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Off-trade
8 Ampersand’s Rioja Vega Crianza DOC wins Wine of Year
Ampersand dominates NOffLA Wine Awards
Ampersand’s Willie Dardis might as well have stood by the podium for the duration of the recent NOffLA Irish Wine Show Star Awards to save himself some walks, so many accolades did the company receive for its range of wines this year including Best White Wine in LoLo Albariño DO 2021 & Best Wine Overall in Rioja Vega Crianza DOC 2018.
This year’s competition, held as part of NOffLA’s annual SIP Irish Wine Show Star Awards & Christmas Showcase, was again held in the Morrisson Hotel.
Now in its 22nd year, the awards were hosted in-person for the first time in two years and the event saw 48 wines win awards.
In excess of 600 wines were submitted to NOffLA’s Star Award adjudication panel and independent wine journalists. Points were awarded on the basis of appearance, smell, taste and valuefor-money criteria; the final winning 16 were selected as the best wines from key suppliers across a number of price categories.
The winning wines are available
Ampersand Wines won Wine of the Year for Rioja Vega Crianza DOC 2018. The award was presented by NOffLA Chairman Gary O’Donovan (right) and accepted by (from left): Willie Dardis, Sinead Smith and Luis Mareculeta.
2022-2023 GOLD STAR AWARD WINNERS
CATEGORY WINE
VINTAGE COMPANY
Old World White Under €12 Giovinello Pinot Grigio 2021 Ampersand Wines Old World White Under €15 Cantina di Custoza, Custoza Bianco 2021 Liberty Wines Old World White Under €20 LoLo Albariño DO 2021 Ampersand Wines New World White Under €12 Corla Reef Chardonnay Semillion 2021 Ampersand Wines New World White Under €15 Nuevo Mundo Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Febvre Wines New World White Under €20 Salentein “Barrel Selection” Chardonnay 2021 Mackenway Wines Old World Red Under €12 Rioja Vega Semi Crianza 2020 Ampersand Wines Old World Red Under €15 Rioja Vega Crianza DOC 2018 Ampersand Wines Old World Red Under €20 Vale D Maria Douro Superior 2020 Mackenway Wines New World Red Under €12 Coral Reef Shiraz Cabernet 2019 Ampersand Wines New World Red Under €15 Portillo Malbec 2020 Mackenway Wines New World Red Under €20 d’Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 Febvre Wines Rose Under €15 Domaine La Colombette 2021 Cassidy Wines
Sparkling Wine Under €25 Villa Conchi, Cava Brut Champagne Under €60 Champagne Jean Pernet Réserve Brut Chardonnay Grand Cru Non Alcoholic Under €15 Faber Sauvignon Blanc White Wine of the Year 2022-2023 LoLo Albariño DO
Wine of the Year 2022-2023 Rioja Vega Crianza DOC
NV Tindal Wine Merchants NV Febvre Wines NV Ampersand Wines 2021 Ampersand Wines
2018 Ampersand Wines
to consumers from NOffLA outlets across Ireland and recognisable by distinctive Award symbols on each bottle.
It’s hoped that in the pre-Christmas period NOffLA members will promote the Irish Wine Show Star Awards Collection as ideal Christmas gifts in a variety of special gift packs.
Prior to the awards, NOffLA Chairman Gary O’Donovan told those gathered that the Sale of Alcohol Bill was unlikely to be enacted before 2023.
He also expressed the Association’s disappointment that an alcohol excise reduction was not considered as part of Budget 2023.
“Unfortunately, Irish drinks sector businesses are burdened with the highest levels of alcohol excise in the EU and UK and excise increases from a decade ago remain in place and continue to impact these small, independent businesses,” he stated, “It’s disappointing that an excise reduction was not included in Budget 2023 given the increasingly uncertain economic conditions these businesses now face.
“It’s also particularly disappointing given that with Minimum Unit Pricing coming into effect earlier this year - which now safeguards against the retailing of alcohol at dangerously low prices - Ireland’s punitively high excise levels are no longer justified from a public health perspective.”
NOffLA Vice Chairman Cathal McHugh also brought the audience up to speed via a trading update.
DRINKS INDUSTRY IRELAND | November/December 2022
OFF-TRADE DEVELOPMENTS 17 8 €63 million spent in local communities by distillery visitors in 2019
The IWA’s Sustainability Roadmap found that €63 million was spent in local communities by visitors to distilleries in 2019.
The Irish Whiskey Association has called on the Government and agencies north and south to develop a new all-island Food and Drink Tourism Strategy as a priority for 2023.
The most recent Food and Drink Tourism Strategy was published by Fáilte Ireland in January 2018 which saw the development of initiatives such as the all-island ‘Taste the Island’ promotion in 2019. Implementation of the strategy was halted by the onset of Covid-19 and the Association has now called for a new strategy to be developed as a priority.
IWA Director William Lavelle commended the hard work of the tourism agencies north and south as they supported the tourism industry, including distillery visitor experiences, to survive and recover following the pandemic.
“Visitors to distillery visitor experiences fell by 87% in both 2020 and 2021 from a high of one million visitors in 2019,” he said, “2022 has seen a strong rebound in visitor numbers, supported by the IrishWhiskey360 campaign and our new Irish Whiskey Passport initiative, both developed by the Irish Whiskey Association.
“While this rebound is welcome, as we move on from recovery to growth, members of the Irish Whiskey Association are calling on the Government and agencies north and south to develop a new all-island Food and Drink Tourism Strategy as a priority for 2023. We know that more and more international tourists are coming to Ireland looking to experience premium offerings including discovering the best of Irish food and drink.”
The IWA’s Sustainability Roadmap found that €63 million was spent in local communities by visitors to distilleries in 2019 with Irish whiskey tourism making a substantial contribution to economic sustainability as well as showcasing the provenance and authenticity of Irish whiskey production.
Strategy needed to support sustainable tourism
According to the IWA a new Food and Drink Tourism Strategy would provide the focus and direction for development of what has the potential to be a high-value tourism segment, supporting Ireland’s hospitality, tourism, food and drinks industries on an all-island basis.
“The development of a new Food and Drink Tourism Strategy would support the Government’s ambition to promote sustainable tourism in line with our Irish Whiskey Sustainability Roadmap published earlier this year,” concluded William Lavelle, “It would also support the Government’s Food Vision 2030 strategy which commits to ‘developing linkages between local food and tourism offerings, including support for business development and marketing initiatives to support and promote food and drink visitor attractions including the distillery, brewery and tourism sector’.”
8 Digital labelling initiative part of European pilot programme
Irish Distillers adds digital label
Irish Distillers is launching a digital e-label system which aims to better inform consumers about the products they’re consuming as well as encourage responsible drinking.
The digital labelling initiative begins with a European pilot program across Pernod Ricard’s strategic international brands including Jameson and Absolut in the Irish market before being rolled out globally across all brands in Pernod Ricard’s portfolio by 2024.
The initiative aims to offer consumers a quick and easy way to access product and health information on packaging via a QR code.
As part of the pilot, bottles of Jameson and Absolut in Ireland will now carry a QR code on the back label which, once scanned with a smartphone, will redirect consumers to a platform where they’ll be able to access: • the list of ingredients and nutritional information • information about the health risks associated with the consumption of alcohol and where to find relevant information in their country • responsible drinking information including the local low risk drinking guidelines specific to each country as well as information about who should not drink alcohol and a link to a consumer information website. “The pilot of this new digital label solution in Ireland and other European markets strives to respond to our customers’ evolving desire for more information about the products they’re consuming,” said Irish Distillers’ Chairman & Chief Executive Nodjame Fouad.
The first bottles of Jameson and Absolut to carry the new digital label are available here now. n
