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10/01/2017
Dedication To Craft: Direct Wine Shipments
The McAlindon family have been involved in the wine business for more than 80 years, and at the forefront of delivering an expansive array of options from across the world right into the heart of Belfast for three generations...
Edward McAlindon opened the Duncairn Wine Stores off licence in 1954. What began as a humble corner shop, has been nurtured into a thriving, specialist wine merchant, unique in its home city of Belfast.
Following Edward's untimely death just a few years after opening the business, his son Kevin stepped in and took over the business. Quickly joined by brothers Denis and Ciaran, the McAlindon men transformed the humble firm from a traditional corner shop off licence to a thriving and well respected wine specialist.
Led from the front by Kevin, the brothers set about forging direct and personal relationships with wine producers from across the world. Kevin would travel to meet the families behind Torres, Brown Brothers, Chapoutier, Laroche, Dr Burklin Wolf, Domaine Faiveley, Lustau, Vega Sicilia and Pesquera, to name just a few, and established relationships that allowed Duncairn Wines to import directly from producers, and offer the city of Belfast a selection of wine never seen before.
It was in 1979 that the brothers moved their business into a disused warehouse in Belfast's docklands, where they remain to this day – a landmark building affectionately referred to as an "Aladdin's cave" of wine.
With their business not just well established but continuing to grow, the brothers did not rest on their laurels.
In 1983 Kevin became one of the first people in Northern Ireland to gain a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma, a move that began a trend within the business for all staff to aim to achieve a diploma level education.
Kevin's achievements in, and lifelong dedication to, the world of wine was officially recognised by the Spanish government in 1996, when he was accepted into the prestigious 'Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino' for his work in the promotion of Spanish wine.
The introduction of Kevin's two sons – Peter in 1985, and Neal in 1992 – into the business kept the family tradition alive, with the new blood following in their father's footsteps by bringing in even more new wine names, not previously seen in Belfast – including Domaine Comtes Georges de Vogue, Henri Bourgeois, Palacios Remondo, Domaine de Cristia and Inama.
Of course Peter and Neal were not done there, and in 2003 the brothers took the next natural step for a family so embedded in the world's vineyards, they bought their own.
The McAlindon-owned vineyard in the mountains of Priorat, Catalonia, North Eastern Spain, first produced Crue Celta in 2005, and while the brothers admit that it has been a "tough project to manage, especially from another country", the response their wine has received exceeded expectations.
The brothers and Direct Wine Shipments continue to prosper with ever more new names being introduced to the Northern Irish market, and taking their dedication to wine education to its natural conclusion, the launch of their very own Direct Wine Shipments Wine Academy. The Academy now offers the opportunity to gain a WSET diploma right here in the city, an initiative that had proven popular with both consumers and the wider hospitality sector.
Direct Wine Shipments has been born and raised, with dedication and endless ambition, by the McAlindon family, and continues to offer Belfast unique access to wine's from around the world. The business remains fiercely independent and prides itself on not just its achievements but it's commitment to sharing the world it loves.
The world of wine can seem extremely daunting to those on the outside, with seemingly endless options and terms and references you aren't familiar with. Few could deny that they have spent time browsing the shelves of their local supermarket off licence looking for something, but not really sure what – this is where DWS come into their own. Not only have they a unique selection of wines, but they will be able to tell you every detail about each and every one of them.
Businesses like this thrive on their staff – passionate, friendly and knowledgeable, they of course want to sell you wine, but they also want to sell you the right wine, because if they can do that, it is almost certain that you'll be back next time you're looking for something, but not really sure what...
Direct Wine Shipments can be found on Corporation Square, Belfast, BT1 3AJ. It is open 9.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
The can be found online at directwineshipments.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.
DWS offer an ongoing series of Wine Appreciation Course, Meet the Maker and specialist tasting events, WSET courses. The most up-to-date information can be found here.
Edward McAlindon opened the Duncairn Wine Stores off licence in 1954. What began as a humble corner shop, has been nurtured into a thriving, specialist wine merchant, unique in its home city of Belfast.
Following Edward's untimely death just a few years after opening the business, his son Kevin stepped in and took over the business. Quickly joined by brothers Denis and Ciaran, the McAlindon men transformed the humble firm from a traditional corner shop off licence to a thriving and well respected wine specialist.
Led from the front by Kevin, the brothers set about forging direct and personal relationships with wine producers from across the world. Kevin would travel to meet the families behind Torres, Brown Brothers, Chapoutier, Laroche, Dr Burklin Wolf, Domaine Faiveley, Lustau, Vega Sicilia and Pesquera, to name just a few, and established relationships that allowed Duncairn Wines to import directly from producers, and offer the city of Belfast a selection of wine never seen before.
It was in 1979 that the brothers moved their business into a disused warehouse in Belfast's docklands, where they remain to this day – a landmark building affectionately referred to as an "Aladdin's cave" of wine.
With their business not just well established but continuing to grow, the brothers did not rest on their laurels.
In 1983 Kevin became one of the first people in Northern Ireland to gain a Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Diploma, a move that began a trend within the business for all staff to aim to achieve a diploma level education.
Kevin's achievements in, and lifelong dedication to, the world of wine was officially recognised by the Spanish government in 1996, when he was accepted into the prestigious 'Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino' for his work in the promotion of Spanish wine.
The introduction of Kevin's two sons – Peter in 1985, and Neal in 1992 – into the business kept the family tradition alive, with the new blood following in their father's footsteps by bringing in even more new wine names, not previously seen in Belfast – including Domaine Comtes Georges de Vogue, Henri Bourgeois, Palacios Remondo, Domaine de Cristia and Inama.
Of course Peter and Neal were not done there, and in 2003 the brothers took the next natural step for a family so embedded in the world's vineyards, they bought their own.
The McAlindon-owned vineyard in the mountains of Priorat, Catalonia, North Eastern Spain, first produced Crue Celta in 2005, and while the brothers admit that it has been a "tough project to manage, especially from another country", the response their wine has received exceeded expectations.
The brothers and Direct Wine Shipments continue to prosper with ever more new names being introduced to the Northern Irish market, and taking their dedication to wine education to its natural conclusion, the launch of their very own Direct Wine Shipments Wine Academy. The Academy now offers the opportunity to gain a WSET diploma right here in the city, an initiative that had proven popular with both consumers and the wider hospitality sector.
Direct Wine Shipments has been born and raised, with dedication and endless ambition, by the McAlindon family, and continues to offer Belfast unique access to wine's from around the world. The business remains fiercely independent and prides itself on not just its achievements but it's commitment to sharing the world it loves.
The world of wine can seem extremely daunting to those on the outside, with seemingly endless options and terms and references you aren't familiar with. Few could deny that they have spent time browsing the shelves of their local supermarket off licence looking for something, but not really sure what – this is where DWS come into their own. Not only have they a unique selection of wines, but they will be able to tell you every detail about each and every one of them.
Businesses like this thrive on their staff – passionate, friendly and knowledgeable, they of course want to sell you wine, but they also want to sell you the right wine, because if they can do that, it is almost certain that you'll be back next time you're looking for something, but not really sure what...
Direct Wine Shipments can be found on Corporation Square, Belfast, BT1 3AJ. It is open 9.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Saturday.
The can be found online at directwineshipments.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.
DWS offer an ongoing series of Wine Appreciation Course, Meet the Maker and specialist tasting events, WSET courses. The most up-to-date information can be found here.
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