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IGP Méditerranée masterclass brings ‘Med Way of Life’ to London

13 May 2024 By Michael Huband

Anne McHale MW will showcase eight wines at a London Wine Fair masterclass next Monday, demonstrating the market appeal of IGP Méditerranée.

If current weather reports are accurate, the first day of London Wine Fair 2024 may not look much like the south of France. However, the lunchtime event in the Masterclass Theatre seeks to brighten the outlook with a taste of IGP Méditerranée. Across eight wines, attendees will get a sense of the ‘Med Way of Life’ that the region has adopted as its slogan.

Covering 10 départements, the IGP ranges from the forests of Ardèche to the Italian border in the east. From north to south, the diversity is especially pronounced: its footprint runs Provence seasides to alpine foothills level with Turin.

Across these diverse terroirs, 10,500 hectares are under vine. A significant player in the local economy, 5,000 people work producing IGP Méditerranée region’s wines.

The IGP produces a variety of styles, though rosé dominates, accounting for 75% of production. Red wines make up 15% of production, with the remaining 10% devoted to white wines. If there is a unifying factor, it is the tradition of blending, a practice which covers the majority of cuvées. In a region with many varieties grown, producers have a wealth of options: international varieties, such Merlot and Chardonnay; Mediterranean stalwarts like Grenache and Viognier; and the local specialities of Caladoc, Marselan and Chasan.

A range of wines to taste

Anne McHale MW, an educator and consultant with more than 20 years of experience in the wine trade, will be leading the discussion of eight examples at London Wine Fair. Designed to show the region’s versatility, it will show four examples of ever-popular southern French rosé, but also give attention to the sometimes overlooked reds and whites, with two examples of each.

Though rosé wines are the most obvious trend, the masterclass will propose how IGP Méditerrannée wine can fit into a store range, wine list or portfolio. Competitively priced and with ample food pairing opportunities, the organisers believe the wines are a natural fit for the UK market.

Whether blazing sunshine or British drizzle greets the London Wine Fair, the IGP Méditerranée masterclass promises to bring at least a sense of its 2,500 hours of yearly sunshine to the UK capital. With McHale and the organisers even encouraging attendees to wear pink, a fun, bright affair seems inevitable.

The Méditerranée Way of Life masterclass will take place in the Masterclass Theatre at London Wine Fair at 12:30pm on Monday 20 May.

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