Everyone is their Own Wine Buff!

So says Michael Sheehan who opened the doors to THE WINE BUFF in Dungarvan on a November day in 2006.  It is easy to see why Michael has seen a steady increase in business month on month since opening, as Michael admits he learns most about wine from listening to his customers! This ties in perfectly with Michael’s business philosophy; try at all times to provide what your customer wants, not what you want to provide to your customer.    How refreshing!

THE WINE BUFF is an independently owned, franchised wine retail and wholesale business with 15 stores nationwide.    A love of wine, combined  a great hunch that Dungarvan was in need of a dedicated Wine Shop inspired Michael to take the risk and just go for it.

The set up of THE WINE BUFF was quick by comparison to other business set ups at a mere 3 months. Nevertheless the same anxiety and concern was carried by the entrepreneur. The best business advice Michael was ever given was to go with your first instinct, it may not be always right – but you have fun finding out! Michael would equally recommend to others considering starting their own business that if at first you don’t succeed – don’t despair.  

THE WINE BUFF group is now Ireland’s largest dedicated Wine Retailer group and have a portfolio of wine which includes the best of the French, Spanish and Italian markets, and soon will carry New Zealand Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.  All wines stocked are sourced direct from the vineyards and are sold exclusively in Ireland by THE WINE BUFF. This is one of the ways the WINE BUFF is different from other retailers who sell wine. Also a very important feature of THE WINE BUFF which is definitely a major reason for their steady increase in sales is that it offers clean chemical free wines at very affordable prices.

Don’t despair if you don’t know much about wine other than you like it, as Michael guarantees “The service THE WINE BUFF offers is unique in that we pride ourselves in getting to know our customers palates and steering them towards a wine that will suit them. We also supply wines to match particular drinks and foods”.  He goes on to say that “everyone is their own wine buff as all palates are different. The beauty of the wine market is that there is a wine out there to suit everyone and the fun is in finding it!”

You don’t need to be an expert to shop at THE WINE BUFF, Michael and his wife Pauline strive to make their customers visit  to THE WINE BUFF an enjoyable and comfortable shopping experience. The most common reaction of customers’ first visit is how affordable the wines are. Michael is adamant a person should be able to purchase an outstanding bottle of wine for anything from €10 to €15. He also feels the problem with the wine market in Ireland today is that while there is a wide choice, there are an awful lot of bad quality wines for sale. The aim of THE WINE BUFF is to source “Extraordinary Wines at Ordinary Prices” at all times! 

Particularly in these difficult economic times, people need to feel they are getting value for money and Michael is confident that THE WINE BUFF has and always will strive to provide such value.  He is quietly confident that the emphasis THE WINE BUFF has placed up to now on ‘quality at the right price’ will bring customers back again and again.

The most rewarding aspect of running his own business is the fact that Michael can see his efforts have a tangible impact.  Recently Michael has begun to give Wine Appreciation courses in the Coláiste Cathail Naofa, Dungarvan as a mid week evening class which have proved beyond doubt to be informative and most enjoyable.  A vision for the future, which Michael is working on, is to make THE WINE BUFF Dungarvan the name people think of when they want to buy wine.

A new member of the Dungarvan & West Waterford Chamber, THE WINE BUFF Dungarvan is situated at the entrance to the Dungarvan Shopping Centre Multi Story Car Park and is open until 7pm Monday to Thursday and Saturdays, and opens until 8pm on Fridays. 

And remember the Spanish proverb that suggests “With wine and hope anything is possible!”