John Wilson

Contributor and Wine Critic at Irish Times

Journalist at Freelance

Irish Times wine, beer and spirits scribe, lover of things liquid.

Articles

Ten things you need to know about wine

6 days ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Exclusive competitions and restaurant offers, plus reviews, the latest food and drink news, recipes and lots more
Ireland's wine loves: The biggest sellers from Aldi, Lidl, O’Briens and more

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Most wine lovers tend to prefer the esoteric, lesser-known (and usually more expensive) wines. But these are not always affordable or accessible to the average wine drinker. So what are the most popular wines with you the consumer? I asked three of the multiples and one independent wine shop to put forward their bestselling wines.
Two great table wines from a family with port pedigree

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

The Symington family is one of the most successful English/Portuguese producers of port, with a portfolio that includes Graham’s, Warre’s, Dow’s, Cockburn’s and Quinta do Vesuvio. They also produce table wines made from the same vineyards in the Douro valley, but much lower in alcohol. As well as these two, O’Briens has the excellent Altano Rewilding Red 2.5-litre Bag in Box for €36.95 and the equally good Altano Organic Red for €18.95 a bottle. [ Is wine from the United States good?
Is wine from the United States good?

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Believe it or not, every one of the 50 states of America produces wine – including Alaska. However, California is responsible for almost 90 per cent of production. The US is the fourth largest producer of wine in the world after France, Italy and Spain. In this country, we mainly see the big, branded wines such as Barefoot, Blossom Hill, Gallo, Apothic and Dark Horse. However, the US, and California in particular, do produce excellent high-quality wines too, some of which are available in Ireland.
John Wilson: Loire white wines made for warm-weather drinking

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

As summer kicks in, I start to salivate for the fresh, light wines of the Loire Valley. The river Loire is the longest in France, more than 1,000km from start to finish. Vines flourish alongside a cornucopia of other fruit and vegetables. Recently I listened with envy to a friend who was about to head there by car and ferry to take in the fantastic castles, excellent local food and great wines.
John Wilson: New Zealand wines from Lidl that don’t compromise on quality

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Lidl offer several Marlborough sauvignon, reflecting the popularity of the wine in Ireland. The Deluxe and Summerhouse are both good, but so too is the Cimarosa, and it costs a euro less. Pinot noir is the most popular red grape in New Zealand, evidence of how well it performs in the cool but sunny maritime climate. It is unusual to see one from Hawke’s Bay, which is better known for merlot and syrah, but this is still a classic example of the style.
John Wilson: Ten things you should know about whiskey

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Whiskey is a gold-coloured spirit made from three ingredients: cereal grain, water and yeast. Malted barley is the most common cereal used but some Irish whiskeys, such as Single Pot Still, use a mix of malted and unmalted barley. Scotch and Japanese whisky both use malted barley. Rye whisky uses rye, and bourbon is made from at least 51 per cent corn. In the past, oats and other wheat were also used. Malting is a process by which barley is soaked in water and then dried and ground.
Riesling, muscadet, sherry: Time to give these unloved wines a second chance

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

This week some great unloved wines. They include once popular regions, countries and grape varieties that have fallen out of favour for a variety of reasons. Often it happens when the producers of a popular region meet increased demand with cheaper and inferior versions of the real thing. Not surprisingly sales drop and it can be difficult to rebuild a name. Muscadet, sherry, and German wine arguably fall into this category. Other wines have managed to seduce us back.
Wines of the week: Two quality Aussie wines at a great price

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

Two Australian wines from Dunnes Stores this week. The sixth generation of Hill-Smith are now working in the family business. Since planting their first vines in 1849, the company has had an enviable reputation for quality wines. Both wines are sustainably produced and organic. They sell for €16-€19 elsewhere and so offer great value at €12 a bottle.
Does whiskey age in a similar fashion to wine?

3 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | John Wilson

All Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky has been aged for at least three years in wooden casks before being bottled. That’s the legal minimum. Some bottles have what is called a statement of age. A bottle that has 10-year-old on the label means the youngest whiskey used is at least 10 years old. But once whiskey (or any other spirit) is bottled it ceases to mature and will remain exactly the same for decades to come.