Corks pop for top off-licence

THE importance of knowing the difference between a vintage wine and cheap plonk was highlighted during efforts to find the country’s finest off-licence yesterday.

The champagne corks popped for the Wine Centre in Kilkenny City, when it was named as the National Off-Licence of the Year at the RDS in Dublin.

The final stage of judging for the 25 finalists was a blind-tasting test, to ascertain each retailers’ palate for fine wines. With growing numbers developing a taste for good wine, helpful advice from store staff is a rapidly emerging demand from customers.

Off-licences sell almost two-thirds of the 60 million bottles of wine sold in Ireland every year. Research by the Wine Development Board of Ireland shows that half the country’s adults drink wine, almost double the figure just over a decade ago.

Other factors in determining the winners in the Guinness UDV/National Off-Licence Association Awards were appearance, customer service, hygiene and product range.

“The competition is helping to set high standards for off-licences in Ireland and that, in turn, provides consumers with the opportunity to shop for beers, wines and spirits in high quality environments,” said Guinness UDV’s off-trade retail marketing manager Eoghan O’Sullivan.

Four regional awards were presented to The Vintry, Rathgar (Dublin), The Mill Wine Cellar, Maynooth, Co Kildare (Leinster), World Wide Wines, Dunmore Rd, Waterford (Munster) and Fahy’s Off-Licence in Ballina,

Co Mayo (Connaught/Ulster).

Specialist awards were presented to Dublin premises: Mitchell & Son, Kildare St (spirits), Martha’s Vineyard, Rathfarnham (wines) and Redmond’s of Ranelagh.