VINS D’ALSACE LAUNCH 2ND EDITION OF THE MILLÉSIMES ALSACE DIGITASTING®
2023-02-27 - 2023-03-01
Vins d’Alsace launch the 2nd edition of the Millésimes Alsace Digitasting® following the successful 2021 world premiere.
Trade show exclusively for professionals.
To register free of charge for the trade show (27TH, 28TH FEBRUARY AND 1ST MARCH 2023) or to order your tasting boxes from now until 9 January 2023 please follow the following link: www.millesimes-alsace.com

Wines from Spain Annual Tasting
2023-02-28 10:00 - 17:00 (Europe/London) | Lindley Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls, Elverton Street, London, SW1P 2QW
Wines from Spain’s flagship annual tasting returns to Lindley Hall, London, on 28 February 2023. This is a rare opportunity to meet producers from across Spain’s 70 DOs, discover new talent, taste the latest UK releases or join a Spanish wine masterclass.
Registration will open in January.
For more information please email: winesfromspain@otaria.co.uk
Digital webinars running in February and March will provide insights into the Spanish wine category. These online sessions will be free for the UK trade and press to access.

Let’s talk about Wines of Georgia with Sarah Abbott MW
2023-03-03 14:00 - 15:00
The wines of Georgia have been a source of interest to our members for a number of years. Join Sarah who will be providing an update on the latest developments and key producers.

The first UK trade tasting & masterclass of wines from Denomination of Origin Toro
2023-03-07 10:30 - 16:30 | 1 Great George St, London, SW1P 3AA
The first UK trade tasting & masterclass of wines from Denomination of Origin Toro – where native grape variety Tinta de Toro stands out.
Spain is one of today’s most exciting winemaking countries and Toro is at the forefront of innovation.
Toro is famed for its inky black, richly textured red wines made from the native Tinta de Toro grape variety – a unique expression of Tempranillo from an exciting region.
Top Toro producers create outstanding wines; full-bodied, structured and with enormous ageing potential, from this unique terroir. And they will be coming together for the first time in the UK to show their very best wines.
Join us to discover these wonderful wines, taken by Christopher Columbus on his voyage of discovery to the Americas.
DO Toro First Showcase Tasting
Twenty outstanding wine producers will be showing their very best wines, a variety of styles from DO Toro’s diverse geographical sub zones – the Tierra del Vino, Valle del Guareña, Tierra de Toro and Tierra del Pan & Tierra de Campos.
Taste some fabulous wines matched with great food from the region. Sarah Jane Evans MW will lead a tasting on award-winning wines from DO Toro – the very best wines tasted never before in the UK in a DO Toro Masterclass*
Register here: D.O. Toro UK Trade Tasting & Masterclass Tickets, Tue 7 Mar 2023 at 10:30 | Eventbrite
*Right of admission reserved

RAW WINE Paris
2023-03-12 - 2023-03-13 | Espace Clacquesin, 18 avenue du Maréchal Leclerc, 92240 Malakoff, Paris
RAW WINE is holding a two day wine fair in Paris, for the first time, this March with 156 natural wine growers in attendance. RAW WINE represents the world’s largest global network of low-intervention organic, biodynamic and natural wines, their growers & makers, and this will mark their 31st in-person fair.
“RAW WINE is a celebration of some of the best wine talent in the world,” says organiser Isabelle Legeron MW. “Our growers all produce natural, or low-intervention organic and biodynamic wines, all with few, if any additives in the cellar. They are pure, kind to the planet, and probably better for your health. RAW WINE advocates transparency — it is about truth, authenticity and frank wine talking, but most of all it’s about showcasing really good, terroir-driven wine.”
For more information and tickets visit: https://www.rawwine.com/fairs/paris-2023
If you wish to attend please email email paola@rawwine.com to be issued with a press pass.

Wines from Spain Annual Tasting
2023-03-13 11:00 - 17:00 | Ibérica Restaurant, Hepper House, 17a E Parade, Leeds, LS1 2BH
Leeds – Monday 13 March, 11am – 5pm, Ibérica Restaurant
If you are based in Yorkshire or the north of England, a special Wines from Spain tasting event will be held in Leeds on 13 March 2023. Ibérica restaurant will provide the perfect setting for a discovery tasting featuring exciting flights, themed tastings and expert-led masterclasses.
Registration will open in January.
For more information please email: winesfromspain@otaria.co.uk
Digital webinars running in February and March will provide insights into the Spanish wine category. These online sessions will be free for the UK trade and press to access.

Let's talk about... The science of wine preservation, with Greg Lambrecht of Coravin
2023-03-17 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… The science of wine preservation, with Greg Lambrecht, inventor and founder of Coravin
Friday 17th March at 2pm GMT
This discussion will range through the factors impacting wine preservation, including production methods, storage, filling and sealing, shipping, storing and serving. Coravin is the innovative preservation system that uses a non-coring needle to pass through the cork while it’s still in the bottle, allowing small amounts of wine to be poured without damage to what remains – an invaluable aid particularly for wine professionals needing to taste multiple wines.
As the inventor and founder of Coravin, Greg will focus in depth on preservation techniques. He is uniquely placed to explain the technology, the result of a convergence of his passion for wine with engineering degrees and a successful career in medical technologies.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86736909085?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 867 3690 9085
Passcode: [REDACTED]

New South Wales Wine Trade Tasting - "The Birthplace of Australian Wine"
2023-03-22 10:00 - 16:00 | 67, Pall Mall, St James’s Room, London, SW1Y 5ES
52 wines, 13 exciting producers and 6 regions.
From the rogue to the refined, the old to the new, the cool climate to maritime, taste through the wine regions of NSW. Producers already in market and others seeking distribution.
Regional masterclasses on the Hunter Valley, the Orange region and ‘The Path Less Trodden’ – producers experimenting with new varieties & styles.
Masterclass seats limited.
11.00-11.40am Masterclass 1: ‘The Path Less Trodden’
Some NSW wine regions recently started to turn heads. These new areas are early in their journey and still experimenting with grape varieties and wine styles to find their true calling.
1pm-1.40pm Masterclass 2: ‘Hunter Valley Semillon & Chardonnay’
Hunter Valley Semillon is otherworldly and unquestionably unique. Grown on the alluvial flats surrounding the Hunter River, Semillon from this region is almost unfathomably ageworthy.
3.15-3.55pm Masterclass 3: ‘Hunter Valley Shiraz’
A place where the soil dates back 280 million years, and the Shiraz vines are among the oldest on the planet. There’s a personality to the famously silken Hunter Valley Shiraz.
Strictly trade and press. You’re welcome to share details with trade & press colleagues.
Please register on: https://form.jotform.com/EvivaComm/22-march-2023-nsw-uk-trade-tasting

Let's talk about... Terroir and technology - A Guarantee of Origin, with Alastair Maling MW
2023-04-14 09:30 - 10:30
Let’s talk about… Terroir and technology – A Guarantee of Origin, with Alastair Maling MW
Please note early-morning timing
Join Alastair Maling MW, from Oritain, to explore how forensically verified technology can guarantee the origin of a wine down to vineyard parcels that may only be a hundred metres apart. This tecnhology also plays a role in verifying the origin of wines at any time in their life or at any point in the supply chain.
Alastair, one of the first Masters of Wine in New Zealand, will be well known to many members for his former head winemaker roles at Villa Maria Estate and Foley Wines. As part of his current winemaking consulting business he is an advisor to Oritain, a company specialising in traceability, authenticity and provenance.
Learn from him what it might mean for the world of wine when Terroir meets Technology. For an introduction to what’s to come, see www.oritain.com
To hear about this remarkable development please log in on Friday 14th April at 9.30am BST (this timing is necessary as Alastair will be presenting from New Zealand). The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To join, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84926467025?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 849 2646 7025
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Lets Taste..... The biological ageing of sherry, with Bodegas Hidalgo-la-Gitana
2023-04-25 10:00 - 11:00
Welcome to the Circle’s third Let’s taste… of 2023
Widely regarded as the definitive manzanilla house, Bodegas Hidalgo la Gitana was established in the coastal Andalusian town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda by the Hidalgo family in the late 18th century and is one of the few remaining family-owned bodegas.
The tasting will be led by Fermín Hidalgo, one of the eighth generation running the sherry house, and will include six samples of different sherry styles, to understand their biological ageing.
Fermín Hidalgo will explore what makes sherry so special and versatile, sharing knowledge passed down over generations, taking you through the history, the unique production processes to create the individual sherry styles, the power of oxidation, the mysteries of the flor, the art of the solera and the influence of the area around the beautiful town of Sanlucar de Barrameda.
The sherries to be tasted will be:
Las 30 del Cuadrado
La Gitana
La Gitana En Rama
Pasada Pastrana Manzanilla
Amontillado Napoleon
Palo Cortado Wellington VOS
As with our previous ‘Let’s taste…’ seminars there will be a minimal charge of £10 to each CWW member wishing to take part with samples (£15 to non-members) to cover our administrative costs. For UK-based members 20 sample packs are available; unfortunately samples cannot be sent outside the UK.
Full details will be sent out by email.
Zoom Meeting link details to follow.

Let's talk about... Tenuta di Arceno with Lawrence Cronin and Pepe Schib Graciano
2023-04-28 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… Tenuta di Arceno with Lawrence Cronin and Pepe Schib Graciano
We do you hope you join us and please watch this space for more details which will be posted when we have them.

Let's talk about... Wine lexicons & vocabularies – increasing diversity
2023-05-05 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… Wine lexicons & vocabularies – increasing diversity with Meg Maker
We do you hope you join us and please watch this space for more details which will be posted when we have them.

Domaine Pierre Girardin Dinner, New York
2023-05-17 19:00 - 22:00 | Legacy Records, New York, 517 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018, United States
Crurated will host an unforgettable evening of fine dining and exceptional wines at Legacy Records in New York City. The team, along with the winemaker Pierre-Vincent Girardin, will be serving a variety of wines from Domaine Pierre Girardin all in Magnum size; including Meursault Les Narvaux 2021, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 2021, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens Bas 2021, Vosne-Romanée 2020, Échezeaux Grand Cru 2019, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2018, and Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2020. Participation in this exclusive event is for paying members and by invite only.
Please contact the organisers for availability, they will reserve up to two seats at each event for the press and therefore they are subject to availability.
Also, timings are approximate.

Let's talk about... The diversity of the terroir of the Lebanese Mountains
2023-05-19 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… The diversity of the terroir of the Lebanese Mountains, with Gabi Rivero and Jad El Esta
Join our presenters from leading new-wave producer Ixsir to explore the ancient and modern story of wine in Lebanon’s exceptional terroir, where vineyards rising to 1,800 metres are among the highest in the northern hemisphere.
As they highlight the country’s 5,000-year vinous history, Gabi, winemaker and co-founder, and Jad, CEO, will explain how Ixsir has undertaken detailed studies of historic vineyard sites across Lebanon and has focused on replanting the best with appropriate grape varieties as well as exploiting existing old vines. It is the complex, multi-faceted terroir, they say, that decides which wines the company makes.
This should be a fascinating insight into the latest approaches in a country re-emerging as an important wine producer.
To learn more please log in on Friday 19th May at 2pm BST. The session, including Q&As, will last for approximately one hour. To join, follow the link below. Guests will be very welcome, but please let Andrea know their names.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82787672318?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 827 8767 2318
Passcode: [REDACTED]

Circle of Wine Writers Annual General Meeting (AGM)
2023-05-23 16:00 - 17:00
Do join us, online, for our AGM when you will get the chance to meet your Committee members and ask any questions that you have. We will run through key features of 2022 and then look at plans for 2023 and beyond. The papers have been emailed so watch out for them in your inbox. These will include the financials for 2022, the budget for 2023 and also the voting papers incase you cannot make it. We do hope you can attend and also join us at the end to share a toast.
Members are invited to stay on for an informal chat afterwards and to share a toast.
Please note the timing of 4pm (BST).
Zoom link will be emailed in advance.

Let's talk about... The alternatives to glass bottles
2023-06-02 14:00 - 15:00
Friday 2nd June, 2-3 pm BST [Image – Cramel Recas – PET wine bottle trial]
We have secured presenters who have first-hand experience of the effectiveness of alternatives to glass. They include Philip Cox on Recas winery’s innovative PET bottle and Nick Taylor of Laithwaites on paper bottles, who will be joined by a speaker on cans. Are they sustainable alternatives? This is one of the many questions you may have. Please join us. More details to follow.

Tim Atkin’s 2023 Chile Report - masterclass & tasting
2023-06-05 14:00 - 17:30 | ASIA House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 7LP
“Researching this report – my seventh – was more pleasurable than ever. I’ve had a front row seat to witness the changes of the last decade, and I couldn’t be happier about what has happened. After all, I was the person who described Chile as the “Volvo of the wine industry”, a justified comment that it took me a long time to live down”. Tim Atkin MW – April 2023
Tim Atkin MW dedicated just over three weeks during December 2022 in Chile to compile his seventh Chilean Special Report, his most comprehensive to date, where he discovered new wineries and wines, as well as tasting new releases.
Wines of Chile invite you to attend a masterclass featuring a selection of wines that received accolades from Tim’s 2023 Podium. Each winemaker will join the masterclass (via Zoom) and discuss with Tim their wines, giving a fascinating and anecdotal update from Chile.
Timings: Tasting opens: 14:00 – 17:30 pm
Masterclass: 15:00 – 16:30pm
To compliment the masterclass, there is a free pour tasting of wines that Tim awarded 90 or more points to, the tasting line-up includes:
• Wineries that are seeking representation in the market
• Wineries of all sizes – boutique to large production
• Ancestral, single varietals and blends
• A fortified wine made from Grenache & Monastrell
• A chardonnay-based blend made from vintages between 2017 and 2020
You can register your attendance to the tasting or to both the masterclass and tasting via the following link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/619018680537
Please let Wines of Chile know if you need any further information on the above event (info@winesofchile.org.uk)
To purchase Tim’s report: https://timatkin.com/product/2023-chile-special-report/
Please note that this event is only open to bona fide members of the trade and press (your trade credentials may be requested).

Trip to Champagne region
2023-06-12 - 2023-06-14
Join Crurated for a special trip for only 10 lucky guests to the Champagne region with visits to top estates. Attendees will also dine at family maisons and exclusive restaurants and meet producers that include Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO of Billecart-Salmon, Frédéric Rouzaud, owner of Louis Roederer, Alexandre Chartogne of Chartogne-Taillet, Raphaël Bérêche of Bérêche et Fils, Rodolphe Péters of Pierre Péters. Luxury accommodations will be provided by Residence Eisenhower.
Please contact the organisers for availability, they will reserve up to two places at each event for the press and therefore they are subject to availability.

Let's talk about... Naturally Bordeaux
2023-06-16 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… Naturally Bordeaux
Naturally Bordeaux is a group of three organic winemakers from Bordeaux, Château Fourcas Hosten, Château Jean Faure and Château de La Dauphine, who are focussed on developing sustainable winemaking. More details to follow.

Let's talk about... Crémant and charmat in the Loire Valley, and reviving an ancient grape variety
2023-07-07 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… Crémant and charmat in the Loire Valley, and reviving an ancient grape variety
Learn about intriguing initiatives from leading sparkling wine house Ackerman. Confirmation and more information shortly.
Please note the timing of 2-3pm BST (TBC)

Sabina Ibiza lunch
2023-07-11 12:00 - 14:00 | Sabina, Sabina Calle Motril s/n Calle Motril, Urbanización Montecarlos, Balearic Islands, s/n, 07829 Sant Agustí des Vedrà, Spain
Ecologically inspired Sabina Ibiza welcomes Crurated and 16 attendees to their five-star clubhouse for a delicious lunch-time experience. Food will be served from restaurant La Paloma and guests will meet the producers and taste wines from Domaine Vincent Dancer and Domaine Pierre Girardin.
Please contact the organisers for availability, they will reserve up to two seats at each event for the press and therefore they are subject to availability.
Also, timings are approximate.

Kedem Europe wine tasting (trade)
2023-07-11 14:30 - 17:00 | Sheraton Grand Hotel, 1 Festival Square, Edinburgh, EH3 9SR
Kedem Europe, a London-based importer and distributor of specialty wines and spirits are offering complimentary invitations to their afternoon trade tasting (they have a public tasting in the evening – Kosher Food & Wine Experience / KFWE).
The event will be showcasing hundreds of different wines and dozens of different wineries from all across the wine producing world (France, Spain, USA, Israel, South Africa, New Zealand, etc.) as well as some distilled spirits and liqueurs.
More information can be found here: https://www.kfwelondon.com/
Please contact Joshua London direct for further details.

Anglo Israel Association Wine Tasting
2023-07-12 18:00 - 21:00 | Royal Automobile Club, 89 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HS
Joshua London and The Anglo-Israel Association (UK registered charity No 313523) invites you to a private Israeli wine tasting reception.
The Anglo-Israel Association Wine Tasting Reception will be celebrating Israel 75 with Israeli Wines with presentations to run from 7-8 pm, followed by more canapes and wine tasting.
They will be tasting some of the very best Israel wines with Bruce Anderson, noted Drinks Critic for The Spectator, along with Eli Ben-Zaken winemaker of Domaine du Castel and Etti Edri of Yatir Winery.
Please contact Josh direct for further details.

Let's talk about... An Update on Chianti Classico
2023-07-21 14:00 - 15:00
Let’s talk about… Chianti Classico
This talk will include an update on Chianti Classico’s new UGA (Unità Geografiche Aggiuntive) system which was introduced in 2022. Full details to be sent out.

WineGB Trade & Press Tasting 2023
2023-09-05 10:30 - 17:30 | Battersea Arts Centre, Lavender Hill, London, SW11 5TN
WineGB is announcing a new look and a brand-new venue for their Trade & Press Tasting 2023.
Taking place on Tuesday 5th September from 10.30 – 5.30pm, this year’s tasting will be at Battersea Arts Centre in London.
The tasting will be packed with different features to make it the go-to event for GB wines on the wine trade calendar:

Individual exhibitors and brands, from long-established to new arrivals
Stands representing regional vineyard associations, putting a spotlight on smaller commercial producers, some exhibiting for the first time
Focus, free-pour tables to highlight some of the styles now produced in Britain including:

o Still wines from the 2022 vintage
o 2018 Classic Method sparkling wines
o Pet Nat wines

A tasting of the Trophy Winners in the WineGB Awards 2023
Masterclass sessions in an adjoining room

Head of Marketing Julia Trustram Eve explains: “Our industry is growing fast, with plantings predicted to reach 7,500 hectares in the next decade. We felt that the time was right to refresh the tasting, explore a new venue and give the event a whole new look. There is a great deal of excitement about the sector, not only in the UK but in key export markets too, and we want to reflect that dynamism, innovation and energy in our event.
“Visitors can look forward to discovering new wines from across the UK, meeting many of the producers in person and immersing themselves in this exciting industry, all under one roof.”
To sign up for the tasting please visit: https://winegb.co.uk/events/winegb-trade-and-press-tasting/
Further information:
Madeleine Waters madeleine@wareco.co.uk 07778 702221
Notes to Editors: WineGB will be holding an Industry Briefing for press from 9.30-10.30am, before the main tasting opens. To book a place, email Madeleine Waters.

Veenus at the Amathus annual trade tasting
2023-09-05 10:30 - 18:00 | Royal Society of Chemistry, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BA
Su-Lin Ong PR introduce Goldtooth Vermouth, which will launch in the UK this Autumn.
This range of small batch vermouths is blended from wine made with Spanish Parellada and Xarello grapes, and aromatized by a herbalist’s blend of wild and farmed botanicals from Ibiza.
Goldtooth was created by herbalist-blender Veenus Vortex and now partners with Amathus for UK distribution. Goldtooth Original and Goldtooth Springtime, both 15 percent abv, have gained a strong following in their Mediterranean Balearic home of Ibiza, and now also in Mallorca and Menorca. They will be the first two styles for the UK, and a new, limited edition third style specially for the UK will be released by the end of 2023. Guide retail price is £29 to £32 for a 75cl bottle.
Launch plans for the UK comprise a solid schedule of trade tastings, led by Veenus visiting individual on and off-trade outlets.
They hope you may like to come and meet Veenus at the Amathus annual trade tasting in Piccadilly, London W1 on 5 September 2023.
She’ll be there all day but if you want to fix a time please contact Su-Lin Ong direct. Veenus used to own Pinch, a wine shop in East London
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/amathus-drinks-trade-wine-and-spirits-portfolio-tasting-tickets-652604767427

Let's talk about... the OIV with Monika Christmann
2023-09-05 17:00 - 18:00
Let’s talk about… the OIV with Monika Christmann
Monika Christmann, head of Oenology / Wine Technology at the Hochschule Geisenheim University and former president of the OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine) will speak on the role of the OIV on a global scale and its influence / impact on winemaking. She will also discuss research on climate change at Geisenheim and its implications for the future.
Full details to be sent out.

Coonawarra Cabernet webinar with Wine Australia
2023-09-14 10:00 - 11:00
Coonawarra Cabernet – elegance, identity and drinkability
Famous for its vivid red soil and age-worthy red wines, Coonawarra makes some of the world’s purest Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a small region, but with a big reputation. This year, a wine from Coonawarra was crowned the world’s best Cabernet Sauvignon.
Located halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Coonawarra has 5,600 hectares of vineyards, with 62 per cent devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon. This late-ripening variety is Coonawarra’s undisputed star, producing wines that are elegant, vibrant and drinkable in their youth, yet will age wonderfully for many years.
In a conversation hosted by Sarah Ahmed, six winemakers discuss what makes Coonawarra the perfect spot for Cabernet Sauvignon.
Explore the region’s ancient landscape, its special terra rossa soil and the influence of the ocean, and find out how the wines differ from the rest of Australia and the world. Get to know the region’s community, old winemaking families and fresh new talent, and hear how wineries are combining tradition with innovation.
Australian Cabernet Sauvignon is firmly in the spotlight, after picking up a haul of medals in international competitions this year.
Australia beat 20 other countries in the International Wine Challenge 2023 to claim the International Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy, which was awarded to Riddoch The Pastoralist Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2021. This is one of the wines that will be discussed in the session.
This webinar is free and open to all.
Register to watch live or receive the recording.
For more information and to sign up, please visit https://www.wineaustralia.com/whats-happening/events/coonawarra-cabernet-elegance-identity-and-drinkability

Oldenburg Vineyards Masterclass and Tasting
2023-09-19 10:30 - 12:30 | The St James’s Room, 67 Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5ES
Belleville Marketing invite you to join Oldenburg Vineyards Masterclass and Tasting
Oldenburg Vineyards is situated in an elevated valley of outstanding beauty. At the heart of the farm lies Rondekop – a spectacular round hill which influences the vineyards planted on and around it, creating an extraordinary terroir.
The unique location benefits from the camouflage of 8 Natural Elements, creating a distinctive terroir that truly reflects the place. The philosophy of working in harmony with nature provides the cornerstone for all their vinicultural activities, believing that wine is an encapsulation of what nature dies best.
Oldenburg Vineyards aims to produce stunning wines with balance and elegance at their core, taking great pride in their vineyards, team and mission to create Exceptional Wines from an Extraordinary Place.
Join Nic van Aarde – Winemaker, as he demystifies and translates Rondekop, the 8 Elements and the distinctive terroir that is found at Oldenburg Vineyards.
RSVP to: jo@bellevillemarketing.com

Let's talk about... details tbc
2023-09-19 17:00 - 18:00
Let’s talk about…
Full details to follow.
