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To be sure, to understand the "Wine Geese", you must first remember the "Wild Geese." When James II was defeated in 1691, and the Williamite War came to an end, many Irish who had been loyal to him chose to leave Ireland. Many settled in France, and chose to continue the traditional Irish bond with the land. The "twist", however, was that in the Bordeaux region, commercial agriculture didn't mean cattle or grains, as it had in Ireland - it meant grapes and the wine trade!

If you were to look for those vineyards today, look for labels bearing the names Lynch, MacCarthy, Dillon, Phelan, Hennessy and Barton. The Bartons reportedly still consider themselves Irish, and carry Irish passports. Ownership has changed hands for the other chateaux. Still a piece of history lives, even in their labels. Michel Lynch, you see, fought with James II at the Battle of the Boyne.

Other Irish emigrés have taken their places in wine producing countries around the world. James Concannon, of the Aran Islands, settled in California's Livermore Valley in the 1880s. Others vintners of Irish heritage in California include Murphy-Goode and Kenwood (owned by the Lee family). New Zealand's Hunter and Forrest houses have Irish ties through Ernie Hunter's Belfast roots and Brigid Forrest's Cork connection.

This story of a piece of the Irish diaspora has come together at the International Museum of Wine housed in Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Co. Cork. Even if you can't pay a visit, consider searching out a bottle from one of the Wine Geese the next time you're ready to uncork a bottle. It might bring some history to mind.

Coleen, you seem like a nice Catholic Woman. Sadly, I must say ANATHEMA SIT

I have Emailed the Pope about your perfidy.

ANATHEMA SIT

Excommunications are not kinder and gentler in accord with the new Religion Forum guidelines. They imply heresy or apostacy on the part of the other poster, something dat vill not be tolerated. (Good thing I'm not a mod, you'd have "Strike One" against you already, buddy.)

If I drink wine from a box with a spigot, am I Anathema too?

International Museum of Wine housed in Desmond Castle, Kinsale, Co. Cork

Been there!!! HA!

Sorry, those guys are "lace curtain Irish" and not the bogtrotters I am descended from and/or worked with. Plus they are way more fun than the lace curtain types. Gimme a bog trotter any day. ;-)