Notes from a Professional Wine Taster

Ernie Whalley is a wine, food and travel writer living in Dublin. His blog is Fork n' Cork. He writes a column for The Sunday Independent and The Evening Herald.

Ernie currently likes Semillon. He writes that Semillon "doesn't have the anaemic quality of Pinot Grigio, nor the acid-in-your-face attack of Sauvignon Blanc. It's delicate yet it has loads of flavour - lime, lemon, apple, a hint of white peach." He likes Mount Horrocks Semillon from Clare Valley.

He also likes the Austrian 'signature', Gruner Veltliner, which "makes beautiful wine with a substantial 'mouthfeel', absolutely the perfect match for Asian food. He's drinking wines from young Austrian winemaker, Birgit Eichinger.

Portugal also excites Ernie for their reds. He likes Luis Pato's wine, specifically the "Baga" variety.