Top people moves in drinks: December

Six new Master Sommeliers

Andrey Ivanov, Douglas Kim, Mia Van de Water, Max Kast and Steven McDonald. (Dana Gaiser not pictured.)

The Court of Master Sommeliers announced six new Master Sommeliers this month, all of whom have now passed the gruelling exam twice after a scandal earlier this year stripped 23 newly-crowned candidates of their titles.

The six new Master Sommeliers are: Dana Gaiser of Lauber Imports in New York; Andrey Ivanov of Bliss Wine Imports in San Francisco; Douglas Kim of Picasso in Las Vegas; Mia Van de Water of Eleven Madison Park in New York; Max Kast of Broadbent Selections in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; and Steven McDonald of Pappas Bros. Steakhouse in Houston. This takes the total number of Master Sommeliers in the world to 279.

All six MS students first passed the tasting exam back in September this year, giving them the title of Master Sommelier. However, in October, they were stripped of the accolade after the The Court of Master Sommeliers found “clear evidence” than an existing MS had revealed the wines that were to be tasted in advance.

The court has never officially named the MS involved but stated that they had been barred from participating in any Court of Master Sommeliers Americas programmes or events, had their membership terminated and had been stripped of their title. It did state that “detailed information” about the wines in the tasting flight was found to have been released prior to the exam, but it did not say whether this information was actually seen by any of the candidates or indeed if it was, how many saw it.

After the decision to void the exam, the court added that it would refund all fees for the exam, hold two retesting opportunities, waive the examination fee for the retest and offer appropriate travel cost assistance for the retest.

It offered all 54 students who took part in the tasting portion of the exam in St Louis, Missouri in September the opportunity to retake the exam. In September’s exam, 23 students who passed were later stripped of the MS accolade.

30 of those 54 candidates chose to resit their exams in December rather than in April 2019. It was not revealed how many of those 30 candidates had already passed the exam.

Carlsberg UK appoints new chief executive

Christina McDiarmid joins Red Squirrel as the new account manager for Scotland

McDiarmid tucking into a plate of limpets. Photo: Archie McDiarmid.

London-based importer Red Squirrel has hired its first member of staff north of the border with the appointment of Christina McDiarmid as the new account manager covering Scotland.

Minnesota-born McDiarmid will commence her role at Red Squirrel in January 2019 and joins from the St Andrews branch of Luvians.

Her previous experience includes roles at Bon Vivant’s Companion, Villeneuve Wines and Champany Inn.

Commenting on the new appointment, Red Squirrel founder, Nik Darlington, said: “Scotland has always been a country we have wanted to focus on more, and while we have a demonstrable track record of successfully supplying a range of clients in diverse locations, it has always been difficult to be ‘on the ground’ as much as we would like. There are so many great things happening, and I am so very excited about this new chapter,” said founder Nik Darlington.

He added that McDiarmid brings “a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team”.

CEO of Patrón, Ed Brown, retires

The president and CEO of Patròn Spirits International and The Patrón Spirits Company, Ed Brown, has announced his retirement at the end of this year after nearly 20 years with the company.

Brown’s departure follows the sale of Patrón to Bacardi in January of this year – a deal worth US$5,1 billion. The acquisition represented one of the most expensive deals ever made for a spirits brand, and made Bacardi the number one spirits player in the super-premium segment in the US, and the second largest spirits company in market share by value in America.

During his near 20-year career with the company, Brown has overseen Patrón’s growth from 118,000 cases sold in 2001 to more than two million cases sold annually presently.

“It is only fitting that we should describe the career of the man who created the enduring tagline, ‘Simply Perfect’ as nothing short of that,” said Barry Kabalkin, vice chairman of Bacardi Limited and a member of the board of directors of Patrón since 2008 of Brown.

“On behalf of Bacardi and our newest colleagues from Patrón, I would like to offer Ed our heartfelt thanks for building one of the best brands in the spirits world and beyond. We wish Ed all the best on his well-deserved retirement.”

Brown intends to remain engaged post-retirement, providing counsel and expert advice on the Patròn brand, the Tequila category, and the spirits industry as a whole, and will remain a member of the board.

New sustainability roles at Diageo

David Cutter

Diageo has created two new senior leadership roles dedicated to furthering the drinks producer’s commitment to society, the environment and sustainability.

Kate Gibson

David Cutter has been appointed as Diageo’s first chief sustainability officer, in addition to his role as president of global supply and procurement. He also sits on Diageo’s executive committee and has been at Diageo over 15 years working across the global supply network.

Kate Gibson will join the company in March 2019 in the newly created role of director of Diageo in society, and will lead a team responsible for ensuring that Diageo “plays a positive role in all the communities” that it operates in.

Gibson joins from InterContinental Hotels Group, where she is currently vice president, global corporate citizenship.

“Across our diverse supply chain I see first-hand the positive impact our operations can have on the communities around them,” said David Cutter, chief sustainability officer and president, global supply and procurement, Diageo.

“Whether it is ensuring our sites have leading energy efficient technology, reducing fuel and water consumption or supporting our vast global family of farmers providing grains to our breweries and distilleries, this is a huge and significant role. I fervently believe in the significant contribution we can make and our commitment to do so.”

Edrington CEO, Ian Curle, retires

Ian Curle, the chief executive of spirits giant Edrington, is retiring after more than 30 years of service at the company. Scott McCroskie, who is currently a member of the Edrington board and managing director of The Macallan, will replace Curle after he steps down in March 2019.

Curle joined Edrington in 1986 through one of its subsidiaries, Lang Brothers, and succeeded Sir Ian Good as CEO in 2004.

“Ian has led Edrington to become one of the world’s leading international premium spirit companies,” Crawford Giles, Edrington’s chairman, said. “I want to thank him for his 32 years of outstanding service, and particularly the 15 years in which he has been a wise and inspiring chief executive.

“Ian exemplifies the Edrington ethos of ‘giving more’ and his vision has transformed Edrington, positioning the company well for the great opportunities that lie ahead. We wish him a very happy retirement, together with his wife and family.”

McCroskie will take up the role of CEO from 1 April. He first joined the whisky industry in 1994 as a financial controller of bourbon brand Jim Beam. was appointed director of commercial finance at Edrington in 2009, working his way up to the MD of The Macallan in April 2015.

Mukesh Kejriwal joins Bibendum as spirits sales director

Kejriwal will join UK drinks distributor Bibendum on 16 January 2019. He joins from Venus Wine & Spirits where he spent the past 18 years, holding the role of national sales director for the on-trade for 10 years.

Michael Saunders, Bibendum CEO, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Mukesh is joining the team. His deep knowledge of spirits, combined with unparalleled understanding of the market and relationship with key spirits suppliers, will allow Bibendum to significantly broaden our reach into the premium spirits category, especially within London.

“Bibendum’s future within the C&C family gives us the long-term stability that will allow us to give customers an ever better range and support from a top quality team. Mukesh significantly enhances this. He joins at a very exciting time.”

Kejriwal added: “Having watched Bibendum for many years, it is exciting to be joining Michael and the team under the recent new ownership of C&C.

“I hope to help Bibendum achieve ambitious goals with their spirits business and develop sales to top hotels and restaurants within London and the UK.”

Drinkly appoints marketing and operations managers

Ailidh Forlan

Online drinks delivery service Drinkly has recruited for two new positions as it expands its services into Glasgow.

Paul Finlayson

It has hired food writer and blogger Ailidh Forlan as its new marketing manager, who will be responsible for developing the company’s SME marketing strategy.

Forlan is a restaurant reviewer and columnist for The List and Opulence Magazine and writes a personal blog called Plate Expectations which boasts 2,000 followers. Her previous experience include roles at Montpeliers and East Lothian Food & Drink.

Drinkly has also appointed Paul Finlayson as its operations manager. Finlayson joins from SES Concept Group and will oversee the company’s existing operations as well as help to increase the driver fleet and manage launch operations.

He is the co-founder of online pet treat subscription box Yum.ee and has previously managed the global supply chain of Blu/SKYCIG’s UK and Europe fulfilment centre. increasing the driver fleet and managing launch operations.

Commenting on the appointments, founder of the Edinburgh-based start-up John Robertson said: “Drinkly is an entrepreneurial technology business passionate about drinks with big ambitions and so the parameters of a typical job description don’t really apply. Talent goes beyond skill and experience. It’s as much about initiative, resourcefulness and work ethic and both Ailidh and Paul demonstrate all these traits. They’re real assets to the Drinkly team.”

Alain Maingreaud appointed TFWA president

Maingreaud was chosen by the Tax Free World Association Management Committee in Paris last week, in favour of three other candidates.

He will succeed Erik Juul-Mortensen, who had served as the organisation’s President for 19 years, but decided to step down this month.

After his election, Maingreaud, who joined TFWA in 1995 as commercial director, said he was “delighted and honoured to be appointed” and that he “looks forward to beginning work in earnest.”

He credited his predecessor for the work he had done in creating TFWA, saying Juul-Mortensen has “worked tirelessly to nurture and promote the Association and indeed the wider industry”, something he noted he hopes to continue.

Juul-Mortensen said that it had been “a genuine honour and a privilege to serve as TFWA President,” going on to say he knows Maingreaud will enjoy the full support of the Board and Managing Committee.

He continued, saying he was “proud of what TFWA has achieved during my time at the Association.

“I have many memories to treasure.”

Juul-Mortensen, one of the original founders of TFWA, became a member of the Management Committee following the establishment of the Association in 1984, representing the White Spirits category.

After taking on various roles, he was asked to take over as president in September 1999, and was re-elected to the role each year until he made his decision this month.

CWG adds two new members 

Samantha O’Keefe and JD Pretorius have been invited into South Africa’s prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild in recognition of their winemaking achievements.

The Cape Winemakers Guild (CWG) now comprises 48 members and membership is only extended to those who are judged to have been producing outstanding wine for at least the last five years.

O’Keefe, who moved to South Africa from the United States, is owner and winemaker at Lismore, an estate she established herself in Greyton in 2003. Just the sixth woman to be inducted into the Guild, she is joins Rianie Strydom and fellow American Andrea Mullineux as the three current female members.

JD Pretorius meanwhile has just joined Warwick Estate after 10 years at Steenberg Vineyards.

As cellar master at the latter estate he has racked up award after award, particularly for his Sauvignon Blancs while he was named the Diner’s Club Young Winemaker of the Year for his Merlot in 2014.

Gaucho hires ex-Wines of Argentina marketing director, Andrew Maidment

Andrew Maidment

Argentine steakhouse Gaucho has set out to re-establish itself as the leading Argentine wine specialist in the UK, following a tumultuous year where it was bought out of administration, bringing in ex-Wines of Argentina marketing director Andrew Maidment to oversee its wine list.

The restaurant chain is looking to reclaim its crown as the UK’s Argentine wine specialist, built under the stewardship of Gaucho’s former head of wine, Phil Crozier, who left the group in April.

In the past month, Williams has added 100 wines to the list, and appointed Andrew Maidment, former director of Wines of Argentina Europe, to oversee a new approach to wine buying. Maidment joins with the aim of overhauling the wine buying strategy, bringing in more wines from Argentina’s cutting edge producers.

“We see it as a duty for Gaucho to champion small growers and offer the chance for new wineries to enter the UK market,” said Maidment. “Having a diverse, market-leading wine list is great for both Gaucho’s customers and the Argentine industry.”

As part of its restructure, Maidment will also oversee the reinstatement of The Gaucho Argentine Winemaker Awards, which were previously held at the restaurant, and will be hosted by Maidment to celebrate the ‘heroes and innovators’ of Argentine Winemaking on Thursday 14th March 2019 at Gaucho Piccadilly.

Willi Klinger steps down from Austrian wine role

Wilhelm ‘Willi’ Klinger, the longstanding head of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, is to step down from the position at the end of next year it has been announced.

Klinger has been managing director at the AWMB since 2007 and pursued a strategy of emphasising the quality of Austria’s wines and helped lead it definitively out of the shadow of the scandal that blighted it in the late ‘80s.

Klinger said: “You have to know when the time has come. As the longest-serving head of Austrian Wine Marketing, I am proud of what we have achieved together and I wish to thank all those who work with me on behalf of Austrian wine: my wonderful team, the officials and above all the winegrowers in the great wine country of Austria.”

He added that while his tenure may come to an end in a year’s time, his departure from the AWMB would not mark the end of his association with (Austrian) wine.

Johannes Schmuckenschlager, chairman of the AWMB’s supervisory board and president of the Austrian Viticultural Association, said Klinger was sure to be honoured for his “meritorious work in the service of Austrian wine” but first, “we are looking forward to another year of good work together for Austrian wine. We can conduct an unhurried search for a suitable successor over the course of the coming year.”

Enotria hires ex-Bibendum directors

Sam Thackeray

Enotria&Coe has made several appointments at senior managing and account positions.

Ants Rixon

Ants Rixon and Sam Thackeray have joined as managing directors of on-trade regional and national accounts respectively. In addition, along with a change in its channel strategy, the company has appointed eight new account managers.

CEO Troy Christensen, said: “It has been a challenging year: the market has been in turmoil, but with uncertainty comes opportunity. We’re committed to positioning ourselves as a market leader, and as the premium wine and spirits supplier of choice. Our business model delivers against a genuine desire to build value into the category.

“For too long the UK market has seen value stripped out of the wines and spirits offering, and put simply, it hasn’t worked. We want to lead a vibrant industry, growing brands, activating at site level and working in partnership with customers to build drinks lists that inspire and engage consumers: this is what we’re passionate about.”