Cheers! Nenagh’s Wine Buff marks a grand old vintage
Now might be the right time for Alexis Kelly, the proprietor of the Wine Buff in Nenagh, to treat herself to a glass of her vintage wine, or maybe even pop the cork on one of those fine champagnes that adorn the shelves of her popular store.
That’s because right now is a big celebration time from the gregarious owner of the town’s Number One wine retail outlets, marking the 20th birthday in business.
It’s been a long and eventful journey for Alexis who first opened The Wine Buff in a tiny unit in Kickham Street in October 2004, and who subsequently moved to a much more spacious premises at Cecil Walk situated in the Kenyon Street Carpark, because so many local wine aficionadas just loved what she was offering.
Back then, Ireland was booming. Wine sales flourished as people coasted through the ‘Celtic Tiger’ economic era. But then came the reverberating crash, followed not long after by a crippling pandemic that lasted three years.
The fizz went out of the wine and champagne market - but hey - the Wine Buff managed to survive these crises due to the amazing local support.
SHOP LOCAL
Alexis has no doubts about why the Wine Buff is still around today to celebrate two decades in business. “The people of Nenagh and surrounding areas have been tremendously loyal in backing me through thick and thin down through the years,” she says.
“There’s a great tradition in this town and among country people of supporting the small shop. It’s just so great that the community really buys into the wonderful concept of ‘shop local’.
“I really appreciate that loyalty, and I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for supporting me over all the years.”
Yet a wine shop in a relatively modest sized provincial town cannot just survive on personality alone. It’s the quality and affordability of the huge selection that has been the key factor in the success of the venture.
ARTISAN WINES
The Wine Buff was the first dedicated wine shop to open in Nenagh; offering something completely different and exciting. “Back when I opened nobody was talking about wines that were produced free of additives, or what one might call good clean, organic, sustainable wines,” she recalls.
“Our mission from the very start was to offer people really good wines at affordable prices.
The aim was to stock wines with no chemicals and vintages that you couldn’t get anywhere else.”
The Wine Buff has always stocked the most authentic and sustainable wines because right from the start they travelled to vineyards to meet and forge sound partnerships with small artisan producers who pride themselves on traceability and the quality of their naturally produced vintages.
“If it wasn’t for the superiority of the wines we stock then we just wouldn’t be still here today,” says Alexis.
The Wine Buff in Nenagh stocks quality wines, ports, sherries and champagnes from all over the world. They are not only to be savoured for what they are, - they also make the perfect gift, wrapped and packaged by Alexis herself to fit every special occasion.
To mark her big celebration, Alexis will have a series of special offers over the coming weeks, including selling a range of wines at the original prices when she opened all those years ago.
So if you want a vastly superior wine at a cost similar to the mass produced, then why not drop into the Wine Buff today, or just phone Alexis to get some sound advice on all kinds of vintages, or to have orders delivered to you personally no matter where you are in the 32 counties.
CONTACT DETIALS
For more information visit www.thewinebuff.com or phone or email Alexis will be glad to help in any way she can. Tel. 067-42491, 087-1760299; email: alexis@thewinebuff.com