Wine producers from across Europe and beyond gathered at The Westbury Hotel, Dublin, on Wednesday 18 February for Classic Drinks’ annual Portfolio Wine Tasting.
Now in its 22nd year, the event confirmed Classic Drinks’ long-standing commitment to quality-led, small-producer partnerships, offering Ireland’s wine trade and hospitality professionals the opportunity to engage directly with the people behind some of the most compelling wines on the Irish market.
“In keeping with our long-standing commitment to have market-best quality at all price points, we continue to expand and develop our portfolio. This has happened through further developing relationships with boutique, small production wineries, who live and breathe care and intent at every stage of the winemaking process” said Mark Donohoe, Head of Wine at Classic Drinks. “This tasting today gives a fantastic opportunity for our customers to come directly together with our producers and experience our full range of wines which deliver authenticity, regional character and excellent value across every price point.”
This year’s tasting placed a particular spotlight on new producers whose wines stand out for their sense of place, craftsmanship and individuality. Among them was Irish winemaker Tom Gallagher, originally from Boyle, Co. Roscommon, now producing small-lot wines in Montsant, Spain. Returning from the US during the COVID-19 period, Gallagher acquired abandoned, high-quality old-vine parcels, some over a century old, and collaborated with acclaimed Catalan winemaker Toni Coca on his flagship wine, Diga. The resulting wines are heritage-driven and expressive, rooted firmly in respect for traditional viticulture and site.
Speaking at the event Tom said, “Today was my first portfolio tasting with Classic Drinks and it has been a spectacular day, the people, the clients, and the wines that are here are fantastic and I’m looking forward to continuing to build a beautiful relationship with the Classic Drinks team into the future.”
Also present was Pedro Coelho, founder of Pormenor in Portugal’s Douro Valley. Since establishing the project in 2013, Coelho has focused on high-elevation, old-vine sites on shale and granite soils, adopting a minimalist, less-is-more approach to winemaking. Hand harvesting, natural fermentations, no additives and minimal sulphur use underpin wines defined by mineral clarity, natural freshness, elevated acidity and moderate alcohol, positioning Pormenor among the most exciting terroir-focused producers in the Douro today.
From Austria, the multi-award-winning Zahel Winery showcased its distinctive urban Vienna wines. Family-run and fully biodynamic, the estate traces its roots back to the 1950s, when Irmhilde Zahel tended the vines and opened a traditional Heuriger on site to pair wines with local cuisine. From an original 1.5 hectares, the family now farms 35 hectares across Vienna’s city vineyards, combining generational knowledge with modern cellar investment. Their focus remains on producing elegant, mineral, food-friendly wines from Vienna’s best sites.
Italy’s Azienda Agricola Di Meo represented a benchmark for Campania’s indigenous white varieties. In the early 1980s, siblings Erminia, Generoso and Roberto Di Meo took over the family estate and committed to producing wines exclusively from local grapes, with a clear emphasis on expressing the region’s volcanic soils. Based at an 18th-century farmhouse once used as a princely hunting lodge, the vineyards are surrounded by sun-drenched hillsides and a rich mix of native flora that supports natural biodiversity. Through their Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino and Falanghina, the Di Meo family continues to champion Campania’s identity, reinforcing its reputation for age-worthy, terroir-driven wines on the international stage.
Alongside these new discoveries, long-term Classic Drinks partners from Italy, Spain, France, Austria and beyond, underline the company’s continued mission to bring craft-driven, authentic wines to the Irish market across all categories and price points.