County Derry wine distributor seals deal with top Australian wine maker

A County Derry wine distributor has secured the exclusive rights to sell Lisa McGuigan Wines in Northern Ireland. The company expects to sell 12,000 cases of the wines worth £300,000 in the first year of the deal. The McGuigan Family are one of Australia's most distinguished wine making families and one the fourth generations jetted in to Northern Ireland recently to launch her own label distributed by Magherafelt-based Cabroso Wines. Originally from Foyle Springs and past pupil of St. Columb’s College in Derry, Jonny Callan of Cabroso Wines met Lisa McGuigan (pictured) at an Australian wine fair event in Dublin where they got chatting and sealed the deal. Jonny said: “Wine is in Lisa’s DNA. Lisa is blazing a new trail in wine that speaks to consumers rather than intimidating them. These wines pay homage to the well-trodden path of Lisa’s ancestors but combines her passion to source varietals from different regions in Australia, outside of her own Hunter Valley vineyard to create a truly global brand.” Renting a corner of her family's winery, which dates back to the late 1800s, Lisa made her first batch of wine in 1997 and started her business from a makeshift office in a garage. A chef by trade, Lisa initially forged a career in hospitality, working in hotels and restaurants across Australia for over a decade when her familial roots led her back to the Hunter Valley. Combining her hospitality experience with a keen understanding and appreciation of wine she wanted a brand that could engage people without a prior interest in wine. Her philosophy for Lisa McGuigan Wines is simple, “Wine by friends, for friends.” Lisa was listed in the Top 21 Most Influential Liquor Identities of Australia for her outstanding leadership and entrepreneurial activities within the liquor industry. Cabroso Wines supply their range of wines across the County’s hotels, restaurants, pubs and off-licences.