just-drinks LIWF 2011 – Diary – 9 May

Coming up at this year’s London International Wine Fair…

• Top 100 IGP France (stand E70) will offer all 100 of the wines at this year’s LIWF that took part in its Indication Géographique Protégée (Protected Geographical Indication) competition. Back in March, Tim Atkin MW took the helm of the judging panel comprising 16 individuals from all sectors of the UK wine trade. These judges participated in a blind tasting, where IGP wines from across France were tasted. The trophy presentation will take place at 1430 on the Tuesday, hosted by Atkin, after which, Atkin will host a masterclass tasting of the trophy winning wines at 1500. On Wednesday at 1430, Peter McCombie MW will host a masterclass on the subject of IGP France wines in the on-trade, and on Thursday at 1430 Joe Wadsack will explore the rose category within French IGP wines. For further information, email top100igp@relish-pr.co.uk.
• Croatian wines will exhibit at the wine fair for the third time under the banner ‘Association of Winemakers at the Croatian Chamber of Economy‘ (Stand I60). Around 30 wineries will attend, including Bolfan winery, Degrassi, Jako Vina, Saints Hills, all of whom will be exhibiting for the first time. There will be a blind tasting competition on stand each day, where visitors will be invited to guess the variety of a wine for a chance to win a weekend trip to Croatia with a visit to the winery. On the Thursday at midday, Sasa Spiranec & Dennis Sunjic will host a masterclass entitled ‘Croatian Indigenous Varieties: Ageing Potential of Malvazija Istriana, at the LIWF Masterclass Theatre. To reserve a space, email ivona.grgan@gmail.com.
• Join Ara on the New Zealand Winegrowers stand (Stand F20), to meet the company’s new chief winemaker, Jeff Clarke. This year’s fair will see the UK launch of a new on-trade label, ‘Ara Single Estate’, with the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc and the 2009 Pinot Noir. Also on show for the first time outside of the winery will be a new sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. If you would like to meet up Jeff Clarke at a specific time, please contact karensutton@wiseinc.co.uk.
• The Portuguese Cork Association will host a Wine Faults Workshop at the fair. The two 90-minute sessions, held on the Wednesday, will focus on the importance of oxygen for wine development – both immediate and long-term – and how cork, plastic and aluminium closures provide varying levels of ingression. The three main faults – cork taint, reduction and oxidation – will also be examined in the glass, in terms of recognition and cause. Dr Paulo Lopes, a member of Amorim’s R&D team, will present the team’s latest published research on how oxygen reaches sealed wine, and the effect it has on wine development. This will be followed by a demonstration of wine faults in the glass by Ronan Sayburn, director of wines and spirits for the Hotel du Vin group, with samples for practical audience participation. Entry is free with a ticket gwen.youlden@grayling.com.
• Wines of South Africa (Stands I40, I36 and H32) is bringing a new stand concept to the LIWF. The ‘Great South African Variety Show’ has 20 different performances, including ‘Elegant Elgin’ and ‘Pearls from Paarl’, ‘Super Sauvignon’, ‘Proudly Pinot Noir’ and ‘Serious Syrah’. The trade body is inviting guests onto its stand on the Wednesday from 1700, for ‘wine, beer and biltong’. To register, e-mail claudia@winesofsa.com.

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