Maison Róisín Curley: Ballyhaunis Burgundy
We've know Róisín for many years and have been wowed by her focus and vision in running this amazing project, and by the quality of her wines.
Róisín is not only a winemaker and micro-négotiant (which means that she buys the grapes rather than owning the vineyards), she is also a full-time pharmacist in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo.
Oh, and she is also a Master of Wine, of which there are only 418 in the world.
Her enthusiasm for wine led to her turning a hobby into this incredible alternate life, via lengthy studies that led her to work in Chateau Latour (yes, that Chateau Latour), Château Grillet in the Rhône, Geisenheim in the Rhein and Montpelier.
The grape suppliers for Róisín's wines are mostly all farming organically, as is the case for this wine, and the wine-making philosophy is very definitely 'low-intervention', allowing for terroir and variety to shine through.
Róisín's regular trips to the region and long-term relationships with the growers allow for total control of the process, which again gives such scintillating quality.
Certainly the reaction from the growers themselves is immensely positive which has to be the highest form of praise one could wish for.
Whenever we've had the fortune to meet her, it is a forensic characteristic that comes to mind, yet not at the expense of being a charming, engaging, humble funny and all-round jolly good person.
We have five of Róisín's wines available, and not very many of them (5-6 bottles of each) but gosh, they really are worth it.