Best wines from the Irish Wine Show Star Awards
Ideally the minister would have reduced excise given that we have by far and away the highest taxes on wine in the EU — up to 700% higher than the average. With a weak sterling and Brexit looming, the independent sector will also be damaged by increased cross-border trading, so some relief should have been given.
It is frankly embarrassing to have to admit to winemakers in Europe and elsewhere just how much we tax wine. These are mainly small farmers after all — how would we feel if our agricultural produce was taxed in the same way? Similarly it is all very well for us to talk up our tourism offering with reference to our food culture and award-winning restaurants, but the minister has to know that taxing wine as high as we do is seriously damaging. Will tourists remember the quality of their lobster or steak or will they remember the crippling price of the bottle of average quality wine that went with it? I suspect the latter.
