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London Wine Fair 2017: Highlights
As the annual London Wine Fair gets set to open next week, db brings you some of the highlights of the show.
Picture credit: Anthony Upton
Returning to Olympia for its 37th year, the LWF will open its doors to the trade on Monday 22 at 10am for the three day trade-fest celebrating the UK wine industry. Though slightly smaller in size than last year, there is still plenty to keep you occupied over the three days.
Visitors can choose from a comprehensive programme of 45 masterclasses, talks, briefings and tastings during the three-day event, which can be booked via the London Wine Fair website
This year’s show will see a greater focus on tastings, with around 2,500 – 3,000 seats available across the three days. This includes a new, first-come, first served, walk-in Tasting Theatre.
Key trends this year includes the rise of volcanic wines, the expansion of the organic segment, the insatiable popularity in Prosecco, and the increasing appeal of growers’ Champagne.
In the Grapevine Debate on Monday 22nd, ‘Meeting the challenge of Brexit, the rising exchange rate and trade deals’ two sitting MPs on either side of the debate and the WSTA will thrash out the issues.
Another key highlight is the annual Drinks Business Awards, which recognises the achievements of the industry over the past year. This covers the whole sector, from retailer to importers, along with awards for logistics, design and marketing and the awards shortlist can be found here. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Tuesday 23rd May between 4 and 6pm.
New and returning exhibitors include Wines of Germany, The Rothschild Collection, France’s Vinadeis, with InterRhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape also taking a stand.
Please click through to see some of the exhibitors and events taking place, while our guide to what’s happening across the entire show can be found here.
EXHIBITORS & EVENTS
Lyme Bay Winerys introduces sparkling wines
Wines of Germany (B32). Returning to the show after an absence of seven years, Wines of Germany is bringing a funky Berlin-inspired bar as its main hub. The stand will showcase the Top 50 Wines of Germany, as well as focusing on varieties and styles such as Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Sekt. “Over the past few years, the Pinot trio has been thriving in German soils and we’re seeing some really interesting examples coming into the UK,” Nicky Forrest, managing director of Wines of Germany UK, said.
Louis Latour Agencies (B22) is running a schedule of tastings and wine flights from its core portfolio, highlighting aspects such as organic, biodynamic and sustainable wines, emerging and forgotten regions, New World twists on Old World classics and Pinot Noir beyond the Côte d’Or.
Lyme Bay Winery (C20) is introducing two new sparkling wines, made in Devon to its portfolio – a blanc de noirs and rosé – which will be on show on its stand. They join its existing Classic Cuvée and Brut Reserve sparklers. The company will also be showing new vintages of the award-winning still whites: Bacchus Block and Sandbar.
As ever, the drinks business (C52) will be on hand at the LWF, and holding the annual Drinks Business Awards on the Tuesday afternoon (by invitation only). This prestigious set of awards recognises the achievements of the industry over the past year. For 2017, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte will be sponsoring a special award called The Other Side of Life. recognising and celebrating members of the UK wine trade who have brought innovation and dynamism into the sector. while our sister title, The Spirits Business will also be sponsoring the Alan Lodge Award for the Young Drinks Writer of the Year.
Armit Wines (D30) is showcasing the breadth of its portfolio and has a number of on-stand activities planned, from a look at grower Champagne with Geoffroy and Gimonnet, a tasting of Marlborough’s Astrolabe with winemaker Simon Waghorn, and a celebration of 75 years of La Rioja Alta Viña.
Hatch Mansfield (D40) The premium importer is returning to the LWF with new vintages, new launches and old favourites. Robert Oatley’s winemaker, Chris Hancock, will be showing the new blends and varietals from McLaren Vale, while Chile’s Errazuriz and Caliterra will show its new Reserve Malbec. Cune’s export manager, Carlos Delage, will be showing the new Monopole Clássico 2014, a remake of its traditional style, small-batch white wine blend, while South Africa’s Kleine Zalze will be showing its Vineyard selection Malbec, which is new to the UK. Another highlight is Taittinger’s new Brut Vintage 2012 and the new Collection Salgado 2008.
Kingsland Drinks (D50) will be exhibiting a selection of the sparkling and carbonated wines that it has launched in the past year, as well as wines from its new on-trade and independent range, which launched this year.
Felíx Solís Avantis (D60) is launching an organic range as it starts the process of certifying many of its existing vineyards to organic production, led by a trio of new Viña Albali wines from the 2016 vintage: a white Verdejo, red and rose Tempranillo. It is also launching two charmat-method wines under Viña Albali brand, a Brut NV and the Rosado Sec, and will be showing its Chilean wines, including the top tier, La Piqueta, and its brand called ‘the guv’nor’.
Broadland Wineries (E22) is introducing 57 wines to the UK, including a new Australian range, as well as showing its 160-strong portfolio. Its stand will be divided by channel, aiming at the on-trade and the off-trade.
Hallgarten Druitt and Novum Wines (E40) is focusing on five area this year – sparkling, Old World, emerging regions, New World, stickies and fortified – highlighting wines that are new to its portfolio, with ‘pod sections’ hosted by Francois Pages, area export manager of Gerard Bertrand wines, winemaker Matt Thomson of Saint Clair, and Bob Berton at Berton Vineyards.
The Rothschild Wine Collection (E42) is exhibiting at the London Wine Fair for the first time. The Rothschild Collection and its UK distributor, Waddesdon Wine, will showcase wines from its domaines in Languedoc, Bordeaux, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand. Highlights include the Lafite Légende; a collection of Bordeaux wines at more accessible prices, Los Vascos, DBR Lafite’s Colchagua Valley-based winey, and Bodegas Caro, the Mendoza-based collaboration between DBR Lafite and the Catena family.
Copestick Murray (E60), is launching Talisman, a new brand the UK distributor says will invigorate the Eastern European markets, as well as showcasing its extensive portfolio. The popular ‘i heart’ wines campervan will be heading to Olympia for the three days, with a new range of region-led wines, including a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, a Mendoza Malbec and a classic Rioja, as well as an i heart Asti.
Les Grands Chais de France (F40) The largest independent supplier of French wines into the UK, and owner of the largest châteaux and domaine business in the on-trade, Les Grands Chais de France (GCF) is announcing a major launch on its stand F40 at the LWF this year, as it unveils a new Calvet range exclusively for the on-trade and independents. With packaging designed uniquely for the on-trade and independent retailers, the new Calvet branded range is constructed of three tiers: C de Calvet comprising a Sauvignon Blanc, a Merlot and a rosé; Héritage for AOP wines, and Cuvée 1818, which is a Bordeaux ‘icon wine’ created to mark Calvet’s 200th anniversary next year. Other highlights on the GCF stand include BDX, a new Merlot based Bordeaux claret in colourful packaging that is sealed with a screwcap. It has been created as part of a new initiative by GCF to make its Bordeaux offering more accessible and easier for wine drinkers to understand.
Inter Rhône (J40). The Côtes du Rhône will launch its new ad campaign for the UK at the LWF, part of the organisation’s strategy of premiumisation. “We are focusing on showcasing the diversity and high standards of the region, and will be presenting different styles of wine, such as a white Rhône masterclass,” it said. Wines on show include Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, St Joseph, St Peray, Cornas, and Vinsobres.
Bosco Viticultori, Casa Vinicola Bosco Malera (K20/2) is presenting Vigna Dogarina, the single-vineyard estate it acquired over last August, for the first time in the UK, as well as focusing on its premium Pinot Grigio DOC delle Venezie, which will replace the current Pinot Grigio IGT delle Venezie, from the 2017 harvest.
Wines of Chile (K50) will be offering a free-pour of around 30 wines that reflect the styles and innovations from a Chile’s different regions to truly show how Chilean wine has evolved, a topic that will be explored in a masterclass hosted by Richard Hemming MW.
Santa Rita Estates. The Chilean wine company is launching two new varieties, a Malbec from Colchagua and a Pinot Grigio from Curicó, as well as unveiling a refresh for its 120 brand.
Wines of Australia is running three pop-up tastings at the London Wine Fair, looking at the Cool (new) Classics of Adelaide Hills Shiraz, the way that winemakers in the region are putting their stamp on wines from Adelaide Hill, and the evolution of Margaret River Chardonnay. The session will be presented by a selection of winemakers and MW, and there will be the opportunity to taste a selection of wines representing the best of those regions.
Central Loire Valley Wines will be hosting a seminar on Sauvignon Blanc: The Royal Family of Central Loire Valley Wines at the Pop-Up tasting area on Monday 22 May. The seminar, hosted by the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre and led by Dr Jamie Goode, will investigate the many and varied styles of the region’s signature grape, and look at the work being done in the region to ensure continued quality. The session will include a tasting of wines from the Central Loire Valley family of appellations: Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé Menetou Salon, Quincy, Reuilly, Coteaux de Giennois, and Châteaumeillant.
The WSET will be hosting a series of five pop-up workshops to put its world-renown qualifications into context. The key focus of the sessions, taking place on stand D32, will be on ‘upselling’, showing how WSET courses can develop the important skill to promote fine wines and spirits to consumers by demonstrating the benefits, and in doing so thereby making a significant difference to profit margins. Jim Gore, principal of the WSET’s flagship school in London, will be on hand during the show to answer questions and provide further information about WSET and its courses.
As the show’s outgoing director, Ross Carter, pointed out to db, “In terms of selection of wine businesses, it’s the biggest coming together in the UK.”
Our handy guide to what’s happening across the whole show can be found here.