The idea for this tried-and-tested guide to great eating and drinking  emerged from the many trips I’ve made around the heart of Provence – often researching for wine articles or book contributions. I’m still on the road as often as possible, uncovering all sorts of wonderful people and places: wine producers, food producers, restaurants, hotels or B&Bs, shops, markets and more.

So far the response has been extremely encouraging, with readers in 19 countries stumbling upon provencefoodandwine.com. If you have any suggestions or comments please be sure to post them on the site. In the meantime, for those who may be wondering… No, I don’t live in France. (Not quite yet!). I’ll be back in Dublin soon.

Forget about the London Wine Fair and other dreary gatherings for those of us who earn a living from an anything-but-dreary liquid. The first International Grenache Symposium held recently in the Southern Rhône showed how these things should be done. Brilliantly organised by estate owners Nicole Rolet of La Verrière and Walter McKinlay of Domaine de Mourchon, it was enjoyable, thought-provoking and a networker’s dream.

Perhaps in the reverse order, to be truthful. Moderated by leading wine writers Steven Spurrier and Michel Bettane, G-Day attracted a galaxy of top names from different spheres in 23 countries. Producers including California’s Randall Grahm, the Barossa’s Stephen Henschke, Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Vincent Avril and Priorat’s René Barbier joined world-famous viticultural experts, journalists, distributors and retailers to unpick the potential of the grape described by Spurrier as ‘the girl next door – you know she’s always there but you don’t pay too much attention to her’.

Among the many interesting points raised by the 250 attendees, I was taken by the suggestion that global warming is likely to bring heat-living Grenache more to the fore. Another topical claim was that this grape is remarkably eco-friendly, needing no irrigation and surviving into extreme old age rather than having to be ripped up after 30 years and replanted.

Of the recommendations made, one of the most practical was to serve Grenache cooler than most other red wines – at 15-16 degrees C, to lessen the impression of sweetness and alcohol which sometimes make it seem like a jammy blockbuster. And the most fun? The idea of an International Grenache Day, when to celebrate this extrovert grape everybody wears a loud shirt. (That one came from McLaren Vale winemaker Chester Osborn whose shirts are deafening – every day.)

Fine to offer eleven wines by the glass (at between €5.20 and €8). But how is anybody supposed to make an informed choice when there is no mention of the vintage or – by far the most crucial yardstick of quality – the producer? To describe a wine simply as ‘Rioja’ or ‘Pinot Gris’ when there are hundreds of each, from glorious to ghastly, is utterly meaningless. Are wine-loving customers so gullible that they swallow this unprofessional approach and come back for more?

The wines were introduced by Ruinart’s international director, Patrick Shelley (from Tipperary). The house style is firmly focused on Chardonnay – and just as well, given that blanc de blancs champagnes are growing in popularity in spite of the recession. Although not always a blanc de blancs fan, I was greatly taken with both the zesty, charming non-vintage and the rich but refreshing Dom Ruinart vintage 1998. (Served in a white Burgundy glass, it tasted remarkably close to that wine in style).

These were also my favourites at dinner, the NV perfect with a Basque pepper terrine with goat’s cheese and fennel confit and the vintage shining with roast turbot set off by carrot with star anise and a seaweed butter. (Daft-sounding, maybe, but divine).  The roses weren’t far behind, with Dom Ruinart Rose 1996 especially memorable with a ginger bavarois whose flavours were delicately lifted by watermelon ‘lemonade’ and a yuzu sorbet.

Producing just 4 million bottles a year, Ruinart is a smallish house whose lofty reputation rests on fastidious methods – including long ageing of its champagnes before release. It’s a niche brand worth bearing in mind for special occasions. My guess is that the non-vintage blanc de blancs will do particularly well in Ireland – not least because its clear bottle in 18th-century shape is instantly recognisable. And, no, light can’t harm the precious liquid. The glass has a special coating. Phew.

Lidl obviously thought so, recently sending me a batch of samples with a brochure. ‘Quality wine can be so affordable!’ it announces. Photographs of about 30 bottles appear with tasting notes and scores out of 100 attributed to Richard Bamfield, a Master of Wine employed by Lidl to taste and rate their wines. Every single wine scores between 80 and 90 points, earning the rating ‘good’ or ‘very good’. Wow!

I tasted the ten samples. Only one would I rate as pretty good for the price – Viajero Pinot Noir from Chile at €9.49. A rosé champagne at €26.99, although palatable enough, was hardly an outstanding bargain. The rest were limp disappointments – some dilute and lacking in flavour, others tasting downright nasty. (A Prosecco, a German Pinot Grigio and Viajero Sauvignon Blanc were the worst). Even the quality of the Chablis which I included in the book 101 Great Wines under €12 in 2008 seemed, in the current vintage, to be watery and bland.

Granted, prices are low – but why buy cheap, mediocre wines in Lidl when shops all over the country are overflowing with terrific stuff costing very little more? Consumers have never had a better deal, thanks to the recession. But we still have to fork out excise duty of almost €2 on every bottle plus 21% VAT. Factor in other fixed costs – packaging, transport, warehousing etc – and it emerges that the value of the wine in a €6 bottle isn’t worth much more than 50 cent. That is the true reason why, in Ireland, really cheap is rarely cheerful – whether it comes from Lidl or anywhere else.

As for high ‘scores’… they don’t mean a damned thing – even if they come from a Master of Wine who should know better.

The bright business card you see plonked on the left-hand corner of the James Nicholson catalogue belongs to Picnic, a terrific little coffee shop-cum-deli in nearby Killyleagh. Into one of the tiniest restaurant spaces imaginable, John and Katherine Dougherty cram all sorts of delicious lunch dishes (like chicken, aubergine and feta pie or roasted vegetable quiche) and sinfully gorgeous cakes (raspberry and white chocolate friands vying with Big Bad Brownies for top billing). The place is packed with eager customers, interesting deli products and some bright pottery, too. With a range of single-variety apple juices and really good coffee, you’ll hardly miss  wine. I certainly didn’t…and will go back soon for a slab of chocolate biscuit cake like the one mum used to make.

Meanwhile non-visitors can enjoy the wines produced from Meerlust’s fastidiously farmed 110 hectares. Winemaker Chris Williams has taken over from Giorgio Dalla Cia, the man who forged the estate’s reputation from 1978 to 2003. (The second time I met him, Giorgio introduced me to his grappa still – no wonder the memory is fuzzy.) Signs are that Chris has a terrifically sure touch.

The Chardonnay 2007 (about €31.50), although still substantial, seems a little fresher and lighter in style than of old. The Merlot 2006 (about €32), savoury and suave but also with striking freshness, is a beauty. But to me the star is still Rubicon, a Bordeaux blend which has long ranked among South Africa’s icon wines. The 2005 (about €37) is a big step up from 2004 – a fabulously silky, concentrated, downright gorgeous wine.

Meerlust stockists: Corkscrew, Chatham St; Donnybrook Fair, Dublin 4; Redmonds, Ranelagh; Gibneys, Malahide; Wicklow Arms, Delgany; Hollands, Bray; Lynchs, Glanmire. Treat yourself.

La Verriere - symposium setting at Le Crestet

it is little understood. Not for long! The first international Grenache symposium takes place 5-6 June at La Verriere, a magnificent hilltop estate not far from Avignon. I’m greatly looking forward to it.

Why not come and sample top Grenache-based wines from around the world while meeting key producers and writers in one of the prettiest places in Provence? Organised by Walter McKinlay of Domaine de Mourchon and chaired by Steven Spurrier (famous for The Judgment of Paris tasting), the symposium is open to all on these two days. The fee of €450 includes Saturday lunch, a grand winemakers’ dinner on Saturday night and Sunday brunch as well as all the tastings and musings. More details on www.grenachesymposium.com.

If you’re wondering where to stay, I recommend La Madelene just ten minutes away. Run by Philip and Jude Reddaway, this is a delightful B&B-cum-wine school with pool – just the place to collapse after a busy day. Have a peep at www.rhonewineholidays.com and you’ll see what I mean. Or email rhonewineholidays@googlemail.com for details.

Innovative without being silly, the food here is memorable for its pure, zingy flavours and perfect presentation. (You may find your thick slice of hot-smoked salmon still smoking enticingly under its cloche – both a visual and an aromatic treat.) Sommelier Anke Hartmann offers  some delicious menu matches from the interesting wine list that she has built up. And, should you decide to stay (you should!), the bedrooms are a dream – outdone only by some astonishingly sybaritic bathrooms in which glass-walled showers offer the knockoutcombination of luxury ablutions with sweeping sea views.

Overseen by genial Adriaan Bartels (previously manager of Sheen Falls Lodge in Kenmare, Co Kerry), The Cliff House is one of Ireland’s most exciting hotels. Put it on your 2010 To Do list – although half of the charm, when you get there, is to do absolutely nothing.

www.thecliffhousehotel.com – tel +353 24 87800

Ruth Deveney’s first beerfest was terrific.  A team of producers and importers poured over 100 astonishingly diverse bottlings to a packed roomful of enthusiasts (mostly male, but the eyes of the women present gleamed with dedication).  And, to my surprise, I discovered a whole clatter of beers that I liked.

Although the preferences of a novice will hardly count for much, here are some of the bottles I’ll be buying soon:

Estrella Inedit – the beer created by groundbreaking Spanish chef Ferran Adria and the team at El Bulli to match food. (I slipped this into the toe of my husband’s Christmas stocking without ever having tasted it.) I loved its pungent, earthy, savoury intensity. The fact that it is glamorously packaged and fiendishly expensive (about €8.99 a bottle) may have helped!

Svyturys Baltas – an unfiltered wheat beer from Lithuania, nutty and lively with a hint of fennel. Next time I’ll  try it with smoked salmon.

Whitewater Belfast Lager – crisp and refreshing but characterful too (as is to be expected of my native city).

Bitter and Twisted (beer names are a lot more fun than wine names) – a blond ale from Scotland’s Harviestoun brewery. Hoppy and citrussy: if the crowd hadn’t been so dense I might have grabbed the glass and rushed across to Burdock’s for fish and chips…

Chapeau Kriek Lambic – a very fruity, very funky Belgian cherry beer made with wild airborne yeast. Perfect for a sunny summer’s afternoon, if we are granted any.

Schlenkeler Rauchbier – a gloriously smoky German creation from a brewery in Franconia, a region which was apparently spared British bombing raids in the war so that there would be plenty of beer for the troops.  You need a big plate of salami, or smoked cheese, or anything with smoky bacon to set this off.

Porterhouse Hop Head – made in the style of an American pale ale, this highly aromatic creation reminded me of Gewurztraminer. A wine style that I don’t much like – but I did like Hop Head. Definitely worth trying, especially with spicy food.

Ola Dubh – another Scottish gem which I absolutely loved.  Rich, dark and chocolatey (but not as sweet as some of the chocolate stouts on offer). Is ageing in whisky casks the secret?

That’s nearly a top ten – not bad for a first outing. Already I look forward to Deveneys second beer festival. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping a regular eye on www.deveneysbeer.blogspot.com – recommended as much for Ruth Deveney’s passionate enthusiasm as for a constant stream of new discoveries.  Check it out.