Cyclists rake in charity cash

Over £10,000 has been raised for the The Wine and Spirit Trades’ Benevolent Society by eight cyclists in an annual cross-France feat.

The sum is three times the amount collected for the Benevolent in 2008, a reflection of the greater challenge this year – the distance cycled was doubled to 600km in just over four days.

The ride, which stretched from Calais to Beaune, was organised by Mentzendorff, UK importers for Bollinger and Burgundy’s Chanson and took place in early June, between The London International Wine Fair and Vinexpo.

Taking part were Andrew Hawes, Alan Montague-Dennis and Tim Veale from Mentzendorff; Chris Connolly from Connolly Wine Merchants; Jon Hall from EMC; Hannah Wiggins from Concha y Toro; Chris Mathews from Berry Bros. & Rudd and Patrick Schmitt from the drinks business.

The riders are indebted to their generous sponsors as well as tour driver Bill Page, managing director of Mentzendorff from 2001-2004 and map-reader and motivator Rebecca Morrison, sales support manager at Mentzendorff.

Thanks also extends to Bollinger’s Jérôme Philippon, Hervé Deschamps and Stephen Leroux for drinks and dinner half way through the tour and Gilles de Courcel, managing director at Chanson for feeding and housing the cyclists in his family chateau outside Beaune after the 600km ride came to a low-key but celebratory close.

the drinks business, 08.07.2009