Taste the difference

WINE:There's a cracking wine sale on at Dunnes Stores, and the new buyer at O'Briens has put her signature stamp on the stock, so there's plenty to tempt wine drinkers to stock up for summer

THIS WEEK, I attended two very different, but equally interesting tastings. Dunnes Stores competes at the tough end of the market, where the majority of sales are under €10. The chattering classes seem to spend most of their time talking about the great bargains they bought in Aldi and Lidl.

Dunnes offers a far greater range, and, in my opinion, can compete very favourably with the German giants at the less expensive end. For its forthcoming Mediterranean Festival, Dunnes has amassed an impressive range of wines, mostly priced under €10, with a great many below €8. I will not pretend that these will be the most complex wines you have ever tasted. But there are plenty of cheerful, fruity reds and crisp, dry whites that will provide perfect summer drinking.

In addition to the wines below, I would recommend trying out the Castellani organic Grillo/Chardonnay (€6.99) and the 6th Sens white (€6.99). If you are planning a large barbecue, you should take note of the Masseria Salice Salentino (€5.99) for a bit of southern kick. I have covered the Laurent Miquel wines before, but the Nord Sud Viognier (€9), Syrah Grenache (€6.99) and Nord Sud Syrah (€9) are all cracking wines at very reasonable prices.

Dunnes will also offer the ever-reliable Torres Viña Sol at €7.49, along with some of the top Torres wines. My own pick would be the Salmos Priorat at €24.39. The Mediterranean Food and Wine festival runs until July 3rd.

IT IS ALWAYS interesting to see what will happen when a new wine buyer takes over. In the case of O’Briens, opinion was that Lynne Coyle would have her work cut out keeping up with her predecessor, David Whelehan, who combined a commercial nous with a flair for trying out interesting, off-beat wines.

However, Coyle, using her experience as an Oddbins buyer in the UK, has certainly proved up to the task, fine-tuning the range and adding some real interest at the top end. It has taken time, but after 18 months, you can begin to see the stamp of the new buyer.

These days, it takes a certain amount of courage to list a red Languedoc or an Alsace Riesling at more than €30, but O’Briens has done just that. I was also very taken with a number of wines between €15 and €20, a price range that can offer real value, but has sadly diminished greatly in the current climate.

From Greece, a country that produces some wonderfully eclectic wines, O’Briens now imports the excellent Gaia wines. From Austria it has Rabel in the Kamptal and Sabathi in Styria; from Alsace, it stocks the biodynamic Marc Kreydenweiss, and an English sparkling wine, as well as Borie Maurel (see below). Combined with a range of new wines from Germany, Australia and other parts of the globe, the O’Briens range has been spruced up very nicely

Wines of the week

El Miracle Cava NV, Spain, 11.5%, €9.99This Cava is made from a blend of Macabeo and Chardonnay in Utiel-Requena rather the Penedès as is usual. It is a very tasty glass of fizz, with clean apple fruits and a nice dry finish. Stockist: Dunnes Stores

Raiza Rioja Crianza 2007, 13.5%, €8.99A modern style of Rioja with some vanilla, but plenty of ripe, cherry fruits too, and a very decent, supple finish. A great all-purpose wine to drink alongside most white or red meats. Stockist: Dunnes Stores

Tinto Arroyo Joven Ribera del Duero, 14%, €7.99Ribera del Duero is normally a pretty serious wine, aged in oak with substantial tannins. This is a junior version, without the celebrity treatment. Instead, you get a wonderful light, juicy, very moreish wine with lovely rounded, supple, plum fruits. Stockist: Dunnes Stores

Agiorgitiko 2009 Nemea, Greece, 14%, €17.99Greece has its own range of unique varieties that grow alongside the better-known international grapes. Some of them are excellent, including all of the Gaia wines. This one is made from the Agiorgitiko grape (otherwise known as St Georges) in the Nemea region of the Peloponnese. This has a lovely combination of dark chocolate and plums, with an attractive earthy touch, plenty of body and a great finish. Drink it with red meats.Stockist: O'Briens

Rabel Riesling Steinhause 2010, Kamptal, 12.5%, €16.99This is part of a new range of Austrian wines arriving into O'Briens. In addition to the above wine, I would also recommend you try the Rabel Grüner Veltliner (€12.99) and the wonderfully crisp Sabathi Sauvignon 2010 (€16.99). The Rabel Steinhause is classic Kamptal Riesling, with plenty of fresh acidity and wonderful clean apple fruits that dance across the palate, finishing bone dry. This would make a great partner for most seafood dishes, or as an aperitif. Stockist: O'Briens

Esprit de l'Automne 2009, Minervois Borie de Maurel, 13.5%, €16.99One of a brilliant range of wines from this estate, it has a wonderful combination of dark cherries, liquorice and herbs, under-pinned by a strong mineral streak that will make it perfect with food. Further up the ladder, there are some stunning wines, climaxing with the Cuvée Sylla, a brilliant expression of all that is good in France, the Languedoc, and biodynamic winemaking. Stockist: O'Briens

Wine dinners

The Restaurant at DonnybrookFair in Dublin 4 will hold a four-course wine dinner, hosted by Christophe Thomas of Burgundy producer Joseph Drouhin, on Wednesday, June 29th, at 7.45pm. Tickets are €60 per person or €100 per couple. To book, tel: 01-6144849.

Seapoint Restaurantin Monkstown, Co Dublin is running a series of wine dinners in conjunction with some of Ireland's leading wine importers. Next up is the Rhône Valley on June 21st. A four-course dinner, including wine, is €59 per person. Tel: 01-6634840