The London International Wine & Spirits Fair is upon us once again. This year, the fair's organiser, Brintex, is specifically targeting the on-trade. Its aim is "to ensure that it is a must-attend event within the on-trade calendar".
There's a dedicated area, the On-trade Forum, with a purpose-built theatre and networking area where educational seminars and tastings will be held, specifically for the on-trade. And this year Brintex has made sure that the exhibitors, all 1,200 of them (from 34 countries), know that the on-trade is coming. Among the on-stand activities, you will be able to meet some of the winemakers and participate in food and wine matching events.
Where to start? Here's our guide to what's worth seeking out...
Must-taste
New Zealand Winegrowers (stand F25) will be showing off the latest vintages from a line-up of wineries (expect screwcaps galore), including Martinborough Vineyard, Cloudy Bay, Trinity Hill and Villa Maria, and 26 winemakers and winery principals will be flown over, among them John Belsham of Foxes Island and Clare Allen of Huia Vineyards. You can also taste some of the wines from the new, much-talked-about Gimblett Gravels appellation. Those with GG wines include Esk Valley (R40), Vidal Estate (R40) and Mills Reef Winery (D60).
Organic bigwig Fetzer Vineyards (BB60) is launching the Pacific Bay range, while premium Californian brand The Boulders will have its Petite Syrah and Viognier on the Kingsland stand (J2).
Wines of Chile (Q40/50/60) has a few newcomers to the UK, including Chocal n Estate, from winemaker Philippe Debrus and viticulturist Eduardo Silva, plus new Maipo winery Viña Pérez Cruz, which has five wines including a Carmenère (Alvaro Espinoza is the consultant winemaker). Viña Anakena will also be showing off a late harvest wine, using Moscatel sourced from the Limari Valley, and Viña Canepa has a new organic range. Finally, Santa Carolina has the first vintage of its VSC super-premium wine.
From just over the Andes, Familia Zuccardi, on Thierry's stand (PP20), will unveil its new Fuzion range. And Wines of Argentina (N20/P30) will unveil a generic campaign to kickstart demand.
The Rhone Valley will be out in force on stand F40, with more than 200 wines and 25 producers.
And stop by to taste Jacques and Fran‡ois Lurton's new premium Languedoc wine Château des Erles 2001 AOC Fitou (N1). It's a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, picked from the best plots.
Patriarche Wine Agencies (CC60) will be showing a Montagny Premier Cru and a Chorey-les-Beaune, both new to the UK, plus Champagne Jacquart's new Cuv‚e Ros‚ Vintage 1998, the first-ever vintage rosé.
In addition, Cave de Tain l'Hermitage (L14) is launching two new wines - a Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes (100% Syrah) and St Joseph Esprit de Granit. And Champagne Duval-Leroy (PP50) will be showing off its new Paris brut, with a silk-screened bottle designed by American painter Leroy Neiman.
Stop by at Siegel Wine Agencies (HH52) and view its Abbotts wines - the Australian winemaker has a PhD in Shiraz flavour (yes, really).
Western Wines (J10) is launching a new range from Sicily, and Moncaro will present a new Stelvin closure range called Svitato from the Marche region of Italy. Top Chianti estate Capannelle Winery (S50/B) will be showing 50&50, a Sangiovese/Merlot blend that is a joint venture with Avignonesi, and Cavit (AA32), the Trentino-based co-operative behind the USA's best-selling Pinot Grigio, is launching new brand Principato Prima Italia.
From Portugal, Beira Rio (A20, AA20) will launch Duque da Ribeira, from the Douro, and Quinta do Noval (S70) is breaking with tradition with its Raven Special Reserve Premium Ruby Port, in a 500ml square bottle.
Stop at Halewood International (B50) to try its rather good new Spanish brand, Solaz, aimed at both on- and off-trades.
Try two new Tempranillos from flashy Legaris Bodega in Ribera del Duero, on the Codorniu stand (P60). Gonzalez Byass (K50) is launching two 15-year-old Lepanto brandies with sherry finishes, while Cockburn & Campbell (A17) has Bodegas Museum from Cigales for the first time.
Hayman Barwell Jones has relaunched South African brand Nederburg in both the on- and off-trades (K70), while Edward Cavendish (J60) will be showing Tumara - reds from the Bellevue Estate. Raisin Social (K40) also has new wines from South Africa - Eagle Crest, from the Swartland Winery.
Greece should excite this year - Eclectic (AA40) will launch a new sweet red called Lysimelis made by Papantonis from the St George grape.
And see what Slovenia is up to by trying Flight of Vines from Cellarworld International (L92).
Must-see
Giant on-trade supplier Waverley is putting on a "Passionate about Wine and Food" seminar, about the art of matching wine and food. South African restaurateur Pete Gottgens, owner of London's Fish Hoek, will do the honours.
With France retaining the number-one spot in the UK on-trade with 40.6% of the market, French Wines will launch the second year of the French Wines Match, the on-trade competition launched last year (it also sponsors the On-trade Forum).
Southcorp Wines (BB40), whose portfolio includes big brands Penfolds, Rosemount and Lindemans, is to host a seminar on the relevance and importance of brands within the on-trade.
Want to know more about Shiraz? Then roll up to Michael Twelftree's lecture and compare ultra-premium wines from regions such as Barossa and McLaren Vale. He promises to give a "compelling retort" to all those who claim that Australian regional character is a myth.
LIWSF organiser Brintex has commissioned market researcher Wine Intelligence to prepare new research into how producers can best meet the needs of the on-trade. Listen to the results in the On-trade Forum on Wednesday and Thursday morning of the LIWSF at 10am.
If you can't tell the difference between hand-destemmed and machine-destemmed wines (and who can?), then the tasting with top Chilean producer Casa Lapostelle on the Wines of Chile Stand (Q40/50/60) might interest you. Contact the stand for details.
Always one for a challenge, Austrian wine glass supremo Georg Riedel is offering visitors to the fair a chance to win 30 Sommelier glasses worth more than £1,000. All you have to do is spend five minutes tasting and guessing grape varieties at Riedel's stand (E50/62).
Eighteen Alsace producers will show their wines at a group tasting held in Waterfront Rooms 5 and 6 on 21 May, from 10.30am to 4pm. Organised by the Alsace Wine Committee, it will compare the different styles produced in the region.
Love New Zealand Chardonnay? Then roll up to the New Zealand Winegrowers' seminar on the Myriad Styles of New Zealand Chardonnay on 20 May at 3pm in Room 11 in the Waterfront Suites. But book a place first at
info@winzuk.com.
The Madeira Wine Institute and Wines of Portugal (A20) will be holding a tutored tasting of Madeira wine in Waterfront rooms 3 and 4 on Tuesday 20 May at 2.30pm. Portugal guru Richard Mayson will preside over the tasting, which will include 12 wines from six Madeira houses.
Get to know your customer by sitting in on The Publican Wine Research Project on Thursday 22 May from 11am to 2pm, which promises to unveil "exciting new research" into wine drinking habits in the on-trade.
Note: all times not specified will be posted on the website (see below).
Essential information
The London International Wine & Spirits Fair will take place on 20-22 May 2003 at ExCel in London's Docklands. To pre-register, visit www.londonwinefair.com, or call for tickets on 0870 126 1744.