Matthew Nugent

Mar 21, 2025 | thesun.ie | Matthew Nugent

WE are just weeks away from the fourth edition of the Polish Wine Fest. The annual event, so well organised by Polish ex-pats Maggie Domaradzka and Maja Ignaczewska, is now an important part of the Irish wine calendar. They will deliver a great range and variety of whites, reds, rosés and sparklers from right across the wine regions of their homeland, with many new vintages of the wines that have already excited Irish taste buds.

Mar 14, 2025 | thesun.ie | Matthew Nugent

IRISH migrants who departed these shores for a multitude of reasons since the 17th century, have left a significant imprint on the world of wine. From the flight of the Wild Geese in 1691, they have carved out lasting reputations in vineyards across the globe. It started in Bordeaux, where names like Phelan, Barton, McCarthy and Lynch are still mentioned in reverential tones and commemorated with iconic wines.

Mar 7, 2025 | thesun.ie | Matthew Nugent

SOME exciting new wines began to arrive on the shelves of Aldi this week as part of their spring and summer wine selection. In all, 21 new additions to the range will be rolled out, with the remaining newbies arriving in store on April 4, and May 13. Five of them are viewed below, and there will be more bottles appearing here over the next two months, as the other 17 new lines arrive.

Feb 28, 2025 | thesun.ie | Matthew Nugent

A BIG fan of “nicely oaked” Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Marianne Clarke, of Castleblaney, Co Monaghan, wants to know about the difference between wine aged in French oak compared to those aged in oak from America. The use of oak in the winemaking process goes back a long, long way - but it wasn’t until the early 19th century that winemakers realised that barrels could actually add flavour, aroma and complexity.

Feb 21, 2025 | thesun.ie | Matthew Nugent

SUSTAINABILITY has become a rather important, and necessary, buzzword in the wine world. Many Irish importers now work with wine makers and vineyards that use practices to protect the environment, support social responsibility, and maintain economic viability for future generations. And these good practices begin in the vineyard, with eco-friendly farming techniques, like biodynamic or organic farming.