
John Wilson: Two wines perfect for summer day sipping
some lovely warm sunny weather
so this week, two summery wines from
Lidl
. Soave is light and refreshing, with delicate aromas and vibrant acidity. Some of the cheaper versions can be disappointing, but I was very taken with this one from Lidl.
As the sun comes out, so too does the barbecue. The red wine below would be perfect with an Italian-style grill featuring steak and burgers, as well as aubergines and red peppers.
Soave 202 Giulio Pasotti
11.5% abv, €7.49 from Lidl
Light and fresh with subtle apple and pear fruits. This would make a great aperitif or a partner for summery salads.
Corte Alle Mura Chianti Riserva
13% abv, €10.99 from Lidl
Smooth, rounded dark fruits with nice grippy tannins and good length. Locally, the favourite would be a barbecued steak, but this would go nicely with most red meats or firm cheeses.

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I have just retired, and my husband will be retiring in two years' time. My fear is that we could pump a lot of our pension pot in to this and end up with a half-finished project. Any advice you could give would be really appreciated. Many thanks, Fiona Hi Fiona Wow, Sicily is such a special place. The light, the landscape, the history, the food. And the Ragusa area, in particular, has a charm that's hard to describe, unless you've felt it yourself. You are talking about living the dream. But I love your caution. Hold it close. The €1 scheme is very attractive, but the deadlines, restrictions on renting, and hefty exit clauses can make things go very wrong, very quickly. Stepping outside this and buying a plot and building new, or buying a 'doer upper' without these restrictions and caveats, might be the best option, albeit much more expensive. But once the €1 scheme restrictions are removed, all the other considerations are more or less the same. 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The €1 scheme is very attractive, but the deadlines, restrictions on renting, and hefty exit clauses can make things go very wrong, very quickly. You will have to contract a 'notary' to help with this. They do what an Irish conveyancing solicitor does here. They will see if the property's title is clean or if caveated, and what this will mean long term. This will go a long way to risk assessing. If you are au fait with law, great. If not, I'd advise having an Irish solicitor to check and double check the small print. You will have to consider location. A rural site, off the beaten track with little activity and little or no tourism, will be hard to rent, so consider locating in or near a tourism hub. A short distance to the airport or access to a major public road, or public transport, would be ideal. Where you are building new, it would be better to hire an architect who can design and advise as to the process. They will likely have a list of contractors that they know and trust to get the job done to regulation and for the right price. They will know if there is ready access to labour and materials for the particular area where you are hoping to build. Where neither of you speaks the other's language, you may need a translator to help. Where you buy a do-er upper, a building surveyor would be the best professional to hire. Assessing the building's pathology would be essential. It might look fantastic on the outside and have the best location imaginable, but is it structurally sound? Has it a rot or decay issue? Do you need to scarf or replace timbers? Does it meet building regulations or, where it predates building regulations, does it need to be renovated to take it up to a habitable standard? Where works are required, what is the availability of labour and materials? Your professional should be able to organise permits and works for you but, just like a new build, you may be well advised to have a translator, so you can limit any misunderstanding as the process moves along. My advice is to have a healthy contingency figure of between 25% and 30%. This should cover most hiccups. If planning permission is required, your surveyor will advise. Italy has a deserved reputation for bureaucracy, but conveyancing is always rule-heavy, no matter where you are. The process is not necessarily difficult, but it is different, and it can be slow. This kind of project is more than a financial investment. It's an emotional one, too. You've clearly done a lot of thinking already, and your cautious optimism is exactly the right mindset for something like this. If you and your husband go ahead, do so with a great team, a detailed plan, and a bit of flexibility and I've no doubt you could end up with something really special. A glass of wine on your Sicilian terrace, the scent of lemon trees in the air… It might take time and patience, but it sounds like a dream worth chasing. Brigid Browne is a chartered building surveyor and chair of the Southern Region of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland. She is the owner/ managing director of Cashel-based Fortress Planning which offers a range of services including assigned certifier, design certifier, building surveyor, and conservation consultancy to clients all over the country — If you have a property related query or issue you would like to raise with Brigid, please email irishexaminerpropertyqueries@