The bulk of wine purchases in Ireland are typically done through a handful of supermarkets, with many people opting for the convenience of buying their wine during their regular food shopping trips. This could be due to the intimidation many feel at the prospect of purchasing wine from a specialist store, where they risk being judged or patronised. Supermarkets, due to their larger clientele base, have the advantage of purchasing wines at lower prices and offering a wider selection of more affordable options.
While supermarkets generally stock well-known brands that are familiar to their customers, the absence of in-store wine experts means they can’t offer specialised guidance. Independent wine stores may struggle to match the low prices offered by larger chains, but they have the opportunity to attract customers by providing a more personalised service. This could include expert advice, local delivery, and additional perks like party glasses. Crucially, they typically offer more diverse and unique wine selections.
Often, you’ll find that independent wine shops are run by enthusiasts who don’t shy away from stocking more eclectic or traditional wines along with the usual classics. These passionate individuals often provide a friendlier service, eager to maintain customers’ loyalty. Despite being relatively more costly, these independent stores often have competitive prices for certain wines – a result of their direct import channels.
Separating themselves from the conventional supermarket or independent seller are chain specialists, like O’Briens, O’Donovan’s, Molloy’s and Carry Out. These vendors strive to offer the best of both worlds – affordability and a wide selection, along with personalised service and unique options. However, the success of this approach varies from chain to chain.
For those without convenient access to quality local wine, online wine retailers provide a valuable service. Some businesses, like Greenacres, JNwine.com, Wines Direct, Le Caveau, and Curious Wines, operate physical stores in addition to providing online options. They’re well-known as online experts. Others, including The Allotment, The Nude Wine Company, and WineSpark only trade via the internet. It’s useful to note, also, that many standalone wine shops also offer online shopping.
As to where one should get their wine, it’s mainly a governing factor of personal taste preferences and budgetary restrictions. For me, I utilise all the aforementioned retailers. I consider myself fortunate enough to have several exceptional independent stores at my disposal, and I tend to obtain the majority of my wine from those sources.