Record 22 wins for Crossgar wine merchant
James Nicholson (right) and members of his team celebrate a record 22 wins for Regional Merchant of the Year at the prestigious International Wine Challenge in London.
James Nicholson Wine Merchants (JN Wine) celebrated recently after the County Down company was named ‘Regional Merchant of the Year’ for Northern Ireland at the prestigious International Wine Challenge Awards in London.
This marks a record 22 wins for JN Wine in the competition and caps a vintage year for the Crossgar-based company, which has been supplying wine to trade and retail customers across the island of Ireland for almost four decades.
The awards ceremony, now in its 31st year, is widely accepted as the world’s toughest wine competition, which recognises excellence, expertise and passion for wine – while also acknowledging the hard work of the those people behind each firm.
Naming JN Wines Regional Merchant of the year, IWC judges described the company as a “…perennially brilliant wine merchant” saying they had a “great wine list with great depth and range, good customer service, a good wine merchant with a lovely retail centre”.
Charles Metcalfe, co-chairman of the IWC said the Merchant Award winners play a hugely-important role in selecting and securing some of the best wines from around the world:
“They are the gatekeepers of fine wine, exciting shoppers and enhancing their enjoyment of wine. It is the passion, expertise and dedication of these merchants which ensures that great new wines are discovered and shared and that shoppers receive the best wines they can for any occasion or budget.”
Speaking after the win, James Nicholson said securing the top IWC title was a testament to the dedication and the persistent hard work of all the team at JN Wine in its mission to deliver an unrivalled choice of quality wine to homes and businesses right across Ireland.
“This is a fantastic endorsement of what we do, and it’s a real honour to retain the title of Regional Wine Merchant of the Year for the 22nd time. Each member of our team is a professionally trained, educated, passionate wine drinker and they’re only too eager to share that knowledge with our many customers.
