Best wines in Athlone are here to taste. Learn whether it is food and wine or is it the other way around? Learn the best wine to serve your friends over a lovely dinner and great conversation. Since we Irish love our celebrations and socialising, why not make it better? Learn from a sommelier about the vast choice of aromas and flavours of wine from around world.
Hodson Bay Groups’ sommelier, Andrzej holds complimentary wine tasting for guests every week in each of the three hotels: Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, Sheraton Athlone Hotel and Galway Bay Hotel.
Andrzej Head Sommelier for Hodson Bay Group
How long have you been a sommelier?
I am a sommelier for 20 years. I was honoured to become European Sommelier 2012. I have travelled the world tasting and learning about wines. I am working with Hodson Bay Group now for the last seven years. I perform wine tasting across all three hotels during the week. We have wines from 8 different countries and ten varieties of grape.
The tasting is complimentary for the guests, and hopefully, they will enjoy their wine better after the wine tasting.
What makes you passionate about wines?
I love to discover different flavours from different countries. The same grape like Sauvignon Blanc can taste different from different countries. The French wine has a gooseberry, herbaceous, flinty aroma while in New Zealand has tropical, passion fruit, kiwi, mango aromas, so the same grape but different flavour. I am talking about origin and taste.
What do people want to enjoy during a wine tasting?
They want to have fun first of all. We provide three wines during the tasting, one white and two red. We taste wine with a range of Irish cheeses – goat’s cheese, brie, Stilton, and Cashel blue cheese and grapes. Cheese helps develop the aroma of the wine.
What do people want to know?
People ask lots of questions like, ‘what is acidity of the wine, the character and which wine suits particular food’. I talk about the process of the wine tasting. Lots of the wines, but in particular red are kept in the wood which gives extra flavour, sweet spices, and cinnamon aroma. The best option when tasting wine is to open a little, to put into the decanter to develop the aroma. Air is going inside the wine, the wine then releases the aroma. Swirling is necessary. It increases the aroma.
Swirling the wine
People want to discover something more about the wines, and of course, they are on their holidays and want to have a nice time.
What do you want people to experience?
Through a wine tasting, guests get to experience a variety of grape. I feel this is good as it broadens knowledge about the full range of aromas and flavours possible. I think people enjoy learning which wines work well with particular food. And they are perhaps cooking for friends and like to be able to serve good quality wine.
We also talk about the origins of great wines and how to choose the best wines, reading labels and what it means to allow wine to breathe. Also, learning wines should be chilled NOT cold. The temperature for serving white wine should be between 8-10°C. For red wine when it is oaked it should be 12°C.
Wine Tasting in Hodson Bay Hotel
Wine tasting allows you to enjoy wine more. Wine is a beverage that is friendlier than beer or spirits because wine provides lots of different flavours and different aromas. It is made to balance your food. I want people to learn about the best wines.
What is the relationship between food and wine?
I am a great believer that food is one the first position and the wine is a great friend of the food. When I talk about food, I am careful to say wine should not overpower the food.
What makes for a good wine?
Best Wines in Athlone and Irish made cheese
A good wine involves a few factors: good weather, good daytime and night-time temperatures, and not too much rain before harvest, good chalky soil, and clean environment – low pollution. Most important is the harvesting the grapes by hand. I have been lucky to taste the best wine in the world.
How old should wine be before serving?
It is important how grapes are harvested. The timing of harvesting the grapes decides the acidity and strength of alcohol. If wine fermented in wooden barrels, the wine must be at least two years in the bottle otherwise it would have to much woody character overpowering the wine.
Can you reveal any top tips for enjoying wine?
I think the first is to ask a sommelier what he can recommend for your starter or main course and then make your decision about the quality and your taste also.
Do you have a personal favourite when it comes to wine? Is it Spanish, French, Chilean, Australia or Californian wine?
I like wine from a few countries. I like the rich, robust wines from Australia.Also, I like a good Chianti Classico, especially if I am eating lamb or beef.
What do you recommend for summer?
I would recommend going with a lighter style of wine, maybe not one with less of an oaky character. Choose more refreshing flavours. When you know more about your wine, you enjoy the combination of aromas and flavours. Knowledge is the pleasure of eating and tasting good wines.
Complimentary Wine Tasting
When you stay with one of the hotels from Hodson Bay Group, enjoy the best wines in Athlone. Learn about pairing wines with food and what makes a great wine in a relaxed, intimate setting.