"Every so often you meet someone whose enthusiasm for wine is matched only by their calm assurance in how they share it. David Whelehan is one of those people. When I wrote the weekly wine column for the Business Post, I worked and continue to, as a full time secondary school teacher. Attending trade tastings was near impossible, so I meticulously planned article themes weeks in advance, contacting Ireland’s best importers to see if they would submit wines for review. David was always so buoyantly positive in his submissions, eager to engage and though a long time in the industry presented a childlike exuberance to match my own. I was so new to the game and yet his passion for every single bottle, every producer and indeed the support for my own work, shone through.
Few Irish wine names combine both family heritage and a modern vision quite like Whelehan Wines. Under David’s guidance he has built on his family’s legacy to grow the business into one of the country’s most distinctive retailers, defined by thoughtful selections, independent growers, and a calm confidence that mirrors his own approach. In our conversation, David reflects on his journey, the ethos behind Whelehan Wines and the changing tastes of Irish wine drinkers. And as always, I had a chance to sample and enjoy some of the diverse range of Whelehan’s offerings with my reviews at the end of the piece.
Q: You took the reins of Whelehan Wines from a passionate legacy. Can you give me a brief background of that history and what was your vision when you began?
David: " I certainly grew up in a wine centric environment where TP was very active communicating about the pleasures of good wine. My childhood memories are of members of the Irish wine trade, Irish wine enthusiasts, visiting winemakers worldwide, international wine journalists who happened to be in Ireland arriving in our house and dad pulling corks and discussing the merits of different vintages. So by osmosis I learnt passively about wine.
Having worked in different industries, I was ultimately drawn to the wine business in Ireland. I joined O’Briens in 1999 in a wine buying and marketing role where I worked for ten years. Then I felt I wanted to create a wine retail environment that was really passionate about wine, where the environment was designed led, the team would be bursting with enthusiasm and the wine range would be largely unique and very carefully selected."
Q: There’s a calm and confidence to your wine selection. What guides your hand when curating the list?
David: "Calm and confident would absolutely be my aspiration in the selection, so thank you for that! We identify regions we are interested in exploring. We will do some research, identify potential wineries, request samples or visit these wineries at international trade shows. Then we taste as a team, and this is a real highlight of the job for me.
If we feel the style is what we are hoping for, and the price matches the quality range, we actively pursue. Our tasting informs 80% of our wine buying decision. We never hardball on price, we are well aware that we are a small company, and it is a big ask for a winery to offer their delicious wines to us exclusively in Ireland. We are interested in taking a long-term view and like to work away quietly."
Q: How does your own personal background shape how you think about wine?
David: "I hope it makes me very open minded. I have briefly worked in wineries in the northern & southern hemispheres, so I am open to everything. I am always surprised when I hear informed people make sweeping statements like I don’t like the wines of…. My interest is to find wines that people will really enjoy and say that is “delicious”. This could be a classic Bordeaux, a riper Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Biodynamic orange Gewürztraminer from Alsace. I just want the recipient to feel that was a delicious bottle of wine and great value."
Q: Dublin (and Ireland in general) isn’t always seen as a wine city in the European sense. What role do you feel Whelehan Wines has and continues to play in shifting or shaping that narrative?
David: "Interestingly, I am always amazed by the range of wines on offer in Ireland. There is an amazing amount of really passionate wine importers/retailers around. I think one of the ongoing challenges in Dublin and Ireland is the cost of doing business particularly in the on trade and the margins that need to be taken. The obvious impact of this is restricting diners of exhilarating wines that are affordable. It would be magical if somehow this mechanic could be resolved and if you visited a bar or a restaurant that the glass of house wine would be more exciting and more reasonably priced.
I am hoping the role we play is to create excitement and buzz around growers who are really doing something special. Every Friday & Saturday we operate what we call the ‘W’ experiential Tasting Bar where we open 6-10 wines and all our customers are welcomed and encouraged to taste so they can learn about our wines, and we can learn about our customers preferences. Our discussion is always around flavour and pleasure. We feel the role of wine at a dinner party is not to dominate the occasion rather to be the confident background music that adds to that occasion. All of the team are wine communicators and will really endeavour to suggest what they believe is the perfect wine at the agreed budget whether that is €15 or €100 per bottle."
Q: What’s the emotional register you’re trying to strike with customers who walk through the shop or sit in the wine bar?
David: "For me it’s all about a genuine feeling of being welcomed, valued and appreciated. Our job is not to lecture or demonstrate knowledge rather it is to join that customer on their wine journey and introduce new perspectives that we believe they will enjoy. "
Q: Many of your wines come from independent growers and lesser-known appellations. How important is the story behind the bottle in your selection process?
David: "I am hoping that the wines we have selected are really great examples from their region and we then love to share the background with our customers. We don’t want to bore people so it is about sharing some of the colour, why we chose it and how it will taste. Our wine palate is definitely not grey."
Q: What have you noticed changing most in the Irish wine drinker over the years?
David: "With our customers I feel the general trend of drinking less and better is growing. I do think the alcohol percentage of wines is on people’s radars. This is great for us as it is something we have always paid a lot of attention to. Many times, I have had the discussion with wine makers about alcohol levels. Yes, their wines might be in balance with 15+% alcohol but they can also be overpowering, Expectations are high when you come to a specialist like us and I am hoping we never disappoint. "
Q: If you had to distil the ethos of Whelehan Wines into a single bottle you carry, which one would it be and why?
David: "With our customers I feel the general trend of drinking less and better is growing. I do think the alcohol percentage of wines is on people’s radars. This is great for us as it is something we have always paid a lot of attention to. Many times, I have had the discussion with wine makers about alcohol levels. Yes, their wines might be in balance with 15+% alcohol but they can also be overpowering, Expectations are high when you come to a specialist like us and I am hoping we never disappoint. "
Q: If you had to distil the ethos of Whelehan Wines into a single bottle you carry, which one would it be and why?
David: "This is a great question but so tricky! Here goes, I think the Domaine Derey Frères Marsannay Au Champ Salomon 2022. This Domaine which traces its origins back to 1659 is in a golden phase. From the Lieux Dit of Au Champ Salomon the Derey Frères have a tiny parcel (0.624ha). This wine has a vibrancy, poise, elegance and intensity with a wonderful underlying freshness and 13% alcohol. At €50 it is certainly not cheap but compared to its Burgundian peers I think it offers great value. Two nights ago, I opened a bottle of Domaine Delaporte Sancerre 2021 and it was stunning, so much more than good Loire Sauvignon Blanc."
Q: The retail and hospitality world has shifted considerably in the past few years. How has Whelehan Wines adapted, and what have you learned in the process?
David: "Enormously, I am almost dizzy from the changes we have enacted. As a backdrop to the wine store, we introduced a small cafe when we opened. This grew into medium sized wine bar which further grew into 7 days a week 140-seater restaurant that won a large amount of wine related awards. We opened a wine school on the second floor launched by the late and amazing Steven Spurrier. COVID then struck – and so we made the very difficult decision to close our restaurant. We introduced a very successful farmers market that had some really great stands including Tom & Ollie, and Aran Bakery. We also invested heavily in our website. We had a multiple pop ups with the Big Green Egg barbecue and restaurant China Sichuan. We let the upstairs to the current Eleven restaurant. We relaunched our WSET certified wine school in a bespoke space on the ground floor. Then we sublet our downstairs kitchen that we built in 2017 to Iciar cheese bar. And finally we undertook a massive sustainability project which I understand we will soon be certified as carbon neutral.
I have learnt that you have to keep improving and finetuning the offering and that it is really important to listen and to learn from feedback. But most importantly not to lose the vision of who and why we exist."
Q: Is there a region, grape, or style you feel is still underappreciated in Ireland, something you keep trying to bring to the surface?
David: "I think we are going to have a lot of fun with our recent discoveries in Alsace. Moderate alcohols, Pinot Noirs and Rieslings that are really singing. Their Crémants are also very impressive. I am a big fan of the Loire and feel there is great scope here. Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc, Melon de Bourgogne. What a wealth of riches to work with such freshness, acidity and excitement."
Q: And finally, what’s in your glass at the end of a long day, something contemplative, or something that simply brings joy?
David: "At the end of a long day, I like lightness, freshness, purity of fruit and not too much oak if any! "
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this Extra Brut opens with engaging aromas of brioche, tarte tatin, lemon and crisp apple. A touch of bottle age lends real character and personality. The palate shows a fine, lively mousse, notes of red apple skin, and a clean, persistent finish. Stylish, dry, and utterly charming, this makes a delightful aperitif and offers excellent value.
Ripe stone fruit and citrus lift from the glass, underscored by a lovely sense of minerality. On the palate, a rounded mouthfeel is carried by vibrant, zesty acidity, finishing long, crisp, and precise. From the Steinstück Lieu-Dit above Westhalten, this Riesling captures its terroir with racy freshness and chalky, wet stone notes. Elegant yet exuberant, this is a wine of real character. Try with a Thai green curry or lemon roast chicken.
Bright, crunchy red fruits of cranberry, cherry, raspberry, lead the nose with a delicate hint of spice and a subtle nutty nuance. The palate is clean and pure pinot, juicy and balanced, light yet with a firm backbone of character. It shows refreshing acidity and soft tannins that support rather than dominate in a wine that is both harmonious and approachable while good value at €25.
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