Fresh fare: What London Wine Fair has in store for 2024
Registration for the 2024 London Wine Fair is about to open, and with planning now in full swing, here’s what visitors have to look forward to this May.
TAKING PLACE on 20-22 May, the 42nd live edition of London Wine Fair is being billed as the biggest in recent years.
London Olympia will be host to more than 400 exhibitors spanning major UK agents, market-leading generic bodies and emerging territories, big brands and niche producers.
So, what makes this year so special?
Well, a wealth of new features and content has been created – and here we take you through some of them.
JUDGEMENT OF LONDON
London Wine Fair 2024 will host an homage to the late Steven Spurrier ’s ‘Judgment of Paris’ Tasting of 1976. The ‘Judgement of London’ will feature two flights of red and white wines comparing icon bottlings from Old and New World producers. The flights and scoring system have been curated by Ronan Sayburn MS, CEO of The Court of Master Sommeliers, and Master of Wine Sarah Abbott. In an update to the original Judgment of Paris format, which compared contemporary vintages from Bordeaux and California, the 2024 version will judge wines from a broader range of countries, with back vintages from each producer to compare ageing potential. The tasting panel will comprise around 20 judges, including buyers, sommeliers and wine writers. When: Monday 20 May Where: Results will be announced on the Centre Stage
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WINE BUYERS AWARDS
The Wine Buyers Awards are back for 2024, recognising the UK’s professional buyers who are shaping and driving the industry. The judging process will be headed up by competition manager Chris Losh, LWF event director Hannah Tovey, and a hand-picked panel of distinguished and experienced judges. More categories have been added this year, including two new awards recognising the best on-trade and off-trade buying teams. Other categories acknowledge the work of independent merchants and online specialists, with one award celebrating a rising star in the industry.
The shortlist for the awards will be announced at the LWF24 launch party on 27 February.
HOSTED BUYER PROGRAMME AND CONCIERGE SERVICE
Implemented based on feedback from VIP buyers who attended the 2023 show, a bespoke Hosted Buyer Programme, plus a Concierge Service for 50 of the UK’s top buyers, are being launched by London Wine Fair. The new service will comprise a dedicated space for meetings alongside The Hosted Buyers Lounge, fully supported by staff on-site.
As in previous years, visitors and exhibitors will have access to London Wine Fair ’s digital networking and show planner platform, where sessions can be booked, and meetings requested and confirmed based on tailored searches and suggested matches.
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