LIWSF PREVIEW: Made for the trade

This year’s LIWSF is almost upon us and it looks bigger and better than ever, reports Clinton Cawood

For members of the trade, the first four and a half months of every year are unofficially set aside for LIWSF preparation. The remaining months provide just enough time for recovery and preliminary planning for the next year’s fair. In other words, anticipation for the wine fair is running rather high.

May is the month when the wine and spirits industry descends mercilessly on the ExCel exhibition centre in London’s East End for three days of networking, seminars, briefings, sipping, spitting, and endless walking. The London International Wine and Spirits Fair takes place on the 22-24 May this year.

See the changes
There are myriad motivations for attending the fair, for both visitors and exhibitors. Last year was particularly significant for what was then E&J Gallo, which used the event to relaunch itself as Gallo Family Vineyards. As Gallo’s marketing director Jane Hunter confirms: “Last year was very big for us and very successful, and this year we’ll be busy as ever in terms of meeting with the trade.” In addition, the group will be launching new packaging and an advertising campaign around the time of the fair, according to Hunter.

And Gallo is not alone in this. Many new launches and redesigns are planned to coincide with the fair, meaning that if the sheer volume of producers and wines over these three days is not enough, keeping up with all the changes certainly will be.

The organisers of the fair also continue to innovate. The familiar Top 100 Tasting has evolved this year, reflecting the unstoppable rise in popularity of rosé. Show director James Murray explains: “We’ve seen rosé come up through the ranks at the show, and the idea of a Top 100 Rosé Tasting has been very well received.” A distinguished panel of five wine experts have been asked to submit a list of wines for this area, including Old and New World rosés, all priced above £12.50.

In attendance
The fair aims to attract visitors and exhibitors from all sectors of the industry. As Wines of Chile’s UK director Michael Cox points out, however “everyone struggles to get the on-trade to go to these tastings”. Murray is determined to attract influential visitors from this part of the industry, though. “The on-trade audience last year accounted for 24% of the total,” he says, adding that he would like to increase this figure. “It is, however, important to get relevant people,” he adds.

The generic bodies make up a large percentage of the show, providing the opportunity for a more diverse selection of producers to exhibit as part of a larger area. As Cox explains, after the annual Wines of Chile tasting, LIWSF is the highest priority event of year. For Nick Richards, managing director of Vinoceros, an importer and distributor based in Cornwall, “the LIWSF remains a crucial event in our promotional calendar”.

This is undoubtedly an international show, with a significant number of visitors travelling from overseas. Hunter confirms that Gallo plans not only “to use the opportunity to meet our UK customers, and have winemakers show new wines, but to meet international customers as well.”

Tasting sensation
The fair may provide an endless selection of seminars, workshops and announcements, but the main attraction is undoubtedly the endless array of agents and producers, both big and small, with a never-ending supply of winemakers to meet and wines to taste.

For example, Californian producer Kendall-Jackson’s winemaster Randy Ullom will be at the John E Fells stand to talk visitors through the extensive portfolio. One highlight will be a preview of Kendall-Jackson’s Riesling for the first time in the UK, as well as the unveiling of new packaging for the Pepi range.

There will be no shortage of other producers on the Fells stand, with wines and Ports from producers such as Symington Family Estates, Torres, Guigal and Baron Phillipe de Rothschild. Ullom will be joined by Paul and Johnny Symington, as well as Marcel and Philippe Guigal.

No paucity of new releases over at De Bartoli either. Yarra Valley brand Gulf Station will be sporting a new look, and new additions to the Sero range will also be available to taste. New vintages from entry-level brands Willowglen and Sacred Hill will debut at the fair, as well as new offerings from the Vat Series and the Windy Peak range from Victoria.

As far as Moldovan wine is concerned, Taking Root will be one of the major launches of the year. Produced by Acorex, this new consumer-driven range has been developed with the intention of “transcending the boundaries of Eastern European wine”. The brand is imported by PLB in the UK and Ireland. Stop by either the Acorex or PLB stands to sample the new range.

PLB has even more up its sleeve, however. The entire portfolio, spanning Old and New World producers, will be on the agent’s newly redesigned stand. Producers such as Tosti and Piccini from Italy and Winegrowers of Ara from New Zealand will be shown alongside PLB’s own-brand ranges such as Chileno, Italian Icons, Sicilano, Snappygum and Blackburn & James. There are rumours of new labels from France and Germany as well.

Iconic wine
Viña Ventisquero will be present on both PLB and Wines of Chile’s stand. Winemaker Alejandro Galaz Viñals will host a Pinot Noir tasting. The two most recent vintages of the winery’s icon wine, Pangaea, will also be available: the result of a collaboration between head winemaker Felipe T Bruna and legendary Penfold’s winemaker John Duval.

Lane & Tatham, PLB’s fine wine division will be showcasing a new addition from the Rhône Valley entitled Ranvier & Dauvergne.

The unmistakeable Ehrmanns stand is back in its usual spot at the fair for the sixth year in a row. The two-storey stand includes enough space for a display area, as well as a meeting and tasting area upstairs. As if this is not enough, the company will also be hiring a waterfront room for meetings and tastings, as well as an invitation-only seminar.

Breaking new ground
Ehrmanns has promised the unveiling of what it calls “groundbreaking packaging innovations” from Arniston Bay and Palandri. The latest addition to the Blue Nun brand, a premium single estate Mosel Riesling, will also be on the stand. For those interested in Fairtrade wine, this will be an essential stand to visit, where Fairtrade specialists will be on hand to discuss its benefits.

Reh Kendermann’s stand promises to be a busy one as well, with the launch of Black Tower’s “One Million Club”. If the brand increases its 2006 worldwide sales by 20,000 cases it will cross the one-million case mark, and intends to celebrate the fact. Also featured on this stand will be the new packaging for the Kendermann’s range, as well as the Weight Watchers wine range.

Gonzalez Byass will be showcasing an interesting addition to its range at the fair this year: The London Gin. With sole distribution rights in the UK for this premium spirit brand, the company intends to continue the success it has had with its range of Spanish brandies. New packaging for Gonzalez Byass’ wine and Sherry ranges are another reason to visit the stand, as well as a brand new look for Bodegas Beronia.

Great Western Wine, with its focus on niche wine producers for the specialist independent and on-trade sector, will be showing a number of new additions this year. Kooyong in Mornington Peninsula, and Woodlands in Margaret River are two Australian additions that join old favourites such as James Kellie of Harewood. From New Zealand, Wairarapa producer Gladstone Vineyard is a new addition, as is Austria’s Machherndl.

A joint venture in South Africa between Martin Meinert and Ken Forrester has resulted in the new Winery Road range, also available at the Great Western Wine stand.

The reign in Spain
The Solaz range will be sporting a new look at the wine fair this year, which will be unveiled at UK distributor D&D Wines’ stand. Expect to see packaging that emphasises the famous Osborne Bull logo.

Remaining in Spain, Stratford’s has acquired its second Old World – and first Spanish – agency: Bodegas Olvena from Somontano, a young winery producing new wave wines such as a barrel-fermented Chardonnay. Stratford’s Australian offering from Tortoiseshell Bay is just one of a number of other producers that will be available on the stand.

Halewood International’s  Chalié Richards portfolio continues to grow, and will be available to taste at its double-decker stand this year. Products will include Argentinean Finca Las Moras, the recently acquired de-alcoholised Eisberg range, and the 2007 vintage of Seifried Estate Sauvignon Blanc.

For a range of Spanish and Australian wines, Cellar Trends will be a worthwhile stop, featuring the super-premium Campillo range, as well as new Portia wines from Grupo Faustino. A Viognier from the oldest producer in Victoria, Tahbilk, is also new, following the success of the winery’s Marsanne.

Guy Anderson Wines has recently ventured into Italy, strengthening its position within Europe, while also gaining a new agency listing from Chile, Viña Falernia. Also on the stand will be wines such as La Châsse du Pape, Maison des Princes and Atlantique, as well as an array of Spanish brands. The brand development specialist has a number of other new launches planned for the fair.

In with the new
Vinoceros, the Cornwall-based importers and distributors will be showcasing a number of new additions to its portfolio, such as Red Hill Estate from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Vinoceros’s first foray into France is a range from the Languedoc entitled Foxwood. Independent-exclusive Australian brand Runamok will also be shown on the stand. Laymont & Shaw will join Vinoceros with its specialist Spanish products, as well as a range of Portuguese and Uruguayan wines.

Premium New World specialist Discovery Wines will be showcasing a selection from its top five agencies, such as Vistamar from Chile and Diamond Bay from South Africa. The company specialises in the independent and on-trade sectors, and promises a number of new-vintage releases on its stand as well.

Believe it or not, this is just a small selection of what visitors can expect during what is always a busy three days. See the full show guide in the May edition of the drinks business for more information (or pick up a copy from the drinks business stand, F2).