Henry’s Hill Pinot Noir

I was out for a dress-up dinner with my boyfriend a few weeks ago (the kind of dress up you wear your too-high sitting down shoes to and he digs out the cufflinks for) in Town Kildare Street, as manager Jamie Belton had recently unveiled a really exciting and revamped menu and wine list. I was staring at the latter, planning to go for my usual tried and tested wine selection strategy—third-from-the-top or whatever describes itself as ‘easy drinking’—when a most charming Frenchman came over and offered to help. Now, without sounding stingy, I am often wary of help picking wine as I fear I’ll accidentally end up ordering something rare and horribly expensive.

But, like one of those amazing Marks & Spencer ladies who can tell your bra size just by looking at you, he sized us up and delivered the softest, mildest, most mouth-watering delicious wine I have ever tasted. Believe the blurb when it tells you that this New Zealand red is juicy, brambly, silky, spicy – we could have easily put away another couple of bottles.

Available from Wines Direct [www.winesdirect.ie]

by @nathaliemc