We are delighted to reveal the winners of the 2020 Drinks Business Awards, which were announced yesterday at a virtual ceremony, streamed from Asia House in London.

The Drinks Business Awards were conceived 17 years ago to celebrate outstanding achievements in drinks in an array of categories, from retail buying, marketing and drinks design to social media.

A full report on each winning person, brand and business will appear in the October issue of the drinks business, while today we bring you a list of the winners in each category, beginning with our awards for the leaders in drinks design.

 

Design and packaging awards

Best Design & Packaging for Wine

Winner: YG Design for Viña San Pedro Tayú 1865

Special commendation: Omdesign for Blandy’s MCDXIX, The Winemaker’s Selection

Runner-up: Bravo Design for The Vinoneers’ Orpheus & the Raven

 

Shortlist

• Bravo Design for The Vinoneers’ Orpheus & the Raven
• Denomination for Wakefield The Legacy Cabernet Sauvignon
• Omdesign for Blandy’s MCDXIX, The Winemaker’s Selection
• YG Design for Viña San Pedro Tayú 1865

 

Best Design & Packaging for Spirits

Winner: Mirabeau for Mirabeau Rosé Gin

Special commendation: Seven Tails Distillers for Seven Tails XO

Runner up: Stranger & Stranger for No. 3 Gin

 

Shortlist

• Edrington-Beam Suntory UK for Maker’s Mark 46 VAP
• Mirabeau for Mirabeau Rosé Gin
• Seven Tails Distillers for Seven Tails XO
• Stranger & Stranger for Merser & Co. Double Barrel Rum
• Stranger & Stranger for No. 3 Gin

 

The Sparflex Award for Best English and Welsh Sparkling Wine Packaging

Winner: Ridgeview Oak Reserve

Special commendation: Simpsons Wine Estate

Runner-up: Gwinllan Llaethliw Vineyard

 

Shortlist

• Black Chalk
• Gwinllan Llaethliw Vineyard
• Hoffman & Rathbone
• Ridgeview Oak Reserve
• Simpsons Wine Estate

 

Best Sustainable Packaging

 

Winner: Edrington-Beam Suntory UK for Maker’s Mark 46 VAP

 

Best Design & Packaging for Beer and Cider 

Winner: Graphic Brands for The Appleyard King Cider

 

Marketing awards

Best Launch of the Year


Winner: Invivo Wines for Invivo X Sarah Jessica Parker – click on the video to hear SJP’s acceptance speech

Special commendation: Clementine Communications for Wild Life Botanicals

 

Shortlist

• Clementine Communications for Wild Life Botanicals
• Invivo Wines for Invivo X Sarah Jessica Parker
• R&R Teamwork for Blackbook Winery

 

PR Company of the Year

Winner: Phipps

Special commendation: Clementine Communications

 

Shortlist

• Chapman Poole
• Clarion Communications
• Clementine Communications
• Phipps

 

Trade Campaign of the Year


Winner: Live & Breathe for Asahi Discover Karakuchi

Special commendation: Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I for Save Pub Life

Runner-up: Slam Communications for Alsace Wines

 

Shortlist

• Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I for Save Pub Life
• Cube Communications for Wines of Bordeaux
• Live & Breathe for Asahi Discover Karakuchi
• Slam Communications for Alsace Wines

 

Consumer Campaign of the Year


Winner: Cono Sur Licence to Chill

Special commendation: Villa Maria The Value of Conversation

 

Shortlist

• Cono Sur Licence to Chill
• Trivento Real Life Bold Discoveries
• Villa Maria The Value of Conversation

 

Social Media Campaign of the Year

Winner: Chelsea Consulting for Sherry Week

Special commendation: New Zealand Winegrowers for Sauvignon Blanc Day

 

Shortlist

• Chelsea Consulting for Sherry Week
• New Zealand Winegrowers for Sauvignon Blanc Day
• Viña San Pedro for Nine Lives Wine

 

Drinks Event of the Year


Winner: The Whisky Exchange for The Whisky Show 2019

Special commendation: Madeleine Waters and Rachel Davey for Virtual Press Trip to Lebanon

 

Shortlist

• Madeleine Waters and Rachel Davey for Virtual Press Trip to Lebanon
• Majestic relaunch
• The Whisky Exchange for The Whisky Show 2019
• Waitrose Drinks Festival
• Wine Australia for Australia Redefined

 

Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism

Winner: Taste Hungary

 

Retailer awards

 

The LCB Independent Retailer of the Year 
Award

Winner: Vagabond Wines

Special Commendation: Davy’s Wine Merchants

 

Shortlist

• Cambridge Wine Merchants
• Davy’s Wine Merchants
• Jeroboams
• The Whisky Exchange
• Vagabond Wines

 

 

Online Retailer of the Year


Winner: The Whisky Exchange

Special Commendation: Honest Grapes

Runner-up: The Bottle Club

 

Shortlist

• Honest Grapes
• The Bottle Club
• The Whisky Exchange
• Wanderlust Wine

 

Retail Buying Team of the Year


Winner: Majestic

Special commendation: Marks and Spencer

 

Shortlist

• Majestic Wine
• Marks and Spencer
• The Whisky Exchange
• Waitrose

 

Retail Buyer of the Year


 

Winner: Cat Lomax

Special commendation: John Vine

 

Drinks Retailer of the Year

Winner: Waitrose

Special commendation: Aldi

 

Fine Wine Retailer of the Year

Winner: Honest Grapes

 

Trading Platform of the Year

Winner (wine): BI Fine Wine & Spirits

Winner (spirits): Spiritrade

 

Company awards

 

The Bevica On-Trade Supplier of the Year Award

Winner: Liberty Wines

Special commendation: Speciality Drinks

Runner-up: Bibendum Wine

 

Shortlist

• Bibendum Wine
• Hallgarten & Novum
• Liberty Wines
• Speciality Drinks

 

Drinks Company of the Year

Winner: Bibendum Wine

Special commendation: Concha y Toro

 

Shortlist

• Bibendum Wine
• Concha y Toro
• Hallgarten & Novum Wines
• Liberty Wines
• Majestic Wines

 

Logistics awards

 

Logistics Company of the Year

Winner: Kuehne + Nagel

Special commendation: STI Internazionale Spa

 

Shortlist

• Gliding Eagle
• Hillebrand
• Kuehne + Nagel
• London City Bond
• STI Internazionale Spa

 

Best Supply Chain Initiative

Winner: Kuehne + Nagel

Special commendation: Liv-ex

 

Personality awards

 

Hospitality Hero Award

Winner (UK): Rishi Sunak

Winner (US): José Andrés

 

Young Achiever of the Year
 

Winner: Lizzy Unite

 

The Wonderworks Woman of the Year
 Award

Winner: Stephanie Jordan

Special commendation: Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne

 

Man of the Year


Winner: Robert Cooke

 

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Joseph Berkmann