Class in a glass

ONE WARM SPRING evening in Seville, in 1999, Erik Robson and his wife Michelle sat in a bar enjoying some pleasant wines while nibbling on tapas. They asked themselves why this couldn’t be done in Dublin. Back then, if you wanted to drink a nice bottle of wine, you had to go to a restaurant, and that meant a three-course meal with attendant costs.

A short time later the couple opened Ely wine bar in Ely Place. Ten years on, they offer 80 wines by the glass, and close on 400 by the bottle. The idea remains the same. You can drop in and have a glass of wine, a few snacks and wander off again. Or a three-course meal if you want one. “It is not a restaurant,” Robson insists. “It’s a wine bar. You can eat as little or as much as you like.”

Ely became a beacon to those who love wine; an alternative to the poor quality quarter bottles that pubs offer. These days it has a few rivals, but not many come close in the range or quality available. Where else can a wine lover indulge in a glass of German Riesling, Portuguese red or sherry? Here wine is served in decent measure, and in proper glasses, too.

Ely bar and brasserie in the IFSC (formerly Ely CHQ) was the next, very ambitious step for the couple. Upstairs is bright and airy, downstairs is a huge vaulted cellar. “We see this as a brasserie, and Ely Gastro Pub [formerly Ely HQ, the third outlet], opposite the Libeskind-designed Grand Canal Theatre, as a gastro-pub, with a shorter wine list,” says Robson. “We have three very different operations, all based on wine. Hanover Quay sells a serious amount of beer, but we bring to beer and spirits the same ethos as to wine.”

Robson is committed to quality Irish food. His father runs a large organic farm in Co Clare, which supplies much of his restaurants’ produce. “From day one we have bought Irish meat and seafood. Tourists are not coming here to eat mass-produced food; they are here to eat fresh Irish produce and Irish cuisine. Given the scale of our business we cannot offer organic produce to all three venues, but we do our best. My dad sources conventional meat directly from local farmers and we slaughter, butcher and hang it ourselves. I think he may be the biggest organic pork farmer in the country.”

Given the difficulties that many restaurants now find themselves in, how does Ely survive? “We took action in late 2008, with pay-cuts for everyone, but we concentrated on trying to anticipate what the customer wanted and to keep the staff motivated. Without their trust and support, we would have imploded. We weren’t doing anything wrong, but we now had to do more for less.”

The 130 staff has been trimmed to 89. “We are now smarter than we were, our staff training is much better, and we react much more quickly. The customer has changed too, looking for quality and freshness rather than expensive cuts. We are very positive about the future. For the first time, the Government and Failté Ireland now realise how important restaurants are for tourism.”

Robson is passionate about Ireland and the tourist business. “I read a comment from the maitre d’ of a nearby restaurant recently saying they didn’t rate tourists, because they will never come back. But a tourist might be someone from the west of Ireland who does not normally come to the city; it might be somebody over from London on business, or it might be somebody from the other side of the world. But I guarantee you they will all know people who will travel to Ireland within the next 24 months. We are all about repeat business. Even if we make a mistake we will endeavour to win you back.”

Has the nation’s taste in wine changed? “When we started, it took us two years to get customers to trust us. We were part of the learning curve with wine drinkers. We are still about wine, and we will never serve a poor glass of wine. We have looked at how we can offer better value, but our customers are still buying good wine.

Robson says the best value lies in the €30-60 price range. “Value is when you thoroughly enjoy a glass of wine, and are tempted to try another glass. We are not interested in people consuming wine as alcohol. It has to be the flavours, the character and style of the wine that excites. We sell a phenomenal amount of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Rioja, although we have never promoted either.”

At the original Ely wine bar, the atmosphere is relaxed and leisurely. But in the early evening, it cranks up a notch or two, and is often buzzing with a lively crowd knocking back a few glasses of wine, chatting to friends, eating little snacks. Just as you might find in Seville.

TWO UNDER €12

Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Joel Delaunay 2008, 13%, €9.95Despite my Sauvignon fatigue, I still enjoyed this charming wine. The extra year has given it a nice richness on the centre-palate, the green fruits being complemented perfectly by a lively citrus finish. Great summer drinking. Stockist: O'Briens

Zuazo Gaston Rioja 2008, 13%, €10.99Inexpensive Rioja needs to be chosen with care as many tend to be thin and over-oaked. There are exceptions. This is definitely one to go for, with its lovely easy ripe cherry fruits, rounded and smooth. Drink cool, with chicken and lighter pork dishes. Stockists: The Wine Boutique, Ringsend; D6 Wines, Dublin 6; Fresh Stores, Dublin; The Magic Carpet, Dublin 18; Bramley Cottage, Fota, Cork; Brian Barry, Midleton, Co Cork; Coasters, Limerick

Erik Robson's wines of the week

Cairanne 'La Brunote' Domaine Alary 2007, 14.5%, €18.99This is a great wine that always delivers real value. A blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre that has violets and cassis on the nose and a lovely peppery bite. In our book we recommend it with the organic banger and mash. The 2007 is gorgeous and is €35 on our list. Retail stockists: thestoreroom.ie; Bin No. 9, Clonskeagh; Cases Wine Warehouse, Galway

Simone Joseph Syrah 2005, Vin de pays des Collines Rhodaniennes, 12.5%, €14.99Very popular at €29, with more elegance and freshness than the Alary. It is medium-bodied with black fruit and spices this is a little easier to drink in the sunshine. Retail stockists: Vanilla Grape, Kenmare; The Vineyard, Galway; Cases, Galway; On the Grapevine, Dalkey; thestoreroom.ie

Castell d'Encus Susterris 2008, Costers del Segre, Spain, 13%, €17.99New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has been extremely popular but we've just taken in this brilliantly crisp, minerally Semillon/Sauvigon Blanc from the Pyrenees in Spain (€35). The grapes are grown at more than 1,000 metres, giving a pronounced acidity, but nicely balanced by the Semillon fruits. Retail stockist: Jus de Vine, Portmarnock

Domaine Dravigny 'Cuvee Amber' Champagne NV, 12.5%, €32This is not unlike Bollinger in its fullness and blend. It is a blend of 60 per cent Pinot Noir, 35 per cent Chardonnay and 5 per cent Pinot Meunier. It has the toasty, yeastiness that many of us look for, with a hint of sweet strawberries. Full in flavour, but not too heavy. Because they don't spend on marketing, we get true quality Champagne that we can sell for €59. Retail stockist: burgundydirect.ie