Noffla news

2021 Irish Wine Show Star Award winners announced

The National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) has awarded its annual Irish Wine Show Star Awards to 45 wines at its annual event. Now in its 21st year, the winning wines from the Irish Wine Show Star Awards will be available to consumers from NOffLA outlets across Ireland.

At the event which was livestreamed online on Monday, 4 October, NOffLA again called on the Government to reduce excise duty by 7.5% in Budget 2022, to begin to align Irish excise rates with EU levels and to protect the commercial viability of drinks sector businesses post-Covid.

This is in line with calls from the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) as Irish excise on wine remains the highest in the EU; Irish consumers pay €3.19 in excise per standard bottle at 13% ABV.

Speaking at the Awards, Gary O’Donovan, chairman of NOffLA congratulated the 2021 winners, saying: “It is great to be able to celebrate some of the finest products sold by our highlytrained members around the country. As independent, specialist retailers, NOffLA members are at the heart of their communities and serve as responsible and highlyknowledgeable local retailers who are committed to excellence both in terms of personal service and the high-quality wines that we offer.

“However, this offering continues to be under serious threat as Irish excise levels impede the drinks sector in Ireland and remain the highest among our EU neighbours,” O’Donovan added. “A reduction in excise levels of 7.5% in Budget 2022 would help protect the commercial models of businesses within the drinks sector and help provide an optimal trading environment.”

In excess of 600 wines were submitted to the Star Award adjudication panel of NOffLA judges and independent wine journalists. Points were awarded on the basis of appearance, smell, taste and value for money criteria, and the winning 15 were selected as the best wines from key suppliers across a number of price categories.

Each of the winning wines will be sold in NOffLA member outlets across the country and will be recognisable by distinctive Award symbols on each bottle. In the pre-Christmas period NOffLA members will promote the Irish Wine Show Star Awards 2021-2022 Collection as ideal Christmas gifts, in a variety of special gift packs.

The 2021 Gold Star Award Winners are as follows:

All the winners at the 2021-2022 Irish Wine Show Star Awards, held in the Radisson Blu Golden Lane

CATEGORY WINE VINTAGE COMPANY

Old World White Under €10 Maximo Blanco 2020 Mackenway Distributors Ltd. Old World White Under €15 Trulli Vermentino IGP 2020 Mackenway Distributors Ltd.

Old World White Under €20

Mâcon-Uchizy, Domaine Talmard 2020 Tindal Wine Merchants New World White Under €10 Antares Sauvignon Blanc 2021 Ampersand Wines

New World White Under €15 Asymmetric Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc New World White Under €20 Tokara Premium Sauvignon Blanc 2020

2020

Ampersand Wines Mackenway Distributors Ltd. Old World Red Under €10 Maximo Tinto 2019 Mackenway Distributors Ltd. Old World Red Under €15 Trulli Salice Salentino DOP 2019 Mackenway Distributors Ltd.

Old World Red Under €20 Tuella Douro Red 2019 Tindal Wine Merchants

New World Red Under €10 Coral Reef Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon New World Red Under €15 Fleur du Cap Pinotage New World Red Under €20 Catena Malbec

Rosé Under €15 Domaine La Colombette Rosé

Sparkling Wine Under €25

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava Sparkling/Champagne Under €60 Ferrari Brut Old World White Under €20 Mâcon-Uchizy, Domaine Talmard

WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR 2021-2022

2019

2018

2019

2020

NV

NV

2020 Ampersand Wines Febvre Wines

Cassidy Wines Cassidy Wines Findlater & Co.

Cassidy Wines Tindal Wine Merchants

Old World White Under €15 Trulli Salice Salentino DOP

WINE OF THE YEAR 2021-2022

2020 Mackenway Distributors Ltd.

www.noffla.ie

NOffLA welcomes new associate member, Bevella

The National Off-Licence Association is delighted to welcome Bevella as an associate member of the organisation. Bevella is a strong, confident offspring of Ireland’s largest distributor, Primeline Sales & Marketing. The business champions new and existing brands in accessing the local market and developing on-trade and off-trade sales channels, where it can be difficult to achieve a national footprint, given the challenging route to market. The vast independent network that Bevella has access to means the right range can be offered to Irish trade customers for their consumers.

Bevella focuses itself on key business areas such as industry knowledge and understanding of customers, trade and trends, partnering with industry associations, partnering and planning with brand owners; and nurturing reliable, supportive, revenue driving interdependent relationships with publicans, wholesalers and retailers. A full brand service is provided, with a dedicated sales team, personalised account management, merchandising, marketing activation and PR and business reporting and intelligence.

Bevella’s partners to date include: • The Muff Liquor Company –

Gin, Vodka and Whiskey • Blood Monkey Gin • Connacht Whiskey Company –

Straw Boys Vodka and Poitín,

Conncullin Gin, Ballyhoo

Whiskey and Connacht Single

Malt Irish Whiskey Batch 1 • Two Stacks Whiskey, Killowen

Whiskey, Rum and Craft Gins • Maharani Gin • Xoriguer Mahon Gin • Brehon Brewhouse

Bevella is adventurous and will lead brands along a successful beverage journey. It’s designed to bring diversity, energy and new consumer experiences to the sector; there are a substantial number of additional local and international propositions currently in discussion. This will ensure Ireland’s alcohol industry is developing with emerging trends and provides customers with exhilarating brands. Bevella is excited to bring service, choice and value to the off-licence trade.

“Bevella exudes Primeline’s 30 years of experience as well as an enhanced determination to bring diversity and new experiences to the Irish alcohol industry. At Bevella, as the tag line suggests, the business is embarking on an adventure, Paul Mc Inerney, Bevella director adds. “Premium beverages are about choice, discovery, provenance, enjoyment and exciting options for the Irish consumer to enjoy good times responsibly. Our knowledge and precision see us study customer trends and analyse gaps in the market so that, with the brand principals, we can deliver brand awareness, consumer trial and trade profitability. Our experience, capability, imagination and resources are at your disposal, whether you have a brand to distribute, a bar to fill, or an offlicence shelf to stock,” he said.

For further details visit www.bevella.ie or call Ronan Brennan, business development manager on +353 87 332 6783, Taram Davis, business development representative on +353 87 3913729 or email Bevella at beverage.adventures@bevella.ie.

NOffLA would also like to take this opportunity to thank all associate members, outlined here, for their vital ongoing support. ■

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS Outlet

Ampersand Wines Barry & Fitzwilliam Bevella, C/o Primeline Sales & Marketing Bibendum Ireland Bulmers Ireland Cassidy Wines Coca-Cola HBC Ireland Limited Diageo Ireland Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd. Febvre Wines Findlater & Co. Heineken Ireland Ltd. Hi-Spirits Ireland Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard John Player Liberty Wines Ltd. Mackenway Distributors Ltd. MCM Spirits Molson Coors Ireland Richmond Marketing The Dalcassian Wines & Spirits Co. Ltd. Tindal Wine Merchants United Wines

Entries now open for ShelfLife C-Store Awards 2021

Convenience stores can apply now by logging onto www.cstore.ie and completing the online entry form

Entries are now open for the 2021 Convenience Store Awards. the only comprehensive and independently judged business accolades for the convenience store sector in Ireland.

In association with Cuisine de France and The National Lottery, the prestigious awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Wednesday, 24 November 2021 at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

With convenience stores across the country going above and beyond to provide excellent service levels throughout the pandemic, this is an ideal opportunity to recognise store standards and teamwork.

Stores can enter by logging on to www.cstore.ie and completing the online entry form, or contact ian.mulvaney@mediateam.ie and/or mark.morgan@mediateam.ie.

The awards are easy to enter, simply indicate the chosen categories – you can enter the main store awards, one or more of the specialist categories alone, or both – the overall winner will be selected by the judges. The ShelfLife C-Store awards have been designed to compare like with like so that all entrants have an equal chance of winning.

C-Store Awards Start-Up Award 2021

Within the ceremony, the C-Store Start-Up Award sponsored by Centra will be presented to a newcomer to Ireland’s thriving food and drink scene; one that has excelled in its field and captured the public’s imagination to become a “must-stock” brand for retailers nationwide.

If you are a start-up, please enter your company/brand at cstore.ie/food-drink-start-up-award/.

Best of luck to all those taking part from all the team at ShelfLife and we look forward to seeing you at the gala event in November.