Weekend wine with Blake Creedon

THE results of one of the most interesting experiments in wine are right there under your nose in about 350 off-licences around the country.

The National Off-Licences Association (NOffLA) represents a diverse range of retailers from single small stores to large off-licence chains such as O’Donovans and O’Briens. And every year they get behind a joint promotion of the NOffLA Gold Star Awards range of wines. Apart from the wines themselves — every year the range includes crackers — what’s fascinating about the Gold Star Award range is that it’s chosen by blind tasting. Hundreds of wines submitted by importers are tried out in blind tastings through the summer, and eventually 15 Gold Star winners are selected in each of the following categories: red and white from new world and old; in three price bands (under €8, €14 and €20) plus one rosé and two sparkling wines.

The tasters include people such as Gary O’Donovan who is both a retailer and a wine educator with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust — but it also includes independent wine consultants.