Wine Me, Dine Me ?

As summertime draws near, parties, barbies and romantic al fresco dinners are the order of the day, but what are the best wines to accompany great food and even better company in the sun? Simon Keegan – top sommelier at Suesey Street and Number 25 Fitzwilliam Place – has all the tips for tip-top tipples this summer.

1. ?Great refreshing whites (lowish alcohol) are coming out of Portugal right now from producers such as Dirk Niepoort. Due to unique Portuguese white varieties, the mouth feel and texture of the wines on the palate and minerality of soils make for some classy drinking.?

2. ?Red or white too warm? Don’t be afraid to chuck in an ice cube. The correct temperature on a wine makes all the difference.?

3. ?If there is a Rioja Crianza or Reserva on a wine list it’s usually a safe bet. The combination of bottle age and soft tannins with savory fruit complexity make it a lovely summer red.?

4. ?My current Ros? favourite is by Domaines Ott, the By. Ott Ros?, C?tes De Provence 2015, elegant refreshing and dry finish – on its own or with food.?

5. ?It’s time to get back to Champagne! Any time of the summer! If people understood the work that goes into getting a bottle of non-vintage, top brand champagne such as Moet or Roederer from grape to glass they would be well happy paying the price. There are some seriously great Champagnes that can be paired with food out there.?

Simon Keegan, Sommelier at Suesey Street introduces Wine Wednesday – a weekly celebration of wine choices at exceptional prices. Join Simon and the team at Suesey Street every Wednesday to discover a wonderful selection of wines with most bottles at less than half price. A great opportunity to explore different grapes and regions, the selections include Chablis, Les Vaucopins Domaine Long-Depaquit 2014, normally listed at €79 will be €34 per bottle every Wednesday, Brunello di Montalcino Poggio San Polo 2010 priced at €105 will be €45. Other great offers include Puligny-Montrachet Les Folati’res Alain Chavy reduced from €120 to €49 and Malbec Vista Flores, Bodegas Catena 2014 which will be reduced from €44 to €15!

Guests will also find the perfect pairing for their wine selection on the local and seasonal menu from head chef Gareth Naughton? from hearty main courses to delectable desserts.

Wine Wednesday runs every Wednesday from 6pm to 9.30pm.

Suesey Street – 26 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2, 01 669 4600; sueseystreet.ie