The inaugural Whiskey Week, a celebration of one of Ireland’s most successful products, was launched at the beginning of May by representatives of 3 of the country’s leading distilleries – Irish Distillers, Grants and Cooley Distilleries. Running from 21-26th May,2012, Whiskey week will feature events celebrating uisce beatha at the country’s leading distilleries as well as whiskey pubs and hotels around the country.

Activities will include whiskey showcase events, tastings, food pairings, promotions and much more. The week commences with a unique tasting session in the Old Jameson Distillery led by master distiller Liam Donegan.

See News/ Archive section for further details.

June tasting – Maja Halilovich (a Croatian now living in Dublin) will present 9 Croatian wines to the Guild on Wednesday 6th June at 2.30 p.m at the United Arts Club, 3, Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin,2

Some of the world’s top wineries were in Dublin recently when Gleeson Incorporating Gilbeys held its annual tasting at the Guinness Storehouse.Over 40 producers were in attendance at the event. Many Guild members attended this tasting on the 29th February,2012.

Sally-Anne Cooney, General Managerof Gleeson incorporating Gilbeys

Just getting in touch to put the date for our A+ Australian Wine Trade Tasting in your diary.

We will host this on Monday 28th May at the Great Room of the Shelbourne Hotel.

Details of the day, and registration information will be communicated  closer to the event.

John McDonnell,Regional ManagerIreland, Wine Australia

ireland@wineaustralia.com

See News/Tastings for further details.

NASH Wines Newcastle West- Limerick

Nash Wines would like to invite your staff involved in wine service to a very special afternoon of training and development .

This afternoon will be hosted by Lisa O’ Doherty, award winning sommelier at the K Club, Service Skills Trainer and Lecturer with The Irish Guild of Sommeliers, and will include a masterclass on wine service, wine list development, food and wine matching, customer interaction and upselling

We will also have two very special guests in attendance, Gregory Barbet from Loron et Fils in Beaujolais & Vincent Pugibet from Domaine la Colombette in Languedoc., who will both hold a master class with an exclusive tasting of their wines.

Nash Wines recognise the valuable contribution training can make to your business and how important Wine has become. This day will give your staff first hand experience with Wine Makers and tutored tasting of a wide selection of Wines as well as the importance of service and selling.

Venues: Cork- Cornstore, Dublin – St. Stephen’s Green Hibernian Club, Limerick – UL. Dates: 16th-18th April,2012.

Next Seminar takes place in Limerick- Irish Guild of Sommelier members welcome to attend

The training seminar is as follows:

21 May 14:30 – 16:30 at The Savoy Hotel, Limerick

Register today to attend by emailing your details to elaine@noffla.ie

Discover the Origin – Burgundy Wines Masterclass

NOffLA in conjunction with the Discover the Origin campaign, is inviting members to attend a masterclass about Burgundy Wines in Cork.  Discover the Origin is an established European Union campaign designed to educate and excite food and wine fans aboutprecious food and drink products, all with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. This initiative unites a tantalising fusion of fine food and wine, including Parma Ham, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, Burgundy Wines, Port and Douro Wines.  Each product is unique to the region in which it is produced and celebrated the world over for its flavours, history and traditions.

Discover the Origin, in association with NOffLA, is delighted to invite members to participate in a Burgundy Wines Masterclass. This two hour course, presented by expert wine consultant and writer Kevin Ecock will take you on a journey through the Burgundy wine region and the iconic wines it has to offer showcasing as well exciting recipes and wine pairings.

Classes are FREE but places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  Register today by emailing your details to Elaine@noffla.ie

DISCOVER THE ORIGIN: Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese & Parma Ham

Today in Ireland, we have never been more attuned to where and how our food and drink are being sourced, and never more interested in the traditions behind the production process. Food writer and consultant, Aoife Carrigy along with Fleishman Hilliard  has thus launched the Discover the Origin campaign which unites a delicious fusion of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products: Parma Ham & Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese.

Each product in the Discover the Origin campaign is unique to the region in which it is produced and celebrated the world over for its flavours, history and traditions.

Discover the Origin Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese & Parma Ham master classes are taking place across the country during the dates shown below:

Register for one of these master classes FOR FREE by return email  to info@rai.ie

Irish Whiskey Tasting

Date: Thursday March 15^th, 2012

Venue: Against The Grain, Wexford Street, Dublin

Starting Time: 7:30pm

Tickets: €20 in advance from The Celtic Whiskey Shop. Numbers Limited. ally@celticwhiskeyshop.com

Rhone Valley Wine Tasting 6^th March,2012

Tasting: Wines of the Rhone Valley

Hosted by: Linda Field of Inter-Rhone

Date and Time: Tuesday March 6^th at 6.30pm

Location: The United Arts Club, 3, Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin,2.

Linda Field will present an in-depth tasting and lecture on the wines of the Rhone Valley. Linda is based in France.

Mission – Inter Rhone

Inter Rhône represents all the wine-growing and wine merchants in Côtes du Rhône and Rhône Valley and combines all promotional, economic and technical actions concerning AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée) wines.