Irish wine drinkers love Spanish grapes

The sunshine encourages socialising al fresco and enjoying a chilly glass of wine beside the barbeque is a highlight of the long summer days. Irish website WineSpark who aim to connect Irish wine buffs with great wines from all over the world are highlighting how Irish tastes in wine are changing: Irish wine lovers are turning to Tempranillo, as Chardonnay makes a comeback. Tastes are evolving and Irish drinkers are becoming more adventurous in their choice of grape. 

WineSpark currently celebrating their first year in business are highlighting key trends in wine consumption:
 
·       Tempranillo is Ireland’s favourite grape
·       Sales of German wines are now ahead of New Zealand classics
·       Chardonnay trumps Sauvignon Blanc in the popularity stakes 
·       French wines remain the most popular with Irish wine drinkers
 
Launched last year by wine aficionado Eamon Fitzgerald, WineSpark brings the best wines in the world to Irish doorsteps. Having spent years visiting every wine region, Eamon has been able to curate a unique portfolio of wines, with established favourites and contemporary classics nestled amongst new and lesser-known varieties. Over the last twelve months, WineSpark has been monitoring consumer behaviour, providing insight into new trends among Irish wine drinkers.
 
Tempranillo has proven to be Ireland’s favourite grape, with 13.8% opting for the classic red, while Pinot Noir comes a close second at 12.4%. White wines were third and fourth in line with Chardonnay (11.3%) just ahead of Sauvignon Blanc (10.8%) in subscribers’ favourites.

When it comes to countries of choice, classic French wines remain dominant and topped the poll at 31.6%. Spain was second at 22.5% with Italy placing third at 7.7%. German wines placed in fourth ahead of New Zealand which would typically have been ahead of its European counterpart.
 
When the top wines were analysed, both the top red and white chosen by WineSpark customers were Spanish, with Ribera del Duero coming in ahead of usual favourite, Rioja. Providing further proof that German wines are increasing in popularity, Stepp Pinot Noir Buntsandstein 2018 came in third place.
 
The top ten wines on WineSpark.com are:

Cillar de Silos Ribera del Duero Crianza (Spain)
Mas Calamiac Minervois La Liviniere (France)
Stepp Pinot Noir Buntsandstein (Germany)
Mantel Blanco Verdejo (Spain)
La Mateo Rioja Tempranillo Vendimia (Spain)
Domaine Nicolas Hautes-Cotes de Beaune Blanc (France)
Pequenas Parcelas Malbec (Argentina)
Domaine Habrard Crozes Hermitage Grand Classique (France)
Meltwater Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand)
Domaine des Berthiers Pouilly Fume (France)
 
WineSpark is designed to get customers significantly better wine for their money with a €10 per month subscription fee securing access to member prices on all the wines. As they make their margin from this fee rather than the bottle price, they can offer unbeatable prices on their wines.
 
Discussing the trends, Eamon says: “When I launched WineSpark 12 months ago, I could never have imagined the support and enthusiasm that I have received from Irish wine drinkers. Our innovative model, which delivers a genuine step-change in value for customers, means we’ve been able to grow the business rapidly through word-of-mouth. 
 
Having spent 10 years selling wine to customers in the UK, I was less familiar with what to expect from Irish wine drinkers. I quickly found a strong passion for classic regions and grapes such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also a willingness to adventure into lesser known places such as the Pfalz in Germany. Spain is the real winner however - with our top selling grape as well as top red and top white wines coming from here”.