Posted on: 03 Oct 2024

The National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) has awarded its annual Irish Wine Show Star Awards to 55 wines. The annual event, now in its 23rd year, was hosted at the Morrison Hotel in Dublin. The winning wines from the Irish Wine Show Star Awards will be available to consumers from NOffLA outlets across Ireland. 

High excise of wine putting Irish retailers at risk

At the event, NOffLA expressed the disappointment of its members that Ireland continues to levy the second highest excise on wine across the EU and UK. NOffLA hopes to see a reduction in excise duty as part of Budget 2025, which will help ease the high cost burdens experienced by many independent off-licences in the last year.  NOffLA, along with the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (DIGI) called for a 15% excise rate reduction over two years in Budget 2025 to bring Ireland’s alcohol excise regime in line with European levels and to also help protect the commercial viability of businesses within the Irish drinks sector. 

Speaking at the Awards, Cathal McHugh, Chairman of NOffLA said: “We are excited to honour the outstanding wines that NOffLA members sell across the country and that our wonderful customers enjoy. I want to congratulate all of the winners and thank everyone who submitted an application this year.”

“Unfortunately, Irish drinks sector businesses are burdened with the second highest levels of alcohol excise in the EU and UK, and excise increases from a decade ago remain in place and continue to impact these small, independent businesses. We hope that an excise reduction will be included in Budget 2025, given the increasingly uncertain economic conditions these businesses now face.” 

Call for a common European approach to labelling regulations

NOffLA also raised their concern around the upcoming Alcohol Labelling regulations which will come into force in May 2026 and require alcohol products to be labelled with cancer and health warnings to be and alcohol retailers to display health warning notices. NOffLA reiterated their opposition to Ireland taking this unilateral action and called for Ireland to follow a common EU approach to introducing alcohol labelling. 

Mr McHugh added that “We are also highly concerned about the planned implementation of the Alcohol Labelling regulations under section 12 of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 which will cause unnecessary and serious repercussions for both our members and the wider drinks industry. We, along with other industry groups, will continue to oppose this unilateral decision and campaign for a common EU approach to the introduction of alcohol labelling.”

Winners of this year’s Star Awards 

In excess of 600 wines were submitted to the Star Award adjudication panel of NOffLA judges and independent wine journalists. Points were awarded on the basis of appearance, smell, taste and value for money criteria, and the winning 55 were selected as the best wines from key suppliers across a number of price categories.

Each of the winning wines will be sold in NOffLA member outlets across the country and will be recognisable by distinctive Award symbols on each bottle. In the pre-Christmas period NOffLA members will promote the Irish Wine Show Star Awards 2024-2025 Collection as ideal Christmas gifts, in a variety of special gift packs.