's one month to go to the big day and it still hasn't completely sunk in yet to be honest. This weekend past was just crazy, organising the flowers, honeymoon, my suit, the rings, the car etc. We organised the musician late last week and the last of the invites. Yesterday evening we had a meeting with the priest, we both passed the pre-nuptual interview with flying colours, although I had Anne-Marie worried for a few minutes!


Speaking of the car, we'll be transported in style courtesty of John Maguire, take a look at this. This is a 1967 Peugeot 404 Cabriolet, powered by a 2.0 litre engine too, so Anne-Marie will have no excuse for being late.

A few practical bits are as follows:
Church: St Patrick's Church, Monkstown
Hotel: The Merrion, Dublin

Other place to stay include
The School House Hotel
Stauntons on the Green
or any of the nearby O'Callaghan Hotels

The wedding lists are available at Brown Thomas and Meadows and Byrne

The honeymoon is booked and is as follows:

EI178 SUN 27 AUG DUBLIN to LONDON (HEATHROW) 1800 1915

BA199 SUN 27 AUG LONDON (HEATHROW) to MUMBAI 2150 1115
Arrives 1 day later.

QF124 WED 27 SEP MUMBAI to SYDNEY 2120 1405
Arrives 1 day later.

QF728 SAT 07 OCT SYDNEY to AYERS ROCK 0945 1250

QF1923 MON 09 OCT AYERS ROCK to PERTH 1410 1515

QF079 FRI 20 OCT PERTH to TOKYO 2300 0955
Arrives 1 day later.

BA008 FRI 27 OCT TOKYO to LONDON (HEATHROW) 1310 1715

EI177 FRI 27 OCT LONDON (HEATHROW) to DUBLIN 1910 2025