Saint Patrick's Day: Irish Food & Wine Pairing Suggestions

by Paula Barker

WHAT’S UP WITH IRELAND AND WINE?
MARKET GROWTH SPURT
“The Irish wine market has experienced unprecedented growth in the last fifteen years . . .” according to “The Irish Wine Market: A Market Segmentation Study” published in 2009 in the International Journal of Wine Business Research.

Total wine sales more than quadrupled between 1990 and 2007, and the number of wine drinkers has doubled since 1990. Just between 2000 and 2004, wine sales increased by 56%. The Irish researchers, Sarah Geraghty and Ann M. Torres, experts in hotel management and economics, respectively, attribute this growth to improved accessibility, affordability and branding.

“According to Thomas and Pickering [Journal of Wine Research, 2003], the marketing of wine is in its infancy, relative to the long history of winemaking and wine drinking. Aggressive marketing was uncommon in the industry with vineyard operators relying on the strength of their reputation to compete in the marketplace [Hall, International Journal of Wine Marketing, 2004]. In the early 1990s, an interest in branding emerged in the industry as a method of coping with changes in distribution and the growth of wine retailing.”

CONSUMER PREFERENCES
Another shift in the Irish wine market is with regards to origin. Enthusiasts have shown a stronger propensity to New World wines, as opposed to Old World wines. New World is defined as wine regions outside of Europe, such as South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and California. Old World comprises wines primarily from France, Italy, Germany, and Spain – countries that have been producing wine for centuries. Up until 1990, 94% of the wine consumed in Ireland was Old World. By 2007, New World wine held a 71% market share!

Geraghty and Torres found that the orientation toward New World wines represents consumers’ changes in style, taste, brand and price preferences, among other variables. Their study does not attempt to explain what propelled the changes in preferences, but puts faces on key segments of the market to educate wine marketers of product attributes important to each group. Researchers expect that as new wine drinkers become more experienced, their taste will turn towards the complexity offered by Old World wines.

With very few vineyards existing in Ireland due to its grape-unfriendly ecosystem, consumers get their wines through importers. Most popular regions are Australia, Chile, France and South Africa. The Euromonitor International: Country Sector Briefing from February, 2008, reports that of approximately 250 importers of wine into Ireland, the top five brands are Jacob's Creek, Blossom Hill, Rosemount, E&J Gallo and Wolf Blass. These brands are all New World.

Just slightly over half of the Irish market for table wine is devoted to reds, with shiraz being the favorite, and among whites, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are top picks. Sparkling wines were traditionally sold during the holiday season, but more recently, sales are seen year-round. Volume of sparkling wine grew 19% in 2007 over the previous year. Rosé is also enjoying tremendous growth as, especially women switch from chardonnay.

IRELAND, WINE AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Online outlets reflect recent zeal, including a slew of Irish wine blogs: Irish Wine Contemplations, Irish Wine Course and Sour Grapes, to name a few. Subjects include wine and food experiences while traveling, wine recommendations, wine events – the same themes seen in most blogs – with the addition of wine transport, very important for a country concerned with imports.

Twitter is a quickly growing website based on posters answering the question “What are you doing?” using no more than 140 characters to get to their points. Friends and family can stay connected, even choosing to receive messages on their phones. Irish wine lovers can be found all over Twitter:

“Thinking about what to cook for dinner. Since I'm off the drink this weekend, don't have to think about matching it with wine...” (Dublin)

“sorry i missed the liberty wine tasting - any notes?” (Galway)

“Liberty Wines tasting yesterday. Classy. Loved Austrian Reds and Italian Whites! I really must be getting to like wine at last....” (Dublin)

“Gary, I can't wait for your visit to the Heartland. BIG FAN of Wine Library TV” (Sand Hills)

“I won't go TOO crazy with the plugs but here goes anyway. Ireland's newest wine blog www.pauljkiernan.wordpress.com” (Dublin)

“Wine all gone. Cheese plate nullified. Dashing to bed so as not to scare the tidy-up fairies away.” (Dublin)

WINE AWARDS
The phenomenon of an all-imports wine industry creates an interesting situation for the awarding of wine honors, as decorative titles are bestowed on merchants, not wineries or winemakers. For example, Ireland’s Sunday Business Post Annual Wine Awards includes such categories as best fine wine merchant, wine importer, wine website, wine bar and restaurant wine list.

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Corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips, and bangers and mash, have been enjoyed with beer for years, and admittedly, the pairings are dead on. This St. Patrick’s Day, or any time, try one of the meals with wine for an uncommon, yet pleasurable experience.

Ireland can no longer be stereotyped with the image of the beer boozer in a bar. Increasingly, consumers are eating in, thinking about their meals and what wines will accompany them. Irish consumers’ new preferences for wine from all over the globe and changes in expectations for style, taste and price expands the wine landscape. With Ireland’s growing interest in wine, the opportunity for wine marketers is wide open.

“Wine is good” – “Twitterer” (Dublin).

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Thank you to my contributors:
Dr. Marianne Mc Garry Wolf, Ph.D., Professor Agribusiness, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Sarah Geraghty, Shannon College of Hotel Management

Ann M. Torres, National University of Ireland, Galway, Cairnes Graduate School of Business and Economics

Stephanie Perry, Co-Owner, Irish Bank Bar and Restaurant