A brewer makes many choices throughout the brewing process about how is beer madeHow to Drink Better: Beers are flavoured with everything from chocolate to raspberriesSun Nov 19 2023 - 05:00
Drinks to cover all eventualities during the festive seasonJohn Wilson: This week I’m focusing on crowd-pleasing white wines and Irish ciderSat Nov 18 2023 - 05:00
Two wines for €15 that are perfect winter drinkingWines for the Weekend: This Pontenari is made by Alberto Antonini, one of the most respected Italian winemakersFri Nov 17 2023 - 05:00
What is the difference between Champagne and Prosecco? How to Drink Better: There’s a reason why Prosecco is the cheaper bottle of fizzSun Nov 12 2023 - 05:00
Wines to serve with your Sunday roastJohn Wilson: Whether you are having pork or chicken, roast vegetables or fish, these wines will pair wellSat Nov 11 2023 - 05:00
What wines are best to serve at our wedding, and where should we source it?Food for Thought: Crowd-pleasers with relatively low alcohol content work best, but don’t forget non-drinkersFri Nov 10 2023 - 06:00
Two wines for under €10 to try: a light, fresh French Muscadet and a rediscovered red from ArgentinaWines for the Weekend: Bonarda, also known as Douce Noir, is a grape variety set for a comebackFri Nov 10 2023 - 05:00
Stanley Tucci’s perfect martini goes up against Irish versions of the classic cocktailJohn Wilson: We have espresso, pornstar, appletini and a huge number of other variations. Is there any end to the martini madness?Fri Nov 10 2023 - 05:00
Is it ever okay to drink white wine with beef?How to Drink Better: There are good reasons behind the recommended pairings, but you should drink whatever gives you pleasureSun Nov 05 2023 - 05:00
There is much more to Rioja than Crianza, Reserva and Gran ReservaJohn Wilson: Younger producers have been reinventing the region with a series of excellent wines with an emphasis on fruit and provenanceSat Nov 04 2023 - 05:00
Two wines from lesser known parts of Spain worth seeking outWine sale: A white from Monterrei, which is in Galicia and a red from Navarra, right next door to Rioja, reduced in O'Brien's wine saleFri Nov 03 2023 - 05:00
The Irish connection to an illustrious wine family in BordeauxLilian Sartorius Barton traces her Bordeaux roots back to 1725, when her family moved there from IrelandSun Oct 29 2023 - 05:00
As the cooler autumnal weather kicks in, it is time to switch to richer winesJohn Wilson: It is time to move from light, refreshing white wines to something with bolder flavoursSat Oct 28 2023 - 05:00
Valleys, vineyards and surprisingly excellent wines on a trip to the Czech countrysideWith picturesque historical towns and rolling hillsides, Moravia is worth a visitMon Oct 23 2023 - 05:00
Drinking from the right wine glass can really make a wine taste betterHow to Drink Better: If something looks good, it makes us think it will taste betterSun Oct 22 2023 - 05:00
Wines to try from a little off the beaten trackJohn Wilson: Greek wine has been enjoying rave reviews recently, with a growing selection available hereSat Oct 21 2023 - 05:00
Two award winning wines for less than €14Wines for the Weekend: More than 600 wines entered into National Off-Licence Association awardsFri Oct 20 2023 - 05:00
Is vintage important when it comes to choosing a bottle of wine?How to Drink Better: Advances in knowledge and technology mean that there are very few bad vintages nowadaysSun Oct 15 2023 - 05:00
What does aged wine taste like?John Wilson: Older wines can be acquired taste making retailers reluctant to offer mature bottlesSat Oct 14 2023 - 05:00
Graham Norton’s new Malbec and a rosé for under €10 to tryWines for the Weekend: Perhaps we should see rosé as a winter white wine instead?Fri Oct 13 2023 - 08:00
Break free from what you know and try these exciting white winesJohn Wilson: I have tasted lots of exciting wines from lesser-known regions. The biggest treasure trove was ItalySat Oct 07 2023 - 05:00
Two Dunnes Stores wines perfect for dinner partiesWines for the Weekend: There is no reason why we cannot enjoy rosé all year roundFri Oct 06 2023 - 05:00
Give these sweet wines a chance, you may be surprised by themHow to Drink Better: Dessert wines are hard to make well and given their complexity, some are very good valueSun Oct 01 2023 - 05:00
Best bargain wines from Aldi and Lidl’s autumn rangesJohn Wilson: Aldi has a solid range of affordable white wines, while Lidl’s Italian cellar is well worth exploringSat Sept 30 2023 - 05:00
Two great value wines from Aldi’s autumn rangeWines for the Weekend: Both come from the sunny Languedoc in the south of FranceFri Sept 29 2023 - 00:00
Wine competition winners and what the results really meanHow to Drink Better: What do those medal stickers on wine bottles mean and are they reliable indicators of quality?Sun Sept 24 2023 - 05:00
Four supermarket red wines for under €15 worth seeking out John Wilson: It is not often you find a Cru Bourgeois from the Médoc for less than €12Sat Sept 23 2023 - 05:00
Two well-priced wines from classic French regionsWines for the Weekend: Both are part of the newly arrived seasonal range from LidlFri Sept 22 2023 - 05:00
Oak-ageing is considered one of the tools in a wine producer’s armoury How to Drink Better: A wine maker can be spoilt for choice when selecting a barrel when there are plenty from which to chooseSun Sept 17 2023 - 05:00
Four perfect wines to drink with casseroles and stews from around the worldJohn Wilson: Every country has their own version of warming stew that can be perfectly accompanied by wineSat Sept 16 2023 - 05:00
Two north Italian wines from Marks & SpencerWeekend wines: Region produces host of less tannic but very good reds and fresh crisp winesFri Sept 15 2023 - 05:00
How you store your wine may determine how well it drinksHow to Drink Better: In an ideal world we would all have an underground cellar, but a cool, dark space can work tooSun Sept 10 2023 - 05:00
No shortage of decent drinkable Bordeaux for under €15John Wilson: Most Bordeaux is made from merlot, cabernet sauvignon or a blend of the twoSat Sept 09 2023 - 05:00
Two French wines from O’Briens September saleWines for the Weekend: southwest France makes for a happy hunting ground for new flavours and varietiesFri Sept 08 2023 - 05:00
What counts as a ‘low-alcohol’ wine? How to Drink Better: Global warming has led to raised temperatures and, in turn, higher-alcohol winesSun Sept 03 2023 - 05:00
You don’t have to spend a lot to drink good wineJohn Wilson: Here are four great value wines for less than €15Sat Sept 02 2023 - 05:00
Wines that punch above their weight for under a tennerWeekend wines: These are two bottles to look out for in the Dunnes Stores French wine saleFri Sept 01 2023 - 05:00
Pay just a little more for your bottle of wine and you will be rewardedHow to Drink Better: Price and value are not the same thing and remember that more than half of the cost of the bottle may go on taxesSun Aug 27 2023 - 05:00
Wine bargains to watch out for in the autumn sales John Wilson: Get yourself to O’Briens, SuperValu and Dunnes Stores soon for these great stealsSat Aug 26 2023 - 05:00
Rich and refreshing Lidl wines from New ZealandWeekend Wines: There is more to the country than Marlborough Sauvignon BlancFri Aug 25 2023 - 05:00
Take time to savour the wine in your glass and appreciate the different flavour notesHow to Drink Better: Producers take care to source their favourite oak for barrels, choosing wood and charring it to their tasteSun Aug 20 2023 - 05:00
Four light and refreshing Loire Valley winesJohn Wilson: These lighter, fruity beverages are best served cold if not slightly chilledSat Aug 19 2023 - 05:00
Two elegant and fruity wines offering great value for moneyWines for the Weekend: This week we try two tasty wines from Molloy’s Liquor StoresFri Aug 18 2023 - 05:00
Finding it difficult to open a bottle of wine? Try these tips for easy access to your favourite drinkHow to Drink Better: Whatever corkscrew you buy, make sure it has a coil rather than a solid screwSun Aug 13 2023 - 05:00
Low alcohol red wines perfect for summer eveningsJohn Wilson: If you find the idea of chilling red wine strange, I urge you to try it outSat Aug 12 2023 - 05:00
Two fresh and fruity summer wines for under €10Wines for the Weekend: Ideal for sipping al fresco with or without foodFri Aug 11 2023 - 05:00
Spanish Albariño and Portuguese Alvarinho comprise two sides of same splendid coin How to Drink Better: How to Drink Better: They are one and the same grape variety … fresh, fruity and a pleasure to drinkSun Aug 06 2023 - 05:00
For light white wines to drink on their own or with food, cast an eye over this quartet John Wilson: ‘All four are 13% abv, less in two cases’Sat Aug 05 2023 - 05:00
Two of O’Brien’s bestselling wines for under €10Wines for the weekend: If you are feeling the pinch, it might be worth trying out the Giancondi winesFri Aug 04 2023 - 05:00
