Tempranillo is Ireland’s favourite grape, with Chardonnay coming out on top for white wine drinkers, according to data released by WineSpark to mark the company's first year in business.
Having spent years visiting every wine region on the planet, Eamon Fitzgerald of WineSpark has been able to curate a unique portfolio of wines, with recognisable favourites and contemporary classics featuring among new and lesser known varieties. Over the last 12 months, WineSpark has been closely monitoring behaviours, providing a host of interesting new trends among Irish wine drinkers.
Tempranillo has proven to be Ireland’s favourite grape, with 13.8 per cent opting for the classic red, while Pinot Noir comes a close second at 12.4 per cent. White wines were third and fourth in line with Chardonnay (11.3 per cent ) just ahead of Sauvignon Blanc (10.8 per cent ) in subscribers’ favourites.
When it comes to countries of choice, classic French wines are not to be beaten and topped the poll at 31.6 per cent. Spain was second in line at 22.5 per cent, with Italy placing third at 7.7 per cent. German wines placed fourth, ahead of New Zealand.
When the top wines were split out, both the top red and white chosen by WineSpark customers were Spanish, with Ribera del Duero coming in ahead of fan favourite Rioja. Providing further proof that German wines are increasing in popularity, Stepp Pinot Noir Buntsandstein 2018 came in third place.
WineSpark is designed to get customers significantly better wine for their money. A €10 per month subscription fee secures access to member prices on all the wines. WineSpark makes its margin from the monthly fee rather than the bottle price, so it can offer very competitive prices on its wines.
"Having spent 10 years selling wine to customers in the UK, I was less familiar with what to expect from Irish wine drinkers," Eamon Fitzgerald said. "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."
To find out more visit winespark.com
