Blog (How the Irish Shaped the World of Wine: The Fascinating Tale of the Irish Wine Geese)
lunes, 20, marzo 2023
- Filed under:
- The Dupont Circle
How the Irish Shaped the World of Wine: The Fascinating Tale of the Irish Wine Geese
Ireland might not have the right weather to grow wine grapes, but the country’s finest have surely added to the wine world
In the late 1600s, the Williamite War in Ireland, between protestants and Catholics, ended with the French army granting safe pass to 20,000 Irish Catholic soldiers and their families. These fleeting Irishmen settled throughout France and were called the Irish Wild Geese. Amongst these immigrants came entrepreneurs and wine enthusiasts that would change the world of wine forever — the Irish Wine Geese. The Irish Wine Geese, a term coined as recently as 2005, is a hot topic. Irish newcomers played significant roles in shaping regions as meaningful as Bordeaux and Cognac, and we can still feel their influence, even outside France. |
The Story
The year was 1688, and France was battling out against a European coalition. This was later called the Nine Years’ War, and experts consider it the actual first World War. Concisely, King Louis XIV of France wanted to expand his influence and territory under one religion and one ruler, himself – his neighbors didn’t agree. |
The First Irish Wine Geese
The first Irish immigrants who impacted the beverage scene arrived in France. One of them, Richard Hennessy, retired to Cognac and set the foundation of one of the most renowned brandy brands on earth, Hennessy! Other entrepreneurs arrived in Bordeaux, and amongst them was Thomas Barton. |
Irish Wine in America
The Irish certainly shaped the wine industry in the old world, but many Irish immigrants have contributed to the global wine scene elsewhere. In a way, the Irish Wine Geese phenomenon never stopped. Over four hundred years after the original Wine Geese, talented Irish people continue to elevate the wine industry’s standards. |
Explore The Wines YourselfIreland might not have the right weather to grow wine grapes, but the country’s finest have surely added to the wine world. If you want to taste Irish Wine Geese wine, explore our curated wine selection at The Pembroke. Every wine bottle is unique and has an intricate origin — let the wine tell its own story! After all, wine is more than fermented grape juice; it’s also history, culture and tradition. |