A public holiday in Ireland that's celebrated the world over (more than 80 million worldwide claim Irish descent), St Patrick's Day on March 17 is a marvellous excuse to dabble in some Gaelic fun and give the green light to some delicious wines and whiskeys to go with the music, dancing and feasting...

One of the many lucky charms of the Emerald Isle is its triple-distilled whiskey which can be light, approachable and grassy in blends such as Tullamore DEW Original (£20, 70cl, Tesco). It can be swapped for American whiskey or bourbon to create a classic Manhattan cocktail to fit the theme. Versatile with apple, vanilla and honey tones, the light spicy notes also suit more fiery long drinks mixed with ginger. Here's the recipe to try at home...

:: IRISH MANHATTAN 50ml Tullamore Dew, 20ml sweet vermouth, dash of Agostura and orange bitters, orange zest, maraschino cherry Half fill a mixing glass with ice. Pour in the whiskey, vermouth and bitters and stir. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with an orange twist and cherry.

Exploring the fruitier, more delicate style of this triple-distilled spirit (most Scottish whisky is double-distilled), Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey (£19.45, 70cl, www.31dover.com) is fragrant, fresh and floral with vanilla and honey notes and the ideal match for simple Irish grub such as whiskey-glazed corned beef and creamy colcannon (mash potatoes and cabbage).

Meanwhile, Jameson is an Irish institution that can be found in as many bars around the world that will be raising a glass to the land of the shamrock. Triple-distilled and pot stilled - a blend of malted and unmalted barley - and a heavier style, try Jameson Irish Whiskey (£19.95, 70cl, www.31dover.com) over ice with a splash of water to open up the malty nose and fruity sweetness with apple and spice flavours that also work really well with ginger ale and a wedge of lime.

'Wild Geese' takes its name from the Irish residents who've flown the nest since the late 1600s and made a new life for themselves around the world. But you don't need to be of Irish descent to appreciate the malty sweetness of W ild Geese Single Malt Whiskey (£53.33, 70cl, www.amazon.co.uk). With vanilla notes, malty, mixed spice and a light oakiness on the warm finish, it's delicious with soda bread and a cheese plate.

A legacy to Ireland and families who settled Down Under and went on to work in the vineyards to supplement their income, four generations of McGuigan winemakers have made it one of the industry's giants and third generation Neil McGuigan has been named International Winemaker of the Year three times by the IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition).

Inexpensive and rather good if you're after a red with Irish roots, try McGuigan Classic Shiraz, South Eastern Australia (£5.99, Tesco) for a really good match with Irish stew. Mildly spicy with lots of New World fruitiness, the soft plum and raspberry flavours are framed by sweet berries with fine tannins on the smooth finish.

Meanwhile, if you're planning to serve a beef and Guinness stew with champ potato and want an easy drinking red with plenty of ripe black fruits to integrate with the beef, vegetables and stout, try Gourmandises Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 IGP Pays d'Oc, France (£8.99, Waitrose). With a soft berry nose and swathes of black fruit flavours mingling with cassis, mocha and blackberry essence, it's medium weight with gentle tannins.

A typically powerful and robust Priorat, Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Priorat 2011, Spain (£10, Sainsbury's) is an award-winning blend from one of Spain's most exciting regions. Handed a silver medal by the IWSC, it's a trio of grenache, carignan and syrah (shiraz) grapes made from old vine fruit that's grown on steep terraces in this small appellation in Catalonia. Marked by vivid aromas of wild blackberry fruits leading to concentrated black plummy fruits, vanilla, spice, herbs and a hint of cigar box with well-integrated tannins, it's worth making a song and dance about while toasting their patron saint.

:: BEST BUY Something new... Soft drinks company bottlegreen have introduced Grapefruit & Honeysuckle Cordial (£3.15, 50cl, Waitrose) to their range of more than 22 varieties. More honey than suckle, the tartness of the grapefruit takes a back seat in this rich, creamy syrup. Great with soda, lots of ice and a wedge of lime, bottlegreen suggest a dilution ratio of 1:10.

:: LIQUID NEWS Grape escape... Best known for its aromatic whites along the wine route, Alsace in the north eastern corner of France is one of the prettiest places to visit in springtime and Arblaster & Clarke have a great value spring tour which will take wine lovers across the River Rhine to visit Baden and taste some fine German pinot noir as well.

Classic Alsace & Baden, May 11 to 15, 2015 includes famous wineries such as Hugel, Josmeyer, Schlumberger, Domaine Paul Blanck and Domaine Weinbach, along with a visit to the German state of Baden.

Priced at £1,595 pp, the tour includes four nights in a three -star hotel, five meals with wines, wine visits and generous tastings. Return BA flights London Heathrow - Basel. Monica Murphy, formerly of Febvre Wines in Dublin, is the Wine Guide. For more info, visit winetours.co.uk