The week in pictures

the drinks business was pleased to join the great and good of the wine and spirits industry at the Guildhall on Wednesday for the annual International Wine and Spirit Competition’s 2016 awards banquet. Now in its 47th year, the competition rewards the world’s best spirits and wine producers, as well as leading personalities within the industry.

Following the big event, the IWSC hosted an exclusive lunch at Mossiman’s private dining room in London for its sponsors and supporters, at which Matteo Lunelli, this year’s IWSC president, handed over the title to incoming president Chris Blandy, of the Madeira Wine Company.

db was particularly impressed with this enlarged brandy snap which was the size of a dinner plate.

The fun continued at The Club at The Ivy, where db held its seventh annual green awards, attended by the great and good of the UK wine trade like David Cox of The Benevolent and Verity Milns of Liberty Wines (centre), and a sprinkling of international stars too like Australian winemaker Neil McGuigan.

Also in attendance was Justin Knock MW, who was recently asked to head up the UK office of Wines of California.

All was calm behind the scenes as db’s editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW and events director Chloe Beral ran through the winners…

… and here they are!

Hundreds of gin-thusiasts flocked to Stoke last week to take part in a record-breaking attempt to host the world’s biggest gin tasting event. More than 500 gin lovers gathered at Stoke’s Kings Hall on Friday, 11 November, to make the attempt, which was successful in its bid to gain the Guinness World Record for the “largest gin tasting event at a single venue”. The gathering was organised by Andrew Wilson of Old School Wines and smashed the target of 250 people by double.

The tasting session saw guests sample 100 different types of gin, get through 300kg of ice and 5,000 bottles of tonic water. The event also marked the launch of Old School Gin – the company’s first foray into the spirits industry.

The IWSC antics continued at Hush Mayfair where newly appointed IWSC president, Chris Blandy of the Madeira Wine Company, challenged former president Matteo Lunelli to a wine taste-off, asking guests to raise their glasses at the end of each course to see which wine they had enjoyed the most: Blandy’s Madeiras or Lunelli’s traditional method sparkling wines from Trentino.

Blandy pulled out the stops and treated us to a tasting of his 1969 Bual, which was alive with aromas of varnish and walnuts and offered an assertive finish.

Across town, Piper-Heidksieck’s chef de cave, Regis Camus, hosted a tutored tasting of the Piper range, which included a rare chance to try the house’s prestige cuvée, Rare 2002. Camus spoke candidly about the difficulties of the 2016 vintage, describing it as “a nightmare“.

The tasting was held to mark the London launch of a rosé expression of Rare, which makes its debut with the tricky 2007 vintage. Made with 56% Chardonnay and 44% Pinot Noir and aged on its lees for eight years, the fizz boasts a fruit forward nose of strawberries, raspberries, and red currants, in addition to Oriental spices, lychee and tea aromas.

The ‘Great Wine Capitals’ association, that groups together nine major wine cities from around the world, awarded the 2017 ‘Global Winner Wine Tourism Services’ to the new visitor facility at the Symington family’s Quinta do Bomfim – a 76-hectare vineyard located near the village of Pinhão in the Alto Douro region of northern Portugal.

Bomfim had already won the regional award for 2017, but at a ceremony held in the city of Porto on 10 November, it was nominated ‘Global Winner’, having been selected from among a strong list of candidates from around the world. Originally acquired by Dow’s in 1896, the estate was opened to visitors in May 2015, offering a tour of the winery and the magnificent old vat cellar followed by tastings.

Eduardo Chadwick with his daughter, Magui Chadwick

Eduardo Chadwick, president and owner of Chile’s Viña Errazuriz was in London this week to host a horizontal tasting named ‘From the Coast to the Andes’, which showcased the producer’s pioneering projects from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes. The event was followed with a dinner at wine members’ club 67 Pall Mall.

db’s events director, Chloe Beral, headed to Carousel in Marylebone this week – a novel restaurant concept that offers an ever-rotating line-up of rising star chefs. Among the dishes she indulged in were juniper smoked bone marrow and pickled candied beetroot; and roast guinea fowl with spiced syrian lentils.

Also on the menu was grilled cabbage with beurre noisette and gossamer-thin strips of lardo. With each dish of roast guinea fowl with spiced syrian lentils sold, the restaurant donates £2 to Unicef’s Children of Syria initiative.

Greene King chief executive, Rooney Anand, was named the Ashridge Executive Education ‘Business Leader of the Year’ at the 2016 Lloyds Bank National Business Awards. The awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, were attended by over 1,200 business leaders, entrepreneurs, politicians and media representatives.

L-R – Cairn O’Mohr winery owner, Ron and Judith Gillies. Photo credit: Stewart Attwood

A wine producer is celebrating its 30th year of making wine in the Scotland’s rural Perthshire. Cairn O’Mohr, a berry fruit winery, has been making berry wines since 1987. Owned by Ron and Judith Gillies, the company produces a range of berry wines including strawberry, raspberry, bramble, elderberry, spring oak leaf, autumn oak leaf and gooseberry and elderflower wines.

Trade teams gathered at the Star and Garter in Putney for the annual Wine Trade Sports Club quiz last week. Ten teams, including the WSET, MMD, Lea & Sandeman and Armit Wines, battled over five rounds before the Selhurst Parkers (Farr Vintners) emerged victorious. ‘Mumm’s the Word’ came in second place and ‘The Trump Card’ in third. As well as the quiz the raffle raised £1,000 for drinks charity, The Benevolent.