Irish Whiskey Mencia Welschriesling Italy Sardinia

The Irish are hailed as being the original producers of whiskey in the British Isles, and their innovations and techniques were so successful, that neighbouring Scotland were quickly influenced by them in the 15th century. Centuries later, it was the Irish who brought whiskey to America, and their style of whiskey has since become popular all over the world.

However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the Irish whiskey industry - from being a dominant force in the 19th century, whose produce was considered far superior to that of Scotland, political upheaval and war saw the Irish whiskey almost disappear forever in the early 20th century. Today, the Irish whiskey manufacturers are back on their feet, and they are once again proving that the original is often the best. With new distilleries opening every year, it is safe to say that Irish whiskey is very much back.

Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in a number of ways, and not least the spelling - the extra ‘e’ was said to be added in the 19th century as a way of distancing the Irish drink from what they saw as an inferior Scottish product. Irish whiskey was traditionally made in enormous stills, as a way of ensuring consistency from bottle to bottle, and maintaining the quality and complexity their reputation was founded on. The typical tasting notes of fine Irish whiskey include apple and vanilla, alongside spicy and sweet touches of nutmeg and fresh hay, making this a highly pleasant and smooth drink, made for relaxation and stimulating conversation about times past.

There are few countries in the world with a viticultural history as long or as illustrious as that claimed by Italy. Grapes were first being grown and cultivated on Italian soil several thousand years ago by the Greeks and the Pheonicians, who named Italy 'Oenotria' – the land of wines – so impressed were they with the climate and the suitability of the soil for wine production. Of course, it was the rise of the Roman Empire which had the most lasting influence on wine production in Italy, and their influence can still be felt today, as much of the riches of the empire came about through their enthusiasm for producing wines and exporting it to neighbouring countries. Since those times, a vast amount of Italian land has remained primarily for vine cultivation, and thousands of wineries can be found throughout the entire length and breadth of this beautiful country, drenched in Mediterranean sunshine and benefiting from the excellent fertile soils found there. Italy remains very much a 'land of wines', and one could not imagine this country, its landscape and culture, without it.

The beautiful Mediterranean island of Sardinia is a haven for wine lovers, and viticulture is very much a part of the lifestyle of this special patch of land off the Italian coast. Indeed, Sardinia is renowned as being home to an impressive high number of centenarians, their longevity said to be a result of the amount of red wine they regularly drink. Although winemaking has only really taken off on Sardinia over the past couple of centuries, wines have been produced in Sardinia for well over two thousand years. Vines were originally cultivated by travelling settlers such as the Phoenicians and then boosted by the Roman empire, whose influence is still felt in the landscape today.

Sardinia may have been designated as one of Italy’s main wine regions in the mid 18th century, but its island status has long ensured that the winemakers here have their own identity and viticulture, of which they are very proud. Unlike other Italian wine regions, Sardinia is strongly influenced by French and Spanish viticulture, and it isn’t unusual to find fine wines from the island made from Garnacha or Cabernet Sauvignon, although Italian varietals such as Malvasia are also very popular. Sardinia has one DOCG appellation, Vermentino di Gallura, which produces beautifully elegant white wines made from the Vermentino grape which grows with great expression on the island.