We're full of Christmas Cheer at Cases after a busy start to the season; and we had it boosted even further yesterday when The Sunday Business Post named us the National Wine Warehouse of the Year for the second year running.
Tomás Clancy, writing in the Business Post magazine, says that we: 'offer not only the stack 'em high joy of lots of cases of wine under one roof and hugely attractive discounts for the purchase of a case, but also offer single bottle sales and a selection that conventional shops cannot easily match.' And 'crucially, (we) also offer free parking, well thought out circulating space and plenty of wine available to taste.' He also ranked www.cases.ie in the top 5 wine websites in the country. Cheers Tomás!
To celebrate, we're knocking 10% off the wonderful Gran Palas Cava which Clancy reviewed as follows in August: 'Up to now, it has been difficult to find an interesting cava - the Spanish sparkling wine made in the classic fashion of champagne - for under €15.99. Here, however, we have a superb example. It is clean and slightly generous on the palate, with a hint of smooth creaminess followed by a tart finish. It's good value at €15 but, with a 12-bottle minimum, Cases Wine Warehouse in Galway can get that down to €11.95, a compelling price.'
We'll knock that mixed case price down to €10.75 until this Friday evening (17th December). Even if you only want a single bottle, we'll reduce it from €13.95 to €12.55! This would be a wonderful bubbly for Christmas Day, either as an aperitif or with starters such as smoked salmon.
At these prices, Gran Palas Cava has to be one of our top gifts for Christmas. The other ten on our list are as follows:
1. One of our Hampers. Starting at €24.95, they contain a great mix of Irish foods, chocolates, biscuits, and coffee, beautifully presented with the best of wines from around the world.
2. Gregorina Sangiovese Superiore di Romagna 2008. To quote Lar Veal in yesterday's Sunday Tribune, this is ‘proof that you don't need to spend a packet to get an exquisite wine. Sangiovese is normally at home in Tuscany, but it thrives in this area on the Adriatic coast. Tart redcurrants, warming winter spices and a lovely acidity keep this wine fresh and a great food matcher. Perfect with Christmas dinner.' AND it's reduced from €12.95 to €8.95 between now and Christmas!
3. Wine Star glasses and decanters. These elegant, lightweight glasses were recommended by John Wilson in the Irish Times in November and Tomás Clancy recommended the Wine Star decanter last week as follows: 'the everyday decanter of the Clancy family, this can be dishwasher cleaned without any real drama. ... with a broad base that neither of my two young boys or I can easily knock over. It holds a full bottle and still provides five or six inches of movement during any Christmas Day table circuits.' A thing of beauty. Available at Cases for €39.95, or €42.00 elsewhere according to the article. The glasses are €41.70 for 6.
4. The wonderful Danucci Chocolates. Made in Ardee in County Louth, Willie Shaw described them in the Galway Advertiser last week as: ‘the fantastic Danucci Chocolates, stunning packaging and stunning quality. They won a Gold Award at the 2010 Great Taste Awards in London recently'. Prices range from €2.95 to €14.95.
5. Also recommended by Willie Shaw, Lauca Gran Reserva Cabernet 2006. Willie described it as ‘a stunning wine' and it is priced at €17.95, reduced to €13.45 in a mixed case of 12 bottles.
6. The great Cuvée Jean Paul Blanc. Made from the same grape as Cognac (Ugni Blanc) this is superb value at only €9.95 per sampler bottle and would make a wonderful white wine for Christmas Day, being both food-friendly and a great stand-alone for before or after the meal.
7. The fruity, easy-drinking El Portillo Malbec, reduced from €9.95 to only €6.95 while stocks last! Another great all-day wine.
8. The Vacu Vin Glass Markers. Fun, colourful stick-on characters with names like ‘Mysterious', "Honest', ‘Cuddly' and ‘Devilish', that allow you to identify everyone's glass at those big dinners over Christmas. An ideal stocking filler at only €2.95.
9. The Bridgestone Good Food Guide, 9th Edition. From our range of wine and wine-related books, this is the definitive guide to all that is good in the food and drink world in Ireland. With over 100 entries from Galway alone (including Cases Wine Warehouse) this is a perfect gift for any foodie in your life. €15.00.
10. And finally, the big Kahuna! Chateau Palmer Margaux AC 2004. One of the great iconic wines of the world. Rich, opulent Bordeaux. A stunning gift for any wine lover. €175.00 or €150.00 in a mixed case.
We've had a ball collating this list, much of it based on our own favourites. Keep an eye out for our email later this week on the definitive wines to have with your Christmas dinner.
Good shopping!