Blind tasting for awards

The 2012 Gold Star Award winners have been thoroughly road-tested - with contending wines blind-tasted by experienced wine consultants

NOffLA would like to express its thanks to Master of Wine, Jane Boyce and wine writer Mary Dowey for conducting the final stage of the blind tasting for the 2012 Gold Star Awards.

Wine consultants, Joe Coyle, Laura Peterson and Catherine Griffith were joined by 17 NOffLA members holding WSET Diploma and Higher Certificates in Dublin on 10 August to blind taste wines from across the globe to establish which of them should be considered for a Gold Star Award for 2011/12. Thanks are due to:

Pat Carroll, Gibneys, Malahide;    
Daragh Cassells, Hargadons Wine Shop, Cabinteely;
Lynda Coogan, Sweeney’s Wine Merchants, Glasnevin;
Samuel David Cope, Samuel C. Cope Ltd., Castledermot;
Julie Cullen, Just Devine, Portmarnock;
Stephen Dillon, Next Door, Santry;
Barry Forsyth, McHugh’s Off-Licence, Malahide Road, Artane;
Niall Finn, Higgins Off-Licence, Clonskeagh;
Evelyn Jones, The Vintry, Rathgar;
David Lonergan, The Vintry, Rathgar;
Cathal McHugh, McHugh’s Off-Licence, Malahide Road, Artane;
Niav McNamara, Shiel’s Londis, Malahide;
Ann Moran, Gibneys, Malahide;
Niamh O’Callaghan, Deveney’s Off-Licence, Rathmines;
Jimmy Redmond, Redmonds of Ranelagh;
Kevin Summons Walsh, Donnybrook Fair, Donnybrook.