Spirited revival boosts Institute’s momentum

Spirited revival boosts Institute’s momentum

As consumer interest in wine, premium spirits and artisan beers continues to grow, the Northern Ireland Wine & Spirit Institute is looking at ways to boost its profile and bring more enthusiasts into its ranks. Chairman, Tim Hughes, has been talking to Russell Campbell…

It might surprise some readers when they learn that, according to official figures, more people in Northern Ireland drink wine than they do beer.

Granted, it’s by the narrowest of margins (48 per cent versus 47 per cent), but that does point to a culture in which quality wine – along with artisan beers and spirits such as gin and whiskey – are all enjoying a welcome revival as consumer interest surges.

It’s a state of affairs much welcomed by the burgeoning ranks of the Northern Ireland Wine and Spirit Institute (NIWSI), whose near-50-strong membership enjoy a programme of local events designed to increase their knowledge – and enjoyment – of wine and spirits.

The organisation was set-up in 1979 when a section of the licensed trade in Belfast recognised the need for improved product knowledge and market awareness. Since then, NIWSI has provided an annual programme of tastings, trips and educational opportunities for those with an interest in the topic.

Tim Hughes (39), a director in Belfast-based mailing and courier firm, Mail Matters, is the current chairman of the group and speaking to LCN recently, he said that the Institute normally appealed to a broad range of individuals who shared an interest in wine:

“We have a small number of members who are from the trade and we seem to be picking up a number of people recently who are interested in furthering their wine education,” adds Tim. “We picked up two or three people during the summer, none of them have qualifications in wine or anything like that, they just wanted to get alongside other like-minded people with an interest in the subject.”

Membership of the Institute is drawn from a fairly broad base and while most of them live in the Greater Belfast area, there are members who travel get-togethers from as far away as the north coast. Tim’s own interest in wine was sparked only around a decade ago:

“Up until that, I hadn’t really thought that much about it,” he remarks. But I tried it one day and enjoyed it. Then, coming up to Christmas, a couple of friends found that Direct Wine Shipments were doing ‘The 12 Wines of Christmas’, so we went to that. I came across this guy called Denis Broderick, who was doing the tastings, and I was blown away, the scales fell from my eyes!”

Tim says that from that point on, he began to recognise something of the complexity and depth that characterises the world of wine and as further tastings followed, wine developed into something of a passion for him.

But isn’t membership of an organisation like the NI Wine and Spirit Institute considered by some to be just a little elitist?

“Plenty of people who come along to the Institute don’t have any [wine-related] qualifications,” explains Tim. “The thing is that there’s a big social aspect to what goes on as well. People come along with their friends, they’re able to listen to some interesting speakers and there’s hardly a night goes by that you don’t come away having learned something new. And there are no exams. People aren’t getting tested on this stuff. It’s just fun, social interaction, enjoying some wine, there’s no pressure on anyone and no prior knowledge of wines or spirits is required.”

The trends that prevail within wine and spirit circles are broadly reflected in the programme of events that the Institute organises throughout the year. There is a schedule of social events including an annual wine dinner and at least one specialist tasting each year on topics such as whiskey or gin.

The Institute also provides its members with the opportunity to sample wine from its own private cellar, which features a broad selection of wines including many rarer varieties. And there is an organised wine tour every two years or so – a trip to the Loire region is currently being planned for September next year.

However, providing opportunities for education is also a key driver behind the Institute’s activities. Various qualifications are available through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in London, the highest being the level four diploma in wines and spirits. A handful of people in Ireland are qualified to take these courses and a few of them are within the ranks of the NIWSI, including vice-presidents Peter Morris-Wilson and Susan Rees.

In terms of the future of the Institute, Tim says that there is no ultimate objective in mind, it’s simply about enjoying the social aspect of wine and spirits and perhaps, availing of some of the opportunities to learn more about this vast topic:

“Over the next couple of years, I think we would like to do a lot more to show people that we’re here and to let them know how they can get involved,” he adds. “The interest in wine and spirits locally is growing, there has been a real resurgence in many areas in recent years and I think that bodes really well for what we will be doing as an Institute going forward.”

 

Find out more about the NI Wine & Spirit Institute at www.niwsi.co.uk