Champagne, Momos and Michelin star meals
What I've been eating and drinking of late
Earlier month, I flew to London to attend the Champagne Academy’s vintage tasting, where each of the 16 member houses showcased a vintage Champagne of their choosing. For wine pros you can skip this next sentence or two, but for the rest of you who may not know what vintage Champagne is, let me enlighten you. When you head to your local wine shop to pick up a bottle of fizz, more than likely it’s non-vintage (NV). This is a blend of wines made from various years (or grapes, specific vineyards) expertly balanced in the bottle you hold. There’s a number of reasons why Champagne houses do this - to create a house style that their brand has become synonymous with so when you buy your bubbly in Dublin or Denmark they taste the same. This is also done to combat fluctuations in weather - not every year is the same, nor are they all perfect for vine growing, hence why having base wines in stock allows winemakers to keep consistency even in bad years (or vintages).
Now that you’ve got the basics, let’s touch on vintage Champagne. Unlike NV, which will have no year on the label, vintage Champagne proudly states the year on the label. This is because vintage Champagne is made only in the best years. The grapes in these bottles only come from one specific year and these wines will carry a higher price tag. They are often sought by collectors and the wines can age very well, whereas for NV I’d recommend you drink these within 3 years of purchase.
Class Over!
What did I drink?
Krug 2011
Dom Ruinart 2013
Moët & Chandon 2016 Extra Brut
Veuve Clicquot 2015
Heidsieck Monopole Gold Top 2010
Laurent-Perrier Millésimé Brut 2015
Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque 2015
Piper Heidsieck 2018
Lanson 2013
Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésimé 2013
Perrier Jouet
Taittinger Brut 2016
Pol Roger Brut 2018
By the looks of my Instagram, you would probably think I spend my days swanning around drinking Champagne and eating like a Michelin Guide inspector, but most of the time, that’s work related (not complaining!). When I get a chance to eat and drink “off the clock”, I relish it, and last week’s visit to Monty’s in Dublin was exactly what this overwhelmed wine girl needed. Like me, owner Shiva is fond of bubbles, and it was only right to start our meal with rosé Champagne de Castellane.
To start, we had two helpings of Monty’s famous Sag, a dish created by Shiva’s wife, Lina. It’s battered baby spinach with pomegrante, tamarind chutney and yogurt dressing. Now, for a Dublin girl who grew up eating Sunday roasts, Irish stews and over cooked cabbage battered spinach sounds very intriguing - but just trust me on this one. It’s de-lish-ous (emphasis on the LISH). Fresh, a little sweet and crunchy with creamy cooling yogurt, it’s a dish that’s a non-negotiable. Tareko Sabji also graced the table - deep-fried veggies with crushed cashews and lovage seeds. Lastly, we had Chuso Ko Lollypop - BBQ chicken in a sweet and sour sauce - so moreish and tasty, order some naan to mop up the sauce!
Momo’s with achar is another must-order dish. These traditional Nepalese dumplings are to be eaten in one bite with a dollop of tomato and coriander chutney. We asked for half goat and half veggie, you can order them with chicken or corn too! Do I order the same main course when at Montys? Yes. Am I boring? Perhaps, but I love it and don’t plan on changing. Give me one lamb ledo bedo with peshwari nan and pilao rice immediately. What I love about this restaurant is how at ease I feel when eating here. The food is always a flurry of flavours, and with a wine list as extensive at Monty’s, no diner will go uncatered for.
More food adventures were had at Carton House in Co.Kildare. The five-star hotel is home to the newly appointed Michelin star restaurant, The Morrison Room. At only 30 years old, head chef Adam Nevin has amassed a wealth of culinary experience - his previous head chef position was at The Dorchester in London. The exceptional food is matched only by the oppluance of the dining room - it’s giving Downtown Abbey. Our meal was the entertainment of the evening, spending about three lesuireley hours indulging in a well-thought out menu, featuring local Irish suppliers. I’ve been told they do a fabulous Sunday lunch complete with Yorkshire puddings, an ESSENTIAL component of any Sunday lunch in my opinion. My plan is to visit and try out this menu next, and if their tasting menu is anything to go by I doubt I’ll be disappointed.
The coming month will see more gorgeous food pass my lips, alongside lots of work of course. In the autumn I’ll be back teaching in Castleknock Community College - if you’re keen to learn more about wine, or have a friend or family member who loves wine and is due a present, this course is perfect. It’s fun, you’ll taste loads and learn about wine without fear of snobbery - you think a girl from Finglas is snobby about wine? More details on the course to follow.
For now, catch me on Instagram for daily delicious updates.