Wine person of the Year - Pascal Rossignol
Ten years ago, when Pascal Rossignol first began to introduce natural wines, via his shop and wine company Le Caveau, people scoffed.
No one’s scoffing now. Thanks to the patient advocacy of Mr Rossignol and his partner, Colm McCan, we are well on the way to creating a wine world where natural is normal, and where industrialised wines are seen as the over-chemicalised concoctions that they are. The Le Caveau wines are superb, and there is no better advocate for the cause than Pascal. lecaveau.ie
Pub of the Year - Johnny Burke’s, Armada Hotel
Here’s what heaven looks like on the west coast of Ireland: you are sitting in Johnny Burke’s pub, in Spanish Point. You have a bottle of Back Beat Witbeer from the Western Herd Brewery. You have a Galleon on the table, the three-tier selection of local seafood that is the speciality of the bar. The staff are looking after you as if you were a just-returned immigrant (they do that to everyone, mind you.) It’s heaven, you think, as you enjoy the beer, and the seafood, and the bar. Sure is. armadahotel.com
Drink of the Year - America Village Apothecary
Claire Davey has made Ireland think twice about drinks. Her America Village Apothecary concoctions – syrups; bitters; tinctures – are already the first port of call for every aspiring mixologist, and what Ms Davey does is simple, and profound: she distills nature, and puts it in your glass. americavillage.com
