Food

Take it home: some Boyne valley cider and one of Tuscany's finest

Every week, John Wilson selects a wine and a beer or cider to try right now. Today, he suggests picking up some Kelly's Cider and a bottle of Fico Grande Sangiovese Romagna 2014

John Wilson's face
John Wilson
Fri Apr 24 2015 - 12:00

Kelly’s Cider

The McNeece family grows apples in the Boyne Valley in Drogheda. They began selling cider in 2013, all made using 100 per cent fresh juice and all made from their own apples. They have eighty acres and sixteen different varieties of apple to choose from. Olan McNeece ferments using wild yeasts, adding no sweeteners, artificial colouring or acid. The result is an utterly delicious refreshing complex cider packed full of flavour – genuine apple flavour!

cider maker Olan McNeece and Celita Ravaioli from Italy

Drink on its own or with pork, chicken or cheese – all great matches for good cider. Be prepared for something completely different to the big commercial brands. Look out too for the even more wonderful Fiona’s Fancy, a stronger, drier version of their standard cider. Available in over 100 off-licences, bars and restaurants nationwide.

Dan Kelly's will hold an open day on May 2nd and 3rd from 12-6pm. Admission is €5 per adult and children are free. All proceeds go to a local charity. No need to book, just pay on the day. There will be beehives (very important in an orchard) talks, walks and tastings of apples, cider vinegar and cider. For directions see www.dankellyscider.com or www.boynegrove.ie

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Fico Grande Sangiovese Romagna 2014

12.5% - €8 in SuperValu until April 29th

Sangiovese is Italy’s most widely-planted grape variety. It forms the backbone of many of the most expensive wines of Tuscany. Cheap Sangiovese can be really nasty – I still have memories of horrible acidic wines with scrawny unripe fruit etched on my mind from parties. Times are changing: over the last two weeks, I have tasted several very affordable gluggable versions of this grape. The Romagna region, south of Verona, grows huge quantities of Sangiovese. The Fico Grande is lightly fruity with no rough edges. At €8 you cannot ask for more. I drank mine with cheesy, herby gnocchi and a pork chop.