Today (13/8/03) on the Dublin Life show on News Talk 106 FM, after the 3pm
news, Martin will be discussing the O'Briens off-licence group.
O’Briens
is the current Wine Republic 2003 ‘multiple off-licence group of the
year’. That’s something that would have been unthinkable a few years
back. The old philosophy was that they only sold their own exclusive wines
and tried to offer well known spirits brands like Bacardi or Smirnoff,
‘cheaper than the supermarkets’ as their advertising had it. They
sometimes achieved this by taking advantage of different pricing in other
countries and currency movements and so would buy stock in places like
Spain, but a common currency has made that more difficult.
Then a few years ago
there was an about face when David Whelehan and his father Tom (better
known as T.P) joined on the wine sourcing side and together with other
management changes meant that a whole new strategy evolved. They are now
much more wine focused. David is passionate about wine and it shows as he
is constantly introducing new ranges of wine from around the world and
they now list most of the main wine brands too so if you need the security
of a Rosemount or a Faustino, they stock that as well.
They
have a raft of great exclusive agencies including super premium wines from
Australia like Torbreck and Clarendon Hills, but this week’s wines of
the week come from Chile and France. Los Vascos
Grande Reserve 2000, €16.99, rating 87/100 is a very elegant
Bordeaux look-alike from label to taste and not surprisingly as it’s
from an estate owned by Lafite Rothschild and made from 100% cabernet
sauvignon aged in new oak, 50% new. My other choice is French and a much
gutsier number. Chateau Laville Bertrou 2000 is
from Minervois – la – Livinière, costs €11.49 and also rates 87/100
for its characterful herbal and spice notes that add to the underlying
berry fruit.
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