ROUND-UP: Joe Breen on two openings and a chance to taste eight vintages of the legendary Château Mouton Rothschild
What has Chernobyl Children's Foundation got to do with fine wine? Normally, nothing at all, but on Wednesday the growing BrechinWatchornWine chain - it now has two stores - is using the official opening of its new outlet, in Terenure, Dublin, to help raise funds to send an ambulance to Belarus. It's a useful gesture by this young company, which has gained many plaudits since it opened its first shop, in Ranelagh. "Stuart Brechin and I set up the
company in late 2002," says Gavin Watchorn, one half of the partnership. "We met many years prior to this, when we were working together in the wine trade, primarily Oddbins and, latterly, O'Briens. We always had ideas to do our own thing, but we took two years developing the business plan, mainly written on the back of beer mats as the Dockers and Mulligans of Poolbeg Street were our business-development offices."
The main strengths of their shops are French, Italian and Spanish wines. "We avoid brands and focus on smaller, lesser-known producers or styles of wine. Our service is very customer-oriented - we would be on a first-name basis with most of our clientele. No wine gets on the shelf without one or both of us tasting it first."
Many of those wines will be rolled out on Wednesday. Tickets, which cost €40, are available from the shops, at Dunville Avenue, Ranelagh (01-4911763), and Terenure Road West (01-4909906). Up to 30 wines will be opened on the night; finger food will be available. All proceeds will be donated to Aoife Tunney's Ambulance Appeal. Tunney aims to raise €15,000 to help fund an ambulance that she will drive to Belarus. In addition, ticket holders get a 10 per cent discount on any wine bought in either shop during the rest of the year. All ticket holders will also be entered into a draw for a case of fine wine, so whether or not you can make it, there is plenty of incentive to support a worthy cause. www.brechinwatchornwine.com
ENOWINE EXPANDS Enowine, the innovative wine store in Monkstown, Co Dublin, has also just opened a new outlet. On March 1st it took over the extensive premises in the IFSC that had housed Cabot & Co, following Liam Cabot's decision to relocate to Westport, Co Mayo. The blow to many of Cabot's followers will be softened by the fact that Yvonne Connolly's operation is taking up the space.
Enowine features automatic dispensers that allow customers to taste a vast array of wines - more than 100 in the Monkstown shop. Protected by a layer of nitrogen, the wines remain fresh in their bottles for three weeks. Customers buy a store credit card that allows them to taste before they buy. The concept will be extended to the new shop after it is refitted, in May, as part of what Connolly says will be Ireland's first self-service wine bar.
BORDEAUX BLOWOUT Looking for a special gift for a wine-lover? How about an evening at Goosers Restaurant in Ballina, Co Tipperary, tasting eight vintages of Château Mouton Rothschild, the legendary Pauillac first growth? Nick O'Callaghan, of Time For Wine tour operators, has Mouton from 1996, 1989, 1988, 1986, 1983, 1978, 1970 and 1964 lined up for the tasting on Friday, April 21st. Tickets cost €175 and the event is limited to 16 people. For more details call 086-1727850.