John Wilson: Two great-value wines from LidlWines for the Weekend: The Austrian wine in particular is worth trying if you like light whitesFri Apr 12 2024 - 06:00
Four lighter wines to put a spring in your stepJohn Wilson: Two whites, a sparkling wine and an almost summery red offer interest and good value for moneyFri Apr 12 2024 - 05:00
Six benchmark wine types to improve your palateHow to Drink Better: The best way to learn about wine is also the most fun way - drink itSun Apr 07 2024 - 05:00
The Irish who use their time in France to produce good wineJohn Wilson: Here are four wines from different areas and price ranges but with an Irish connectionSat Apr 06 2024 - 05:00
Two refreshing French wines from DunnesWines for the Weekend: A Silver Moki Sauvignon Blanc and Baron de Baussac Carignan for less than €10Fri Apr 05 2024 - 05:00
How to pick a good bottle of rosé – darker wines will not necessarily be sweeter How to Drink Better: Rosé is made by macerating the grapes and juice together for any length of time from a few hours to a few daysSun Mar 31 2024 - 05:00
Wine for the weekend: A roast of lamb will go nicely with just about any red wineYou could choose a cabernet or merlot from California, South Africa, Chile or Australia, but this week I concentrate on BordeauxSat Mar 30 2024 - 05:00
There are reasons why holiday wine always seems to taste betterHow to Drink Better: Producers are keen to sell their wine to anyone and everyoneSun Mar 24 2024 - 05:00
An Irish sparkling wine and three more bottles to try from cooler climatesJohn Wilson: Amid climate change, we could see wine lists in restaurants feature some unfamiliar varietiesSat Mar 23 2024 - 05:00
Supermarket wines to try: Two German whites and an unusual Malbec rosé Wines for the Weekend: highly regarded producer from the Mosel in Germany is producing good value winesFri Mar 22 2024 - 05:00
Rosé has a reputation as being fun and frivolous. And who couldn’t use a bit more of that?How to Drink Better: Snobbish wine drinkers have always had a problem with the pink-hued inbetweenerSun Mar 17 2024 - 05:00
Sláinte: Four wine and beer pairings to go with your Irish stew or roastJohn Wilson: Three bottles of wine and a Galway Bay red aleSat Mar 16 2024 - 05:00
Wines from South Africa to try: a surprising Stellenbosch white and a Swartland ShirazWines for the Weekend: Over the last decade a new generation of younger winemakers have shown Swartland has real potentialFri Mar 15 2024 - 05:00
French wine bottle labels can be confusing. Here’s how to navigate them How to Drink Better: The AOC system guarantees a wine comes from a defined geographical area and should also be a guarantee of qualitySun Mar 10 2024 - 05:00
Four great new Irish whiskey releases to tryJohn Wilson: Another fine Midleton Very Rare for the collectors plus three other top toastsSat Mar 09 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson: A crisp white and a warming red from O’BriensWines for the Weekend: South African and Portugese wines offering good value for moneyFri Mar 08 2024 - 09:44
Where to find good value when choosing a bottle of wineHow to Drink Better: There are many things to consider when selecting a wineSun Mar 03 2024 - 05:00
Four wines to celebrate International Women’s Day in styleJohn Wilson: Heidi Schröck, Beatrice Contini Bonacossi, Lynne Coyle and Barbara Boyle are at the top of their gameSat Mar 02 2024 - 05:00
Supermarket wine: A white and a red from sunny south of France worth seeking out Wines for the Weekend: The warm climate and granitic soils produce full-bodied rich red winesFri Mar 01 2024 - 05:00
Bottles are bad for the planet. What’s a conscientious wine lover to do?How to Drink Better: Buy your beer in cans, your everyday wine in bag-in-box and your expensive age-worthy wines in lightweight glass bottlesSun Feb 25 2024 - 05:00
Happy 50th birthday: How Marlborough sauvignon blanc became a wine classic John Wilson: From just 1,600 hectares of land on the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand, the region has grown to 30,000 hectares of vinesSat Feb 24 2024 - 05:00
Supermarket wines: top class Rioja Reserva is a steal at €20Wines for the Weekend: a full-bodied biodynamic red and a good value Alvarinho are worth seeking out in SuperValu saleFri Feb 23 2024 - 05:00
You should be able to bet on the house when ordering wineHow to Drink Better: There is no shame attached in ordering the house red or white, which should be carefully chosen options to suit the restaurant’s foodSun Feb 18 2024 - 05:00
Ireland’s best independent off-licences pick their favourite wine, beer and spiritJohn Wilson: Four winning independent off-licences pick their favourite wine, beer or spiritSat Feb 17 2024 - 05:00
Four fizzy Valentine’s Day wines to fall in love withJohn Wilson: The two most flexible, food-friendly wines of all are rosé and sparkling winesTue Feb 13 2024 - 05:00
What’s all the fuss about craft beer and why should I try some?How to Drink Better: Although some drinkers are put off by the higher price tag, craft beers offer greater flavour and complexitySun Feb 11 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson: Two full-bodied wines to enjoy over the last days of winter weatherWeekend wines: these wines have more texture making them ideal companions for richer foodFri Feb 09 2024 - 05:00
What are the best wines to serve with a Valentine’s Day meal at home?Avoid the sea of tables for two, and plan a special meal at home, with Champagne to start, and wine pairingsFri Feb 09 2024 - 04:00
Why is Irish whiskey so much more expensive in Ireland than overseas?How to Drink Better: We have one of the highest rates of excise duty on alcohol in EuropeSun Feb 04 2024 - 05:00
Four fine wines with strong Irish connectionsJohn Wilson: Producers in Spain, France and Slovenia fly the flag in styleSat Feb 03 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson: Two wines from O’Briens to kickstart your springWines for the Weekend: A gentle yet freshing sauvignon blanc and a fruity but smooth MonastrellFri Feb 02 2024 - 05:00
Want to know more about Irish whiskey? There’s never been a better timeHow to Drink Better: There are events, tours and tastings around the island for those who have a taste for moreSun Jan 28 2024 - 05:00
Robust red wines to chase off the last of the winter chillJohn Wilson: A hearty beef, lamb or bean stew will taste immeasurably better with a full-bodied red wineSat Jan 27 2024 - 05:00
Two French wines for €12: a fresh and zesty white and a full-bodied fruity redWines for the Weekend: The wines here come from a warm climate and tend to be rich and softFri Jan 26 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson’s guide to food and wine matchingHow to Drink Better: Follow a few basic rules and you shouldn’t go wrongSun Jan 21 2024 - 05:00
Wines from small producers for about €20 John Wilson: As prices rise, these choices from interesting producers won’t break the bankSat Jan 20 2024 - 04:00
John Wilson: Australian wines to put on the shopping listWines for the Weekend: Nugan Estate’s chardonnay and shiraz are available at SuperValuFri Jan 19 2024 - 05:00
Drinking trends for 2024: Rising wine prices, more low- and no-alcohol drinks and reduced overall consumptionHow to Drink Better: John Wilson offers his predictions for the drinks industrySun Jan 14 2024 - 05:00
Dry January, not dull January: try these delicious low-alcohol drinksJohn Wilson: Three beers and a French bubbly to begin the year in fine styleSat Jan 13 2024 - 05:00
Cut the alcohol but not the taste with these two wines for Dry JanuaryWines for the Weekend: Most of the multiples have special offers this month on their low and no rangeFri Jan 12 2024 - 05:00
Where can I meet friends for dinner in a restaurant and bring our own wine? Food for Thought: Corkage charges can be very reasonable and are a good way of keeping costs down when dining outThu Jan 11 2024 - 04:00
Dry January: How to give up alcohol more easily, from eating spicy food to avoiding the pubHow to Drink Better: Top tips to reduce the temptation of having a drink in the new yearSun Jan 07 2024 - 05:00
Delicious non-alcoholic drinks to power you on through JanuaryJohn Wilson: Apart from the health benefits, these are some of the most interesting alcohol-free drinksSat Jan 06 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson: Two budget-friendly wines from O’BriensWines for the Weekend: Aromatic wines to interest those whose pockets were overstretched over ChristmasFri Jan 05 2024 - 05:00
John Wilson’s sparkling wines that will not break the bankWines for the Weekend: Raise a glass to 2024 with these good value bottles of fizzFri Dec 29 2023 - 05:00
John Wilson: Wine offers worth consideringWines for the Weekend: It’s a friendly, fruity Bordeaux that you can enjoy with or without food – including turkey!Fri Dec 22 2023 - 05:00
I want to spend €100 on a bottle of wine, what should I buy?How to Drink Better: You could go right off piste and buy a wine from Greece (very trendy), Germany or GeorgiaSun Dec 17 2023 - 05:00
John Wilson’s top 20 wines, beers and spirits for 2023The biggest difficulty was deciding what to leave outSat Dec 16 2023 - 05:00
John Wilson: Two wines worth considering for Christmas DayWines for the Weekend: These two wines from SuperValu would be ideal with smoked salmon or turkey and all the trimmingsFri Dec 15 2023 - 05:00
